Rourke began to growl.
I answered, “I accept.”
There was no other way.
Enid had just heard her sister and Leo plead their cases and offer their help. This was what it had come down to.
It would be her and me in the end.
She crossed her arms. “The moon will rise twice before your coronation is set to take place. You will meet me here, alone”—she glared at Pandora and Leo—“at midnight the evening you are to take your sacred vows. You will answer my questions to my satisfaction, or die.”
I nodded once. “I vow it.”
Enid seemed satisfied. She turned her back on us and walked off the altar and out of sight. Pandora came to embrace me, giving me a bear hug like the ones I remembered. “You did well!” she said enthusiastically. “You have so much intelligence and will make a great leader. My sister is headstrong, and her heart is in need of mending, but I am confident she will see things our way. And you are just the person to make her understand.”
“I’m not going to lie,” I confided. “I don’t understand everything that was said here today, and I know you have faith in me—and I hope to uphold that—but I’m scared. I’m worried the sacrifice will be too great and I won’t be able to answer the questions to Enid’s satisfaction.” I didn’t want to think about what would happen if I didn’t.
Pandora placed her hands on either side of my face, stroking my cheeks. “The sacrifice will not be too great, I promise you. I know you well, Chica,” she whispered. “I would never ask you for something that you would not be able to deliver. Now stop worrying and go with your mate. Reunite with your family. There will be much to do tomorrow. Love each other and be happy. You are moments away from being fully back on your true path. And once you are there, we will celebrate.”
Leo gave Pandora a small bow. “It was nice to see you again,” he said. “Your rebirth has done you well.”
“It has,” she agreed. “The world has much to offer still.”
He glanced at me. “If you are choosing to take another route back to Florence, I will take my leave,” Leo said. “Now that my presence has been revealed to the masses, I must make some provisions for my new life.” He took my hand, his power unsettling in its strength as it raced up my arm. “I look forward to seeing you again, Jessica. You are a brave warrior.” He bowed his head and then turned and walked out of the church.
“Are you coming with us?” I asked Pandora.
She shook her head, her shining locks swaying. “No, I will stay and talk with my sister awhile. We have much to catch up on. I’ve been gone for over fifty years. That’s a long time for wounds to fester, but it’s time for them to heal. All will be well. Trust me.” She leaned over and kissed the top of my head.
“Will I see you again soon?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I hugged her. “Thank you for always being there for me. I was lucky to have you, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.”
“It was my pleasure,” she said.
Rourke took my hand and led me down the aisle. The sun was bright, the morning alive. We’d been in there longer than I’d thought. At least an hour, maybe more.
“It’s hard to believe Enid is just letting us walk out of there,” I said. “I thought in the end we would have to fight her.”
“I did too,” Rourke said, his voice reserved. “The only reason she let us go is because you vowed to return to her alone. She will get her chance to end your life if she wants to.”
I gazed at my mate as we walked along the path away from the church, toward the abbey. “I know you’re angry,” I told him. “But I’d already weighed all the options in my mind, and there was no getting around making a deal with Enid. I believe Pandora and Leo are correct and I will survive. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t have brokered the deal. I don’t want to be on the run from Enid for the rest of our lives.” I stopped walking, pulling him close. Our lips met, and all of our fear and adrenaline flowed outward. The kiss was hungry. I broke away, leaning back, my arms still folded around him. “Our lives are going to change dramatically in the next few days. We can’t stop it from happening, we can only try to steer the ship. But knowing you will be by my side every step of the way makes everything bearable. We can do this. Together.”
Rourke rested his forehead against mine, his arms crushing me to his chest, his voice barely audible as he murmured, “I will never leave your side.”
23
“I’m so happy you’re here,” I said, embracing my father. It was good to see him. He and his people had managed to secure a house outside Siena, which wasn’t too far from where we’d been.
Tyler and Kayla had gone to pick up Danny, Naomi, and Jax. Apparently, Danny had managed to hail a cab in a small nearby town, but it had taken them in the complete opposite direction due to their cabbie not understanding a lick of English.
“So tell me about the meeting,” my father said as we sat at a large table. “Then I need to know about Julian.”
I told him everything that had happened, including our initial meet-up with Leo and what I’d just promised Enid. “Juanita, now Pandora, previously told me to make decisions with my heart. And I felt promising Enid that I’d show up tomorrow night was my only choice, given the circumstances. We can’t outrun Enid. She sees the future. But I have faith that with Pandora’s and Leo’s backing, things will work out as they are supposed to.”
“I don’t like that you’ve promised something blindly, but I understand your reasoning.” My father appeared tired, the sleeves of his standard work shirt bunched up at his elbows. “We are currently situated between a rock and a very hard place. We may not be able to go inside the church with you when you meet Enid, but we will stand our ground outside. I’ve brought fifteen wolves, and we will gather Julian and his wolves as well. She will not harm you without severe retaliation.”
“I’m not sure that is going to work,” Rourke said, leaning back in his seat. “Julian has disappeared for the time being. We think he’s in league with Ceres, the Goddess of Fertility.”
My father said, “That’s what Tyler told me, but I’m having a hard time believing it. The picture he painted was that Julian had shut out his wolves in favor of this goddess.” He rubbed his chin. “That doesn’t sound like the Alpha I’m familiar with, but I admit things have changed in our world. If Julian is on a quest for greater power, it has led him astray—far from the road he should be on.”
“I think it’s safe to say he’s veered completely off the path,” I said. “All of our information leads to Ceres having kidnapped Tally for her place on the Coalition. I’m assuming it’s been tougher than the goddess intended to kill the leader of the witches, which is why Tally is still alive. I’m certain Julian is furious that things haven’t gone quicker. Our arrival has likely put a crimp in their plans to dispose of Tally, hoping the power would choose Ceres. It’s unclear what the goddess would’ve promised Julian in return. What can she give the Alpha of the Mediterranean Pack? Julian already has supreme power over Florence, being the strongest supernatural in the area.” Other than Leo, who kept his presence quiet.
“Maybe she promised to make him a god.” Rourke shrugged. “Either that, or she promised him once she took her place on the Coalition she would put him in a prominent position of power. Either way, he’s turned against his wolves and us. We haven’t checked in with Ray, James, or Marcy yet, but if Julian has turned up and offered to help them, I would be stunned.”
“I’ve been in contact with my second,” my father said. “But not since early this morning. James said they were on the scent of this goddess, which had led them to some sort of bunker. Let me try to get a hold of him and see what their progress is.” My father stood up and walked away from the table.
There was commotion outside, and Rourke and I went to investigate.
“Naomi!” I exclaimed as I rushed down the steps to embrace my friend. “You look no worse for wear, and I’m reli
eved.”
“Indeed, Ma Reine, it wasn’t so bad,” she answered. “But then, I was in good company.” She gestured to the back of the SUV as a large figure emerged. I stepped forward to get a good look.
Jax was, by far, the biggest fifteen-year-old I’d ever laid eyes on.
He had to be at least six-five and still growing. He resembled his sister, with olive skin, bright amber eyes, and dark tousled hair. Even though he was tall, he still looked boyish. He was darling. I was happy to note his skin didn’t even hint at any shade of blue. It must change only when he shifted into an ice troll.
Kayla climbed out of the car after him, beaming with happiness and pride. She grabbed his arm and dragged him over to Rourke and me. “I’d like to introduce you to my kid brother, Ajax.” She nodded at us. “Jax, these are the people who were instrumental in freeing you, Jessica and Rourke. We owe them big-time.”
Jax stuck his hand out, giving us both a lopsided grin. Rourke clasped it first. Their hands were almost the same size. When he was done growing, he might clock in as one of the strongest supernaturals around. “Nice to meet you,” he said, his voice pleasant and boyish. He gave an exaggerated sniff before smiling. “Cat shifter, huh? I’ve never met one before. But that’s not saying much, since I haven’t met that many other supernaturals.”
“I’m the only cat shifter you’re likely to meet,” Rourke said. He turned to me. “This is Jessica McClain. You owe your rescue to her.”
“I don’t know about that,” I replied, grasping Jax’s outstretched hand, mine disappearing inside his. “It was a team effort. But I’m so thankful you’re back safe and sound. We were happy to help.”
Jax shifted his eyes downward. “My sister said you guys are going to keep us protected from now on. Is that true?”
“It is,” I told him. Jax and his sister had been on the run for a long time, and it had worn them down. “You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you like.” He nodded once, satisfied. “Are you hungry? If the answer is yes, there’s food in the kitchen. Go help yourself.”
He mumbled, “Thanks,” as he made his way inside. Other than being huge and extremely strong, he was a typical teenager.
Tyler came up next and gave me a hug. “Glad to see you’re in one piece, sis. I was worried Enid was going to tear you limb from limb.”
“It seems she’s had a change of heart, for at least the next day or so,” I said.
Danny chuckled, coming up behind Tyler. “She would’ve been hard-pressed to do any damage with that angel around. I’ve never seen the likes of him in my entire life. Glad it was a success.” He gave me a quick hug.
“I am too.”
“I’m sorry we got lost. The cabbie didn’t speak any bloody English,” he groused. “And I might’ve misheard the name of the city when Tyler told me on the phone, as I was distracted.” He beamed at Naomi. “But we’re here, alive and well, albeit late.”
“No problem. Come on in,” I said. “Dad’s trying to get a hold of James right now so we can see where they’re at. We’re going to need to head back to the Compound soon.”
Before I could follow the group back into the house, Kayla grabbed my elbow. “I just wanted to say thank you,” she said as happiness radiated from her. “Jax is all I have left in this world, and if something had happened to him, I don’t know what I would’ve done. You stayed true to your word, and you have my loyalty for it.”
“I appreciate that, Kayla,” I told her, settling my arm around her shoulders as we walked inside. “We are happy to have you guys as part of this team. I meant what I said to Jax. You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like. There will always be a place for you here. And we will continue to do everything in our power to protect Jax from the gargoyles who want to force him to be a part of their pack. I’ll be able to facilitate that better once I take my seat on the Coalition. From that position, I will instruct them to back off permanently.”
“That would be outstanding,” she said. “I hope they listen. From what I understand they stick to themselves and don’t follow any conventional rules. But I’m confident that, between all of us, we will be able to keep my brother safe.”
My father paced in from another room, looking distressed.
“What is it?” I asked, concerned, pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the table.
“James isn’t answering,” he said.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Maybe he’s tied up with something.” There were only two reasons James wouldn’t answer my father—he was either incapacitated, or Marcy was injured and he was trying to help her.
Either scenario didn’t bode well for us.
“I’m sure,” he answered. “I commanded he answer me, and all I got in response was silence.”
I glanced at Rourke, who had taken a seat beside me. “Have you tried the Pack phone? Nick and Lucas should be at the Compound keeping an eye out.”
He nodded, setting the phone on the table in front of him. “I just tried, and no one picked up.”
As we stared at the phone, it rang.
Rourke grabbed it and handed it to me to answer.
“Nick?”
“It’s me,” he said, sounding out of breath. “Jessica, where are you? Things are falling apart here. Ray went missing first. Now we can’t find James or Marcy.”
His voice held a strange echo. “Where are you?”
“Lucas and I are in an abandoned shed near the edge of the Compound, trying to stay out of sight. Ray took James and Marcy to the bunker this morning. There was a small explosion of some kind a few miles away, so Ray went to investigate. He never came back. James wanted to go search for him alone, but Marcy wouldn’t hear of it. They went together and didn’t come back. Lucas and I have been trying to figure out what’s going on. For a supernatural to have that much strength—to take all three of them—makes me think that maybe Ceres and Julian aren’t working entirely alone. Ray mentioned a strange power signature nearby. Not sure if we should go and check it out or not. We’ve been waiting to hear from you.”
“We can leave here in five minutes. Don’t go near the bunker for now,” I told him. “If you can, have Lucas reach out to any of Julian’s wolves who he thinks are willing to defect. When the Alphas come face-to-face, there will be a challenge. If Julian has an ounce of respect left inside him, he will fight. My father will win, and Julian’s wolves will be accountable to him.”
I heard Lucas in the background say, “Will do. There will be more than a few who are willing to defect.”
“Is Eudoxia around? Does she know what’s going on?” I asked Nick.
“We haven’t seen her, so I’m assuming she’s not here. There was quite a bit of commotion. I would think she would’ve come out to investigate if she’d heard.”
“Leave it to her to be a no-show when we need her most,” I muttered. “We’ll be there soon. Hang tight.” I punched off the phone and stood, addressing my father. “There’s no doubt Julian and Ceres are in this together. They’ve kidnapped Ray, James, and Marcy. My guess is that since Julian and Ceres’s plans have fallen through, and they haven’t been able to kill Tally and grab the power, they will try to ransom them to us for immunity.”
“That’s not going to happen,” my father said as he pushed up from his chair, his voice tight. “If you act aggressively toward me or mine, you’re going to pay the price. This is not a time for us to show weakness. I want the supernatural community to know how strong you are—we are—together. Once you take your vows, I want any and all uprisings to be halted in their tracks. Supernaturals around the world need to understand who’s in charge.”
I nodded as we moved toward the door. “I agree. If we’re easy on them now, the supernatural community will take notice. We go in with force, rescue our friends, and move forward in strength.”
“If Julian forces your hand,” Rourke said to my father, “we will have to figure out the logistics of what you being the Alpha of the Mediterranean Pack means.”<
br />
“I’ve thought about that,” my father admitted as he ran a hand through his hair. “I won’t be able to linger in Europe past the coronation. It will be too confusing for the wolves, and I have too much to deal with back home as it is.” He looked directly at me. “But I think you need to stay in Italy. At least for a while. I’ll name Tyler temporary Alpha of the Mediterranean Pack in my stead, and he can run things here. Having an Italian wolf as a second, if there is one strong enough, should quell things for a while. Once things quiet down, we can reassess.”
“You think I should stay in Italy?” I asked, stopping in my tracks. I hadn’t even thought where we would reside after we swore our vows.
“Europe is the heart of the supernatural community,” he replied. “It’s much older and steeped in tradition, with at least ten times as many supes as we have in the States. It makes sense for you to run things from here, at least for a while. If we defeat Julian, you can stay in the villa. There should be enough room for your entire team to live comfortably.” It was true that there was more than enough room.
“If we defeat him?” Tyler said. “There is no question you will bring him down. And I’m happy to be the temporary Alpha for as long as it takes. Staying in Italy for a while doesn’t sound so bad. I like it here.”
I glanced at my mate. He didn’t need me to voice the question. “I’m fine with staying here,” Rourke said. “Home is wherever you are, and your father has a valid point. While you establish power and dominance on the Coalition, which will take time, it makes sense to be nearest to those who will help you, as well as those who will do you harm. That way we can hear about it that much sooner and tamp it out before it becomes a problem.”
I was getting used to the idea. “Okay,” I answered, continuing to head toward the door. “We don’t have to decide anything at the moment. Before I make a commitment, I want to see how things shake out. For now, what we need to do is get going. If there’s going to be a fight today, we need all the strength we can amass. I hope Lucas is able to rally some of Julian’s wolves and Eudoxia finds her way back.”
Blue Blooded: Jessica McClain Book 6 Page 17
