“This way.” Jaylyn said as we dragged her to the stairs.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” I smiled.
After going up four flights, Adele was getting annoyed. “Where are you taking me?”
“We’re almost there.”
“Okay, close your eyes.” Jaylyn said.
We reached the door leading out onto the balcony and waited for her to do it. “Do I have to?”
“I’ll do it for you.” Jaylyn held her hands over Adele’s eyes herself and she was led outside. “Okay, are you ready?”
“I guess.”
She removed her hands from Adele’s eyes and she looked around. It was like walking right into her dream. The waterfalls cascaded down over the cliffs and this was surely the place.
“You like it?”
“Like it? I love it! How did you—” She seemed happy but then her voice went south with her mood. “Why did you all do this for me? I don’t deserve it. I’m sorry.”
She was truly upset now and turned away to go back inside.
“What was that about?” Ruby asked.
“I’ll go find out. You can play for a while. Come on, Rift.”
He followed me down one flight of stairs to our room. I could already hear Adele crying from inside and I needed to know why.
“Love?”
She sucked in her breath with her back turned to act like nothing was wrong but I knew better.
“What is it? Are you okay? I thought you’d be happy to see it.”
“No. I am. I am happy. It’s just—you didn’t have to do that for me. I don’t deserve it.”
“Of course you do.”
“No. I’m such a horrible person and I’m so sorry.”
She was really starting to concern me now and I went fully over to her so I could get her to look at me. “Love, what’s wrong.”
“I am. There’s something that I haven’t told you and it’s been eating at me ever since it happened. I didn’t know how to tell you. I wanted to but I just couldn’t.”
“What?”
She looked at me and she was so torn apart. Her eyes were soaked and bloodshot, she had trouble breathing but she desperately wanted to get out her problem but I could have never imagined what it would be.
“That day I took Darius out to clear the road, I really only did it because I wanted to show him his son without the pressure of everyone else bearing down on him.”
“I know. You told me, remember?”
“You should have seen him, Zayden. He changed somehow like he was finally hopeful and I was so proud that it worked. He was sweet like I had just noticed for the first time and—”
“And what?” I didn’t like where this was going and it only got worse.
“And I’m so sorry.”
She told me by not telling me but I knew. Darius was involved. How could I not know?
I restrained from letting my eyes turn black in front of her but I couldn’t look at her. “You slept with him.”
“Zayden, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what I was thinking. It all just kind of happened. You don’t know how horrible I feel.” I didn’t know if there was anything I should say or could say but she tried to get me to. “Zayden?”
“Do you love me?”
“Of course I love you. That wasn’t love and I wanted to tell you so much sooner. I just didn’t know how.”
“Then I need to know one thing. Was your recent sexual appetite because of him?”
“No.” Adele quickly got closer to me like my question had worried her. “It wasn’t. I don’t know what it was other than you.” I was quiet and continued to look at the floor in front of me. “You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t know what I should believe.”
“Zayden—I love you. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just—” She paused and her tears stopped her from continuing.
“It’s okay, Love. Stay here. I’m going to sort a few things out.”
She was too distraught to follow and that’s okay. I didn’t want her to see what I was about to do next. My eyes blackened while I walked out of the room and Rift followed with a whine.
“I’m sorry. I don’t have a choice.”
Chapter 38
Troy
We didn’t know what was wrong with her. Zayden assured us all this work would be worth it and she’d be happy but she wasn’t. We let him deal with it while we got to watch Ruby and Jaylyn duel again. It has been a while but they were still amazing. It was much more playful which made it fun for us. We’d point things out to each other and laugh about it.
We were having a good time until the unexpected happened.
Zayden was walking towards us, picking up a stick along the way but he had black eyes. I figured that he wanted to join in the fun with a little cheating his way and he hit Darius in the face with it. It was hard enough that it made him tumble to the ground and I laughed because he wasn’t paying the least bit attention but Zayden didn’t laugh with me. He approached Darius farther and continued hitting him, aiming for his head with the stick and even using his feet.
“Zayden! What are you doing?!” My yelling caused Ruby and Jaylyn to stop and rush over.
“Zayden, stop!” Ruby shouted. Her eyes turned red and she was strong enough now to pull Zayden away but she also threw him to the ground—hard.
He groaned in agony while trying to get up. His eyes were still black and furious. “You fucking bastard! I should kill you!”
He got around Ruby and started kicking Darius anywhere he could when Darius was trying to get up; his face was beaten and bloodied from all the open wounds.
I immediately stepped in and pulled Zayden back, keeping him away from Darius. “Zayden, enough!”
“What has gotten into you?!” Ruby asked.
“Ask him! You fucking ask him what he did! Stupid son of a bitch! I’ll kill him!”
He was still trying to kick at him while I was holding him or it was a way to escape me but I wouldn’t let go. “Calm down! Now, what’s going on?”
Zayden was starting to calm, at least enough that he wasn’t yelling and gave himself some time to breathe while looking towards Darius. “Go ahead, stud. Tell them what you did. Tell everyone how you violated my trust and took something that was mine. Tell everyone how you fucked my wife!”
Jaylyn’s gasp was the loudest of course but we were all shocked about this.
“When did this happen?” I asked.
Darius was clearly in some kind of pain but still tried speaking through it. “Zayden, I’m sorry.”
“Not yet you’re not.”
He tried to weasel his way away from me but I wouldn’t let him. “Zayden, calm down.”
“Let me go! He deserves every bit of it!”
“I’m not letting you kill him.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Troy!”
Jaylyn gasped again and came right over, kicking Zayden under his chin so he’d be free of my grasp and tumbled backwards then she pulled me towards her so we were in front of Darius.
“What are you doing?”
“He could bite you. Stay back.”
“Now you’re both in trouble.” Zayden said, climbing back to his feet.
“No.” Jaylyn said. “Just me. Bite me to calm down.”
“I don’t want to calm down. I want his head.”
“You don’t want to kill him.” I was worried when she took a few steps towards Zayden. “Take my blood.”
She cut herself and I watched Zayden tense. I’ve never seen him like this before and it was clear that he still couldn’t control it. He couldn’t ignore her blood exposed a few feet from him and he rushed into Jaylyn instantly, plunging his teeth into her neck. I wanted to stop it but I couldn’t. I knew he needed it or figured he did but it was still hard to watch.
“That’s still gross.”
I turned and Darius was trying to get to his feet. I helped him to distract me from what w
as going on feet away. “Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay to you?”
“No.”
“But I deserve it, don’t I?”
“I’m sure my opinion isn’t needed.”
I heard Zayden’s deep breath and turned around. He had pulled away on his own and Jaylyn was holding the wound, waiting for it to heal. His eyes were blue again so I guess that was a good sign.
“Zayden?” Darius was on his feet and Zayden lifted his eyes to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Really? You didn’t mean to like it was some kind of accident? Let’s see what your wife thinks about that.”
We looked around and I just noticed she wasn’t out here anymore. “Ruby?”
“Where is she?” Jaylyn asked.
A distant scream drew our attention to the door. It was her for sure and we rushed inside while she was coming up the stairs.
“What happened?” I asked.
Ruby was crying and tried to talk. “I didn’t mean to.”
Something was wrong with Adele and that alone panicked Zayden even more. He sped away from us and all we could do was follow.
He was inside his room and Adele was laying on the floor but she wasn’t moving.
“What did you do?” Jaylyn asked, beginning to cry herself.
“We were talking—”
“Arguing.” Jaylyn corrected.
“Okay and then I slapped her in the face.”
Jaylyn was down by Adele examining her. “Were your eyes red?”
Ruby hesitated. “I—I don’t know—maybe—I don’t know—I was—frustrated. Why? Tell me she’s going to be okay.”
“She’s not.”
Chapter 39
Darius
“You broke her neck, Ruby.”
My stomach turned and Ruby fell apart more than I’ve ever seen.
“You have to bring her back.” Zayden said.
Jaylyn seemed doubtful through her tears. “I don’t know if I can!”
“Here’s your chance to try. You almost brought Kole back. Please, just try.”
“Okay. Okay.” Jaylyn said, wiping her eyes and trying to find the strength she needed. “Just give me some room.” Zayden stood up and moved out of the way but far from me and Jaylyn held her hand over her heart while her eyes started to glow.
“What are you doing, Jay?” I looked around and Ryon appeared standing by the window.
“What do you think? I have to try.”
“It won’t work like it didn’t last time.”
“Then you bring her back!”
“Sorry. I haven’t been authorized to. We’re not allowed to tamper with the living.”
“Then why are you here?” Ruby asked.
“To tell you how you can bring her back.”
“Isn’t that tampering?”
“It’s a loop hole. I’m not going to do it. So, no.”
“Then how?” Zayden demanded.
Ryon looked upon him for a moment. “A secret I can only share with a healer.”
“Then share it with me.” Jaylyn said.
He was looking right at Jaylyn and she was looking back but he wasn’t speaking; at least openly.
“What does that mean?” Jaylyn asked.
Ryon vanished and I was hoping he somehow shared something with her that would actually help.
“What? What’d he say?” Zayden asked. “Was he talking to you?”
“Yeah. Transferring life.” Jaylyn was acting as if she were thinking it over very carefully then this hopeful look came upon her face. She held her hand over Adele’s body and moved it from her head down her torso where she stopped and smiled.
“What?” Ruby asked.
“He was right. I can do it.”
“How do you know?” Troy asked. “What does transferring life mean?”
“She has life in her still. She’s pregnant.”
I hated myself even more and it was worse watching Zayden fall apart. He couldn’t even stand and had to back himself up to the nearby chair. Rift jumped out of it to let him sit and stayed close at his feet while Zayden held his head down.
“And you can bring her back?” Ruby asked.
“Yes. She has life in her already but in order to give it back to her I have to take it from somewhere else. Like a sacrifice.”
It was explained easy enough. I knew what it meant. She would have to take the life from the baby in order to give life back to Adele.
I looked at Zayden and he looked up, taking a deep breath. “Do it. The baby won’t survive if its mother is dead. It’s the only way.”
“He said it was but I’ll fix her neck first.” Jaylyn put one hand over Adele’s neck to heal that then moved it to her lower stomach and put her other hand over her heart. Her eyes had begun to glow and the process began.
We anxiously awaited in complete silence while Jaylyn concentrated on Adele. Zayden got up to pace but kept a point to keep his angry glare off me and down at the floor. When Adele started to breathe again, Zayden stopped and almost lost his.
“Good work.” Ruby smiled, getting down next to Jaylyn and hugging her.
“How about we not tell her that she was dead, okay? I don’t want her to think that I can actually bring people fully back to life yet. This was just a miracle that this happened at all so she shouldn’t know about the baby. We wouldn’t want her to become depressed and wish none of this had happened.”
“Wait.” Ruby said. “You know who the father was?”
Zayden immediately looked over at me and still had his angry stare but his eyes were blue.
Jaylyn nodded.
“Well?” Troy asked. “Whose was it?”
“There’s no doubt in my mind of what I felt. It was yours, Zayden. I’m sorry.”
He closed his eyes and put his head down while Troy put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Now I felt even worse.
“Leave. Now.” Zayden walked to Adele, lifting her to put her on the bed.
“We should.” Jaylyn said as she started to turn. “If it helps, Zayden, she’s alive right now because of you.”
I knew what Zayden wanted but I felt as if I couldn’t leave yet and let the others keep walking. “Zayden?”
“How dare you even think to speak to me?”
“I’m sorry. I understand that you hate me but I want you to know that if I knew about the baby, I wouldn’t have—”
“I doubt it, Darius.”
“You have to know that it wasn’t planned. I never set an objective to be with Adele that way, ever.”
“You were just doing what you’ve always done, right? Screwing every female that moves in front of you without caring about the people attached to her. I know your past better than anyone and I know exactly what you were doing.”
“Zayden, how can you just blame me?”
“Don’t give me that it takes two speech. I’ve seen you work on women since you were old enough to reproduce. I know you don’t have to say a thing to get them to cave to you, just look at them. You looked too long and now Seth is gone because of you.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. What do you want me to do? I can make it up to you.”
“Just go. I don’t want you here when she wakes up.”
“But Zayden, I said—”
“And I said leave! Have Jaylyn tend to your face before I completely rearrange it!”
He was tempered but his eyes weren’t black. I didn’t want to go and leave this unresolved but I didn’t want the situation to get worse either. “All right. I’ll go but please, don’t hold this against me forever. We’re brothers, remember? We’re supposed to stick together.”
“Leave.”
I respected his wishes and I walked out to find Ruby waiting for me. I didn’t know what to say to her but she didn’t exactly say anything to me either. She just stepped closer and brought her hand up to my battered face.
“I’m sorry.” I said.
“I know. You’ve been stres
sed since the wedding and needed to vent with meaningless sex.”
“That’s not why I did it. I honestly don’t know why. It was a mistake and I’m truly and forever sorry for it.”
“I just want this to be over, okay? You’re forgiven.”
“That easily? But I know what I did must have hurt you.”
“It did but this just makes us even for the whole Trever thing.”
My eyes widened slightly or tried to. “But I thought you said nothing happened?”
“Nothing did.”
“Then how does that make us even?”
“Because I wanted to. I tried to do things your way but I realized that I couldn’t be like that.”
“But that doesn’t make us even because I did those things and you didn’t.”
“Maybe not completely but I just want this to be over.”
“Ruby, I—”
She put her finger to my mouth. “Shh. Let’s just forget about this and get you downstairs so Jaylyn can fix you.”
She hugged me and I held my arms around her. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Let’s go and try to forget about this.”
“Ruby—”
“Please.” She cut in, hugging me tighter. “I don’t want to be mad at you. I understand why you did it.”
“What?”
“Come on. Adele has always been the top choice. I’m surprised all three of you weren’t trying to be with her from the beginning.”
“That’s not true. She’s not who caught my eye that night. It was you.”
“It was more like you caught me but whatever it was I don’t blame you so let’s just go and leave this behind us.”
The fighting was over for us much quicker than I expected. Going on about how sorry I was would only started to annoy her and turn this around. I couldn’t let that happen and we slowly started down the stairs.
“If that’s what you want.”
“You know it is. I made a mistake too and Adele could have died or―stayed dead.”
“But they lost their child because of me.”
“And what makes you think they couldn’t have another? I give it a month and she’ll be pregnant again.”
“How do you know?”
“She mentioned being unusually charged lately. That could be because of you or it couldn’t be. I’m not judging but with them having sex that much, it’s bound to happen.”
Forgotten Days (Fate's Intent Book 6) Page 17
