She chuckled, giving my shoulder a nudge. “Well, that’s good to hear.” Her soft eyes grew hard as if she had just lowered a shield over them. “There is something I need to tell you.”
“Okay.” Why did I suddenly think I wasn’t going to like what she had to say?
She folded her hands in her lap once again. This time I noticed a gigantic diamond ring on her middle finger. I wasn’t sure how I missed it before. Her not so subtle bling caught the light like the north star. Seemed someone was trying to make an impression. Her voice trembled once she finally spoke. “When I learned the lords had found you, I contacted Jafan.” I’d barely had time to process what she said before she tipped my chin up to meet my eyes. “Know this, Rayla, I asked him to compel you. I asked him to invoke the contract. I asked him to claim you.”
I couldn’t even gasp, I was so shocked. My voice squeaked. “Why would you do that?”
“Too many reasons to discuss now, I’m afraid. There is only one thing you have to understand. I trust him completely. I know how you see him, but you are wrong. Everything you dislike about him was because of me.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What about when he came to Ignis?” I thought he had opened up to me. Why wouldn’t he tell me something this huge? Why wouldn’t he jump at the chance to give me an excuse for his actions? “He hasn’t mentioned it.”
Was my mother being compelled right now? I hadn’t seen her in sixteen years. Had I romanticized who she was? How could she want me to be with someone so cold?
She went on casually, as if what she had just told me was commonplace. “He has most likely been trying to protect me.” She actually laughed. “Either that, or it’s his pride.”
Pride I could understand about Jett, but him using compulsion on me because my mother told him to just didn’t compute. In my estimation, she had given him leave to do something he would have done anyway. “No matter what agreement he had with you, he’s made it clear to me he only wants my power, Mom. I can’t love someone like that.”
She shook her head. “This is all my fault. It seems you have inherited more than my looks, Rayla. It will do you no good to make such judgments. Jafan is a good man.”
Zach had told me the same thing when he begged me to find Jafan to bond with. I no longer saw Jett as an evil overlord; yet, I couldn’t look at him and ever think soft and cuddly. Snuggling up to him would be like hugging a prickly-pear cactus.
A man entered the courtyard, his eyes settling on my mother. He was dressed like a peacock prince in purples and reds. I did not care for the way he looked at her, as if she were his property. “Alithea, come,” he ordered.
I stood before Mom was able to get her hands on me. Straightening to my full height, which compared to him was laughable, I walked up to him then stuck my nose as close to his as I could get it. “Who are you?” I demanded.
He stared at me through cold eyes. “Get out of my way, child. This is no concern of yours.”
“That’s what you think.” I inched nearer. “Who the hell are you and why are you barking orders at my mother?”
His eyes widened as if he were surprised. For a second I worried I had ruined her secret, but discarded the thought as fast as it came. He’d have to be as blind as a mole to not see the resemblance between us. I raised my brows at him. Thankfully he dropped the act.
“Your mother is my bondmate, and we are late.”
Late? “For what?” He couldn’t take her now. I had missed years with my mom because of this man. If he thought I was going to let him take her away now, he needed a new brain. “If you hadn’t noticed, we are talking. She’ll find you when we’re done.”
Tense fingers settled on my shoulders. “I am sorry, Theran. Time got away from me. I will be along shortly.” I whirled around, but Mom pressed her index finger to my lips before I could say anything else. The wild look in her eyes was the only thing that kept me silent.
I faced the man that had claimed my mom, giving him a cold look. I didn’t throw out threats, nor did I flinch when he gave me an equally icy expression. Compared to this guy, Jett was a marshmallow.
Theran clenched his teeth together before he stormed away. I didn’t know much about him, but I had to get my mom away from this man. I could feel the evil radiating from him.
I spun back around, giving Mom a questioning look. “Tell me this douchebag doesn’t beat you.”
“What?” She laughed. “Is that what you thought?”
I didn’t respond to her smile. “It’s how it looked. Why are you such a wimp when he’s around?” This was not how I remembered her. She had always been so strong. So confident, but what did I know? I was four when she left. Damn Theran.
She stumbled over her words. “I—I have to be a certain way around him. I can’t explain right now, baby, but I will. I promise I will tell you everything.” She gave me a quick hug. “I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
I nodded, unable to get any words to come out.
Then she walked through the doorway. I’d had all of five minutes with the most important person in my life. Not having her around had changed me. Aunt Grace did the best she could, but I had missed Mom terribly. Thinking about it now, it was as if a part of me had known she wasn’t dead.
Jett shuffled into the courtyard. This was new. I had never seen him so timid.
I gave him a big grin. “Thanks for letting me see my mom first thing.”
He glanced at me, a smile tugging his lips. “She made me promise.” He stepped beside me. “If you are ready, I will show you to your room.” My body quivered being this close to him, but I managed a nod.
Fifteen flights of stairs later I turned the cool metal knob in front of me, opening the door. Rays of sunlight filtered in through the many windows and glass roof, making the room feel like a little piece of heaven. With so much glass everywhere, it had to be stunning at night, for normal people. Too bad for me it might just give me nightmares. No matter how much I tried to shed the darkness, it was always there. Jett stood behind me, eagerly peering over my shoulder.
I took his major hint and stepped inside. The lush white carpet cushioned each stride over to the billowy bed dressed in soft green. This bed was my favorite of all I had seen so far.
Actual tree trunks made up the frame. The twisted branches arching above us looked as if they had grown that way. In a delicate cover, the stripped bark had been whitewashed. My fingers slid over the smooth surface. No splinters would be found here.
Whoever crafted the thing did a fantastic job. I tilted my head back a bit more for a better position to inspect the gauzy canopy, wondering how it would hinder my view of the stars. Part of me hoped it would block the view completely which was completely insane.
“Do you like it?” Jett asked even though he had to know I was fully aware he could read my thoughts.
His emotions connected with mine in an overlay. Unlike other times I had experienced this, my feelings couldn’t be confused with his at all. Where nervous tension swarmed every part of me, he stayed calm, although guarded.
“About that, Rayla.” I turned to face him. His deep obsidian eyes softened with compassion. “Would you like to learn how to block others from entering your thoughts?”
Did he even have to ask? I did my best to keep myself from giving him the biggest hug he had ever gotten. I shook my head at the change in him. Maybe he had taken some of Mom’s advice. “You are nothing like you have been, Jett. What gives?” Even though my mind circulated suspicious thoughts, he seemed sincere.
“I have simply changed my approach, young one.”
That was more like it. The stoic Jett I knew had made an appearance. ‘Young one’, like I was still in diapers for heaven’s sake.
He frowned at me. “But you are young in comparison to me.”
A chuckle escaped my lips despite my attempt to purse them together. “Not the best thing to bring up when you are trying to court a girl, Jett.”
He flashed his
teeth at me, and it even resembled a smile. Wow. He’d disarmed me without much effort. Was it the bond, or was it my attitude?
His dark eyes studied me. “I am pleased that you have opened your heart, Rayla.”
I had? Since when?
He lowered onto the bed before he patted the spot beside him. I scratched my head, hesitating a little too long apparently because he frowned at me.
I plopped beside him on the mattress, waggling my eyebrows at him. “So how do we do it?”
A choking sound shot from him that he soon covered with a laugh. “Being that blunt could get you into trouble.”
I shrugged. “Something we seem to have in common. We should get along just fine for the next few days. You said three, right?” He nodded. “Why?”
“Tabitha thinks it wise to speed up the process.”
What wasn’t he telling me? Yeah, I screwed up, but I was suddenly not sure that had anything to do with it. “Is my family okay?”
He stood then paced in front of me. “They are as well as can be expected given the circumstance. Some are taking things better than others.”
I caught his arm when he passed me. “Have you seen them?”
Again, he nodded. Speaking to him was like talking to an automated answering service. Not very helpful.
“Are you going to tell me anything more than that?”
He sat beside me, angling his body toward mine. “I had hoped to avoid getting you upset.”
Images of my family popped into my mind. Their bodies bruised and beaten like Zach and Luke. I knew it was a mistake to wait.
His warm fingers brushed against mine, sending a hum of electricity through me. “It is nothing like that. They are merely frightened. They have not been mistreated, other than your aunt. Grace is it?”
My voice came out in a whisper. “What have they done to her?” No matter what had happened, it was my fault.
“How can you think such a thing?” He took my shoulders between his hands, turning me to face him. “The Order works like a terrorist group. Even if they had succeeded where you are concerned they would have sought information from your aunt. As the head of the resistance, she has to be aware of the dangers of her office.”
“But I could have—”
“I will not have you thinking like this.” When he squeezed my fingers, different images raced into my mind. Travis at a training facility being indoctrinated into the Order. I gasped, but the pictures sped on. Sarah and Jenny huddled together in a small room. Uncle John with chains around his ankles and wrists. And Aunt Grace…her body rested against a sink while the water ran over her hair and face. Her bruised arms were littered with cuts.
I broke contact with Jett, shattering the images. “We have to go get them!” I screamed, bolting to my feet. A calming sensation washed over me, but I managed to brush it aside. “Stop compelling me!”
“You are distraught.”
“No kidding!” I scoffed. “I have a very good reason to act the way I am. What did you think I was going to do when you showed me that?”
He smirked at me. “I had hoped you would notice not one of your family members are in immediate danger. I had also hoped you would listen a bit more.”
“I’m listening now,” I said. “Tell me why we have to wait? You are the leader of the freaking fae army for the love of Pete.” Okay now I sounded like an old geezer.
Sadness clouded Jett’s eyes. “I wish I could lead you on the heroic journey you seek; however, I have to be pragmatic about this situation.”
“Pragmatic? Ha!” I knelt in front of him, taking his hands. “I will bond with you right now, if you’ll promise me you will destroy the Order once we have rescued my family.”
He sucked in a breath, stepping away from me. “I didn’t think you capable of such a thing, Rayla.”
This was my family we were talking about. I would do anything for them. “It’s a fair trade. Power for power, right?”
He shook his head. “You are not thinking rationally.”
A swift grunt shot up my throat. “I wonder how rational you would be if you were in my circumstance.”
His chest lifted sharply as he pulled in a staggered breath. “As much as I would love to bond with you completely, I cannot take advantage of your emotions. You have to know I would not let anything happen to your family.”
I laughed. “We aren’t exactly old friends. How would I know such a thing? All I have ever gotten from you when you haven’t been trying to terrorize me has been manipulation or demands.”
His eyes opened wide then narrowed. “Didn’t Alithea explain things to you?”
The conversation sped through my mind faster than I could hold it back. My voice came out in a rushed flurry of words. “That doesn’t take away how I feel, Jett. It’ll take time for me to learn to trust you, and I highly doubt I could manage such a thing in three days.”
His lips pressed together tightly, and he closed his eyes. Standing like he was, with his legs apart, arms crossed at his chest, he reminded me of Finn. His smooth skin combined with his long braids contrasted against the pale room, making my fingers itch to trace every hard angle of his body. He was magnificent in so many ways I had been too terrified to really notice before.
That elicited a smile from him.
His dark timbre shook my soul. “I am pleased you are attracted to me, Rayla, but I desire to capture your mind and heart—as well as your body.”
I just laughed. He wouldn’t take advantage of me. He’d already had the perfect opportunity. Irrational was my middle name lately. First Zach, now him, I needed to stop throwing bonding out there as a way to get what I wanted.
It had only been the goodness of the men involved that had kept me out of trouble. I couldn’t believe I was having thoughts like this about Jett. He seemed a different person entirely. “Why did you have to be so…” What was the right word here? Freaky would probably offend him, and I had already done enough of that. “Uh…demanding?”
A tempting smile played at his mouth. His eyes opened then settled on mine. “You know why.”
I stared back. “You had to have realized how much you scared me.”
He gave a soft grunt. “My priority was claiming you. I had a mission to complete. Softness was for later.”
Between his voice and the smoldering look he gave me, I could barely stand. I swallowed hard. “I think you’d better teach me how to keep you out of my mind.”
He inched closer. “Oh, I don’t know. I rather like where your mind is leading you. Mine is on a similar path.”
Quadruple crap. Why couldn’t I control myself? Why did he have this effect on me? “Are you compelling me right now?”
To my surprise, his smile held an edge of sadness. “That would give you a much needed excuse, but I am afraid I am not.”
Curse my body for reacting to his. As long as I kept him out of my heart, I would be okay.
“I think it a bit too late for that, my dear.”
“You’re using old man speak again.” I made a face. “It’s creepy.”
He chuckled. “I’ll try to remember that, but I haven’t been around humans much in the past hundred years. It’s hard to keep up with the changes in common dialect.”
“Let’s keep on topic, Jett. You were going to teach me how to control my mind.”
“Well, if you insist.” He cocked his head to the side. “It appears we should start your first lesson.”
Chapter Six
I faced Jett in the same courtyard where I’d seen my mom for the first time in more years than I wanted to think about. He wore a tight white tank and loose fitting tan shorts that hung from his hips in a deliciously distracting way. One dark braid had escaped his ponytail and was currently caressing his cheek. Man he should pose for GQ.
The longer I was around him, the more his nearness affected me. This was so not good. Although the view was decidedly hot.
He cleared his throat, his neck showing a blush that surprised me.
Jett could have been a different person from the way he had behaved. Had my mother been telling the truth? Had he acted out of loyalty to her?
He gave me a broad smile. “Shall we get started?”
I shrugged. “I’m ready when you are.”
“For this to work you will have to not only be able to repel distance invasions, you will also have to fight those of us who use physical contact to overwhelm your senses.”
I knew exactly what he meant by that because he had done it to me in Ignis. I hadn’t known where I was, let alone who I was, by the time he had finished with me—which had me wondering how he had managed to continue to compel me from a completely different realm. Hadn’t Taylor told me that wasn’t possible?
Jett appeared in front of me and lifted my chin. “I need you to focus. You can ask all the questions you want once you are trained, but not before.”
Who knew, maybe it was easier than it sounded? I stared at the crease between his eyes attempting to focus, which only made me laugh as I went cross-eyed.
He grunted. “You are impossible! How am I supposed to train you when you get distracted by everything you think or see?” Before I could protest, he clamped his fingers around my arm.
Disorientation swam over me. We were drifting, just like that…without warning. I clutched my head when he finally stopped. My lungs tightened immediately in response to the confining space.
The earth closed in on me, stealing my composure, bringing my nightmares to life. I swallowed hard, staring at him, willing myself to ignore the rapid rise of my pulse and the ache in my lungs. “Take me back.”
“No.”
“Take me back!” I screamed.
“Not until you have learned to control your mind well enough to block me.”
The rock walls closed in on me like an iron maiden. I was one second from curling into a tight ball before anger lit my veins.
Fine. He wanted to be that way? I would do it myself. I closed my eyes, intent on finding another place to be. Preferably a different realm.
Nothing happened. I tried again.
Genesis Page 9
