by JF Holland
"Once he finishes inside you, he marks you, but it has to be when the full moon is out. But he also has to ask for your consent, and it must be given freely, hence them not being able to influence you. If it is not given freely or you decide you do not wish to be bound, the relationship will dissolve after the 5-years are up. Which is fine for the women, we can go on to have further relationships." Maya frowned at this but Jaden wouldn't meet her eyes.
"Why is if fine for the women and not the men?" Maya asked her.
"I believe they lose their immortality if it isn't given freely or if they find a way to tell you. If that happens they turn fully into their animal form and can no longer become man again. Once that happens, they no longer have any humanity either and their life span becomes that of their animal. They die alone wondering the earth as their animal dear." Her mother told her and Maya's shocked eyes turned to Jaden.
"You'd die, and you aren't allowed to tell us. That's the reason you actually thought about leaving the other shifter to it, wasn't it, why, what is the reason for that?" Jaden refused to look at her and looked towards his brother instead. He couldn't believe her mother was spilling the beans or that she even knew, and she kept on talking giving away all the males secrets.
"If you are killed before the 5-years are up he is released from the bond which then leaves him fully immortal and no longer bonded. He can carry on through eternity wandering from bed to bed with whichever female takes his fancy." Her mother told her and Maya leaned back into him.
'You could have freed yourself yet you still chose to stick by me, even knowing it could cost you your life?' Jaden just looked at her but refused to say anything a tick starting in his jaw.
"Thank you," Maya said out loud and leaned into him and kissed his mouth softly, he pulled back and looked at her with a frown.
"You could have let me die, left me to him and guaranteed your own survival and yet you still came to my rescue. That tells me more about your character than anything else ever could have. You put my life before your own, I couldn’t do any less for you."
His eyes searched hers. Now was not the time for this kind of discussion. There were psychopaths on her tail and his future mother-in-law truly could breathe fire, he actually grinned at that one.
'Idiot. She's not a dragon, she's a Phoenix,' she said the word wistfully.
'We have no choice with mates Maya, in most cases it works out well. Your parent's are the exception to the rule. My parents always seemed happy together, my father truly loved my mother I don’t know what happened to yours. I'm sorry,' She looked at him, kissed his cheek and leaned into him again as she turned to her mother.
"So if… father freed himself from the binding why will he be looking for you again?"
"Because once I was resurrected the clock began to tick again for him, the mark would again have appeared on his hand. The same mark as before so he'll know it's not a new mate dictated by fate, he'll know I'm back and he'll be looking for me."
"You have to leave mother because he's already here and I don't want to lose you again." Maya said swallowing, her eyes filling with tears.
"Who are the others with him?" Jaden asked. "If we know that, we can go hunting when they are in human form too, not just try to follow their scent. You said your husband, but who are the others?"
"His brother Davion and his cousin Jackson, he's the Jackal," she informed them.
"We though Hyena but a Jackal is just as bad as a rogue Hyena, if anything they are more cunning." Sam piped up from his seat, looking towards Binks and Jaden.
"They have always been thick as thieves, they've been together for hundreds of years. I know he's got to be well over 300 years old." Maya's mother informed them.
"Why did he want you dead?" Jaden asked.
"Because he couldn't read me, he even went through half the ceremony thinking it would give him enough to be able to read my thoughts. Or at least leave him free to be able to talk telepathically but he couldn't. He also began to worry that I would be able to read his thoughts."
They all looked at her thinking they may be able to use her to figure out a way, or through her to find his mind. Thus be able to work out where he was.
"I'm sorry, I never could understand him. His ramblings were those of a mad man, nothing more. The things he said made absolutely no sense to me, none."
"Okay, I can't call you Maya's mother, what do we call you?"
"Helena, my name is Helena." She told them, "I also believe my cousin Lucinda is due back shortly. His brother Davion killed her about a year or so after I was killed. He'd bound himself to her and it drove him crazy that she couldn't shift, and that her immortality didn't kick in. It sickened him to be tied to a lowly human. He always felt that fate had gotten it wrong."
"Lara was brought up with me and Aunt Sophia... why did she age mother if she was a phoenix? She warned us off shifters, not that we needed warning - not with our history, and fathers. What I don't understand is why did she get old?" Her mother sighed as she looked towards her.
"She wasn't your true aunt, she was a friend, is a friend," she corrected herself. "She'll be re-born and live her life again but as a witch she'll stay human unless a shifter is found that can click in her immortality. Unlike a shifter though your aunt wouldn't be a true shifter, not even after she became immortal. She would be able to shift though, but she'd only be able to do so by using magic and then she would only be able to take the form of her mate."
"Woah, hang on you just said witches are real too, those I haven't heard of." Jaden admitted.
"Maya do you remember the words I taught you to say and the tattoo I had drawn into your skin?" Maya's hand automatically went to the words inscribed in ink on her side.
"That was your aunt Sophia, she made the spell to keep you safe from your father."
"Yes, I still trace the letters when I feel agitated, between that and the salted holy water it helps me to hide in plain sight."
"Not from me," Jaden said with a smirk.
"Yes, but you have a special bond with her. Not only is your Jaguar bonded to hers but her dormant Phoenix side too. That is one powerful reason for you to see through the spell, but be warned. Jaguar she may be, but if she binds to you her Phoenix will forever be close to the surface."
"What does that mean?" Jaden asked.
"I'd say it means don't piss her off or she'll roast your nuts bro," said Balin and grinned when Sam snorted.
"That's a spell on her side?" Jaden asked not sure why he felt so horrified, then again there were stories of witch hunters through the centuries. So he supposed they were as hunted as they were themselves, misunderstood.
'What did Aunt Sophia look like?' he asked Maya telepathically and she pushed a picture in his head of an older woman with salt and pepper hair that fell in waves to the middle of her back. Crystalline green eyes, a very pretty unblemished face with a few wrinkles and a curvy body.
"Seriously, talk about type casting, Aunt Sophie didn't have warts and a hump, sheesh, Jaden. You've obviously watched sleeping beauty one too many times." Maya laughed at him and the others looked up.
"Bro, you need to get out more, look around the town it's full of immortals. Did you not notice the crop circle on the outskirts of the village?" Jaden raised a brow and Balin swore under his breath.
"Jesus, when you said you didn't mix you really meant it didn't you. The crop circle has been an immortal notice used since crops were first planted. It's a way of letting others know that the area has other immortals living close by. Human's like to speculate about aliens, and try to make up elaborate ones to draw in tourists, but a true circular crop circle has nothing to do with them, it's always been our calling card. Not that aliens aren't around they are, they just don't leave marks in crops to let people know. I mean how big is the universe? Humans can be totally blind to what is under their noses sometimes." Balin explained.
"Take your head out of your arse and just observe the surrounding people, you'd be surp
rised what you find. This town is full of all kinds of immortals, the coffee shop. In the sign we make the o's look like a crop circle, that's done purposely to show other immortals that the business is owned and run by one. You'll get the hang of it all, we'll help," he added and grinned at him.
"Anyway I need to get going I'm going to check out of the hotel but I will be back Maya, I so want to get to know you better?" her mother told her. Sam stood then, towering over the diminutive woman and shook his head.
"That really isn't a good idea, Helena, is it okay if I call you Helena?" she nodded and he smiled, not a huge grin like Binks wore just a slight lift of his lips.
"I think it would be better if you stuck around, he's already here, so you leaving won't take the danger away." She frowned now, her mouth turning down before it pursed.
"I know you think that it you leave and he sees you it will take the danger away from Maya as he will follow you, but trust me it is better if we all stick together. I can contact some of the others, bring in more back up to keep everyone safe. I'm going to have to do that anyway as it looks like we are going to have to go hunting, we can't leave rogues out there. They are a danger not just to you and Maya but to others too, we need to get rid of them." Helena looked at him thoughtfully.
"Who are you to Maya?" it was Balin who spoke up now.
"He is the man who saved my life as a child when another shifter murdered my family, and I thought also my older brother." He nodded towards Jaden and her mother looked to him now with speculation.
"Show me your hand please, Balin? That is your name," he nodded but frowned as he held his palm up for her. She raised a brow and looked towards Maya, then back to Balin.
"Do you know who your mate is?" he shook his head and shrugged.
"How long ago did the mark appear?" He frowned at this again then his eyes slit, Sam looked from her back to Balin and back again, his arms crossed.
"It appeared around 3-years ago, I am going to have to start my search soon but I don't really have a clue where to look yet. She's keeping very quiet, I've not even been able to intrude on her dreams to try to get a bead on her." Helena nodded at this.
"You do realise that families tend to be more compatible?"
"I don't know what you mean," he said and Helena sighed.
"Did you not listen to me as I was talking? My mate's brother was bound to my cousin, and they had a daughter. Your brother is bound to my daughter therefore logically it could mean that you are bound to…?"
"Lana, you think that Balin could be bound to Lana, mother?" Maya spoke up, and she nodded.
"It may help you in your search, she may also need protection." Helena finished quietly before turning once again to Sam and leaving Balin stood with his mouth open.
"Okay, Sam, where do you suggest I stay, at the hotel?"
"No, Maya has a house and Jaden has just moved in next door, we had Agatha rent it to him."
"Agatha?" Maya said. "Isn't she the young woman that runs the estate agents?" Sam nodded and Jaden was the one who now looked confused.
"No, the woman I met with was older," he trailed off as both men and Maya looked at him, but Sam spoke up.
"Glamour, she used glamour to hide her true self. We knew you were casing the area, searching for someone. We felt it better that you be where we could keep our eye on you until we knew your intentions. I own several houses around here including the one Maya lives in, we just gave the previous tenant of the house you're renting a little mental shove to leave."
"You can do that?" Maya asked a little alarmed, but Sam shook his head.
"No, that would be Leonard, he's the local vampire. He helped us in that department."
"Why would he help you?" this was from Helena.
"Because we are a close knit community, we all mix and rely on each other to keep us safe. We will be getting word out that people need to look out for 2 or possibly 3 strangers in the area. There will be more eyes open and it all helps us keep Maya safe, and now you too Helena."
"So I'll be staying with Maya?" Helena asked and Jaden lost colour. He actually growled at this, but Sam just grinned knowing what was going through his head.
"No, you'll be staying in Maya's house. Balin and I will move in with you, and Maya will be staying with Jaden next door. Safety in numbers," he added.
"Okay, so you are going to accompany me to my hotel to collect my things?" she asked looking towards Maya, chewing on her bottom lip.
"Yes, I'll come with you," Sam said. "I think we're going to close up shop for the day, we need to sort out our sleeping arrangements first, and put a few more security measures in place."
"So I can now take Maya home?" Jaden asked hopefully, and Sam hid a grin behind his hand and nodded. Jaden put Maya back on the seat grabbed his laptop bag and moved around the counter to pick up their helmets and Maya's coat.
"Okay then, I'll see you all later," Jaden said grabbing hold of Maya's hand. He pulled her up from the sofa and practically dragged her to the door of the shop." Sam followed on their heels, as did Helena who leaned in to kiss Maya's cheek before stepping back as Sam unlocked the door for them.
"We'll give you a shout at tea time, we'll be cooking and eating together. That way it will give Maya time to get to know her mother again." Sam told Jaden as he put Maya's jacket on her and fastened her helmet. Then he placed her on his bike as he nodded his agreement.
"He seems in a bit of a hurry," Balin said from the doorway as he watched Jaden put Maya on the bike and climb on himself after securing his things again.
"Yes, you'll understand that yourself soon enough young man." Helena told him as she once again moved back inside and Balin just blinked before following her and closing the door.
Chapter Ten
Maya wrapped her hands around Jaden's waist and leaned her head against his back. Tucked into him she watched the scenery fly past. She had a lot to think about, and couldn't believe her mother was back. It was something she'd often wished for but wasn't sure what to think now. She felt betrayed that no one had told her what her mother was and that she would one day come back. If they'd done that they could have saved her years of misery, the same for the loss over her Aunt Sophia's death too. She'd been hit by a car crossing the road, the driver had never been found.
"Maya, you're giving me a headache, let your mind settle for a while," Jaden told her through the microphone in her helmet.
"I know but I can't seem to let it go, I can't even just enjoy the scenery. I mean look how beautiful all the colours are on the trees and fields. The plants and bushes are lush and filled with a rainbow of colours, never mind the cattle grazing in the fields, it is beautiful here. I should be enjoying the abundance of beauty around me but I can't. There is just too much going on. I have a psycho on my tail, I find out my Aunt is also coming back soon and that my cousin - who is as close to me as a sister may also be in danger. Tell me how am I meant to relax with all that going on?" She didn't mean to sound petulant, she really didn't, but she was overwrought and worried. Not about herself, or her mother as she knew Sam would take good care of her mother, she was worried about Lana. She'd lost contact with her a few weeks, back as she'd stopped returning her calls and she was now really worried about her. Maya closed her eyes and tried to just let it all go - not that it was easy but she let the motion and sound of the bike and the warmth of Jaden all began to help ease some of the tension running through her.
Jaden had a most excellent idea of how to get her mind to let go, even if just for a little while. He estimated that they were only around a mile or so from the back of the house, he pulled off the road, and found a dirt track and slowly began to wind his way through the trees. This part of the woods went for miles, and would come out close to the back of the properties, there was a road intersecting it a little further on but he knew this particular part of the forest was quite dense. He'd done a little reconnaissance himself in the last few days before he'd approached Maya, he'd been coming to the area knowi
ng he was close and doing a little digging. As he wasn't usually one to mix he'd not really bothered asking questions of the locals but had just rode through town a time or two, familiarising himself with the road layouts. He'd spent more time out here though in the woods, plus these were the woods he'd spent time in as a child. It may have been over 200-years ago but he knew most of these trees, and some had grown big and strong in that time, offering cover.
He pulled up under a large Cyprus tree, the branches helped conceal them and he pulled off his helmet, checking the surrounding air to make sure they were alone.
"Maya?"
Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around, confused as they were now under cover, but not in the garage. He got off the bike and tugged on her hand but she stayed put refusing to budge.
"What are you up to?" she asked him suspiciously.
"Well you need relaxing and I need something else entirely but in this instance they can both be achieved." He told her, then reverted to talking into her mind.
'Off the bike Maya, and on your knees,' her brow raised as he reached out and unstrapped her helmet.
'Jaden I don't think…'
"I didn't ask you to think. I said get off the bike, and on your knees.' He reiterated, and she got a mulish look on her face, mouth pinched and he stepped into her.
"Now Maya," this time he spoke out loud putting authority into his words. She swallowed but did as he asked, slowly swinging her leg over the bike and stood before him. He hung both their helmets from the handle bars, put the keys in his jacket pocket zipped it up. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders and gave a gentle push for her to go to her knees. His eyes holding hers captive as she slowly lowered herself down. Her eyes searched his amber ones for answers but he was giving nothing away. He'd even manged to blank his mind, so she was getting nothing from him.
"Okay now what?" she asked having to tilt her head back to keep eye contact, and he raised a brow before once again reverting back to telepathy. Speaking into her mind was much more intimate, and it allowed him to be able to show her what he wanted too.
