by Nikki Prince
He walked down the middle of the large building, scanning every nook and cranny. There were several other doors, so many places that Jace could be. So many places that Odette could be. There was a soft keening sound that came from the right. Odette! He moved quickly towards the sound, pushing open a door to see Odette lying on the ground battered and bruised. He rushed to her side. “Oh, baby…I have to get you out of here.”
“Dante…oh my god, I thought you’d never get here.”
“I’d go to the ends of the earth for you. You should know that. Where’s Jace at?”
“He beat me and left me here to die. He’s gone, said you weren’t coming.”
Her words struck him as odd, only because he didn’t see Jace as just leaving and giving up.
“He’ll pay for beating you, O.”
He picked her up, pulling her close to his body, then turned to go out the way he’d come. He had to get her out of the warehouse and to the safety of the men outside, and then he’d come back for Jace.
“Will he?”
“Of course he will. You know I’ll do anything for you.”
“Dante!”
What the fuck? Why was Odette’s voice coming from behind him? He turned slowly with Odette in his arms and almost dropped her as he stared down her doppelgänger. Fuck! No one had mentioned that the demoness could turn herself into any form other than Jace, let alone that it could turn itself into Odette. It was a trick, a very sadistic trick.
“O?”
He looked from one to the other then back to the one in his arms.
“Dante, I’m Odette,” The woman in his arms said softly.
“No, no! Dante, don’t believe that thing! It’s the demon!”
He watched as the other Odette limped towards them. The Odette in his arms clutched at him frantically, and he held her close to shield her. Where were the wolves?
Something wasn’t right. He waited, posed to protect Odette if he had to when he looked into the eyes of the female in front of him. O? He’d been wrong. The one he held wasn’t his Odette. No, she was the imposter the demon. Calmly he set her on her feet and turned to stand in front of the Odette whom he was now certain was the true Odette.
Chapter Sixteen
“Big mistake,” said the female in front of him. Backing up, he held his arms out to block Odette. The demon cackled and slowly transformed into Jace Rothbart.
“Ahh, isn’t this cute? Protecting my wife.”
“We aren’t going to go through that shit again,” Dante ground out.
“You’re right.” The change in Jace’s eyes had Dante springing into action. “Run, Odette, run! Head out the back!” He turned back just in time to feel Jace’s fist connect with his jaw. The pain was agonizing, but he managed to stay on his feet until he felt the next hit to his face. He fell to the ground with Odette tugging furiously at his arm trying to help him up. Jace jumped on top of him, straddling him. Jace hit him so hard the force of it knocked Odette away.
He vaguely heard Odette screaming and then more commotion as the wolves burst through and ran at full speed towards them from the far end of the large warehouse.
“Phelan! Conall! Hurry! Help us!” Odette wailed.
“Ah, you couldn’t be a man and come to the fight alone could you…Dante?” sneered Jace.
“Just like you had to bring a demon to the fight.”
“You didn’t expect me to just rot in that hell hole, did you?”
Dante gave a humorless laugh. “Fucking right I did.”
With a snarl Jace placed his hands around Dante’s throat and began squeezing. All that Dante could do was grab at the hands and struggle to try to breathe.
The sound of chanting filled the room, and Jace’s hands loosened from around Dante’s neck. He watched Jace stiffen and look in the direction of where the twins were. There was a screeching wail that emitted from Jace, and a strange shimmer formed around Jace’s body. This had to be what the twins had been talking about. The spell was working.
Balling his fist, he put all of his power into the punch that he made sure connected with Jace’s jaw. The hit knocked Jace from his body, and he slid across the floor and hit the wall. Standing quickly, Dante pulled out the gun and aimed it at Jace. The other man was twisting and writhing on the floor, strange words spewing from his mouth.
“Wait!” Phelan called out.
“What the fuck am I waiting for?”
“She’s almost ready to come out! She’s resisting, and if you shoot now, all will be lost!”
Dante nodded and moved over to Jace, peering down at him. There was spittle on his lips, and his eyes looked glazed. Kneeling down he placed his ear over Jace’s open mouth and heard slight wheezing.
“He’s still alive!”
No sooner were those words uttered and then the floor began to shake. Dante got up, scooting back as Jace rose.
“You will not win, Dante!”
Out of his peripheral vision he saw Phelan move forward with the crystal outstretched in his hand.
“Now, Dante! Now is the time!” Conall cried out.
The crystal was glowing in Phelan’s hand, and Jace staggered forward, hands extended as he progressed forward, heading for Dante. A cry that sounded like a banshee filled the air as a shadowy figure pulled from Jace and entered the crystal.
He aimed the gun at Jace just as Jace reached him, knocking the gun out of his hand. He heard the clatter of the gun as it skittered loudly across the floor.
“I will still live, but I will kill you before I go!” Jace exclaimed loudly.
He’d rather go down fighting than to let Jace win. Jace was on him once more, punching wildly, and then he heard him grunt.
****
“No, I won’t let you hurt him!” Odette yelled out.
She wasn’t going to let Dante die. She ran with adrenaline filling her body and jumped on Jace’s back, pummeling him with her fists. Jace stood with her on his back and rocked backwards, hitting a wall. She cried out in pain but held on tight.
“Dante! Kill him!” She heard Phelan yell out and watched as Dante scrambled towards the gun.
Jace grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up and in front of him just as Dante raised the gun at his chest. Jace was using her as his shield.
“Kill him, Dante, even if you have to shoot me! This has to end.”
“No! I won’t shoot you!”
“That’s what he’s counting on! Hurry, we don’t have time.”
Jace spun her around and grinned evilly. “Such a willing sacrifice. I’m going to enjoy every fucking minute. Once you’re dead, honey, it won’t take anything to find another demon and I’ll be coming back for everyone you love.”
“Fuck you, Jace.” Odette spat in his face, and he grimaced, temporarily distracted. With all the inner strength she could muster she kneed him in the groin, and as he doubled over, he let her go and she dove out of the way, covering her head and hoping upon hope that Dante had a clear shot of the monster that was Jace Rothbart.
There was a piercing boom of the gun being fired and a loud thud. She chanced a glance over her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief to see Dante standing over Jace. Phelan and Conall hurried to her side and helped her stand.
“His body is here…what will…” She trailed off as Jace’s body began to shimmer and then disappeared.
Phelan answered the question that she’d been about to ask before Jace’s body just disappeared.
“He can’t exist in this plane anymore now that the demon is gone. So when the guards find him he will be dead in his cell. It will look like he died of a heart attack.”
“How do you know that?” she questioned.
Dante put the gun back in his waistband, and walking over to her he pulled her into his arms and held on to her tightly. She groaned in pain, but wrapped her arms around Dante’s neck. Fuck the pain, she didn’t want to let go of him.
“I shot him in the heart,” Dante responded raggedly. It was over, fi
nally over. Odette began to cry uncontrollably.
“He had no heart…”she whispered.
Dante pressed his lips to hers, swallowing whatever else she’d been about to say. She didn’t care. She needed his touch.
Phelan and Conall chuckled. “We’ll leave you guys to your kisses and go take the crystal to Fairee. We will also brief everyone. I’m sure they’re antsy and wanting to hear what’s happened.” She had eyes only for Dante as the twins left.
“Dante, is it finally over?”
“Yes, it’s finally over. Now I need to get you out of here and checked out. You’re covered in bruises.”
She nodded. “I’m fine; though I’m sure I look a mess.”
“You’re a beautiful mess.” Dante kissed her nose then picked her up into his arms, heading out of the warehouse.
“I never want to be in another warehouse ever again.”
“If I have my way, you never will.”
She giggled. “I’m keeping you to that promise.” She laid her head on his chest and snuggled close. “Dante, I have to tell you something.”
He’d just stepped out of the warehouse, and people began rushing towards them with a gurney. No, she had to tell him she loved him. Dante laid her down on the gurney and pushed her towards a van. Damn, Fairee thought of everything.
“We can talk later, O. You need to get checked out.
“No, Dante, please! I have to tell you something.” She clutched at his shirt and pulled him close.
“Okay, but you have to promise me you’ll let them take care of you.”
“I just wanted to tell you that I love you and to please forgive me for doubting your ability to take care of me.”
Dante gave her a crooked grin. “Baby, there was never a doubt in my mind that you love me. You best believe there is a punishment with your name on it at the club.”
She giggled softly. “Duly noted.”
Another gurney was wheeled towards them, and she giggled again.
“I think your ride is here.”
Dante rolled his eyes. “Fuck…”
“Later, now get on the gurney so we can head home and begin our lives together.”
“You do realize you’re bossing me around is cause for another flogging?”
“Yep, I realize it, and I look forward to it eagerly.”
“No more doubts, Odette, and when we get back you and Jamie are moving in with me. Got that?”
“Got it.” She’d never argue with him about that ever again.
Doctor Fairee, Felipe, Nico, Phelan, and Conall stood next to the van as they were wheeled towards it.
“So good to see that you two made it out of there,” Fairee said as he looked over his glasses at them.
“I want to thank you, all of you, for what you’ve done for me and my little boy and for my Master. I can never thank you enough.”
“Ah, my dear, no thanks are needed. We’re all one big, happy family. Now please go get checked out, then we will all head back home.”
Home. God, did that sound good. Home was wherever Dante and Jamison were along with her family at the club. Life was now full circle and the way it should be. She was finally free of the dark past, which was Jace, and ready to fulfill her destiny with the love of her life Dante.
Epilogue
It was such a lovely day. The sun was shining, and the two men in her life were playing in the swimming pool as she lounged in a poolside chair at the home that she and Dante shared. It had been three months since the life or death incident with Jace and a whole three months of happiness that she had no doubt would continue for a lifetime.
It had taken a bit, but both she and Dante had healed from their wounds, and now they were going on with their lives. They’d received news that Jace had been found dead in his cell from an apparent heart attack just like she’d been told would happen. She felt sorrow for the man she’d loved before, but not for what he’d become. That chapter was closed forever.
Dante was good for their son. In fact, Jamison called him daddy all the time now, which helped to solidify the relationship between him and Dante. She gave a soft sigh and pulled her shades back over her eyes. Odette still had the headaches now and then, but they’d become less and less frequent. Migraines were a small price to pay for the freedom and love she now had.
She screeched as cold water hit her body and she jumped up pulling her shades up to settle on top of her head.
“Dante Roberson! That was uncalled for.”
“Jamie and I thought it a great idea. Isn’t that right, Jamie?”
Jamie gave a charming grin then moved off to play with his toy truck. Odette looked up and squealed as Dante picked her up only to settle back on the chair with her in his arms.
“Mmm, right where you belong.”
She lay against him, nuzzling her face into the side of his neck.
“Yes, this is right where I belong.”
“I want to marry you, O.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she gave a soft kiss to this throat. Placing both hands on his chest, she looked down into his gorgeous face.
“And I want to marry you, Sir.”
“Good, ‘cause I already got the marriage license paperwork ready for us to fill out.”
“What if I’d said no?” That would never have happened, she knew, but she had to tease him.
“I’d just have to use the ostrich feather until I got your total compliance.”
Odette burst out laughing. “You’ll forever have my compliance, Sir.”
“Nice to hear.” He tugged her head up by her hair and kissed her soundly. “So now that we have that settled, I also wanted to add that I’m going to adopt our son.”
“No complaints from me on that…please do. He adores you as much as I do.”
“I will leave all the wedding planning to you.”
“I love you, Master.”
“I love you too, girl.”
Life had a way of being okay. She wasn’t going to beat herself up for the time wasted. What she was going to do was enjoy every minute of every day that she had with Jamison and Dante. She had much to look forward to and a wedding to plan.
The End
www.authornikkiprince.com
Other Books by Nikki Prince:
www.evernightpublishing.com/nikki-prince
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