Josiah's Bride

by Jory Strong

  The anger that had ridden Josiah in the stronghold was lessened by Vincenzo's taking responsibility for his mistake. "I'll assign you a task as punishment."

  A slight bow was thank you for not receiving a death sentence. "I won't fail you again."

  Ciro crouched and tied a thin rope to Enzo's collar. The dog was far more alert than he'd been when he'd staggered into the stronghold and collapsed. A lifted hand and Ella surrendered the dress.

  "Find," Ciro said, his voice deep, commanding, displaying confidence in the dog. "Find."

  Enzo sniffed the dress and then the ground. Ciro stood, handed the leash to Ella and draped the dress over a shoulder, leaving his hands free to reach for his weapons.

  The dog went to the end of the leash, strained, nearly running in place. Hector and Nessa fanned out, left and right, while Ciro took the rear.

  They'd gone thirty yards when Vincenzo yelled, "He's dead on. That's where she walked."

  Their steps quickened. A minute passed. Five. Fifteen.

  Josiah fought the fear that they might be too late. A fear that grew each time Enzo whined and barked as if afraid something bad was about to happen to Jacob.

  They were jogging by the time they reached a place where Victoria had turned into an alleyway that angled away from the wall. It made no sense. She couldn't know the warrens well enough to hide. But…

  He'd never seen Ella in the tunnel, never heard that she'd accompanied her father into it, wasn't positive she knew of its existence. There were other ways to smuggle goods in and out of the city.

  If it was a secret, there was no keeping it from her now. "Does she know about the tunnel?"

  Ella worried her bottom lip rather than startle in surprise. "I didn't think so. Our parents have tried to keep it from her, and even I don't know where the entrance is on this side."

  They picked up their pace. Traveled a couple of blocks before seeing an old woman in a small front yard tending plants.

  "Did you see a blonde woman pass, dragging a trunk or carrying a small boy?" Josiah asked.

  "I saw the woman, but not the boy. There was a man with her, carrying the trunk."

  "How long ago did they pass?"

  "Ten minutes. Maybe less. They were hurrying but not running. The man had a gun. I thought he was one of yours, Warlord."

  "Gracias."

  Enzo's barking grew more animated. Ciro said, "The scent is fresher."

  "Is this the way to the tunnel?" Ella asked, out of breath from their fast pace.

  "Yes." A muscle spasmed in Ciro's cheek, worry for some of the youngsters he trained.

  "Is it guarded?" Ella asked.

  "Not always by men with guns," Ciro said.

  Enzo barked more frantically. Strained, jerked the leash.

  They broke into a run. Reached the alleyway that led to the windowless concrete building that had existed before the Final War.

  Enzo's barks echoed, bounding off rubble and red brick walls. They charged down the alleyway, exited to find Victoria at the building door.

  A stranger was to her right, far enough away not to be attacked should anyone emerge from the building. He held Jacob's limp body against his chest, a gun pressed to the boy's head.

  He'll die for that alone, Josiah vowed.

  Victoria got the door open, backpedaled as three teenagers spilled out.

  Ciro's boys took in the situation at a glance, grabbed for their knives.

  "Ricardo, Hunter, Stephen! Stand down!" Ciro yelled.

  The dog was barking excitedly, jumping and jerking at the rope.

  Ella released him and he raced toward the man holding Jacob.

  Enzo lunged. Latched onto the man's leg.

  The gun held to Jacob's head took aim at the dog and Josiah used the distraction. Pulled his weapon from his waistband and took the shot.

  The bullet drilled into the man's forehead. Brain and bone and blood sprayed the building wall.

  He folded and Ella rushed forward.

  She grabbed Jacob. Hugged his unconscious form to her chest and rushed back to Josiah's side.

  The fist that had formed around his heart eased though his throat still felt tight. "How is he?"

  She rubbed her hand over Jacob's back, cupped his head, holding his face pressed to her neck. "His breathing is steady and strong." Her eyes wet, she looked at her sister. "How much of the drug did you give him?"

  "Just enough to knock him out. Less, because I had to give some to the dog. The syringe is in the trunk." Victoria held her hand out in entreaty. "Please, you have to understand, I didn't have any choice."

  Josiah's arm swung to the left, so he was aiming at Victoria, his finger on the trigger. "Loyalty is everything."

  "Please, Ella!" Victoria shrieked. "Your patient is important to Merati. He just wanted the boy so he could exchange him for your patient. They threatened Mother and Father. Don't you see! I had to come here. I didn't have a choice like you did."

  There was a hint of threat in the last, directed at Ella. His wife said, "They'd be executed for knowing about the tunnel and not reporting it to Merati."

  "They'd want me to live!"

  Josiah looked at his wife, read the pain in her expression but when their eyes met, she said, "I'll stand by your decision."

  First do no harm. That was important to her. And because it was important to her, he could make a concession, so this wouldn't trouble her conscience.

  Victoria dropped to her knees. "Let me go and I'll give you the key to the railway door."

  Josiah hid a smile. So his good deed wouldn't go unrewarded. "Let's see it."

  She crawled to the dead man. Dug into a pocket. Pulled out a watch and paled.

  Frantically she searched his other pockets, and finding nothing, searched them all again.

  "He's one of Merati's most trusted men," she said, a satisfying fear in her voice. "We were heading toward the railway. He touched his pocket when he said he had a key to the doorway."

  Josiah said, "Ciro."

  Ciro left his side.

  Victoria scrabbled backward, her hands and dress stained by blood.

  Ciro picked up the dead man's gun, shoved it into his waistband then scooped up the watch. He studied it. Poked and prodded, finally discovered a compartment.

  He held up a key. "Jackpot."

  Josiah considered the corpse. Allowing Ella's treacherous sister to live could create another advantage. "Take her with you to the stronghold. Make a copy of the key then put the original in the watch for Merati to recover."

  Ciro smiled, a man already dreaming of robbing a train, and some of Josiah's tension eased, because Jacob was only five.

  Victoria stood, fear giving way with the mistaken belief that this was over.

  Josiah crossed to her. Pulled the knife he always carried.

  With a snick, the deadly blade extended. He slashed Victoria's cheek.

  She screamed and pressed a hand to her face. Trembled, true terror in her eyes.

  Satisfied, he said, "If I find the key no longer works, I'll do worse. The next cuts will scar—if I allow you to cheat death a second time."

  He stepped away from her. "Hector, Nessa, get her out of my sight."

  "What?" Hector asked. "You're not assigning me to corpse duty?"

  It brought a smile, backed off the adrenaline. "Two of Ciro's boys can haul him to the stronghold. Leave him on the sled. Ella's sister can haul him to the city gate."

  Without being told, the boys hustled to the side of the building. A minute later the corpse was on a sled and they were heading toward the stronghold, with the others following.

  The remaining teen went back into the concrete building, closed the door, leaving Josiah alone with his wife and son. She went to the open trunk, knelt and lifted a syringe, studied it before dropping it back into the trunk and recovering Jacob's train book.

  "He should wake soon," she said, the pain in her voice drawing him to her. "This is my fault. If—"

  "Hush, ma
macita." He took Jacob from her, relief washing through him at feeling the truth in her earlier pronouncement. The boy's breathing was steady and strong.

  Ella's eyes sought his and found only warmth. Do it now, everything inside her said, and she listened to that silent voice.

  "My mother was pregnant when she married my… Elliott. I don't know who my real father is. I've always thought of him as my father. But the night before our marriage, Victoria and I walked into the house and overheard Mother calling me her bastard. I thought about sending a pigeon—"

  "It doesn't matter." He touched his forehead to hers and the contact eased the frantic beat of her heart. "You're the wife I want. If anything, I owe you for taking your sister's place."

  The relief nearly dropped her to the ground. She blinked away tears. "Really?"

  "Truly."

  "I know I'll never live up to your great love—"

  "You're my great love."

  She gave a small shake of her head. "Geneva—"

  "You're nothing like her, for which I give thanks. She was my foolishness. You are my heartbeat."

  "There's something else."

  "What?"

  She feared it would lead to harm, but if they were to go forward, and she was to be a warlord's wife, there couldn't be secrets. "The prisoner is Merati's brother, Egan."

  She looked for suspicion, a cooling in his eyes, but neither occurred. "How do you know this?"

  "He was thrashing. I was afraid he'd hurt himself. I gave him a drug that eased him but also lowered his resistance to telling the truth."

  "A drug from the stronghold? One you brought with you into the warrens?"

  "Something that Griffin gave me."

  This time there was a reaction, a glint that made her heart expand. "There's nothing between us. He hurt me once, before you became the man I dreamed about. I caught him kissing another woman. And now I'm grateful we never married."

  Josiah's smile was a flash of brilliance that touched her very soul. He brushed his lips against hers. "I'll want to hear more about these dreams of yours."

  "We'll see."

  "A challenge, mami?"

  "Maybe."

  He rubbed his cheek against hers. "It would hurt you if I undid your good work with the prisoner."

  "Yes."

  "I took possession of him for answers. I found those answers another way and I've exacted vengeance on Jacob's behalf. I'll send a ransom demand with Victoria so the prisoner can be returned to the city."

  Between them, Jacob stirred. "Mama? Papa?"

  Tears falling again, Ella covered Jacob's face with kisses as Enzo jumped and barked and whined, wanting his chance to make sure his companion was okay.

  Hearing the dog, Jacob squirmed to be freed. Josiah kissed Jacob's forehead. "No more scares, mijo."

  He set his son down and Jacob immediately dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Enzo.

  Josiah pulled Ella into a hug. "Now let's return to the subject of dreams, my beautiful wife."

  "Convince me that I should," she said, laughter in her voice as his mouth crashed down on hers, obliterating the past in favor of the present.

  # # #

  Thank you!

  Thanks for reading Josiah's Bride. I hope you enjoyed it!

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  http://www.jorystrong.com

  Some of my other works are…

  Inked Magic and the sequel, Inked Destiny: A ménage set in modern-day San Francisco where a changeling tattoo artist has come to the attention of two very compelling men—the son of a mob boss and an Elven lord.

  Ghostland series: Set in a post-apocalyptic world where supernatural beings no longer hide their existence, and where angels and Djinn are heading for the ultimate battle over who will control Earth.

  Supernatural Bonds series: Witches, Weres, faeries, elves, dragons, Drui and demons, there's something for everyone as each heroine meets her perfect hero—or heroes.

  Fallon Mates series: To avoid extinction, there's only one hope for the winged inhabitants of the planet Belizair. Come to Earth and claim the perfect, genetically-matched mate, the catch—it has to be done in pairs, a feather-winged Amato must share a lover with a suede, bat-winged Vesti.

  Crime Tells: Where mystery, family, and finding love while working as private investigators come together in a contemporary world.

  The Angelini: In a modern day world where vampires and Weres exist, the Old Magic is returning, and the Angelini, who always take at least two mates, guard mankind against the predators hidden among them.

  And there are more, stand-alone stories. Information on them can be found at: http://www.jorystrong.com.

  * * * * *

  About the Author

  I've been writing since childhood and have never outgrown being a daydreamer. When I'm not hunched over my computer, lost in the muse and conjuring up new heroes and heroines, I can usually be found reading, riding horses, or walking dogs.

  My stories have won numerous awards, as well as been national best sellers. I live in California with my husband and a menagerie of pets.

  I love connecting with readers! Visit my website at http://www.jorystrong.com or contact me at jory@jorystrong.com. I can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.