by Montana Ash
Max snorted, “You call a future god or goddess a tiny detail?”
Jazz paused, “Future deity?”
Max quirked a brow, “Technicolour equals custodian.”
“Ah, of course. And I guess depending on how far along you are, it may not be all that tiny. We should do a scan.”
Max, still looking a little stunned but a lot misty-eyed, placed a hand over her stomach and closed her eyes. “Still tiny,” she informed her. “Like, ten-ish weeks tiny.”
“Ten weeks?” Jasminka asked, trying desperately not to feel jealous of Max’s abilities. As a doctor, those kinds of abilities would be incredible. “So you must have conceived before the big bang.”
Max nodded, hand still reverently cupping her stomach. “Literally right before I think. The night before the revolution, I did this thing with Ryker where I opened up our private link. It was intense.”
“Shared orgasms, huh?” Jazz waggled her eyebrows.
Max laughed, “Oh yeah.”
The two stared at each other for a minute before Max leaned forward, hugging Jazz once more. “Do yourself a favour; stay out of your head. Follow your heart on this one instead. Okay?”
Jasminka closed her eyes, whispering; “Okay.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
After having sworn her to secrecy, Max had retreated to her room with Ryker to quote; ‘sex him up before he gets freaked out about the spawn’. Jazz was in the library, stealing a few more precious minutes of quiet and thinking time. She was not hiding, she assured herself. No sooner than she had curled herself on the comfy armchair, did she hear footsteps heading down the hallway in her direction. She hadn’t heard that steady, even gait before but she knew who it belonged to, nonetheless. Max’s little outing had healed Beyden’s leg completely.
Jazz swallowed hard when she heard the door open and close behind her, but she didn’t turn around. She was worried one look into those amber eyes of his and she would immediately acquiesce to anything.
“I know it’s not enough – will never be enough. But I’m sorry. So sorry. I don’t know where those hateful words came from. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean them – truly. It was like hearing your words of love and feeling such unimaginable pleasure and joy flipped a switch in me. I could hear myself talking but I couldn’t stop it. I am so very sorry, Jazz.”
Wow, talk about charging from the gate, Jazz thought. Beyden hadn’t said so much as a hello before he started to apologise so hard he was practically hyperventilating. Taking a deep breath, Jazz stood up, making sure to keep her distance as well as her back to him. “I’m glad you’re healed.”
“What?” Beyden sounded confused.
“Your leg,” she reminded him. “I’m glad it’s better.”
Beyden made a dismissive sound and she heard him moving closer. “I don’t give a damn about my leg. Did you hear what I said? I’m sorry.”
Jazz nodded, “I heard you.”
“Will you look at me?” Beyden asked, sounding frustrated.
“No. I won’t,” she answered, not turning around.
“Why not?”
The question was posed so close behind her that she felt his breath stir her hair. He sure was light on his feet now that he had two functioning lower limbs. “Because you’re too pretty!” She knew exactly what she would see if she turned around. The big knucklehead would be standing there with beseeching yellow eyes, his beautiful face earnest, and his strong jaw stubborn.
“Jasminka, I’m sorry,” Beyden repeated once more, his voice cracking.
She sucked in a harsh breath, his pain hurt her like it had from the very first moment she had seen him. “I know you’re sorry, Bey. I forgive you.”
“You do? Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I –”
She heard him take a step and knew he was intent on gathering her in his arms. She moved further away from him, keeping her back to him as she wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. “Yes, I forgive you. But it doesn’t change anything, Beyden. Everything you said? It was all true. I am human. I am going to die. I am too old to have children.”
That last fact had never bothered her. Since her awakening she had been content with her life and her career. She wasn’t one to believe a woman’s worth or happiness was defined by being able to reproduce. There was no question she would be just as content and just as fulfilled without children – or a man – in her life. But now that she was in love for the first time in her life, she felt a deep regret that she wouldn’t be able to hold a piece of her and Beyden in her arms.
“None of that matters. I –”
Jasminka cut him off, “Of course it does, Bey. We’re not talking about small things like which side of the bed to sleep on. We’re talking about life and death here. More specifically; your life and my death.”
“We never know what the future will bring. Well, okay, maybe Max does. But us lowly people can’t predict what even each day will bring, let alone the rest of our lives. I don’t exactly have the safest job in the world, Jazz. I’m a soldier – a knight. I literally give up my life-force for the benefit of another. Longevity does not equate to mortality. I could be hurt or killed just as easily as you. You know this. You’re the one who stitched my leg back together.”
“It’s not the same thing,” Jazz whispered, but her heart was feeling lighter with every word Beyden spoke.
“It is the same thing,” Beyden insisted. “You said you were happy my leg was healed. Did you mean that?”
That had her head snapping up and she turned around, “Of course I did!”
Beyden nodded, eyes directly on hers. “I believe you. Because I trust you. I know you’ll be honest with me always. Can’t you afford me the same courtesy?”
Jazz opened and closed her mouth a few times, shaking her head.
“Don’t shake your head!” Bey’s voice was strong, his words forceful. “Do you believe in me?”
Jazz blinked back tears but nodded.
“And do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she answered. “Yes, I trust you.”
“Then listen to me when I say I would rather have one year, one month, or even one day with you in my arms than a lifetime without you. I love you, Jasminka. And I will love you every minute of every day for as long as you are in my life.”
He took a step toward her, large arms reaching to gather her up in the strength of his embrace, but she took a step back. Beyden released a sound of frustration, his hands going to his head to pull at the brown strands of his hair. Jazz fought down the urge to simply collapse against him. Ignoring Max’s advice to lead with her heart and not her head, Jazz allowed her brain one more shot;
“Wait. Beyden, don’t touch me unless you really mean it. I’ve said I forgive you and I do. It’s not really that hard to forgive someone who was poisoned and spouting shit against their control. I’ve said I believe in you and I do. Hell, I believed in a crazy redhead spouting tales of superpowers and phantoms. But I need you to be sure you really mean it. Nobody has ever been in love with me before. I’ve never had a family before. If you say these things – if you give me these things – and then take it all away again ... Beyden, I wouldn’t survive it. So, please, just ... mean it.”
Beyden raised one expressive eyebrow at her, “Are you quite finished, Dr Winchester?”
Jazz narrowed her eyes at his smart tone and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes. I’m finished.”
“Good,” he took a step closer to her. “Because you see this foot getting closer to you? It means it. This hand right here?” He took another step, his hand reaching out to touch her face tenderly, “It means it too. These arms?” he wrapped them around her in a solid embrace. “They really fucking mean it. But do you know what means it the most? These lips,” he answered quickly, brushing them ever so gently across hers. “My body means it, Jazz. But do you know what means it even more? My heart. I love you, Jasminka. I loved you even as I was being poisoned from the inside out. Even as a knight without a cause
and a ruined leg, I still loved you.”
Jasminka gripped his shirt between her clenched hands, using it to pull herself up to her tiptoes. She very carefully placed her lips over his, sighing in relief when their mouths came together like magic. Her body tingled everywhere it touched him and all her reservations melted away under the heat they generated. Pulling back, she nipped at his chin, “I love you too.”
His grin rivalled the brightness of the sun and he whooped, picking her up and spinning her around. She giggled, finding his newly reinforced body a relief as well as a huge turn on. Still, it was important he understood something. “It wouldn’t have mattered. If you walked with a limp forever, if you could never fight in another world-saving battle ever again. It wouldn’t have mattered. I would have loved you anyway.”
Beyden growled, placing her on her feet again, “You better stop being so perfect.”
She grinned, “Or what?”
“Or I’m going to pick you up, hike up that pretty dress of yours, and bend you over the nearest flat surface,” Beyden whispered the erotic words against the shell of her ear, before giving it a slight nip.
Jazz shuddered, tilting her head to encourage more of the same treatment. “And that’s supposed to deter me?”
Bey placed a series of soft kisses down her neck, “It should. We have company.”
“What?” she squeaked, jumping out of her lover’s arms. Spinning around she saw two pairs of eyes watching her avidly and two furry heads canted sideways in curiosity. “Oh, hell no! There will be no furry voyeurs here. Don’t think I don’t know what goes on in those tiny brains of yours. Max filled me in on just how much you comprehend. Especially you, Zombie.” Jazz shook her finger at him in mock outrage, “Tricksy doggy. Playing matchmaker.”
Zombie and Angel looked entirely unrepentant and Beyden’s exuberant laugh did nothing to aid the seriousness of her lecture. “How about we go tell the gang that you forgave my sorry butt, so they stop wanting to kick it into next week?” he suggested.
Jasminka felt her smile dim as old insecurities returned.
“Hey, what’s this?” Beyden asked, cupping her face between his warm palms.
“What if they aren’t happy for us?”
“Why wouldn’t they be happy for us? Almost everyone out there is as loved-up as us. Besides, they’re family. They love us.”
Jasminka blew out the breath she had been holding, resting her head against Beyden’s broad chest and slipping her hands under his shirt at the small of his back. “You’re right. Besides, we should get in first before Max steals our thunder.”
Beyden pulled back, looking curious, “What do you mean?”
Jazz simply grinned. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when Max revealed her big surprise.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Max was the first to congratulate them, charging forward in a rush and throwing her arms around Beyden in a warm embrace. “I’m so happy for you guys! I knew she’d forgive you,” Max said, patting his back.
Beyden chuckled, “Of course you did.”
Max stuck her tongue out at him before hugging Jasminka just as enthusiastically. The second his liege released her, Beyden grabbed his woman’s hand and cleared his throat; “Jazz has kindly forgiven my sorry butt and is doing me the great honour of staying here as my partner.”
Cheers and numerous well-wishes followed and Beyden soon felt himself in the middle of a small huddle. Once the general ruckus died down, the inevitable questions began.
Darius cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable, “I don’t mean to be rude, but Jazz, you’re human – mortal. And whilst Beyden is a man, he is by no means an ordinary one. With his lifeforce bound to Max, he will continue to stay young and live long after an average human lifespan.”
Beyden squeezed Jasminka where he held her around the waist. He knew this was going to come up. They were a family and didn’t hold back when they had concerns regarding each other’s relationships. Hell, each and every time one of them had become involved, the others had either figuratively or literally held an intervention in their honour. So, although the topic cut him to the core, he couldn’t blame Darius for bringing it up. He and Jazz had just spent the past half-hour reconciling the exact same issue, after all. But reconcile they did, and Beyden had no reservations about spending his life with the amazing woman by his side – no matter how long that may be.
“We’re aware. Trust me,” Beyden replied, looking around the room. “And although it’s not something I’m okay with – will never be okay with. It’s also something we can’t change. We both understand the eventual outcome and we both feel it’s worth it. Jasminka is worth it,” Beyden added, firmly.
Jasminka smiled up at him, peering through those sexy glasses of hers. “We are worth it.”
“Well, of course you are!” His mother burst out. She launched herself at them, nearly bowling them over despite his strength and his mother’s small size. She was crying but her smile was wide as she squeezed the life out of first him and then Jasminka once more. “Welcome to the family. I’m so happy to have another daughter.”
“Oh, well. Now you’ve done it,” Jasminka muttered, hugging Rosa close, her own tears falling now too. She straightened moments later, meeting the gaze of everyone in the room. “I know I’m not going to stay young and beautiful like all of you. And I may not be made of magic. But I love Beyden. And I plan to keep him. I know that probably makes me selfish ...”
“It doesn’t make you selfish. You’ve done so much for everyone in this room,” Cali said, looking down at her son, nestled safe and warm in her arms. “If it weren’t for you, Max wouldn’t even be here. If anyone deserves all those muscles and that sweet disposition, it’s you.”
Everyone laughed at that, the tension finally easing. That was, until Mordecai cleared his throat. “This is all very touching, but I don’t think longevity is going to be a problem.”
“Mordecai? What are you talking about?” Beyden frowned at the death warden.
Mordecai raised his eyebrows and looked at Max, “Max? Care to share?”
Beyden was becoming more confused by the second – and nervous. What was Mordecai implying? “Max?” he asked, gripping Jasminka’s waist and pulling her more firmly to his side.
Max winced before looking around the room a little sheepishly. “Uh, so, yeah ... Jazz, pretty sure you’re immortal. Have been for a long time.”
Beyden stilled, all the air seeming to leave his lungs in a rush. Immortal? His Jazz? Jasminka stiffened beside him, her face holding her trademark expressionless, professional mask.
“What have you been smoking now, woman?” Jasminka asked, bluntly.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Beyden felt himself smile; the two really did treat each other like sisters. Jasminka couldn’t care less that Max was the daughter of Mother Nature, and Max couldn’t care less that Jazz was a prestigious doctor. Facts that were evidenced by the narrowing of turquoise eyes in his love’s direction.
“I’ll have you know I haven’t smoked anything in years! Not since our homemade bong exploded in my face. Your fault, by the way.” Max’s accusatory glare pinned Jazz in place.
Jazz scoffed, “My fault? As if! You’re the one with the superpowers. You overheated it!”
Max rolled her eyes, “At least I knew how to smoke the damn thing. You butt-puffed your way through some grade-A weed. Total waste!”
Beyden was sure his eyes must be as wide as saucers by this point. Were the two women really discussing their past drug habits?
“As amusing as this all is – and it is funny shit, I assure you – can we please focus on your revelation of mortality? Or lack thereof?” Ivy interjected. “We can talk about your misspent youth later.”
Max huffed but then immediately softened when she looked at Beyden and the woman he was still holding in his arms. No matter what Max said next, Beyden was never letting her go.
“I didn’t know. Honestly. It’s not some
thing I would have deliberately kept from Jazz. And not something I would have knowingly done either,” Max spoke quickly.
“What isn’t?” Jasminka questioned.
Max chewed her lip, glancing once more at her father. “It was something dad said about Bert.”
“Bert? Max ...” Beyden felt himself getting frustrated.
Max held up a staying hand, “Remember how I was playing hide and seek with Bert the other day? Well, we were having a little chat and I mentioned something about being surprised Bert was still kicking. I mean, those little dudes don’t have a super long life expectancy. Anyway, dad overheard me and promptly informed me that Bert is somehow immortal.”
The atmosphere became thick with confusion and all that could be heard was the quiet lapping of waves against the shoreline.
“Babe, what do you mean Bert is immortal?” Ryker asked, running a hand over her thick hair.
“Well, before I knew what I was or that I needed vitality to stay healthy, I was taking life forces from the creatures around me. Remember?”
They all nodded. Beyden could still remember how astounded they had all been to learn that Max had managed to survive on her own all those years because she had somehow instinctively been drawing on the energy of living things around her. The energy had been freely given, Beyden was sure. The interactions having been nothing like what the chades had done. The energy Max managed to harvest had been enough to keep her alive but not much else. Her powers were there but she was unskilled and her shields had been non-existent. She had been in pain from the constant bombardment of emotions and had been so ill she was suffering seizures.
“We remember. It still amazes me to this day,” Darius offered into the silence. Numerous nods of agreement met his statement.
“Well, turns out I wasn’t taking that vitality – I was borrowing it. Kind of recycling it, I guess,” Max offered.
