Sidra and Clive made their way around the lake, watching as Jackie ranted at Stefano, who seemed torn between Eloise and her. Eloise was frozen, on the ground. Eddie, Jackie, and Stefano were all covered in blood. Brent seemed completely unharmed.
As they approached, both Eddie and Brent’s heads snapped up, locking on Sidra’s location, even though tree shadows completely surrounded them.
Jackie was in a fine rage, twisting and turning, wanting to get at Stefano even as Eddie held her. Sidra wished she had been there to see what precisely had happened.
Eddie said something in her ear, and she froze, looking toward them.
“What is it?” Stefano asked.
“The source of all our problems,” Jackie snarled. Eddie set her down as Brent wove a spell. She walked forward, her face set in a sneer. “This little soiree not go the way you wanted?”
“It’s about to.” Sidra melded into shadows, flowing toward the siren.
Jackie threw her arms up and Sidra’s blood froze, forcing her back into her body. Pain pricked as blood was pulled through her flesh in shards of ice. Jackie shoved her hands forward, and Sidra crashed into the lake. Water rushed around her, freezing as it touched her skin.
Clive shouted, “No!” He ran to Sidra.
Sidra coughed, spraying specs of icy blood. “Go back!”
He didn’t listen, lifting a fist in an attempt to shatter the ice.
Eddie charged forward, knocking Clive to the ground. Sand surged, rending a hole through Clive’s chest.
Jackie lifted her hands and more water rose around Clive, entombing him in ice.
As consciousness faded, wings thundered.
* * * *
A thread of fear wove through Eddie when he looked up to find Kim’s father circling above the trees. It was one thing to tell your daughter’s lover to move on, another to see the advice in action.
Jackie stood in her panties and his blood-soaked t-shirt while facing off with Sidra and Clive.
He turned, scooping her into his arms, and carried her away from the vampires and Zhi.
“You okay?” Eddie asked urgently.
Jackie nodded, staring up at the sky. “That’s Kim’s dad?” she asked, her voice low.
“Yeah, that’s him.” Eddie wasn’t sure how he found them, or what would happen next.
The dragon landed a few feet away. Zhi shifted back to human, wearing flowing black pants and a white tunic. He walked toward the vampires with an evil smile. “You will suffer an agonizing death. First,” he spun toward Eddie and Jackie, “are you two all right?”
“Yeah. Could have been worse,” Eddie replied, setting Jackie down.
Jackie shot Sidra and Clive a death glare.
Zhi moved closer to them and gently touched her face. “Did they hurt you?”
She turned her head, meeting his gaze. “No, though Stefano nearly took Eddie from me. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him. But Sidra and Clive showed up, and they’re the bigger problem.”
Zhi turned to Stefano and Eloise. “You froze her, Jackie?”
Shrugging, she flippantly answered, “She tried to bite me. I’m done with vampires thinking I’m a dinner.”
Eddie squeezed his eyes shut, wishing she would think before she made the situation worse.
Stefano looked up at the dragon but didn’t offer a word. Eloise sat in his lap, clinging to her husband. Her body had mostly thawed, but she didn’t move either.
Zhi looked into Jackie’s eyes. “Can you forgive them?”
She sighed. “Brent told them to leave the country. Go back to Italy. As long as they stay far away from Eddie and me, they can go.” She shot them a look. “Far the fuck away from me.”
“Of course. I’m sorry, Jacqueline. And Eddie, I don’t know what came over me.”
Jackie snarled. “I mean it. Across the damned world. I never want to see you again. Either of you.”
Stefano stood with Eloise in his arms and disappeared into the night.
Zhi turned back to Eddie and Jackie. “If you change your mind, call me. I would not have been so merciful.”
Brent cleared his throat. “Normally, I’d agree. However, Sidra and Clive tore apart their lives. They deserve a chance to make better choices.”
“Perhaps. I will keep an eye on them to ensure they never return.” He looked back at Sidra and Clive. “Beyond having killed my daughter, I’ve been told what these two did to you, Jackie. Would you prefer to finish them?”
She shook her head. “As long as they die, you’re welcome to take your revenge however you want.”
He grinned. “Eddie, I truly meant what I said. You’ve found your match. There’s no going back, only forward. You have my blessing.” He shifted back to the huge beast, snatched up Clive and Sidra in massive claws, and flew into the night.
Sidra screamed, but Clive made no sound.
Jackie turned to Eddie, looking into his eyes. “You scared the fuck out of me. Why did you run off after Stefano?”
He winced. “Wanted to stop him before he came back for you.”
Her fingers traced over where the wound had been. “Can’t lose you, Eddie.”
He stepped against her body and laid a kiss on her lips. “Forgive me?”
She threw her arms around him. “Always.”
* * * *
Chatan pulled up next to Brent’s vehicle and noticed another fancy Italian sports car. He hopped out. The vampire who had fed him blood appeared, Jackie in his arms.
He lunged forward, knocking them to the ground, pulling Jackie away. “You can’t take her! She doesn’t want you.”
The woman hissed, her fangs elongated.
Tiana pulled him back. “Whoa, everyone, calm down. That’s not Jackie.” She let out a breath and shook her head. “That’s Stefano’s wife.”
Eloise shook her head, asking her husband, “Jackie didn’t want you. Why pursue her?”
He sat up, pulling his knees in as he put his elbows on them, and dropped his head into his hands. “She was the closest thing to you I could find.”
“She is nothing like me.”
Hearing the Italian accent from the pale version of Jackie was unsettling. Chatan pulled away. “Where are they?”
“The lake. Be careful,” Stefano said.
Tiana sighed. “I’ll take them to someone who can quickly take them far from here.”
“I’ll go make sure Jackie and Eddie are all right.”
He tossed her keys back.
Stefano stood gracefully. “Wait.” He pulled Chatan’s keys from his pocket and handed them over. “I had to get here first.”
Chatan considered the other woman and shook his head. “I’m not sure what happened, but I know Jackie’s temper. There had to be a reason she let you walk away when there’s that much blood involved.”
Stefano nodded. “Honestly, I’m not sure why she allowed my freedom at this point. I’ve made many mistakes.”
Tiana snapped, “Get in the car. I have a friend who can take you back to Italy through several portals. It’s your only chance to escape the Silver Council after violating the restraining order.”
* * * *
Jackie pressed her hand against Eddie’s chest with a sigh. “And you worry about me doing stupid shit?” Her brow arched.
He gave her a sheepish grin. “You saved me.”
“Couldn’t live without you.”
“Don’t have to.” He shook his head slowly. “Having Zhi show up was a shock.”
“Still feel guilty?” she whispered, looking into his eyes.
“He came to the States to meet me for his daughter, but now he’s given us his blessing. It’s difficult to wrap my head around. But you’re everything, and I’m not ashamed to shout it from the rooftops.”
“About damned time,” Chatan announced as he stepped onto the beach and moved beside them.
She turned toward him with a smirk. “Thought you weren’t coming out?”
“Some psycho gnawed on my neck, then another vamp gave me blood. I had to make sure you two were okay. Hell, Tiana let me drive her sports car to get here faster.”
Brent rubbed his neck, looking up through his lashes. “Tiana brought you?”
Chatan shrugged. “She’s driving the other two far away. Said something about a restraining order. Who were they?”
“Stefano,” Eddie answered, “he was the one after Jackie. She resembles Eloise, the wife he thought had been dead two hundred years.”
“Yeah, I tried to pull her from Stefano thinking it was Jackie, and nearly got bitten.”
Jackie snorted. “I may look like her, but I wouldn’t be caught dead in that relic she calls a dress.”
“It’s unsettling how similar in appearance you two are.”
“Sorry for not providing more details,” Eddie offered. “Didn’t want you to feel the need to come out and protect her.”
“If you didn’t want me here because you think I’m competition, I’m not.”
Jackie grinned over at Eddie. “Told you.”
Eddie shook his head. “It wasn’t that. You like it down in Wanatoga. Didn’t want to pull you away to deal with monsters.”
Chatan chuckled. “Yeah, but I’ve been around crazier.”
Jackie leaned into Eddie, and looked over at Brent. “Let’s hurry and pack up camp. I can hardly wait to get home, take a shower, and curl up in bed with Eddie.”
Chatan gave her a sheepish look. “Mind if I crash at your place? My truck is outside of Shenanigans, but I didn’t book a room.”
Brent nodded. “You can take Eddie’s room. I’ll go home now that the Shadowstalkers aren’t a threat.”
Jackie moved to give Brent a hug. “Thank you. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
He squeezed her back. “I’ll always be here, looking out for you.”