“It’s Gavin.”
“He can’t possibly know about Lydia,” Jareth said, but he wasn’t so sure.
“Gavin isn’t one to traipse all the way out to Jasper for a social call. I’m sure he knows, though how he found out is anyone’s guess.”
“What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know, but if he thinks we’re just handing Lydia over, he’s got another think coming.”
“It looks like he’s alone, aside from his driver. I doubt he’d be foolish enough to push the matter being as he’s alone.”
“You’re right. Hopefully, he’ll be in a practical mood this evening. Lydia wasn’t part of the anti-shifter group and had nothing to do with Timor and Mara being murdered.”
“Maybe he’ll listen long enough to understand that.”
“If not, we’ll figure something out. If he leaves for reinforcements, we can be gone with her long before he returns.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page with that.”
The two men sat in silence, watching the car’s slow progress up the long, winding driveway. Gavin would be there in a few minutes, and what he had planned was anyone’s guess. But one thing was certain; neither Jareth nor Carter was willing to let anything happen to Lydia. As long as she was under their roof, they would do everything in their power to protect her, even against their own kind.
Once she hit the road for destinations unknown, she was on her own. But for now, she was safe and well-protected.
And Gavin was not going to be happy about that.
CHAPTER TWO
The commotion downstairs woke Lydia up with a start. It took her a few moments to get her bearings, and to remember how she’d come to find herself in this luxurious bed, wrapped up tightly in an expensive robe.
The front door slammed and an angry voice reverberated throughout the massive house.
“Where is she?” the man shouted and Lydia’s stomach dropped.
There was only one she in this house. She looked around in the dim light, shocked to see clothes arranged neatly on the chaise lounge. She didn’t have time to wonder about how they’d gotten there, or more importantly how someone had been that close to her while she’d slept without her being any the wiser. No, she had to get dressed and ready to flee. Whoever it was downstairs, he was angry, and his anger was directed at Lydia.
She ripped open a package of underwear, dropping her robe and pulling them on quickly. Followed by a pair of dark jeans. She left the tag hanging on the jeans, pulling a bra over her head and a long-sleeve tee. Lydia yanked violently, breaking the thick plastic cord that held the expensive running shoes together. She slipped on a pair of socks and laced up the new shoes.
When the man bellowed once more, Lydia ran to the door and twisted the thumb latch to the locked position. A heavy duty back pack was propped up against the clothing, tags still affixed to it as well.
Lydia threw the pack onto the bed and began shoving clothes into it. Maybe if she could sneak out and past the angry man, she could leave unseen. When she got where she was going and found a job, she’d make sure to repay these men for all they’d bought for her. Until then, she had to stay alive, no matter what that took.
Most of the clothing fit in the pack. Lydia pulled a hoodie over her head and tied a new sweater around her waist. Now that everything was packed, she threw the heavy pack over her shoulders and went to the door.
She carefully undid the latch, easing the door open and looking into the hallway. Jareth and Carter hadn’t given her the grand tour, but she’d seen a private carport on the end of each wing of the house, which suggested that both men had their own private entrances. If that was the case, she should be able to leave without going through the main part of the house.
Pausing for a moment in the shadows of the hallway, she listened to the men argue with one another.
“I told you to kill all of them.”
“She wasn’t one of them. She was their prisoner.” Lydia recognized Carter’s voice.
“I don’t care if she was just passing through at the wrong time, I told you no witnesses and no survivors.”
“Look,” Carter’s voice raised in anger. “It’s one thing to kill a bunch of savage murderers, but I’m not in the business of killing innocents and she’s not involved.”
Lydia peeked around the edge of the wall, shocked to see the man with the loud voice standing there, toe to toe with Carter as if he was any match for the much younger man. The one Carter had referred to as Gavin was shorter in stature, his skin weathered and his hair a steel gray that looked very distinguished. He carried himself like a man who was used to getting his way.
“I don’t care what you want to do. You were given an order and you and that laughingstock buddy of yours screwed it up. You will fix it and it will be done today.”
A hand clasped over Lydia’s mouth, startling her.
“It’s Jareth. Shh. Don’t scream, alright?”
She nodded and he released her mouth.
“Don’t worry about old Gavin,” Jareth whispered as he sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor behind her, “He thinks he controls everyone but he’s all smoke. No one here is going to kill you.”
Lydia nodded again, not trusting herself to speak.
Jareth brushed a curly tendril off her face and caressed her cheek with one calloused thumb for a moment before he remembered himself and pulled away.
“You’re not going to let him kill me, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“What if he gets out of control?”
“Look at that vein on his forehead,” Jareth snorted softly as he whispered, “he’s long past ‘out of control”. Gavin is a total head case. Hardly anyone takes him seriously.”
“Do you?”
“Sometimes, but he’d be breaking our own laws killing you in our home, so you’re safe. As long as you’re here, that is.”
“And when I leave these walls?”
“That’s another story. We can’t protect you out there.”
Jareth’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Loud and insistent, the buzzing continued as if he was receiving hundreds of texts back to back. He pulled out his phone and cursed under his breath.
“What’s wrong?”
“Gavin didn’t come alone.”
He quickly sent a text and in the foyer below, Lydia saw Carter pull out his phone and check it while Gavin continued ranting.
Carter held his hand at his side, giving an almost imperceptible thumbs up that he’d gotten the message loud and clear.
“Now what?”
“I don’t know. They still can’t kill you in our home. But outnumbered, I’m not sure what they can do and what they will do, anyway.”
“So they could be coming to kill me?”
Jareth flashed her a mischievous grin. “Or they could be coming to throw you a welcome home party. You never know with Gavin’s Goons. They’re like a barrel of monkeys.”
“So, what you’re saying is my life is in danger?”
“Sounds about right. But what’s life without a little danger?”
Lydia rolled her eyes. How could he be joking at a time like this?Gavin was still going on about “duty and allegiance to your own kind” when Lydia saw the first tiger creep out of the shadows. She gasped softly and she watched in horror as the beast turned its attention to wear she hid, growling softly with its jaw closed.
“I see you’re willing to play dirty to get your way, Gavin.” Carter’s voice was firm and he didn’t move from where he stood.
“I have to protect the people who depend on me to rule fairly and justly. You’re putting our kind in danger.”
“How?”
“Holding a human woman captive is a capital offense.”
“She came of her own free will.”
“We can’t know that for sure.”
“Have you thought of asking her?”
“It doesn’t matter what she has to say. She saw what happene
d at Mill Creek. Humans are all the same, she’ll tell you one thing and go running to the media with another story as soon as you set her free.”
“So you’re suggesting we keep her captive?”
“What? No. I just said that we can’t do that.”
“Then what are you suggesting? You can’t be suggesting that murder is better than keeping her hostage, and you won’t allow her to tell you that she’s her under her own volition. So what are you planning on doing?”
Gavin stood silently for a moment, one tiger after another slinking out of the shadows and taking his place around and behind Gavin. None of them knew what was going on, but it didn’t matter. They would follow orders without questions, no matter how many times Carter ran circles around the issue. Gavin and his men were here to kill her, and they weren’t leaving until they did.
“What about a compromise?”
“A compromise? With you? I have no need to compromise.”
“But you do. When you showed up, I set my security cameras to a live feed and sent a link to every human I know. There’s no sound, but it won’t take a genius to figure out what’s going on if you tear the woman, the human woman, to shreds. And every news outlet in the state will have the video within minutes of her death. Is that what you want, Gavin? Or do you think there’s a compromise to be had in this situation?”
“You didn’t. I don’t believe you.” He sneered at Carter.
“Are you willing to take that chance?”
Gavin stood for a moment, the wind falling out of his sails as he considered his options. If Carter wasn’t bluffing, a video like that circulating around the web would be harmful not just to Gavin, but to all shifters. All the work he’d done, the high-powered friends he’d made within the human congress would mean nothing.
All because of one woman.
“Fine. I’ll compromise. But this is my only offer. Refused and the woman dies. But not tonight. I’ll bide my time, and I’ll kill her myself. And if you double-cross me and I find out, she’ll be the one to pay. Do we have a deal?”
“I have to hear the terms of your compromise first.”
“No. The only compromise is that I won’t kill her unless you don’t do what I say.”
“Fine. What is your compromise?”
“That you’ll marry her. Both of you. It’s the only way to prove without a shadow of a doubt that she’s here of her own free will.”
“And if she refuses?”
“Then she’s signed her own death warrant.”
“And if we refuse?”
“Do you really think that humans care if we execute our own kind?” Gavin scoffed.
“So that’s it. Marry her or she dies?”
“Yes. You have thirty days.”
Beside Jareth in the dark, Lydia covered her mouth and shook her head vigorously.
“It’s alright,” Jareth whispered in her ear. “Our ceremony means nothing in the human world. We’ll go through the motions and we’ll lay low for a while. When the smoke clears a bit, we’ll get you out of here and you can go on with your life.”
“I can’t stay here that long. I need to leave.”
“Why?”
“I can’t say. I’m sorry.”
“Lydia, we can’t help you if you don’t tell us what you’re running from.”
“And this is helping me? I was better off before.”
“You don’t really believe that?”
“Whether I’m physically chained or just chained by words, I’m still not free.”
“No matter what happens, we would never treat you like anything but our guest.”
“But I’d be stuck here until you decided I could leave. There’s nothing free about that.”
Jareth closed his eyes, trying to show Lydia some compassion. He knew what she was trying to impart to him, but she didn’t seem to understand the gravity of her situation.
“I’m sorry that it has come to this, Lydia. But if you fight this and he knows that you’re not going to do it, he will not hesitate to kill you. Is death really better than a pretend marriage to us?”
He motioned to the house at large and smiled reassuringly to her.
“Wouldn’t you rather share in all of this and live in comfort, wanting for nothing than to live a life on the run?”
She didn’t get a chance to answer.
“Bring the girl to me!” Gavin bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the house.
“She’s not a girl, she’s a woman. I doubt she wants an audience with you,” Carter sneered. “You’ve made it clear she’s not welcome.”
Gavin opened his mouth to speak when his attention was drawn away from Carter. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face when he saw Lydia step out of the shadows and onto the top of the staircase.
“There you are. Is this the woman causing all the fuss? No wonder they’re so bent on protecting you. My, my, you are just a delectable little peach, aren’t you?”
Lydia could feel her skin crawl as his words assaulted her. The tone made it obvious that nothing he said was meant to be taken nicely.
Jareth followed her out of the shadows, hoping that she didn’t do anything rash. He’d counted five tigers, plus Gavin and who knew how many more that were hiding in various places. If they attacked, there was no way to stop them. Maybe Carter had sent out a link to all his buddies, but Jareth was pretty certain it was a bluff.
“I’m sure you heard every word.”
“I did.” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat and declared again, “I did,” more loudly.
“And what do you think of my compromise?”
“I think it’s shit. It’s not a compromise. It reeks of a temper tantrum thrown by a man who can’t stand to be without control.”
Jareth stood behind her, not even bothering to hide the smug expression on his face. Gavin may have thought that he would intimidate this one, but Lydia was not easily scared.
“Whether it’s ‘shit’ or not, it’s your only choice. Either marry them, or die.”
“You’re a coward, Gavin.”
“Maybe I am, but I’m not the one whose life is in danger. So what will it be? Marry these two and spare your life, or be stubborn and cost yourself your own life and theirs?”
“Why theirs?”
“Do you think that they’re going to stand by and just let me kill you? No. They’ll die trying to protect you.”
One of the tigers licked his lips, looking at Lydia as if she were a delicious piece of meat, ready to devour. She shuddered involuntarily, looking at Carter and Jareth, then around at the tigers spread throughout the room. She turned her back on Gavin, trusting Carter and Jareth to protect her.
She leaned close to Carter’s ear.
“Jareth has promised me that we’ll go through the motions and I’ll be free to go when the smoke clears,” she whispered. “Is that true?”
Carter nodded.
“I’m trusting you to keep your promise.”
He grabbed her hand, pulling it to his lips and kissing it gently.
“I promise,” he said, loud enough for Gavin and the others to hear.
Lydia nodded. She was shaking, but she knew what she had to do. It was one thing to risk her life, but she couldn’t put Carter and Jareth in danger. They’d been nothing but kind to her and she wouldn’t repay them by putting them in harm’s way.
She held Carter’s hand in hers, and held her free hand out to Jareth. He took his place on the other side of her and they faced Gavin together.
“I accept your compromise on one condition.”
“And what is that?”
“That you don’t show your wretched face at our wedding. I wouldn’t want to mar a perfectly good day with such ugliness.”
Gavin’s face turned red as Jareth and Carter struggled not to laugh.
“I’ll attend if I choose, though I’m sure I’ll be much too busy that day.”
“Fair enough. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,�
� Lydia said, turning quickly and walking up the stairs without once looking back at Gavin and his men to make sure they were actually leaving.
Her shoulders were set and rigid, her posture straight and assured. But on the inside, she was a mess. She didn’t want to get married, and she didn’t want to stay in northern Georgia. She had other plans, but they were going to have to wait until she figured out what to do about her current predicament.
The large doors closed behind her, and she didn’t have to look to know that the tigers had left with Gavin. They’d added something of themselves to the air with their presence, a sort of electricity. Now that they were gone, the air felt lighter and empty.
Lydia breathed a sigh of relief and moved back down the short flight of steps she’d retreated up moments before.
“That was awful. I thought he’d never leave.”
“You were so brave,” Carter said.
“Not really. I was shaking so badly. Tell me that you guys have a plan to get us out of this? I don’t want to go through the motions of a wedding and bide my time until the coast is clear. That could take months. I want to leave now.”
“Unfortunately, Gavin won’t just take our word for it that we’re following through. I don’t quite know how to tell you this, but we’re going to have to follow through.”
“Carter, there’s got to be a way out of this,” Lydia was almost pleading, blue eyes darting back and forth between the two men.
“Maybe there is,” Carter began. “But if there is, I don’t see it.”
Jareth shook his head in agreement. Neither saw a way out, at least not one that ended well for Lydia.
“So that’s it then? I’m stuck marrying you two.”
Jareth shrugged. “I’m sure there are worse things in the world than marrying a couple of millionaires.”
Carter squeezed Lydia’s hand. “Let’s deal with this later. Right now, it smells like dinner is ready, and Spencer made a special dessert before he left. I hope you like chocolate.”
“I don’t trust people who don’t like chocolate,” Jareth said with a twinkle in his eye.
“Chocolate sounds divine right now. How about we eat dessert first and save the rest for afterwards?”
A look passed between the two over her head as they walked into the dinner room.
The Tigers Shared Mate Page 3
