Jaded Jewels (The Coveted Saga #2)

by C. M. Owens

  She reassuringly. "It was hard, my dear; however, it was certainly something I needed to know about. Just when I think I know everything there is, I learn so much more from someone so new to our world. You're so amazing, my child."

  I smiled at her. Then Tallis spoke, making me smile even bigger. "She's the most amazing person I've ever known."

  Iris's eyes watered as she turned her gaze to him. "Thank you, sweet boy, for keeping her safe. I could never tell you how happy I am that you were meant for her. I only hate that it took so long for our families to become united." She reached over and hugged him, surprising him a little, but he returned the embrace.

  Jaslene walked as Tallis and Iris separated. "Well, if we are giving out hugs for keeping my baby safe, then I need to be in on this, too." She grabbed Tallis and roughly tugged him into a tight hug, earning a throaty chuckle from him.

  Then Ash and Aster joined Jaslene in her embrace with Tallis. Jay and Gear walked up and shook Tallis's hand when the girls pried themselves away. Jay laughed as he said, "I think we'll stick to handshakes."

  Tallis snickered while nodding. "That's perfectly fine by me."

  Alvin walked up, doing well to rein back his tears. Tallis took a steadying breath as he stuck his hand out to be shook. Alvin grabbed Tallis up and hugged him in a big bear hug.

  I don't think he knew how close I had come to dying the night before until I went into graphic detail. He also didn't know of all the times McKee and his family had put me in jeopardy. Had it not been for Tallis, I would have died so many times.

  I don't think he truly appreciated all the times Tallis had saved my life until now. He let go of Tallis, then he wiped the tears from his eyes as he backed away. "Thank you, son. Honestly, I could never thank you enough for what you have done."

  I smiled as Tallis blushed, looking uncomfortable with all the praise he was receiving. I reached over and grabbed his hand, ready to save him from the mounds of gratitude.

  He looked back at me and smiled as Desmond approached Alvin. Desmond laughed as he stretched his arms wide. "What? I don't get any hugs?"

  Ash elbowed him in the stomach, forcing a loud grunt to escape his lips. He rubbed the spot as if she had made it sore. I was impressed, considering Desmond felt like a solid sheet of steel. I guess Ash was a little tougher than I realized.

  Alvin rolled his eyes at Desmond. "Keep Ash out of trouble, and we'll see about that hug."

  Desmond just chuckled at that.

  Chapter 19

  The Start of a New Chapter

  Every fantasy holds a thread of reality within.

  Tallis lovingly stroked my back as the night tried to turn into morning. We'd been up for hours, all of us talking about anything except the pressing reality. We strayed from one conversation to the next, doing all we could to lighten the mood.

  But sitting in Tallis's lap was doing a number on me. Every time his skin grazed mine, that undeniable fire sprung to life and tried to consume me. It was making it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

  A thought came unbidden to my mind. Allaysia was an enforcer—someone who could bend someone else to do things. If I got strong enough, I could have power over Tallis...

  Amelia giggled to herself when she felt what I felt—or what I was thinking, rather. Tallis shook his head at me in a playfully disapproving manner. "Only you would think of such things."

  I shrugged unapologetically at him as I glared at Amelia for projecting my feelings—again. Amelia laughed mockingly as she said, "Hey, don't look at me like that. I can't control it. If I could, I would."

  Tallis rolled his eyes as we separated from the group. He spoke quietly as he, Henry, Amelia, and I made our way outside. "Even if you could use the enforcer power, you wouldn't be able to use it on me," he said, laughing harder as we reached night air.

  Henry chuckled, too, as he joined the conversation. "Oh. I get it now." Then he looked at Amelia and spoke playfully. "You're going to have to include me in on these private conversations. I don't like being out of the loop."

  I frowned at that. I wanted my thoughts to stay private. The last thing I needed was for another person to know it all.

  "Aria is already thinking of zapping me as it is. If I project to you, too, she may actually do it."

  Everyone laughed as I bowed my head.

  Tallis pulled me into his lap, offering whisper soft kisses all along my jaw as I snuggled into him. We were free to love each other without any boundaries. And I loved it, but I really wanted more. After feeling my feelings, Tallis kissed me... hard—very hard. A toe-curling, deep moan-worthy, spine-tingling sort of hard that left me breathless.

  Amelia giggled. "I love the fact that I don't have to deal with such a headache from the constant push and pull between you guys anymore."

  Tallis glanced at her. "Me, too. I love feeling all of Aria's affection without any guilt. I love knowing that she's mine, and I can just be with her—finally." Then he looked at me. "Your crest should have shown up to war you of your impending change about two weeks ago. Have you seen it?"

  I shrugged. "Not to my knowledge."

  Amelia winked at me. "Is it somewhere you don't look very often?"

  I blushed. I looked at Tallis teasingly as a brazen moment came to me. "I don't know. Tallis, will you search me?"

  He coughed as though he was strangling, scolding me with his eyes. Henry laughed, apparently enjoying this little war we were having.

  "You can tell she's fresh. She's still thinking like a mortal."

  Tallis grinned, but I narrowed my eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

  "It just means that mortals are very emotional. You're still as hormonal as a mortal would be," Henry said, poking at me.

  Now that was really embarrassing, and I wanted to hide. Tallis laughed harder and pulled me to meet his kiss again. I felt every part of me begging to be with him. Tallis smiled against my lips.

  "It doesn't bother me a bit," he murmured.

  Henry snickered as he said, "Yeah, well, you don't still have a real mortal. Not to mention an empath. This is crazy hard to deal with."

  Amelia smiled up at him with a doe-like expression that screamed innocence. "I'm sorry, but you could just give in, you know?"

  Henry shifted uncomfortably, not enjoying the accidental shift of conversation he had just invited in. He glanced at Tallis pleadingly. "A little help, please."

  Tallis fought back a grin, though he failed several times. "I can imagine your pain. She's been projecting Aria's emotions on me since the day they bonded. I feel for you."

  Amelia rolled her eyes. I couldn't help but lose myself in Tallis's kiss. It was so hard to keep my lips off his now that we could finally be together.

  Amelia hopped up and started pulling my shirt up slightly, revealing my back and stomach. "Hey! What are you doing?" I asked, swatting at her hands, but I was careful not to actually hit her out of fear it might hurt her.

  "Wow!" she mused, her invasive search still underway. "Your body looks even better than it did before. I hope mine does that."

  I could feel myself blushing, and I could see Tallis smiling a wolfish grin. "Why are you inspecting my body?"

  She continued scouring all around. "I'm looking for the crest. I'm curious now." Then she smiled daringly. "Henry, turn around. Aria, take your shorts off."

  Henry spewed his drink across the patio and whipped his head around to face away from me. I could feel the burning in my face deepen now. "You've gone crazy."

  She laughed. "Oh good grief. I've seen you before."

  "What do you girls do when you are mortal, exactly?" Henry asked jokingly.

  Amelia laughed. "Funny. We've changed in front of each other. I just want to find the thing."

  Tallis was laughing hysterically as Desmond and Ash joined us. Desmond spoke quizzically. "What's so funny?"

  Tallis couldn't stop laughing long enough to answer him. I was still sitting in his lap, refusing Amelia's request as I stubbo
rnly crossed my arms over my chest and glowered at her. Henry finally answered with his back still turned.

  "Amelia told Aria to take her shorts off so that she could try to find the crest that seems to be absent."

  Tallis continued laughing even harder now, grabbing his stomach as he did so. Desmond and Ash started laughing, too. Desmond said, "So let's find it."

  I scowled at him. "I'm not dropping my shorts in front of everyone." Ash matched Tallis's laughter now.

  Ash finally spoke through her fits of hysteria. "Go to the bathroom and look. Come back out and tell us." I finally conceded and walked through the giant hole in the wall. I went into the downstairs bathroom and Ash followed me in with Amelia.

  I gave them what had to be an incredulous look.

  "Really? You're both going to watch me examine myself." They just laughed and nodded. I rolled my eyes and pulled my shorts down. Nothing was there, though. Then I removed my shirt, but nothing was there either. I shrugged. "I guess I don't have one for some reason."

  They both frowned, slightly disappointed. Ash opened the door and we walked back out to the boys. I pulled my hands up while speaking. "I don't have one."

  Desmond was grinning. "That was hot. All three of you checking out Aria's body." Ash laughed while slapping Desmond. Then she moved to his lap and kissed him. She really shouldn't be rewarding bad behavior.

  Tallis looked at me peculiarly, and kissed my shoulder when I resumed my place on his lap. I could feel such fire igniting with absolute ferocity. Then he pulled my hair up, exposing the back of my neck. "Found it," he said softly, a smile in his voice.

  Everyone flashed over to examine it, invading my personal space. "I've never seen one on the back of a neck before," Tallis said thoughtfully.

  I shrugged. "What does it matter where it is?"

  Tallis kissed my shoulder again. "It doesn't. It's just another thing that makes you special."

  I turned to meet his eyes, and my hair dropped back down. I ignored the bubbling feelings deep within that fluttered every time he gave me that look.

  Ash smiled. "It's good to see both of you so happy. I really am glad that you two were meant to be together."

  Desmond nodded. "Amen to that. I don't know what I would've done if they hadn't been." Then he cut his eyes toward Tallis. "So will you rebuild my shed now?"

  Tallis started laughing, and so did I. "Yes, Des. I will."

  Desmond smiled. "Well, alright then."

  Jay sat down across from us. "So, Aria, how many times have you said I told you so?"

  I pretended to count on my fingers for a moment until I finally murmured, "Not enough."

  Tallis smiled as he kissed me. "I agree." Then he pulled me closer. Everything was so amazingly effortless now. There was no more push and pull. There was nothing holding us back, and I loved it.

  Jay smiled. "Well, as gross as it is to see you two all over each other, I'm glad that you were right. I'm sorry I doubted you."

  Tallis pulled me tighter. Then he spoke with a sad sort of tone. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, too."

  I smiled at him and rested my forehead on his. "I can forgive you, I suppose." He smiled and kissed me again.

  Then Jay frowned. "I hate that you changed so young, though. You had to miss out on a lot of things that you can't do when you are immortal."

  I raised one eyebrow at him skeptically. "Such as?"

  "Well for one, you can never experience being drunk now."

  Tallis and Henry exchanged a glance and started snickering. Then Everett joined us and questioned the laughter. "What's funny?"

  Jay shrugged. Then Henry spoke teasingly. "Jay was upset by the fact that Aria would never get to experience being drunk."

  Everett's eyes grew wide and he started smiling while shaking his head. "Oh Lord."

  Tallis and Henry started laughing harder. Amelia joined in now that she felt my emotions. I felt my face glowing with embarrassment. Jay scowled.

  "What the hell is so funny?"

  I crossed my arms and leaned back on Tallis. I wasn't answering that.

  "Aria has had that experience. I don't think she enjoyed as much as some do, though." He kissed the back of my head, and his hand started rubbing my stomach.

  I grumbled, "No, I really hated it the next day. And I wasn't a fan of it that night either."

  Jay started laughing. Then Desmond spoke with a playfully angered tone. "What the hell, man? Aria got drunk and no one invited me to the show?"

  "It was definitely a show," Everett said, an unusually teasing gleam in his eyes.

  I bit back a few rude things I wanted to say.

  Desmond set back with a pouting look. Ash studied me, her grin taunting me. "I can't picture Aria being drunk."

  "She really can't handle her liquor," Tallis muttered dryly.

  I rolled my eyes as him and elbowed him.

  Jay laughed hard. "I hate that I missed it."

  Everyone continued talking about my attempt to be a normal, wild teenager. I laughed with them. Everything seemed normal. I forgot about the fact that we were immortal. I forgot that we were a family of magic. I wasn't worried about the many battles ahead of us. I was just Aria Weislen—not the coveted descendant of Isis. Tallis and I were just two people in love. My family was just a normal family teasing their younger sister.

  Jay leaned forward with a bit more of a serious look. "A lot of things make sense now. There were so many signs."

  Tallis nodded. "Yeah. I thought about all of that, too. It's hard to believe everything that we missed."

  Amelia had question marks forming, and apparently she couldn't probe their emotions for the answers. That meant it was magic-related.

  "What are you two talking about? What signs?"

  Ash spoke up. "The mortals that attacked Aria outside the diner for one. And the way that she was picked on so viciously by the mortal girls."

  Henry took a deep breath. "The way she smelled so many of the dark ones so easily."

  Tallis stroked my hair as he added, "The fact that I couldn't sense her essence. The power emanating from her was so intoxicatingly surreal. It was the strongest I had ever felt."

  Desmond joined in the conversation with the same serious tone. "The incredibly protective feeling that we all had for her at all times."

  Everett looked at me. "The way Trey, and so many others were drawn to her so fiercely."

  I was sure he was referring to Jared and McKee as the others—considering he emphasized that word while looking pointedly at me. He and I had discussed the way I was driving people crazy. He had made me feel better the night I drove Jared away.

  Henry said, "Amelia bonding to her. Empaths bond to the strongest witch that they sense. It should have raised a red flag."

  Then Ayla joined in as well. "The amazing strength, compassion, and understanding that she possessed. It was all right in front of us."

  Amelia still looked confused. I felt slightly embarrassed by all of their comments that mixed with compliments. Amelia spoke with her baffled tone. "What does all of that mean?"

  Tallis spoke this time. He was so gentle and he seemed to be enamored by me. "We should have known that she was the long awaited descendant of Isis. Isis loved the mortals, but her power was so remarkably strong that it often drove them mad. She had to love them from a distance. The close contact would confuse every emotion. Women were incredibly jealous, and men were instantly in love. When rejected, men became enraged. Men that are already prone to violence, well, they can become deadly. I'm surprised so many were able to resist."

  Completely mortified by this point. Yep.

  Henry added, "Thankfully, my bond to Amelia was grounding my emotions. The rest of the mortals were just too scared to mix up with Tallis and McKee."

  Tallis forced a smile, though it was very weak.

  Everett spoke cautiously. "I kept my distance at all times. I simply focused on the task of keeping her masked. It wasn't always easy, though."

  Ja
y laughed. "Good thing I'm her brother. I think it made me immune.

  "Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was in love with Ash from day one. I know that was all that was holding me back. Well, that and the fact Tallis would have killed me probably dissuaded me as well." Ash leaned over and kissed Desmond, rewarding him accordingly this time.

  "Why wasn't I, or any of us girls jealous?" Amelia asked.

  Henry responded while pulling her closer. "It doesn't make every girl jealous. It makes some women protective. If a girl is already as malicious as Elaina and some of the mortal girls in her pack, then they become overwhelmed with anger and resentment. Yastine also falls into that category."

  Tallis flinched and kissed me. I flinched slightly, too, at the mention of Yastine. I flashed back to the excruciatingly painful memory of my bones cracking. I looked up to see tears in Amelia's eyes. I didn't want her to feel that.

  Tallis's arms wrapped around me protectively. I could tell that Amelia's projections were getting stronger now and leaking often. Tallis seemed to have tears in his eyes as well.

  Then Ash spoke, continuing on with an explanation of the signs. "Smelling the dark ones is a sign that transformation is close, but the smell should be faint. In the rain forest, Aria got sick from the overwhelming scent. Isis was so strong that it would only make sense that her chosen descendant would be so much more advanced than the normal mortal witch."

  It was as if they were all taking turns, clarifying each other's answers. It seemed to be Desmond's turn now. "Aria was the first person that we ever trusted with our secret outside of the smaller, less threatening covens. Her compassion for our situation was obvious from the beginning. She stood up to the entire community so that she could help us. She understood us and believed us, even though she barely knew us. She was so strong that everyone felt compelled to listen.

  "The only time her strength ever wavered was when she felt like she couldn't have Tallis. But she regained her strength for the sake of her family. That is the same thing Isis would have done. Her weakest points were Merlin and her family."