Returning to the bedroom, he found women’s modern-day clothing neatly packed in a suitcase. A familiar scent wafted over him. The contents were Jessie’s. She’d been staying in the room. For how long? Why? The answers to those questions stirred an ache in J.T. chest. He raked a shaky hand through his hair. What if the Sultan brainwashed Jessie like he had Aubrie? J.T.’s vision blurred with the idea. If the Sultan messed with Jessie, using her for his evil ends, J.T. would kill him twice.
His hands fisted before relaxing with effort. Taking a deep breath, J.T. concentrated on tamping down the murderous urge racing through him like a catalyst. His days as a SEAL ingrained a powerful truth in his psychic. One did not go into a fight without focused control. Reminded his advisory would love for him to implode, he willed the fury back.
Once J.T. felt more composed, he scouted for other beings within the walls just in case any lingered. Satisfied he was alone for the time being, J.T. stored the bombs in a safe location before continuing his search for more info on the whereabouts of the Sultan. Keeping an eye out for warrior guards and hostages, he canvased the entire house. Upstairs he found the escape hatch to the exterior of the mansion. Logan told him of a route that he and Aubrie used during their flight into the jungle surrounding the fortress. Mentally mapping the interior of the mansion, he set about exploring the outside parameter. The search proved more difficult than he’d imagined as a dense thicket of trees and a lush undergrowth hampered his progress.
The morning sun rose in the east on schedule. When ignoring nature’s schedule could get you killed, J.T. decided to choose his battles. Disrespecting the sun wasn’t on his list. The walls of the mansion proved a protective oasis during the day, J.T. utilized the hibernation time in the reconstruction of a blueprint of Nybbas’ fortress.
The kitchen reminded him of Aubrie’s back in Cheniere Station. How many times had their small company gathered around her table to plan, debate or simply celebrate life? The smile crept up on him. J.T. had to admit he felt a connection to these people, these mystical creatures, and mortals. Even Pilot, a shadow walker, proved a reliable, dependable friend.
Spreading his work out on the cool granite of the island, J.T. unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. The glass of wine at his elbow relaxed the tension along his shoulders to some degree. “Best to keep busy,” he murmured. A duplicate of the structure with all its cubby holes would be vital in the coming encounter, he mused. Considering the structure was completely connected with secret passageways, he concluded the Sultan used the house as a trap. “Draw a mouse in and snare him.”
Dropping the pencil when completed, J.T. rolled his shoulders, giving his neck a good crack. “This looks good. Now to get some shuteye.” Thoughtfully scanning the blueprint in front of him, J.T. decided on the room he wanted for his nap.
He returned the bed to an upright position then went about straightening the covers. Jessie’s suitcase he placed on a bench. No longer wary of what went bump inside the walls, he shrugged out of his shirt before unzipping his jeans. Sliding beneath the blankets, he cursed low. Her smell was all around him. Blocking the thoughts careening through his subconscious, J.T. tried for calm. Logan had given him a spell to cast for safety. With the spell in place, he closed his eyes. He should have suspected the dream.
***
In the dream, he relived the day he met her in clear detail. Jessie walked right up to him in the pawn shop. Her long, ebony hair swayed around her waist with each step. Her legs, lean and muscled, a dancer’s legs, were showcased in a pair of thigh-high Prada boots. J.T. remembered the way his chest constricted at the sight of her. His intel said she was in town to visit her parents, something about an urgent call to return home. She was magnificent. She was his suspect.
J.T., sucking in air, latched tight to his control as their eyes connected. She was a natural beauty. No fuss with the gunk most wore, though he supposed she wore makeup when she performed. Her bottom lip protruded a fraction as if inviting a taste. He remembered how her pouty lips captivated him.
“Can you help me?”
The question was meant to infer so much more. Or, was that J.T.’s mind playing tricks? He straightened, giving her his best congenial grin. “Of course, I can. Tell me what’s the problem.” He remembered the air fairly sparked with her that close. Though odd, he ignored the phenomenon at the time. Her lashes, so lush and thick, batted over her eyes, those deep rich mocha eyes. Dropping the hand, he had raised to rub his chest, J.T. marveled at how clear the memory came back to him.
“I need to know if this amulet is genuine or not.” Jessie unrolled a velvet cloth, exposing an exquisite necklace of some age. The chain of gold was weighty, and the pendant held intricate carvings of the same precious metal. In the center of the carving lay quartzes as big as a silver dollar. Circling the quartzes were several fat labradorites along with hematite, alternating around the single stone. A beautiful copper wire laced the stones in an unending ring.
He remembered Jessie’s glance around the room was jittery as if she expected someone to snatch the gold necklace from her hands at any moment.
“I’m not an expert, but I’d say it’s real. Is it yours?”
Her brow knitted. Her tasty bottom lip protruded a little more. “Of course, it’s mine.”
She acted as if he’d insulted her. Maybe he had, but in his line of work, the only people who came into a pawn shop asking questions like hers were those in desperate need or clueless, or both. She fit the bill. He leaned in conspiratorially. “Let’s ask an expert, shall we?” With a hand, J.T. indicated the barrel-chested man in his mid-fifties with a receding hairline standing behind the counter. “Permit me to introduce you to the owner, Frank. Hey, Frank, how’s it going?”
Frank nodded. “Good, and you?”
“I can’t complain. Hey, listen. This young lady. I didn’t catch your name?”
The tantalizing bottom lip drew together.
J.T. imagined her jaw tightening over the idea of revealing her identity. Too bad, she didn’t realize to complete a transaction in a place like this one, you had to give your driver’s license number before signing papers. A real boon for him.
“Jessie. My name is Jessie.” Her clipped answer held nerves.
“Well, now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” J.T. registered the irritated eyes slicing right through him. His attempt at pacification was not appreciated. Dually noted, he mused. The exasperation in her sigh had his mind running away with him. He had better get back to business for both his sakes, dick, and luck. “Frank, we need to know what this is worth.”
Frank inspected the amulet Jessie presented him. His jeweler’s eye, anchored in the crease of his eyelid, slipped a fraction before he shoved it back in place. “Where’d you get this?”
Jessie’s mouth went slack. “It’s mine. My parents gave it to me. Now, how much is it worth?”
Frank took s full moment to eye her speculatively. “I’m not a jeweler, so my value isn’t going to come close to what this is worth if you’re in the market to sell.” He waited for another pregnant beat, his jaw working in hesitation. “Look, you don’t want to sell this to me. I’ll be honest.” He cut eyes at J.T. before shoving the piece back at her. “Here. You need an expert.”
“We’ll see.” J.T. grinned. “You know it’s real. You also know it’s worth a lot of money. Now, how about a cup of coffee? I’ll give you the names of a couple of jewelers I know.”
The dark lashes wavered a moment before Jessie stuffed the piece back in her purse. “No thank you.” The answer came out chilled. Shoving by J.T., she glanced back once. “I appreciate the offer.”
J.T. opened his mouth, but she had already headed for the door. “Wait,” J.T. said. “I’ll give you those names. No coffee required.”
She threw up a hand in dismissal before disappearing out the door. The pawn shop scene evaporated with the slamming of that door.
Snarling, J.T. reared up in the bed. Was the dream so real be
cause he had grown accustomed to reliving the memory so regularly or did the Sultan have a hand in the matter?
Her scent lingered in the pillows. She lingered here, yet Jessie was a millennium away. He could feel the distance. The testy frustration came resurfaced inside. How had she eluded him? Oh yeah, she had disabled him like only a man can be disabled. Yanking back the covers, he stood, letting the meager light of a bedside lamp orient him. She had good defenses which still did not explain where she went or how she had managed to leave so quickly?
Padding over to the broken boards dangling precariously from the hole in the bedroom wall, he tried reviewing the events of their brief meeting. Something crackled under his foot. Easing back, he reached down, plucking a small timepiece from beneath his foot. The hands were stuck on midnight, twelve o’clock, the witching hour. Where had that correlation come from, he wondered? Taking the piece over to the lamp, he examined the intricate gold case which held an ivory face. Not your ordinary, run of the mill timepiece. The design resembled a brooch from the 1800s. A filigree pattern laced the timepiece’s gold case. Tiny black metal hands lay crumpled against the ivory face. Jessie’s? Funny the piece should end up on the carpet unless someone had dropped it. Concluding she must have dropped the piece in her hast to escape capture, J.T. wondered why she ran. Without an immediate answer, J.T. dropped into the wingback chair near the bed. Her scent lingered there too. If only he had managed to talk to her, rather than the reaction he had to her attack. Again, he examined his arm which had healed completely, he marveled at the way the woman made him feel. She had the power to bring him to his knees. The memory came back vividly.
Jessie had agreed to dinner with him after he tracked her down again following the murder of her best friend. Someone was stalking her. That much was truth. He had to find out why. The amulet was a good place to start, so he invited her to dinner. A drive in the country proved a boon. She was the number one suspect in her friend’s murder. However, J.T. was certain she was innocent.
“This is a lovely place, J.T.” Jessie’s voice held a degree of pleasure. “How long have you owned the ranch?” Watching out the window at the fence rails racing past, he grinned. The road ran between the pastures leading to the main house. “My dad died a few years back. He left me the place.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of the loss of your dad.”
He shrugged before flicking a look at her sitting in the passenger’s seat. “No harm,” he said with a smile. “I feel closer to him out here than anywhere else.”
“He left you a wonderful place. Do you ride?”
“Yes, I do, although, I haven’t in a long time. Not since…” Trailing off, he shrugged again. “Not since returning from over there.”
His reference didn’t go over her head. “Afghanistan was a difficult place. I’m glad you made it back in one piece.” The curve of her lips spoke of appreciation. “So many didn’t.” She toyed with the amulet hanging around her neck.
He shoved at the memories. They were getting off the path he had decided to take with Jessie. “You realize the stones in your amulet are not a happy coincidence, right?” He stopped the car at the front steps leading up to the house. With practiced ease, he rested his arm on the space between the bucket seats before giving her his full attention.
Jessie blinked before narrowing her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“The combining of these particular stones has a meaning. They have a purpose.”
Jessie frowned but said nothing as she unclasped the necklace, studying it closely in her hands.
“It’s simple really. The hematite clears confusion while orienting a person toward practical action in reality.” At her quizzical stare, J.T. added, “I checked out the stones with a psychic I know. Then the quartz is like a speaker that collects the energies from the other stones before amplifying the energy outward. It does the same for your intentions or thoughts. Finally, the labradorite is for telepathy and prophecy. The stone helps with sight on several levels of reality. It’s also referred to as the ‘travel stone.’”
“The travel stone,” she repeated. Her wary gaze darted from J.T. to the amulet now laying in her hand. “It was my grandmother’s,” she finally said. “She gave it to my mother with instructions to give it to me.” Now her gaze lifted. Her dark eyes searched his. “I don’t know what it all means. I just thought it was a monetary inheritance.” She blinked as her lips thinned. “Then my parents went missing.” Scooting to the edge of her seat, she stared at the piece in her hand. “What if the kidnappers are after the amulet? Then what?”
“I can help you find out, Jessie. If you’ll let me.”
She huffed out a shaky breath. “At this point, what other option do I have?” Reluctance warred with caution as she shoved at her hair. Long, slender fingers, a dancer’s digits, raked through midnight strands.
J.T. waited a beat before reaching over, taking those slim fingers in his hands. “Do you trust me, Jessie?”
At the sound of his words, she drew her hand back. “I don’t know. I barely know you. You could be the one who took my parents, for all I know.” Her lips thinned as she clutched the amulet to her chest. “I better go.” She opened the door.
J.T. reached out, snagging her arm before wheeling her to face him. “Will you give me a chance?” The inflection in his question must have done the trick, or maybe his eyes reflected the deep seeded concern he held for her wellbeing, but she turned toward him.
Seeing the move as a yes, he reached out, taking her by both arms before drawing her close. The chance to examine those beautiful almond-shaped eyes proved too much of a temptation. J.T. lowered his head to hers. Her lips parted in a hesitant half-smile.
“I guess so.” Her gaze tracked from his eyes to his mouth. The need to touch him overshadowed her fear. She leaned in, accepting the kiss with a quick urgency he hadn’t expected.
His hands were on either side of her face, drawing her even closer. No explanation was necessary as J.T. saw the glimpse of need shining in her pupils. “I’ll take care of you. Easy, you’re safe, now.” With a surge of primal fervor racing through his blood, he let his hand fall to firm on her shoulder. His growing need swelling with the feel of her skin in his hand.
She moaned out a sigh. The hesitancy was gone as her fingers skimmed over J.T.’s back, seeking and discovering each vertebra. Her fingernails dug in, sending a thrilling warmth up his spine.
The hot, mind-melting sensation surging through his senses had nothing to do with protection and everything to do with passion. Jessie’s breasts filled his hands as he trekked a torturous trail of need along her neck before dropping to taste her areolas one by one. Her head fell back on the moan. He waited a beat before releasing her. “Come with me,” he groaned.
They had laid under the stars that evening, sharing each other’s bodies as their awakening spiraled out of control. A night of passion introduced them to a deeper feeling emerging between them. Later, as she rested her head on his chest, they spoke openly of secrets and desires. Finally, as dawn began to break, J.T. said, “Let’s get you dressed. I have something I want to show you.”
His horses were the best thing in his life before she had arrived. He felt a need to share their importance with her. The stalls in the rustic old barn held five beauties, his best saddle horses. They all nickered as Jessie and he entered the double doors.
“They're beautiful!” Jessie stepped inside, immediately rushing over to the first stall. “Can we feed them?” Her exuberance shown in a quick rub and pat for each of the horses.
“Sure,” J.T. laughed. “They’re always up for a treat. Here.” He handed her a bag of apple-flavored alfalfa cubes. “Give them a couple of these.” While he watched her, Jessie greeted each horse with a cube as well as a tender scratch behind the ear. Her laughter pleased him. Something warmed inside of him for the woman before him. He wanted to discover everything there was to know about Jessie Colter. J.T. measured his words carefu
lly. “Stay with me.”
Her hand faltered. Her shoulders straightened as she turned to face J.T. “I can’t.”
“But why? I’ll protect you. You’ll be safer with me.” The look in her eyes was one J.T. would never forget. A battle was waged in her expression that day.
“It’s more complicated than that, J.T., please don’t ask. I can’t explain. Just know, I would if I could.” Her mouth, that gorgeous mouth trembled before firming into a thin line. Her features held an emotion J.T. could not name. In the depths of their passion, he had seen the look before. Something deeply seeded had a hold of her. Jessie was more than she professed being. Unable to discover what exactly was not an option, J.T. vowed. He would do everything within his power to discover the truth.
Jolted back, J.T. stiffened. Light filtered past the heavy drapes hanging from ornate rods at the mansion’s bedroom windows. J.T. ran a shaky hand across clammy flesh. His dead heart no longer beat, yet he remembered the way the organ slammed against his chest wall that morning standing in his barn.
Closing his eyes, he could still hear the explosion of wind coupled with the flying debris. At first, it sounded like a tornado. He’d lived through a couple in his time, so J.T figured the natural phenomenon was plausible.
Jessie stood only a few feet away. Her dark hair floated about her face in a surreal world of slow-moving chaos. Blinded by flying dirt, J.T. didn’t see the hole open in the floor until Jessie had already slipped past his grip. Disappearing, she took his world with her.
J.T. jerked upright. “What the fuck!” The replay of that fateful morning brought back the pain of loss in vivid detail. Scrubbing his hands up and down his face, he growled low in his throat. The reason for coming to the Netherworld had nothing to do with Jessie and everything to do with discovering the Sultan’s plan. The fact he was reliving the past meant only one thing. The Sultan was messing with his mind. “You haven’t won yet, you bastard.”
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