I woke up, surprised to find myself on the bed next to Aedus. He and his stunning fae lady, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed, smiled at me. I had to chuckle. “What’s wrong with this picture?” They looked at me curiously and I explained, gesturing between the two of them. “She and I should switch places.”
“Ah, perhaps later.” He glowed when he stared at his lover and she met his eyes with a mischievous expression and not a touch of shyness.
“Well I guess that answers my next question which was going to be, how are you feeling?”
“Thanks to you, Jacqueline, I feel reborn.”
“Have you heard anything about Liam and how he’s doing?”
“He was here twenty minutes ago with Lady Erin. He is feeling very well. He had a good laugh when he saw you in the bed.”
“I’m sure he did.” I rolled my eyes, thinking about how Liam would tease me about sleeping with his brother.
“My father has also contacted me. The Hunt has Kennet. They’re bringing him in. They should be here in about ten minutes.” I sat up quickly and put my legs over the side of the bed. When I stood I felt a little dizzy but I started for the door anyway, my body trembling with tension.
“Jacqueline, do you think it is wise for you to see him now? You haven’t eaten and you only slept for a short while.”
“Right now, there’s something I need much more than food.” I made it outside to where the Wild Hunt had originally gathered to leave. There were others waiting, including Farrell, who greeted me with a respectful nod. I thanked him for all his help, then turned toward the road where the Hunt had ridden off, terrified over what I’d planned to do. Gathering up my courage and my will, I focused on my crazy scheme. I only had one option and would have to see it though no matter what the consequences.
I was pacing and some of the fae were watching me curiously. They probably thought I was anxious about the safety of my mate, which of course I was, but my nerves were hot-wired for another reason. I’d opened myself to the enormous energy of the returning Hunt, as at the same time, I attempted to steady myself for the possible battle to come.
Lord Kennet was chained to his horse with iron and was in obvious pain. Still, he managed to smirk at me. Lord Caelen cursed him and struck him with the flat edge of his sword, causing Kennet to fall to the ground, where he sat and glared at all the fae gathered around him. Many of them spit at him or cursed him. Garrett jumped off his horse and in a blur, stood by my side with his arm wrapped around me, shielding me from Kennet’s glare.
I twisted in his arms and kissed him, then whispered, “Will you trust me? Will you back me up as you always have in the past? There’s something I have to do and it may be hard for the fae to accept or understand, but I have no choice. I owe a debt.”
I was trembling so he held me tightly and whispered into my hair. “My darling, I will love and support you always, no matter what. What is it?”
Instead of answering him, I turned to Lord Caelen and said so everyone could hear, “Lord Caelen, may I ask you and the other Cascade Elders for a favor?”
He knew what I wanted before he answered, because he’d seen it in my mind. “You have saved the life of my son, Aedus. Tell us what you want.”
“I want revenge on Lord Kennet.”
“You may not kill him. The elders must judge him. In the end he will be executed by the soul of the Wild Hunt.” I turned to look at the darkly shrouded figure who sat astride his black horse apart from the rest.
“If I can get my revenge, but return him in exactly this condition so he can stand before you for judgment, would you agree to it?”
“Yes.”
“And do you agree, Lord?” I turned to the dark figure and he slowly nodded.
“I owe someone my life and I’m going to bring him here to take Kennet away. He will return Kennet as you see him now, ready to be judged.”
I summoned Isaiah, using the ritual he’d taught me, but saying his True Name only in my head. He appeared instantly and bowed slightly to me, touching his birthmark as he did. “Jackie. You summoned me?” He looked exactly the same as he had in my small room, but with a very serious expression, bordering on anger. He was not pleased that I’d summoned him and I felt a small twinge of fear, but shook it off. He’d be feeling much happier in a few minutes.
“Is our old agreement null and void?”
“Yes. And no one reneged. Although in summoning me—”
I interrupted. “Is an oral agreement binding; one without all the blood and sacrifice?”
“Yes, between us, yes. Especially since you did not trap me in a circle and bind me to your will.” He glanced at the fae surrounding us and at Kennet on the ground in chains. “You have something in mind, I gather.” His eyes were already sparkling with excitement.
“I will give you Kennet for one month to take to your realm to do with as you like. You must return him here in this exact same condition, thirty human days from today, chains and all, to hand over to Lord Caelen, his sons or another Cascade Elder.”
“And what do you want in return?”
“I want you to continue to train me. I will invite you to my home after you return Kennet to Lord Caelen. You will behave yourself while you’re staying with me or else Garrett or I can send you back anytime we want.” I took two steps toward him. “Isaiah, I want to know more about what I am. Please.”
He laughed at me, but then must have seen the seriousness of my expression. “Your bargain is reasonable, but I want six months with him.”
“Two.”
“Five”
“Two”
“Four”
“Two or nothing. Isaiah, I need this to end.”
He twisted to look at Kennet seated on the ground with several blades at his throat. He’d obviously heard everything we’d said because he turned to Lord Caelen and said, “You are not going to permit this, Caelen, are you? I’m a Fae Lord of the High Seelie Court.”
“Kennet, your blood is seelie fae, but your actions are those of the lowest unseelie. As long as you are brought back as you are now, the elders will permit this. My sons, who are both recovering quickly, will especially enjoy the next two months that you spend in the Demon Realm.”
Isaiah’s slow smile sent shivers down my spine. His eyes were flaming orange as he stared at Kennet with hunger. “I will accept only two months, although I’ll hardly have time for what I have planned. But you must swear never to summon me again.” He looked at me with such intensity that I trembled slightly.
Garrett supported me with a firm grip and a vicious glare directed at Isaiah. Isaiah arched an eyebrow. “Remember, vampire, that it was my training that returned her to your arms.” He shifted his gaze back to me and waited for my response.
I squeezed Garrett’s hand to keep him calm. “As long as you return him in two months, sixty human days, able to stand trial, I’ll never summon you or give your True Name to anyone. And you must swear to the same.”
“Yes, I agree. I, Isaiah of the Bas Demonic Level, accept this verbal agreement in front of all these lovely witnesses.” He looked around and nodded to Lord Caelen. “Caelen, how pleasant to see you again after five hundred twenty-five years eleven hours and forty-two minutes.”
“I cannot truthfully say the same, Isaiah, but I have no argument with you on this particular day.”
I looked from Caelen to Isaiah and decided to finish this before any disagreement started up between them.” And I, Jacqueline Crawford Cuvier, accept this verbal agreement in front of all these noble witnesses.” I managed to smile at my amazing trainer. “Thank you Isaiah, for saving my life.” I leaned back against Garrett, afraid that my exhaustion might show and I didn’t want to appear weak in front of Kennet. Because he understood, Garrett supported my weight without drawing any attention to us.
“In the end you saved your own life. Your power is growing daily. I look forward to our lessons.” He turned to Kennet as fangs sprouted from his mouth and his eyes blazed with an orange fire. He growled. “Kennet-you-are-mine.” They disappeared at the same time.
The clearing was quiet. I’m sure everyone was in shock. I nodded in the way of the fae then took Garrett’s hand and used the lines to go back to our room. When we arrived two seconds later, I leaned my full weight against him, having used most of the reserves of my strength on Aedus and then on summoning Isaiah. He picked me up and laid me on the bed, looking worried and slightly annoyed with me. I knew I needed to eat something, but I really didn’t feel motivated.
“Jackie you’re weak so don’t argue with me.” He took off my shoes, kicked off his own and crawled up next to me, biting into his wrist and forcing it into my mouth. Starting to drink, I groaned with pleasure as I felt my strength return full force.
“High octane, yum.” It didn’t take long for me to feel like myself again.
Garrett laughed as he licked his wrist. I wiped off my mouth and put my wrist next to his nose. He started to push it away but I held it there. “C’mon, you know you want it.” He hissed softly as he pulled it closer to his lips. His fangs popped, his eyes sparkled and he bit into me, the sudden suction making me gasp.
As he drank, I talked, keeping my voice low. “Do you know what you’re drinking there, Garrett? I found out that my grandmother is a full blood demon. Actually, she’s one of the nobility. That’s how I can travel the lines.” He didn’t react other than to arch his brows. His incredible eyes kept watching me as he took in my blood. “So how do you feel about me now?” I was acting playful, twisting his hair around my fingers, but part of me was scared shitless. There was always the chance he would pull away, spit out my blood and take off.
With this surprising news came a surprising reaction. He pulled away from my wrist and grinned deliciously, kissing me in a different spot between each word, “Loving-every-single-drop. I’m very much a vampire, Jackie, and not a fae.” He licked my wrist. “Vampires have no problem with demons in general, plus it answers the question of why your blood tastes so uniquely delicious.” He pulled me very close and nuzzled my ear. “You didn’t really think it would bother me, did you?”
“Show me.” I was only whispering, but the desperation in my voice was obvious. I clutched at his body, starting to tremble. I needed him to show me my news really made no difference, that he still wanted me—still loved me.
He was wired from the blood, just like I was, so he fisted his hand in my hair and tilted my head back, exposing my vulnerable neck. He ran his lips and his fangs from my earlobe to the base of my neck while I slid my hands over his shoulders. When his lips moved back up to my mouth, his kiss wasn’t gentle, but that was good, because I wasn’t in the mood for gentle either. Sometimes you just needed to feel with your body and forget the rest. I would learn how to forget.