Not if he could help it. He winked and pulled off his sweatshirt, tossing it at Brent. Her eyes never left his, even as a slight blush spread across her face.
“It might get ugly,” he teased.
“Ugly?” Her eyes dipped slowly down and back up as he gripped the hem of his t-shirt. She caught his hands with a giggle. “Not likely. Besides, shaman shift instantly. As much as I’d like to see you get naked, you don’t have to strip. Your clothes will shift with you.”
He groaned. “Another thing I didn’t remember.” She retained details like that. “I’m not sure what I’m doing.”
She sat down, cross-legged, and tugged his hand until he knelt before her.
“You’re supposed to relax. Let the moon wash over you and the change will happen. Stop fighting.”
Eddie took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Tension flowed from his body as he let the air out of his lungs. The change was instant, and for the first time in an hour, he felt right.
A face-splitting smile greeted him when he reopened his eyes. “Gorgeous,” she whispered, reaching out to run her fingers through his coat. “And soft.” She pulled her phone out and scooted back. “Got to get pictures so you can see yourself,” she teased, snapping several shots.
His laugh came out a mewling sound as he inched toward her. She didn’t flinch, instead leaning her forehead against his as she rubbed behind his ears. A deep purr rumbled from him and she giggled, scratching down his back.
“Amazing. And here you worried you’d hurt me, you big pussy cat.”
Cuddling up with Jackie was tempting, but the night called to him. He considered the woods.
She nodded. “Go, hunt. That’s what we’re here for. I’ll be safe with Brent.”
He walked to the trees and looked back, tail flicking, to catch one last glimpse of her smile before running into the forest.
* * * *
Grinning, Jackie moved in front of the fire and sat against her favorite boulder. “He’s beautiful, and soft. I could snuggle up next to him and fall asleep.”
Brent laughed out loud. “He’s not a stuffed animal.”
“Eddie won’t hurt me,” she challenged.
“No, he certainly wouldn’t.” He passed her a bottle. “Why Jack Daniels?”
She looked into the woods. “First thing Eddie ordered on his twenty-first birthday was Jack Daniels. He gave me a wink, said it was like ordering a shot of his best friend.”
He shook his head. “That’s why?”
“Yeah.”
“And that wasn’t a clue he might feel something more for you?” Brent chuckled. “You’re both so damned blind.”
“Sue me. I like the taste, and the smile I get when I think of why I drink it.”
He nodded and changed the subject. “You ready for a long talk?”
She opened her liquid courage and took a swig before answering. “First, did I do something yesterday morning? Was any of that my influence? Or was it a matter of time?”
“Oh, it was coming. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.” He smirked. “You can’t enthrall someone when neither of you feel something. If there were no spark, no attraction, nothing, no magic would flare. Now, if you seduced a man who was at least interested, he’d have a hard time resisting, but it’s definitely possible.”
She groaned. “That doesn’t make me feel much better.”
Brent shrugged. “Jackie, he’s been in love with you since long before I met the two of you.”
“Why do you say that?” she asked skeptically.
“Simple. He’s told me.”
Relief settled in as she accepted the truth of his words. “Last night, did Stefano say much about what happened?”
“Only that it was awfully damn hard to resist doing more than kissing before he drank from you. And he barely kept himself from taking you on the ground while feeding.” Brent shook his head, a look of disgust on his face. “Said he felt dirty for dry humping you and finishing, instead of making love to you properly.”
“Oh, fuck.” Jackie took another long drink of her bottle. “From the second he put his lips on mine, it felt wrong. He groped me and I tried to push him away. That’s when the other two showed up.”
“I’m sorry, Jackie. I trusted the wrong person.”
“You didn’t see any of this?”
Brent shook his head. “Unfortunately not. Clairvoyants often have trouble seeing anything to do with Shadowstalkers.”
“Which Stefano isn’t? Right?”
“He’s not quite a normal vampire either. Thanks to drinking from Tiana and Sidra both, at the time of his transformation, he’s somewhere in between. Perhaps he has just enough Shadowstalker traits I can’t get a good read on anything to do with him.”
“Then don’t blame yourself.”
Brent pushed his fingers through his hair. “Not that simple. I knew he watched you for a week. He followed you home every night. Told me he felt like a monster, but wanted to make sure nothing happened to you.”
Jackie sat up, crossing her legs as she gulped down more Jack. “Fucking bullshit. He told me he was working up the courage to talk to me. Now you want me to pretend like I’m not absolutely disgusted by him?”
“He was working up the courage. You’re an intimidating woman. Between your beauty, and your take-no-shit attitude, you aren’t the most approachable person.”
“That’s bull. Plenty of men approach me.”
He shook his head. “Not as many as want to. And hang on a moment. Stefano was watching over you. He admitted to witnessing an altercation in the park.” One golden brow arched. “He did nothing to stop it. Simply made sure you arrived home in one piece.”
“You knew about that?” she asked lamely.
“Not until last night when Stefano confessed to following you.” He shrugged. “Yes, I’m worried about him now, but at the same time, he was looking out for you. After what happened to his wife, I can understand why he’s worried you may find yourself in too much trouble to handle on your own.”
“You didn’t see into his head. You didn’t see how he treated her. Like she was a possession, not a wife. Something was off when Eddie called, too. A flash of jealousy. Even if I never had a chance with Eddie, I wouldn’t give up our friendship for some asshole. I saw the anger in his eyes, and wanted to believe it was passing. God, why am I so stupid?”
“You’re not, but anyone can see what you feel for Eddie. Even if they don’t want to admit it, it’s obvious you’re in love with him. That’s why it has never worked out with you and other guys. The reason you and Skylar lasted as long as you did—you were both pining for someone else.”
“Which was why we ultimately broke it off. Was too hard knowing she wanted Tyler, and she thought I belonged with Eddie.”
“At least you ended amicably.”
“She’s one of my closest friends. We happened to take things further and it worked, for a while.”
Brent chuckled.
She took another swig to fortify her courage. Time for the hard questions. Jackie bunched up Eddie’s sweatshirt and used it as a pillow. She looked back at Brent. “Tell me about my mother, please.”
“Wondered if you’d chicken out,” he teased.
She rolled her eyes and took another sip of the Jack. “Too late to deny it. And seeing how my magic might blow up in my face, I figure it’s best if I accept the truth.”
“I’ll do everything I can to make this easier on you.”
“I’m finally ready—I hope.” Taking another swig, she settled in.
“Your mother, Marielle, is much older than I am, and quite gifted. Saressa used her as an assassin for many years. She can make men do whatever she wants with hardly a thought. After seducing her prey, she would leave a suggestion, and they would inevitably kill themselves, or disappear when she chose to grant mercy. Her powers kept her from having to do the dirty work. She helped the ones who weren’t truly in the wrong escape.”
H
er weapon was sex. Exactly what she’d been afraid of. Jackie shuddered as she thought back. “So, if she was a faerie assassin, how did she wind up with my father, a Silver Council Enforcer?”
“She was sent to kill him. He’d linked Saressa to things the Council wouldn’t ignore. Something about a water dragon and his alliances on our side of the veil.” He sighed. “Marielle fell hard for Miles. She couldn’t kill him. In fact, she chose to stay here for him.”
“She gave up her home to be with my father?” She smiled slightly. “My mom wasn’t a horrible person?”
He shook his head. “Marielle loved you, and your father, very much. She got a message to me after she was captured, wanting me to watch over you. So here I am.”
“But you didn’t come until I was sixteen.”
He drew a slow breath. “I was around, watching from afar. Eddie’s parents weren’t real thrilled when I started snooping around. They didn’t trust me.”
“Why not?”
Brent snorted. “I’m a sorcerer, among other things. They don’t trust the spirits I access. Though I’m very careful about the ones I associate with.”
Jackie shook her head. He’d never done anything questionable where spirits were concerned. In fact, she’d witnessed him warding against spirits often enough.
“So, my mother, is she alive?”
He shrugged. “No one has heard from her in years. I got a message shortly after her capture, but there has been no sign, one way or another, since.”
“Hmm,” she answered softly, staring into the fire. “Saressa had her?”
He nodded. “She did. Though with Saressa dead, I can’t imagine anything that would keep her from finding you. The fact she hasn’t, implies she’s gone.”
Jackie took another drink. “Wait, how old was she? Do I have any other siblings?”
“None that I’m aware of.” He watched her without another word.
“How old, Brent?”
“Not sure of her exact age, but she was more than nine hundred years old when I met her.”
“Holy fuck!” Jackie exclaimed.
He shrugged. “She’s more than a thousand years old by now. If she’s alive.”
“She was all siren?”
Brent nodded. “I’m only a quarter. I don’t change under water like you will.”
Her mouth fell open before she asked, “How can you be sure I will?”
“Saw it in a vision. You will.”
Jackie laid her head back and stared at the stars.
Brent’s voice was soft. “May I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why didn’t you want to talk about your mother before?”
She took a slow breath and shrugged. “Mom abandoned me. Yeah, I get it—she didn’t really, but still feels like it.”
“She didn’t want to.”
Turning her head toward him, she wondered out loud, “What’s she like?”
“You look very similar, though her eyes are greener.”
“Hmm.”
“The outer ring of her eyes are blue, the center green, but there is more green than blue.”
“What about under water? What should I expect?” A nervous giggle escaped. “Am I going to turn into the Little Mermaid? Will I have a tail?”
“No tail. Scales will form over your skin. They’re soft, and iridescent. You’ll grow gills behind your ears. Your fingers and toes will become webbed, and your nose will flatten a bit. Oh, and streaks of color will appear in your hair. They’ll fade once you’re dry.”
She finished off her bottle. “Only while I’m under water?”
“Yes. And once you master glamour, you can even appear to be normal in water.”
“Glamour?”
He laughed. “With as much as you understand about shaman, mages, and all sorts of Others, how do you know so little about fae?”
“Never realized any of that impacted me. Maybe I didn’t want it to.”
He snorted. “Well, when you’re ready, I can teach you how to change your appearance. Other fae may see through it, but most won’t.”
“Hmm.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll convince Eddie to go to his grandfather’s and you can stay with me. I’ll teach you some new abilities.”
“All right.”
Brent offered, “He can watch you change first though.”
She smiled slightly.
Having approached silently, Eddie plopped his head into her lap as he curled up beside her. She jumped slightly, smiling down. “You’re too quiet.” Jackie laid her head back and rhythmically stroked down his spine.
Brent shook his head. “Leave it to you to cuddle up with a shifted shaman their first time.”
She shrugged. “It’s Eddie. He couldn’t hurt me.”
“Never would.” He nodded to the sleeping bag. “Hit the sack. Tomorrow, we’ll start training you.”
“Good night, Brent.” Eddie stood beside her as she climbed into the sleeping bag. After a few turns, he scooted up against her with a contented purr.
“He’s going to climb in with you when he shifts back. You realize that, don’t you?”
“I’m sleeping in my clothes, old man. Stop worrying. We’re not going to do anything where you can see us.”
“Eddie might have a harder time keeping his hands to himself after his first shift.”
She rolled her eyes. “Not like you haven’t seen some nookie in your long life.”
His brow arched, but he didn’t offer an opinion. “Night, Jackie.” He slipped into his tent and zipped it up.
Jackie curled around Eddie’s warm body and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep quickly.
Chapter 17
“Well, aren’t you gorgeous.” Sidra walked up to the man who made Stefano’s obsession so uncomfortable.
Clive followed her through the shadows, waiting to see what she would do.
“Hmm?” Her prey’s mouth tilted in an appreciative smile as his eyes devoured her leather-clad body. Pale blue eyes met hers with devious delight. “Why hello to you.”
Why did Jackie avoid such an attractive man? Sleek muscle, shoulder-length brown hair. The man oozed virility, and she’d already confirmed he liked to play at the local sex club. He fancied himself a dom. She could wipe out his domineering ways with her own treatment.
“Looking for a playmate?” she purred as she moved closer.
There was a flicker of guilt before he smiled. “I believe I am.”
“Where?”
He grinned. “I like that. Getting right down to what you want.” He licked his lips. “My place. Follow me.”
She almost told him a dom’s favorite words, but he would quickly learn that was her role. Instead, she nodded, letting him take the lead, for the moment.
They stepped into a well-warded house, but only certain rooms. Wards she wouldn’t be able to cross, but they didn’t faze this guy in the least. He took her straight back to his room.
He flipped on dim lights revealing his version of a den. Glancing back at her, he ran his fingers over a rack. “What do you like?”
Sidra didn’t want to play games. She needed answers. Blurring across the room, she easily pinned him against the rack and cuffed him into place with a cruel smile.
He snarled at her. “Release me. I don’t submit. If you want a bottom, you’ve got the wrong man.”
A laugh escaped her lips. “Now, now gorgeous. What did you do to Jackie Oceans that made her fear you?”
Guilt flashed through his eyes. “Are you one of her friends? Did she tell you I took things too far?”
She smiled coldly. “No friend, but I do want to know more about her.” Sidra stepped within an inch of him and stared into his eyes. She reached out with one hand, cupping the side of his head.
His chest heaved as she landed in the memory of a party.
Jackie walked toward him in a crowded bar. “Evening, Jared.”
“Evening, Jackie. You feeling adventurous?”
&
nbsp; She dipped her head before catching the attention of a woman behind the bar. “Double shot of Jack, please.”
The bartender swept her short red hair behind her ear and poured with a smirk. “You and Eddie only ever order Jack Daniels. Why is that?”
She shrugged, a playful look on her face, but she didn’t answer.
Jackie set down some money and threw back the alcohol before turning to Jared. “Dance with me?”
“Sure.”
She took him to the dancefloor and wound her arms around his neck. His hands curled over her waist as he pressed close, kissing up her neck, eliciting a sensual moan from Jackie.
Sidra fast-forwarded as all hell broke loose. A horde of siren fighting against a varied group of Others. Jared hung back, while he watched Jackie freezing and shattering siren in her path. What a party, and she’d missed it.
Once things settled back down, Jared pulled Jackie toward the doors. He grinned at her. “When did you learn to do all of that?”
“Some time ago. Gwen taught me how to better control some of my gifts.”
“Still feeling adventurous?”
Her eyes twinkled under the street light. “I am.”
He led her to his house.
The second they stepped through the front door, she banded one arm around his neck, pulling him against her. Her other hand got his pants open to slowly stroke his cock.
He lifted the dress over her head as he backed her toward the bedroom. When her hands came down, they went to the buttons of his shirt, quickly baring his chest.
Breaking the kiss, she panted, “Need you.”
“Soon,” he promised, guiding her through the door and back to the rack. She gasped when he pulled her hands above her head and cuffed her wrists to the contraption.
She sucked in a breath, a trace of panic in her voice. “Turn the lights on.”
“Give me a chance, Jackie. I want to make you feel good.”
“Jared, I’m not playing, let me go.” He kissed her again as his fingers slid under her panties to play with her clit. Then he bent to tease a nipple with his tongue.
She moaned low in her throat. “Don’t want to be tied up,” she pleaded. Her body writhed as pleasure crashed over her. “Oh god.”
Coming Together Page 12
