Jonah's Salvation [The Order of the Mist 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Abbie Carlisle

  “I said I could walk. Put me down.” Emilia stared into Jenson’s startling green eyes. He seemed to find it amusing as a small smile curved his lips.

  “I know, but you’re little. I’m stronger and can move quicker. It’s okay. I don’t mind carrying you.” Jenson liked the feel of her in his arms. He could hear her silent protest going through her mind. It made him smile wider. She was a little fighter, even if she didn’t say anything out loud. His racing heart had eased as soon as Jonah had let her go. He felt more in control now as he turned and started to follow Jonah toward the door.

  The sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the room. Cold air swept inside, swirling at the curtains as Jonah and Jenson turn sharply to see the two guards from the balcony leap toward them. Jonah leapt forward, pushing Jenson to the side as he hurled himself toward the guards.

  Jenson fell sharply against the solid wall, turning at the last second to protect Emilia from the impact. He heard Emilia scream out as he gripped her tightly against him. He saw Lucian flash toward the second guard.

  Lucian swirled, taking the guard with him. The guard spun and landed hard against the dresser. He coughed violently before jumping to his feet and lunging for Lucian again. Lucian twisted to the side, grabbing hold of the guard around his neck before lifting him over his shoulder and slamming him hard into the floor. The guard lay there dazed as Lucian landed a full fist into his face. As the guard lay unconscious on the floor, Lucian turned to see Jonah throw his fist hard against the side of the other guard’s face. The impact sent the guard crashing against the wall and Lucian watched as he slid to the floor.

  “Get the female out now! Go through the window!” Jonah called out as he spotted the forms of more guards making their way up the corridor toward them.

  Jenson leapt to his feet, lifting Emilia effortlessly as he ran toward the window. The glass crunched beneath his boots as he moved through the shards that still surrounded the broken frame. The freezing air bit at his skin as he stepped out onto the balcony. Jenson held Emilia close to his chest and felt her shaking. She lifted her head and Jenson stared at the terror in her eyes.

  “I’m going to jump. Hold on to me tight, sweetheart!” Jenson gripped her tighter as he crouched before leaping high over the railings of the balcony.

  Emilia felt the air rush over her skin as they leapt. The feeling of freefalling swept through her stomach as they fell to the ground below and she felt a sharp jolt as Jenson’s feet hit the floor. They remained standing and she was grateful that they’d not fallen. The ground would be hard and solid and it would probably hurt if the weight of the huge male carrying her had fallen on top of her. She’d definitely have some broken bones. She could feel his colossal arms grip more tightly around her. If he wasn’t careful, she’d end up with injuries just from the bear hug that he seemed intent on giving her.

  Jonah and Lucian landed on the ground just in front of Jenson as Tobias ran around toward them. Jonah looked up and saw several guards peer over the top of the balcony. Their dark forms were brightly outlined against the floodlight that reflected on the upper part of the building and Jonah wondered if they’d attempt to follow them.

  “Get the female out of here, Jenson. We will cover you and follow behind.”

  Jenson nodded as he turned in the direction of the gate. It wasn’t too far and the female he held was light enough for him to run quickly. As he began to run, he suddenly stopped dead, skidding as he stared in front of him.

  Harvey misted directly in front of him, anger raging through his mind. He’d wanted to leave it just long enough for them to get inside the Headquarters before sending his guards to capture them but The Order had managed to get to the outside grounds faster than he’d expected. They had managed to get Emilia outside but that was where their success would end. Harvey watched as several of his guards rounded the corners of the Headquarters to surround The Order.

  Harvey stared at Emilia being held tightly in Jenson’s arms.

  “So, you thought you would succeed in getting Alana’s sister free. Your confidence insults me, seeing as you don’t have your King to fight for you!”

  Jonah stared at Harvey, his expression hard. “You may have held Alana and Emilia prisoner for the last fifty years, but no longer.”

  Harvey stared equally at the four members of The Order. James wasn’t present. “One of them is still inside. Locate him and bring him to me,” Harvey instructed number Three.

  His guard still wore the bruises and cuts that Harvey had inflicted when Alana had been taken. Harvey had been brutal with his punishment for hurting her and he’d certainly paid the price. Number Three recognized the tall male with the blond hair. He’d been the one that had carried her outside and his anger toward him made Number Three curse. He snarled as he walked past Jonah.

  “You have something that belongs to me. I take it you have her somewhere where you think I won’t find her. You are fools if you think I won’t get her back.” Harvey’s smug smile lit his face.

  Jonah growled. The arrogance of the male was beyond belief. “You own nothing but your own stupidity if you believe she will ever return to you.”

  The hostile atmosphere burned through the air. Lucian moved forward to stand beside Jonah. It would only be a matter of time before Harvey attacked and the number of Mist guards that surrounded them would make it pretty tricky to get out without a fight. The guards were more powerful than humans and would certainly test The Order’s training to the limit. James was yet to arrive and they could definitely use another pair of hands.

  Emilia had been watching the confrontation. She knew in her heart that she couldn’t just sit there and watch the males that had come to rescue her get hurt. She had to do the one thing that went against every bone in her body. She closed her eyes.

  “Alana. Can you see us? Harvey and his guards have us surrounded and I need your help. It’s the last thing I want you to do, but I need you to come to us. It’s the only way for us to have a chance to beat them and escape. You’ll understand when you get here.”

  “No, Emilia. She has to stay hidden. If Jonah sees her, he will fight to the death to protect her,” Jenson whispered. He had heard her thoughts and had been horrified.

  Emilia opened her eyes to see Jenson staring at her.

  “You don’t understand. She has to be here. I can help you, but I need her here.”

  Jenson could see the pleading in her eyes, but knew that Jonah would never forgive any of them if Harvey took her from him. “Tell her to stay in the vehicle. Please, Emilia, for all our sakes, tell her to stay put.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t do that. You will understand soon enough. Put me down. You don’t want to be touching me!”

  Jenson stared at Emilia confused, as he placed her on the floor. Her legs shook slightly as Jenson placed his hands on either side of her hips to steady her. Her feet felt the cold ground but she pushed the sensation to the back of her mind. She would need to concentrate if she was going to do what she knew needed to be done. She pushed at Jenson’s hands to release her. As soon as Alana got there she would tell her sister what she’d never been able to reveal about herself. Alana would understand. She just hoped Alana would get there and quickly.

  Chapter 22

  Alana watched aghast as Jenson leapt from the first floor balcony with what appeared to be Emilia is his arms. She breathed in sharply, her heart hammering through her chest as they hit the floor. Jonah and Lucian followed but there was no sign of James. Relief swept across her mind as she watched them start to make their way across the lawn. Tobias had come round the corner and joined Jonah and she hoped that James would not be far behind. They had succeeded in getting Emilia out of the Headquarters and now it was just a case of getting past the fence and back to the SUVs.

  The minutes sitting in the SUV had been the hardest of her entire life. The knowledge that Jonah and the others were in danger had ripped at her control. She could feel her hands shaking and the adrenaline rus
hing though her veins was making her feel utterly sick.

  The sight of Harvey misting in front of Jenson and Emilia froze her heart. She inhaled, unable to breathe as her eyes widened in horror. Seeing Harvey again made her stomach roll and her muscles tensed instantly. She could feel a sheen of sweat cover her body as panic set in. Fear for her mate and the others made her cry out.

  Luca turned to see the terror across Alana’s face. He had been watching from the front seat and had seen Harvey and his guards surround The Order. One of the guards had left but had returned shortly after, James walking directly in front of him. He knew that Alana wanted to be by Jonah’s side. The thought of your mate in danger compelled you to do things that were dangerous and life threatening. But he had a job to do. Keeping the first Lord’s mate safe was his priority, even if that meant he had to sit there and watch, feeling helpless.

  A soft sound entered Alana’s mind. Her sister’s voice carried from across the lawn and she opened her thoughts. She wanted to hear what was going on, terrified that she was about to lose the male she loved.

  “Alana. Can you see us? Harvey and his guards have us surrounded and I need your help. It’s the last thing I want to do but I need you to come to us. It’s the only way for us to have a chance to beat them and escape. You’ll understand when you get here.”

  Alana stared across the lawn in shock. She understood her sister’s reluctance to involve her but if she needed her to help Jonah and the rest of them escape, Alana wouldn’t hesitate to go in there.

  Alana glanced at Luca before grabbing the handle to unlock the door. Pushing the door hard, she bolted from the vehicle and ran toward the fence. Jumping, she grabbed hold of the railings and pulled with all her strength. She knew that Luca would be on her quickly but if she could just reach the top, she would be able to scale it and fall to the floor on the other side before he reached her. Grabbing the top rail, she forced all her strength into her arms and pushed hard with her feet. Toppling over the edge, she fell roughly on the cold, hard floor below.

  The impact against the ground stabbed though her injured arm. It had healed well but the fall would probably have caused more bruising. She pushed up from the ground, wincing and turned to see Luca scaling the fence, cursing loudly. He’d be livid with her but it was worth the price if she could help her mate and the rest of them. Alana leapt to feet and ran. The pounding as her feet hit the hard ground, echoing deep into her head. She panted heavily, feeling cold air fill her lungs.

  Alana was no match for Luca as he descended on her, crashing her to the floor. His weight ground the air from her lungs as his body pushed her hard against the grass. His body covered every inch of her skin as she tried desperately to push him off.

  “Lay still, Alana. I don’t want to hurt you but I can’t do that if you keep fighting me.” Luca had been stunned as Alana had bolted from the car and it had taken him a few moments to pull himself out of the shock of her escape. Jonah would have his hide for allowing her to get out of the vehicle and he wasn’t looking forward to that confrontation at all. He’d managed to reach the railings just as she’d scaled the top and fallen. He hoped more than his own life that she hadn’t broken anything. If she broke something, you can bet your ass Jonah would break something of his. Not a prospect he wanted to face. Luca had almost leapt the fence in one hit but she had managed to pick herself up and run before he’d managed to take her down. Jonah would definitely have his hide for this.

  A roar erupted from across the lawn as Jonah watched the sight of Luca collapse on top of his mate. He had seen her climb the fence and had been horrified that she’d not stayed in the vehicle as he’d told her to. Her life would be in danger and he’d only agreed to let her come to make her happy. He regretted his decision instantly. He was going to tear a ton of strips off Luca when they got back to the Genesis. Jonah watched as Harvey turned to see Alana and Luca stand.

  Alana stared into Harvey’s cold eyes before looking across at Jonah and finally resting her gaze on Emilia. Jenson had laid Emilia back on the ground and Alana closed her eyes.

  “What do you need me to do, Emilia?”

  “Remember when we were children? We played a game with Father, you know the one. I held him with my power and you released him. I need you to project your power to Jonah. Harvey will go for him and I need you to give him the strength that you can enforce on another. It will keep him alive. I will take care of the guards. When I nod, do it!”

  “What do you mean project my power? I don’t understand, Emilia.”

  “You have a power inside you Alana. You used it once on father when you thought he was in danger. It can provide strength and it can help Jonah.”

  “How can I project something I never knew I had? How do I do it?”

  “Just concentrate and feel it inside you. It will come back to you. Try, Alana, just try.”

  “What will you do to the guards?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Emilia opened her eyes and watched as Alana smiled at her.

  Harvey turned and smiled as he stared at Alana before turning his attention to Jonah.

  “You have your mother’s eyes, Jonah!” Harvey smirked.

  Jonah stared at Harvey shocked. He stood rigid as his mind clouded with confusion. How did Harvey know his mother? Why had he made reference to the connection between them? Something clicked in Jonah’s mind as his eyes widened in horror.

  “It was you. You were the one who had my parents killed! Why?” Jonah could feel his rage building inside him. The years of constant torment, seeing their deaths in his mind paled against the hatred he felt at that moment. He wanted to kill Harvey, rip his head from his shoulders as he hunched forward ready to attack.

  Harvey laughed loudly.

  “I bet you’re wondering how I knew about you. You were a link to the Royal Order that I needed to destroy. The scriptures informed me that your bloodline dictated you to be a Lord and I wasn’t prepared for that to happen. Finding your home had been simple and killing your parents had been even easier. They were no match for my power and their cries for help, pitiful. I did not, however, find you and it took me years to finally locate you. It intrigued me if you were worth keeping alive to see if you could lead me directly to the King. Your escape from the cells was unfortunate but now I have no reason not to kill you.”

  Seeing the pain in Jonah’s eyes was pure pleasure as he turned and glanced at Alana.

  “Come with me if you wish your sister to live.” Harvey needed to get Alana away from Emilia quickly. His plan had worked and Alana had returned but he knew if the females were together it would put his guards in danger. None of The Order were any match for Harvey himself, but the guards were at risk the longer they were together.

  “No fucking way!” Jonah’s tone was undeniable. If it took his life, Jonah was adamant that Harvey would never lay a finger on Alana again. She was only about a hundred yards away from them and he had no intention of allowing her to move closer. Harvey had killed his parents and there was no way he was going to let Harvey take his reason for living.

  Harvey faced Jonah and considered the male’s reaction. The Order had appeared to have become very protective of his female, which would only serve to make them careless when it came to fighting his guards.

  “She is mine and I intend to have my property returned to me.”

  “Not anymore! You took what belonged to me and now I return the favor.” Jonah smirked as he pulled at his sweater to reveal the mating mark. “She is my female now!”

  Jonah could see the torment deep in Harvey’s eyes. The realization that the female had mated was a fitting revenge for the lives Harvey had stolen from him. Harvey’s responsibility for his parent’s death had hit Jonah hard but now he had taken something that had meant something to Harvey. Alana no longer belonged to him. Not that she ever really had. It was only in Harvey’s warped mind that he had seen a future for them. Hatred was a more apt term for her emotions toward him.

 
Harvey misted and disappeared, appearing directly in front of Jonah. He grabbed Jonah by the throat and lifted him clean off the floor, dangling high above him. Throwing hard, Harvey sent Jonah flying through the air.

  Jonah felt the trunk of a large tree as he smashed into it and fell to the floor.

  Alana screamed and ran forward.

  Luca grabbed Alana around the waist and held her firm against him. As she struggled to free herself from his large muscular arms, Luca walked backward, trying to get a greater distance between them and Harvey. He knew Harvey would come for her, especially now he knew she had mated Jonah. That little fact wouldn’t deter him from wanting to take her. Luca had allowed her to escape once before but this time he wasn’t going to let her go.

  Jonah hit the floor, his vision blurred as he coughed from being winded. Staring ahead he saw Harvey move in Alana’s direction.

  “Lucian!” Jonah roared.

  Lucian had seen Harvey’s movement and sprinted toward him. Within seconds he’d leapt onto Harvey’s back, spinning and sending Harvey tumbling across the grass. Lucian landed on his feet and crouched ready to attack again.

  Alana stared at the fight, frozen and unable to breathe. The tight hold around her waist dug into her as she stared at Jonah. He had lifted himself up and she was glad that he hadn’t been seriously hurt. She gazed over at Emilia and saw her nod.

  Closing her eyes, Alana felt a heat ignite deep inside her. Fear for her mate made her open her eyes again and she could feel the fire burning though her to her mind. She concentrated, staring in Jonah’s direction and projected her force, watching as he stood, poised to fight again. She prayed her power would give Jonah the power to defend himself against Harvey.