Coming Together

by Brandy L Rivers

  Clive’s eyes snapped to hers, an evil grin on his lips. “You want rough? I’ll give you rough.” He spun her away from him and locked his hand on her hip before the other slammed down on her ass with bruising force. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she bit back the scream. When he hit her again, breath exploded from her lips.

  “No! I won’t let you destroy her,” Jared screamed.

  The asshole slipped his fingers between her thighs. “Not wet?” he growled as he spun her back and dropped to his knees. “That won’t last. When you’re dizzy from blood loss, you’ll crave me. They always do,” he promised.

  She went frantic, trying to kick at him, but he held her legs open as his fangs slid into her skin. He lapped at her blood with feral snarls.

  His teeth were ripped out of her flesh, tearing a scream from her. Jared pinned Clive to the opposite bars. Blood drenched his chest and he fell forward. Crystal blue, tear-filled eyes met hers. Blood covered Jared’s face. He stammered, “Please, be okay, Jackie.”

  She shook her head, words failing her.

  Sidra appeared. “You’ll pay for that.”

  Points of pain pressed into her sides, then raked down her body before she was slammed into the bars. Blood flowed as shadow filled the cage. Darkness rolled in, blocking out everything else.

  * * * *

  Magic flared across the candles, keeping Eddie, Brent, and Stefano away from Jackie. She hung by her wrists in a cage. Jared huddled at her feet. A shadow perched on top of the cage, another behind her.

  Ready to let loose, Eddie slammed his hand against the barrier. Electricity flared, flinging his arm back. “Hurry, Brent!”

  Shadows melted and Clive formed behind Jackie. He gripped her hair and yanked her head up, whispering something in her ear. She slammed her head back into his face and everything moved in slow motion.

  Brent worked as fast as he could to dismantle the wards.

  Stefano’s breath came in pants. “They’re going to break her the same way they broke Eloise.”

  “She’ll fight,” Eddie snarled. A slap echoed in the room. He looked up to find a vicious red handprint across Jackie’s ass. Eddie pushed forward, shielding himself, but he couldn’t get past the ward. “Damn it, Brent. Get that spell down, now!”

  “Working on it.”

  Another slap and Jackie’s whole body shuddered.

  Stefano whispered, “He’s going to take her. He’ll fuck her until she’s begging for it, then he’ll rip her apart.”

  “She won’t beg,” Eddie snarled. “Whatever happened to your wife, Jackie’s not her. Don’t even fucking compare them.”

  “You don’t understand,” Stefano insisted. “He can get in her head. Make her want it. She’ll beg like every other woman he’s taken. Even Eloise, as she bled out.”

  Eddie turned toward Stefano and caught him around the throat, throwing him to the ground in one movement. He couldn’t stop his fist from slamming into the vampire’s face. Through gritted teeth, he warned, “You don’t know Jackie. Keep your opinions to yourself before I rip out your fangs and shove them up your cock!”

  Jackie’s scream yanked Eddie’s head up. Blood spilled down her leg, her dress and bra torn. Clive was pinned against the cage by Jared. Then Sidra shredded her nails down Jackie’s sides before shadows exploded from the cage.

  Eddie shot to his feet, his hands flying over his head as the ground before him rose up with the movement. He shoved his hands down, and the shield fell with the floor. Whipping his arm back, he covered Stefano with debris, then he solidified the earth with a thought before he charged to the open cage.

  With a vampire’s strength, dirt wouldn’t hold him long, especially with the way the asshole was beating against his temporary prison.

  “Why in the abyss didn’t you start with that?” Brent asked.

  Eddie shook his head. “Didn’t know I could.” He ran, sliding through the opening to grab Jackie’s waist. Deep gouges ran the length of her torso. Blood oozed down her body in rivulets. Jared huddled in the corner, staring in horror. Something had to be done, or Jackie wouldn’t last long.

  “Shit,” he whispered, closing his hand over the tear in her thigh. Squeezing his eyes shut, he whispered the spell to mend wounds. He’d never tried fixing anything this extensive, but he couldn’t leave her like this.

  There were a series of crashes and thumps, then a sharp intake of breath. “I can give her blood. The damage will heal in seconds,” Stefano growled.

  “Oh no you won’t!” Brent shouted. “You had enough of her blood. You could turn her, or worse, bind her to you. Neither of those things will happen.”

  “She’ll die!” Stefano yelled back.

  Something hit the ground followed by a dragging sound.

  Eddie glanced over to see Stefano pinned against the rack of candles by an invisible force. “Eddie can heal her, and she won’t be tied to your medieval ass.” Brent turned back to Eddie. “You got this? I could call Mathis and Paavo.”

  Eddie winced. “I got this.”

  “They wouldn’t have to touch her. With a look, she would relive what they did before.”

  Pulling his hand from her thigh, he looked down at her creamy skin, now mended. Confidence infused him. “I can handle this.”

  A smile lifted the corners of Brent’s face. “Excellent. I think she’d prefer your help.”

  Eddie dipped his head and curled his hands around her hips where the gashes ended. He murmured the words as he slowly caressed up her body. Her skin healed under his touch. Warmth pushed through his hands, flowing into her chilled skin.

  Her eyes fluttered open, then went wide as she sniffled. “Eddie?”

  “I’ve got you, Angelfish. I’ll fix this.”

  She looked down as his hands came to a rest under her breasts, pulling her against his body, to cover her, and because he needed to feel her heartbeat.

  Jackie gulped. “How?”

  He gave her a lopsided smile. “Learned a few tricks.”

  “Thought I was dead.”

  He caressed her face, locking his eyes on hers. “What can I do?”

  Her lips trembled as she whispered, “Get me down. Please, get me down.”

  He reached up and wrapped his hand around the leather cuff, but detected no buckle or latch. “What the fuck?” He leaned back and looked, but saw no way to release her.

  “Brent? How do I get her down?”

  “Can’t. They’re enchanted,” Jared answered through chattering teeth. “No way to remove them without the key.”

  “Fucking hell,” Brent muttered. “I’m calling the Council.”

  “Don’t,” Stefano blurted out. “If Jackie insists on saving Jared, that’s not the wisest choice.”

  “They’ll be fine with him. He’s not the first vampire they’ve sorted out.”

  “He’s a Shadowstalker.”

  “I realize that, and trust me, I understand the differences. Don’t worry. I have a friend who has taken on another Shadowstalker and kept him from feeding on Others.”

  “The Council will take us all in.”

  Brent made a gesture at Stefano who went quiet, though he clawed at his mouth. He returned to finding a number in his phone.

  Jackie heaved a breath before twisting her wrists with a whimper. She caught the chains in her hands. A blast of cold nearly knocked Eddie back as ice flowed over the chain.

  “Lift me up, Eddie, so I can yank and break the links.”

  He pushed her back against the cage bars, wrapped one arm around her waist, and wedged his foot between the bars to push them both up. He caught one chain and lifted as high as he could, before yanking it down. It snapped free. Her arm wound around his neck. Repeating the move with the other, she fell against him.

  Jackie’s body trembled in his arms as he brought her to the floor.

  “Here, put my shirt on.” He leaned her back against the bars and yanked his shirt off before gently helping her into it. “Better?”

&nbs
p; She nodded, taking his hands as she stared into his eyes. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Anytime, no matter what.”

  She nodded, before moving across the cage to kneel before Jared. “Hey, let me help.”

  His eyes squeezed tight, his hand coming up to cover his nose and mouth.

  Jackie glanced over her shoulder at Eddie before gripping the chain that attached Jared’s hands to the bars. Eddie moved in to snap the frozen links as she reached for the chains anchoring Jared’s legs. Again, she froze them, and Eddie broke Jared free.

  “I’m sorry I let them hurt you,” Jared whispered.

  “Not your fault. Looks like they worked you over pretty bad.”

  Jackie stood and started for the opening.

  Brent stepped in front her. “Don’t try to step through. The cage is warded. You won’t get out that way.”

  “Then how did Eddie get in?”

  “It’s a spell to keep prey from escaping. There’s a counter, I just have to find it.”

  Her face crumpled. “We’re stuck in here?”

  “I won’t hurt you,” Jared vowed.

  Jackie turned toward him and shook her head. “I’m not worried about you. But what if they come back?” Her body trembled.

  Eddie pulled her into his arms and drove his fingers into her hair. Tipping her head back, he delved into her eyes. “I’m here. We’ll deal with them together.”

  Chapter 29

  Stefano seethed as Jacqueline melted into Eddie’s arms. He should be the one pulling her to safety. He would have given her blood, the bond would form. She would be his.

  Instead, Eddie had healed her, offered comfort, then allowed her to help break herself free. She needed protection, not an enabler.

  Trouble followed Jacqueline like a magnet. Someone should lock her away from the world and treat her like a queen. Not let her stumble through life barely surviving each new crisis.

  It had become imperative to separate her from Eddie, before he further convinced her she could take care of herself. The last hour had proven she was incapable. Sidra had easily taken her from a crowded restaurant. They’d hidden her in the Seattle Underground behind spelled walls, and inside a warded cage.

  Three mages appeared next to Brent.

  “Mike!” Jackie pulled out of Eddie’s arms and moved toward the bars. “Tell me you can get us out.”

  He shrugged. “We’re going to try.”

  “Who are they?” Stefano snapped.

  Brent sighed heavily. “Mike, Gwen, and Robert. Worst case, Robert can get them all out.”

  Jacqueline’s eyes closed as she drew a breath. “I would really prefer sooner than later.”

  The blond woman gave her a smile and reached to touch the bars, but jerked her hand back. “Shit, that’s not any magic I recognize.”

  The tall blond man looked around the cage, and back to Stefano, with narrowed eyes. He held out his hand and said something, but no sound reached his ears.

  Brent answered, shaking his head.

  Within a few blinks, the blond mage was gone. A second later, he appeared in the cage, touched both Eddie and Jackie, then all three were gone. Next thing he knew, Jared stood outside the cage, while the blond gripped his shoulder.

  “What happened?” the mage asked, the sound full volume again.

  Brent laid out the facts. Then he shot a glare at Stefano. “Neither vampire should be near Jackie for a time. Jared will agree. Stefano’s cooperation is unlikely. He’s lost all reason.”

  Stefano shook his head. “Someone should stay with her. To protect her from Sidra and Clive. Clearly a shaman and a hybrid can’t keep Jackie safe.”

  Mike rounded on Stefano and stormed closer. “You clearly don’t understand anything about any of these people. I don’t trust you. The more I hear, the crazier you sound. She doesn’t need some obsessed asshole trailing her.”

  “You fucked her too?” Stefano threw out.

  Mike’s fist landed so fast his head snapped back. Pain rocked through his skull, his nose crunching as blood spilled down his face.

  “She’s a friend,” he snarled. “I’ve never touched her like that, you fucking prick.”

  Stefano pressed his fingers to his face and dropped his hand to see blood.

  He shot forward with the intent of taking Mike down. Mike’s hand whipped up and a jolt of electricity threw him back against the candles.

  When he came to his senses, he was in a glass cell with both Mike and the blond mage standing over him. The blond sneered. “Once you calm down, we’ll listen to your side of the story.”

  Both mages disappeared, leaving Stefano alone.

  * * * *

  Brent shook his head. His hands cranked into fists as Mike and Robert popped back in.

  “He in a cell?” Brent asked.

  Robert nodded. “I’ve never seen Mike lose his temper like that. Figured it would be wise to lock Stefano up until we can get the whole story.”

  Mike snorted. “I’ve known Jackie since high school. We are friends. That some asshole assumed she’s slept with every man here pissed me off. Had to set the record straight.”

  “Should have let me,” Gwen snipped. “Archaic bloodbag thought she couldn’t handle herself. We all need help at times, but what makes that punk think he has a better chance of protecting Jackie than anyone else?”

  Brent sighed. “He’s got a few screws loose.” He gave them a brief rundown on Stefano’s past and pointed out her resemblance to his dead wife.

  “Shit,” Mike muttered, pacing away. “Can we keep him locked up?”

  Robert shook his head. “Not without cause, which we don’t have, yet. Can’t say I blame him for freaking out when Jackie was nearly raped in front of an audience.”

  Jared spoke up. “I stopped him. He touched her, bit her, but he didn’t get a chance to do more.”

  Mike gripped Jared’s shoulder and winced. “Damn, Jared. Doug’s worried about you. I have no clue what to tell him.”

  Jared’s eyes widened. “They turned me. Kept me. Fuck. When I first came to, I almost hurt her again.”

  “Jackie?” Mike asked slowly. “Again?” He stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists.

  Brent pulled Mike back. “Wait. The whole situation is fucked ten ways to Sunday, but it wasn’t exactly Jared’s fault, and he didn’t actually hurt her. Her power was fluctuating, and after a point, he couldn’t control himself.”

  “Why?”

  “Long story. Not important right now.” He glanced at Jared and back to Robert. “Can Victoria help him?”

  “Of course. I’m sure she’d be happy to assist with his craving for Other blood. Do you want a lift out of here?”

  Brent snorted. “Yeah, back to Jackie’s. When you let Stefano out, I want to make sure he can’t get anywhere near her. I don’t trust the fucker not to do something stupid.”

  “We’ll keep an eye on him.”

  “Won’t be easy, unless you get Preston to track him. He’s not quite a Shadowstalker, but he’s not a normal vampire either.”

  “I’ll make sure Preston gets his essence before we let him go. If you need anything, call.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey,” Mike said, “tell Jackie I’m here if she wants anything. She saw me through some tough times, listened to it all. I’m happy to do the same for her.”

  Brent nodded. “I’ll tell her, but I’m not thinking that will be necessary. They finally stopped denying what we all knew.”

  Mike grinned. “Tell her, please.”

  “My pleasure. You know how to reach me.”

  * * * *

  Jackie pulled away from Eddie. “I need a shower,” she whispered.

  “I could help.”

  “You aren’t disgusted by what you saw?”

  “Oh, I am, but not at you. That sick fuck is going to die next time I see him. And Sidra had better hope to god she can get out of there before I show her how bad a cougar can fuck her shit up.�
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  Jackie smiled sadly. “Do you agree with him?”

  “Who, about what?” Eddie asked, moving closer.

  “Stefano, about not being able to protect myself.”

  “How did they get you?”

  “Knocked me out. Didn’t realize they were both in the room.” Her eyes closed as she dropped her head.

  He caught her face and pulled her eyes back to his. “Hey, nothing you could have done differently. They weren’t playing fair. Don’t worry about that scumbag, or his damned idiotic thoughts. You’re a fighter, not a damsel. I saw you fight against that monster, despite being bound and him twice your size. What were you supposed to do?”

  “Don’t know.”

  “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

  He pulled her toward the bathroom. “How do you feel? The claw marks, the bite?”

  “Those are fine. My head’s pounding though.” She listed to the side.

  He caught her, and pulled her into his arms. “How bad?”

  “Fucking hurts. Dizzy. Like you’re drumming my heartbeat against my skull.”

  * * * *

  His heart squeezed tight as he stood her up beside the counter and spun to start the shower. When he turned back, he murmured, “I can fix that too.”

  “Please.”

  He moved back and pulled her into his arms. She rested her forehead against his shoulder. Blood stained her blond hair in the back. He hadn’t noticed earlier.

  Ten minutes, that’s all he’d require, alone with that fucking piece of trash. No amount of blood, or magic, would put that fucker back together again once he was done.

  Covering the mess, he located the bump and whispered a spell as a tear escaped. Part of him understood Stefano’s desire to protect Jackie. The rest of him knew her well enough to know that would never fly. So he’d stand beside her, and face everything that came her way, no matter how painful it was to witness.

  Pushing healing energy into her, he chanted against her hair. Her whole body relaxed against him. Lips curled into a smile against his skin.