Stalked (Rogues Shifter #2)

by Gayle Parness

  “Did you try to heal yourself?”

  “Nothing is working.” I was panting from the pain—starting to hyperventilate. A particularly bad wave hit me and I moaned.

  “Try putting up your wall. That might keep the pain from reaching you.” I tried but I couldn’t concentrate on anything except the sharp daggers of molten lava moving inside my feet and my ankles.

  Whimpering, I felt a shift. “Garrett, the pain is moving up my legs.” I was shivering and boiling hot at the same time, so he held me tighter and spoke to me in French, something he did automatically when he was worried. He pulled in power of his own and sent it to me, but without being able to concentrate, it was useless. It felt like my shin bones were melting. I screamed when the broiling heat moved into my knees.

  At that moment the corner of the room started to shimmer and I smelled the familiar scent of Faerie. When my vision cleared I was shocked to see Lord Caelen standing in my bedroom wearing breeches and a loose shirt, along with a belt with a sheathed dagger. His very long honey blonde hair was tied back out of his face and his piercing deep purple eyes took in the scene quickly.

  “Tell me what happened.” He spoke in a gently soothing voice as he laid his cool hand on my forehead. “You don’t have to speak. Just show me.” I closed my eyes and let him into my mind where he could see the entire dream as it played over and over in my head. I felt Garrett’s presence there too, since I hadn’t had a chance to describe the dream to him. When I opened them again, Lord Caelen’s face was grim and his eyes were solid gold.

  But I was more frightened by Garrett’s expression. “Garrett, stay with me.” I sobbed and clutched at his arm. If he left me here to go after Kennet, I knew I might never see him again. He turned to me and I watched his features slowly change, the rage replaced by worry once more.

  He wrapped his arms tightly around me. “I’m here, my love. I won’t leave.”

  Caelen stood perfectly still for a moment with his hand outstretched before him. A strange vial filled with an emerald green liquid appeared in the center of his palm. He moved to my side and gave it to me. “You must drink this immediately, before any permanent damage occurs.” Garrett held it to my lips and I drank it down quickly. It was thick and ice cold and moved down my throat with purpose, as if it were a sentient being sent on a mission.

  Lord Caelen stood over me, holding my hand and speaking softly, chanting in his own language while I tried to bite back my groans. I could feel the icy tonic enter my stomach and immediately fork into two streams traveling through arteries to reach my agonized legs. A cool relief flooded my body and all my pain disappeared as exhaustion washed over me. Sinking into my soft pillows, I closed my eyes to drift away in sleep. Thankfully, I didn’t dream.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  When I woke up a couple of hours later, I was surprised to see that Lord Caelen was seated in a chair by my bed still holding my hand. His purple eyes were crinkled at the edges as he smiled warmly at me.

  “Jacqueline, how do you feel?”

  I moved cautiously, testing my limbs and wiggling my feet and toes. “I feel good. I think I’m okay. What happened to me?”

  “Lord Kennet found a way into your dream. He poisoned you psychically. His mental attack was so real to you that you manifested actual physical symptoms. I don’t believe he meant to kill you, but he wanted you to suffer.”

  I shuddered. “You gave me an antidote to the poison?”

  “What you drank restored your aura which allowed you to heal yourself. It wasn’t an antidote, because the poison wasn’t real.” I moved my legs and felt some resistance. Samson was lying across the bottom of my bed. “He won’t leave your side. I understand that he brought you back to reality by biting you and growling. He is indeed your cu sith.” Lord Caelen was actually chuckling.

  “Thank you, for coming to help me.” I was completely awed that a prominent Elder would come to my aid. ”I know you could have sent someone else. For you to come yourself is a great honor.”

  He lifted my chin so I would have to look him in the eye. “You and your mate, Garrett, saved six of my people from more months of torture and possible death. One of them was Lady Dinestri's daughter. I am honored to be of service to you, Jacqueline. Lord Argon is also very pleased that his daughter, Brina, has returned to him unharmed.”

  “She’s an amazing warrior.”

  “From you that is a generous compliment. I will tell her what you said.”

  “I’m only a shifter, Lord Caelen. I can’t compare to the fae.”

  “You are much more than shifter, although what you are is unclear to me. I can feel the ‘other’ in your mind and see it now in your eyes. It’s probably in the taste of your blood as well.” I looked down at my hand still held in his and felt the beginnings of fear as I hoped he wouldn’t ask to drink from me.

  He released my hand and laughed. "I am not Lord Kennet. I will never force you to serve me in any way. We are allies, and I hope friends.”

  I smiled at him gratefully, “Yes, of course I’m your friend, Lord Caelen.” I saw Liam’s smile when I looked at Caelen, making me slump back into the pillows. “I wish that Liam still felt that way.”

  He looked sad for a moment. “Liam is very passionate. He allows his anger to carry him away at times and so loses his perspective. He gets this passionate streak from his mother. It is one of the reasons why I love them both so very much. I see that same passion in you. You will reconcile with Liam sooner than you think. He loves you and Garrett and is fiercely loyal to you both.”

  “We feel the same.” I took a breath and looked at this immensely powerful fae lord. ”I believe I did the right thing. Bridgett was worth saving.”

  “And that is what makes you who you are. Kennet desires you for your strength as a magic user and of course, for your beauty. But he does not recognize your greatest strengths: your integrity and determination.”

  I looked down again, embarrassed, but also happy. “Where is Garrett?” I asked.

  “I sent him to feed. He does not always take care of his needs when he is busy or worried. He must be at full strength with Kennet attacking.“

  “Will Kennet come to me in another dream?” I shivered with fear.

  “If he does, you must try to wake yourself up. Try not to sleep alone, at least promise me that you will keep Samson with you.”

  “I promise.” I scratched Samson’s enormous black head and he grinned a doggy grin at me, his tongue lolling out.

  “If you realize you are dreaming, you can conjure up a weapon to use on Kennet. He will not be expecting it. “

  Of course, then he could conjure up a more powerful one to use against me. “I’ll try.” I must have looked unsure because he laughed.

  “You have not come into your full strength. You will be a fearsome warrior.”

  Garrett popped his head in and grinned at me. “You’re up. How do you feel?”

  “Really good. Nothing hurts at all. But I’m still tired.”

  Lord Caelen stood and took my hand again. “Goodnight, Jacqueline. Rest well.”

  “Thank you, Lord Caelen.” He walked to Garrett and they clasped arms and spoke to each other in French. Garrett laughed and then the fae lord disappeared as suddenly as he’d appeared.

  Garrett jumped on the bed next to me, making us bounce around a little on the soft mattress. “I’m going to stay with you while you sleep. Are you hungry? I could make you something.”

  “Not really, I guess gooey green fae medicine is filling.” He laughed and pushed a stray hair out of my face and behind my ear. “What were you talking about in French?”

  “You’ll get a swelled head.” I arched an eyebrow and he shrugged. “He said that if he were a younger single male and we weren’t allies, he might challenge me for you.” He saw my shocked reaction and laughed. “The fae appreciate strong, beautiful women.” He leaned in to kiss me and I responded by pressing myself against him, letting him know that there would have bee
n no contest between them.

  When we moved apart he smiled so sweetly at me. “Sleep, mon ange. You need to recover fully so that you’re strong enough for whatever comes next. Je t’aime, my little cheetah.” We cuddled, spooning our bodies tightly together so that I felt safe from all my enemies, real or imagined, and I slept.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Around 1:00 PM I woke up with Samson stretched across the foot of the bed. I started to sit up, then let out a little squeak. Liam was sitting in the arm chair which he'd pulled closer to the bed. He was smoldering with rage. His golden eyes glittered with unleashed fury and his fingers, digging into the arms of the chair, threatened to rip the heavy fabric. He was looking at my left foot, still slightly red from the burn, which was sticking out from under the covers.

  Holy shit. His power rippled around the room, making my body tremble. “Liam, I’m okay.” His eyes moved to meet mine and his whole expression changed in a blink, making me wonder if I’d been hallucinating. Violet eyes scanned my face as his hands relaxed on the chair arms. He didn’t look well, as if he hadn’t eaten or slept in quite a while. His clothes were the same ones he’d worn when I’d seen him last during the fight with the Brownlow pack, still ripped and stained with their blood. He didn’t smile at me, he just waited for me to speak again.

  Seeing him here, obviously worried about me, made me feel like there might be some hope for our friendship. I tapped the lines and looked at his aura. It was muddy and pale, and so I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Whether he knew it consciously or not, he’d come to me for help. Liam was a healer like me, and it was very hard for him to live with the consequences of taking a life. He’d killed and tortured Kent Brownlow along with many of Kent's pack over the last eighteen hours and it was eating him up. I could help him. He’d helped me so many times in the past.

  I got out of bed, steady on my feet once more, and went to my dresser, pulling out a pair of plain black sweatpants and a dark tee shirt. I walked to Liam and held out my hand. “You could use a shower and some food” He hesitated only a few seconds before taking my hand and rising up gracefully from the chair to follow me. His hand was cold, colder than Garrett’s was when he hadn’t fed. I led him to the bathroom door and handed him the clothes; Liam was my size and I knew they’d fit fine. “Use whatever you need. I’m making you scrambled eggs and bacon. It’s the only breakfast food I can cook.” I pushed him gently through the door and closed it after him.

  Samson followed me into the kitchen where I fed him and then opened the patio door so he could go out. I made coffee and then I did my best with the eggs and bacon. At least I didn’t burn them. I even managed to make toast and cut up some fresh fruit, which I put out in two small bowls. Feeling pretty proud of myself I poured coffee and served the eggs, bacon and toast onto two plates and sat at the table just as Liam came in, his long hair still wet from his shower.

  I had to smile at the picture we presented. My 1500 year old fae friend was dressed in my sweatpants and a One Republic tee-shirt, his long golden blonde hair hanging around his face in wet strands. I sat across from him, still in my PJ’s, both of us taking small bites of my feeble attempt at breakfast. Not exactly the typical morning scene across America, but it seemed just right to me. In fact I laughed thinking about it and Liam raised his head and smiled for the first time that day.

  “Sorry if the food isn’t great.”

  “It’s perfect. Thank you.” Already I noticed his aura brightening a little bit so I sighed and dug in, realizing that I was starving. We ate until we’d finished every morsel and then sat and stared at each other, neither one wanting to be the first to break the peaceful silence.

  “If I go and take a shower, will you still be here when I get back?”

  He nodded solemnly. “Yes, I’ll be here.”

  I relaxed my shoulders and blew out a breath. There were things that Liam and I had to work out between us so we could get past them and move on. I think I took the fastest shower humanly possible and then dressed and ran back, skidding into the kitchen just as he finished loading the dishwasher.

  “Thanks for cleaning up.” I gasped, a little out of breath.

  “It’s what I do…”

  “I know, but thanks anyway. Let’s sit outside on the patio.” He followed me through the door and we each stretched out on adjacent lounge chairs under the colorful awning. The air was thick with the promise of rain, so I thought it was best to stay under its protection just in case. Samson curled up next to my chair, yawned, and put his head down between his enormous black paws to take a nap.

  I observed Liam closely. He looked lost and unsettled. I opened myself to his mind and held out my hand, following my instincts. He seemed surprised at first, but then took the offering in his, grasping it as if it were a lifeline holding him up above the chaos of his feelings. His mind was in a state of turmoil: unstable with emotional pain. I decided to send him waves of healing energy, hoping that he’d be able to sort it out himself if he could just feel a little more hopeful, a little more like himself.

  “Please show me Liam.”

  “It is ugly.” He was turned toward me.

  “I want to help. Show me.” He nodded and showed me everything, all the deaths beginning with Kent Brownlow and the two weres standing with him in the clearing. I watched as he hunted down the others and killed them, sometimes in front of their families. With the exception of Kent, it was always quick and clean, but it cast a shadow on his spirit and left him feeling dirty and out of balance. I was crying when he’d finished, and he used his sleeve to dry my eyes.

  “You did what you had to do for your people. You’re a little bit broken. I’ve been there myself. I do understand.”

  “You understand because you’re a healer. My father and brother kill without an emotional connection. They do what they must and then continue on with their lives. They do not understand why I am in pain. My mother is a generous, loving woman, but she can’t help me. I’m alone but for you, Jackie. I know that you’re very angry with me because of your sister. I’m surprised that you have been so—so generous today. I shouldn’t have come to you but there was no one else.”

  “I’m not angry. If you’d killed her, then…” I shook off those thoughts. “But I saw the rage in you. You hated me for protecting her and I thought you’d never forgive me. So what I felt was a huge loss, like my close friend had died. If I was angry at anyone, it was Bridgett.” I smiled wryly.

  “It is true. I was furious. I felt that you valued her above my people and our friendship. I was completely out of balance and couldn’t see past my desire for revenge.” He squeezed my hand to get my attention so I looked into his eyes. “We can’t lie to each other. I still feel she should be imprisoned as they were. I still want her to suffer.” He shrugged. “I am willing to see if she’s been spared by my people to serve a greater purpose.”

  He turned to look out at the garden that he always tended with such care. It was raining and the sound of the rain hitting the stone walkway was soothing for both of us. “I spared four of the Brownlow Pack weres. I could see in their minds that they did not know about the imprisonments. I probably wouldn’t have done that if not for you standing up to me. You reminded me that change for good is possible.”

  “I think you’re giving me too much credit. I couldn’t let go because she’s mine: my sister, my blood, and because she’s never really had a chance to make the right choices. I was being selfish, but I’d do it again in those circumstances.” His eyebrow arched. “We agreed to tell the truth.”

  “And I would react the same way again as well.” He smiled at me, reminding me of his father. I thought about my dream and shuddered.

  “Will you show me your dream?” I nodded and played it all out again in my head and then showed him what happened afterward.

  “I will kill him for you.” He spoke this pledge out loud: gold flashing in his eyes and his mouth turned down in a frown.

  “Thank you, but I
’m going to kill this particular asshole myself.” He looked at me with the strangest expression and then burst out laughing, making me happy enough to join him. Although his mood had lightened, I could still see the exhaustion in his face, so I rose up from the chair and offered him my hand once more. “Come with me Liam.”

  He stood and followed me inside my bedroom. My bed was a rumpled mess, but it seemed silly to straighten it now. “I want you to crawl into bed and sleep. Sleep for as long as you need to sleep. If you’re not comfortable here, I can get one of the guest rooms upstairs ready for you. You’re welcome to stay with us until you want to leave again. However long that takes.”

  “Thank you.” I saw him looking at the bed with longing. It was easy to forget sometimes that Liam was half human, especially after I’d seen him with his father in Faerie and seen the power surrounding him as he killed and tortured Kent. But this afternoon it was his humanity that needed tending.

  As I left him there, I checked his aura again. It was much healthier, so I smiled smugly, feeling like I’d accomplished something important today. I went to the kitchen and got a piece of oak tag, a marker and a scissor. I made Liam a bootleg ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and hung it on my bedroom’s doorknob, then laughed when I thought of Garrett’s face when he saw it there.

  I decided to make some phone calls. Maya was first on my list. As soon as Maya picked up I asked, "How is she doing?”

  “She was up all night, crying. She finally fell asleep around dawn. I did my best to comfort her, but, well, I’m not really the motherly type. We’re going to pick up some of her things at her house later today and then I’m sending in a cleaning service to clean up the house and the club. I’ve spoken to her lawyer and she’s inherited everything, of course. She won’t lack for money, but she needs quite a bit of training. I’d like to keep her with me for awhile.”