Jamie's Heart [Amazon Warriors 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (12 page)

Fight for me.

* * * *

He’d done the right thing. That’s all Conrad could keep telling himself as he sat on the forest floor where only ten minutes ago he had been in paradise, making love to the woman he loved. He could admit that to himself now, without guilt or shame. He loved Jamie and had for years.

She had been right before when she had accused him of being scared. She was the most important person in his life, and he had never wanted to do anything that might screw that up and lose her.

The irony was not lost on him that it was because he refused to admit his feelings for her that he had lost her anyway, but he hadn’t just lost her, he’d sent her to find another man. It was killing him inside, but he knew it was the only way to save Jamie’s life. He’d rather see her with someone else and alive than feel responsible for her death.

A rustling sound from his left caught his attention and put him on alert. When a stranger stumbled into the small clearing, he relaxed his stance slightly, not wanting to appear too threatening.

“Hey, you seen Jamie around? I thought I saw her come this way with you?”

“Err, I’m sorry, who are you?”

“Geez, sorry, what was I thinking? I’m Kallon, an old friend of Jamie’s father.” The man extended his hand, and Conrad shook it in greeting, a little cautious.

“Conrad,” he introduced himself plainly.

“I was passing by the estate and popped by to say hi. I stopped in at the party until Crimson said she saw Jamie come this way with you.” Conrad was wary of Kallon and curious as to how he got onto the estate. In the end he decided to test the man. If he had ill intentions toward Jamie, she was currently surrounded by a tribe of hundreds of fierce Amazon warriors ready to protect one of their own.

“Yeah, we just had to talk about a few things. She went back to the party a few minutes ago.”

“Good to know.” Conrad watched Kallon expectantly to see what he would do. Kallon crossed his arms over his chest and just stared, completely emotionless toward him.

“Anything else?”

“Nope.”

The guy just continued to stare. What the fuck? Conrad didn’t know who this guy was, but he had the sense he had to warn Jamie. So as casually as he could manage in his pissed-off state, he said, “See ya around.” Then he smiled and made his way back toward the party.

“So does her pussy taste as good as I imagine?” That stopped Conrad in his tracks. He must not have heard the guy right.

“What did you say?”

“Does. Her. Pussy. Taste. Good?” Kallon spoke to him like he was slow.

“Don’t talk about her like that.” He was infuriated but trying to remain calm.

“I’ve thought about fucking her several times since I met her, what, five months ago now, but it wasn’t until you came back that I saw my chance.” Conrad watched as Kallon started slowly pacing around the small open area, almost as if he was circling Conrad.

“I, of course, had to keep my distance, but I’ve been watching her, waiting for the time I could hurt her most. When I saw you guys together last week I knew you would be the key. I’ve been back there watching you two. I gotta say it was quite the performance. I learned a lot about what she likes.”

A growl tore from Conrad’s throat at what this vile piece of shit was saying.

“Who
are
you?” Conrad started circling the little bastard, gearing for the fight that would soon come if he didn’t shut his goddamn fucking mouth.

“A little sensitive are we about being watched? Don’t worry. If you want, you can watch as I play the perfect gentleman.” Kallon bowed without taking his eyes from Conrad. “But then”—still staring at Conrad, he started to rise—“you can watch me fuck her to within an inch of her life. Of course I won’t be as gentle and sweet as you, but I’ll show you how a real man fucks a woman, especially a whore like her.”

That did it. He dove for the bastard. Conrad was so enraged he would talk about Jamie like that. There was no fucking way he was letting this bastard anywhere near his woman. He was so focused on his rage toward the asshole he didn’t react quick enough when Kallon dodged his attack and pulled a .50 caliber gun from the waist of his pants.

It was aimed at his chest.

Conrad stopped his advance. A bullet to the chest might not kill him, but it would lay him out flat for quite some time, and he couldn’t risk this guy getting away. He’d have to bide his time and wait for Kallon to slip up.

“Wow, she must be a really good fuck if you’re willing to defend her. All I did was say a few crude words. Now…raise your hands above your head.”

Conrad reluctantly did what the man said.

Kallon then grabbed his right wrist and leveled the gun to Conrad’s head.

“Move and I pull the trigger.” The prick brought Conrad’s right hand in front of his face and sniffed his fingers. Conrad fumed as he realized what the asshole was doing. Jamie’s scent would still be coating his hand. He tried to fight, but the cunt cocked his weapon, stilling Conrad’s movements.

“I will kill you,” Conrad promised as Kallon stepped away.

“She does smell good,” he said mockingly with a smirk on his face, as if Conrad’s words meant nothing to him. “It was sweet how you told her to be with someone better. It should make it easier for me to have her, but if she denies me, I will not be held responsible for what I have to do to get inside her sweet little cunt. In fact, I hope she does refuse me, I always like when they fight a little as I tie them to my bed. It will be even better with you watching from the sidelines. I’ll warn you now, though. You will not like what I do to her…I, on the other hand, will love every second of it.”

“Why?” Conrad gritted out, too enraged to form a complete sentence.

“Because she deserves it!” Kallon fumed, getting in Conrad’s face, pressing the gun to his chin. “She humiliated me in front of the gods for fuck sake. I am their warrior, their champion. That is until that bitch beat me and the gods banished me, told me I was no longer worthy to protect them. They stripped my abilities and sent me to this mortal realm. For that she will die by my hand…after I’ve had my fun with her first of course.”

He had to be careful what he said. This guy clearly had a screw loose, and he was clearly hell-bent on revenge against Jamie. Then it occurred to him what Kallon was talking about. “That means you’re one of the hoplites, a warrior of the gods. You’re one of the strongest beings in existence. Jamie beat you? When? Why? Where?” Conrad was so confused. How could have not known about this?

“You mean you don’t know? Ha. Well that will make me enjoy making you watch so much more. While I’m doing every vile thing I can think of to her body, I’ll tell you what you want to know…then you can watch me kill her.”

Conrad was done listening to this shit. No one was going to hurt Jamie. She was
his
. The fuckwit’s little tirade was over.

Conrad made his move and dove for the gun.

A shot rang out.

* * * *

After taking a few minutes to compose herself after her time with Conrad, Jamie approached her sister at the party.

When Jordon noticed Jamie’s approach, she ran up to her and hugged her. Jordon seemed to be overjoyed by something when all Jamie felt was heartache and despair.

As her sister relinquished her hold, she must have seen the sullen look on Jamie’s face. “Has Conrad not found you yet?”

That explained her sister’s good mood. She thought Conrad had found her and fixed her broken heart, saving Jamie’s life. She didn’t want to tell her sister what had happened and explain that Conrad had clearly misunderstood what her sister had been trying to tell him. How many times would she have to tell her sister she was dying? The look on Jordon’s face had destroyed her the first time. Now, when her sister had just found hope to believe Jamie would continue to live, she would have to take that from her, too.

“He found me, Jord. What exactly did you tell him?”

“That you were dying of a broken heart and he was the one responsible, and he swore he’d fix it,” she said, looking baffled.

“He didn’t understand what you meant, Jord. He thought the only way to mend my heart would be to fall in love with another man.”

“No. No, no, no. That can’t be right. He has to understand.”

“He didn’t, Jordon. I’m sorry. Instead of trying to fight for me, he gave me up. It’s over.”

I saw you go into the woods with him, and then ten minutes ago I felt your joy and excitement. I thought that meant…” Jamie blushed as she hugged her twin, allowing Jordon to sob in her arms.

Jamie had cried all the tears she had to give. She hadn’t allowed herself to hope that Conrad would save her, unlike her sister. All she could do now was console her sister and enjoy the last few months of her life.

They stood there for a moment, ignoring the curious glares. Crimson and Lucia were the only other people who knew she and Jordon would be leaving tomorrow.

Jamie pulled back from her sister and wiped the tears from her face.

“Let’s get drunk,” she said to lighten the mood, and it worked. They walked over to the barrels filled with ice and booze and picked out several bottles each. If this was her last night with the tribe, she was going to enjoy it.

After her first sip of her first bottle, Jamie thought she heard the sound of a gun being fired, but it was hard to tell over the din of the party.

It was then she felt a wave of emotion crash over and through her. It was a weird and not entirely pleasant sensation that caused her to drop her beer bottle.

Jordon was by her side in a heartbeat, making sure she was okay.

“You all right? What happened?”

“I don’t know. I feel…” She gasped. “Jordon, get me my bow.”

“But what? Why? How are you…?”

“Don’t argue, do it.” She knew what her sister was going to say, and she didn’t need to hear it. Jamie hadn’t used her bow and arrow since the night of the Cyclopes attack all those months ago, and in the last few months she would have been too weak to use it to any effect.

If what Jamie was feeling was right, she should now have the strength of an Amazon returned to her.

After the initial shock of the new emotions bombarding her body, she realized what it was.

Conrad.

She felt Conrad inside of her. It made her feel whole for the first time since giving half of her heart and soul to him. The constant ache in her chest had disappeared, and she felt she could breathe easy for the first time in months.

Then she felt Conrad’s fear, pain, and fury. She knew what it meant, but she didn’t have time to enjoy the feelings now rushing through her system. She had to help Conrad. Jamie focused on the new connection she had with Conrad and tried to work out what was wrong. He felt angry and threatened. It was then she knew he was in trouble and fighting someone. Maybe it was Delila or one of her followers coming back to fight. Whoever it was, Jamie was not letting them get away with hurting her man.

As Jordon brought Jamie her longbow, Jamie climbed onto one of the tables at the party. Everyone was looking at her as if she’d lost her mind. Maybe she had, but Conrad was in trouble, and she couldn’t risk taking the time to explain what was happening to anyone who might help her.

So as she loaded her arrow and pulled back in the string, she willed a thought toward Conrad, like she would if she was communicating with Jordon telepathically. She just hoped he got the message and understood what to do.

Jamie aimed in the general direction she knew Conrad was in, unable to see him or his attacker through the dense tree line.

The tree line must have been at least a mile away and Conrad quite a distance beyond that. It would be the longest shot she had ever to had to make but also the most important. It could save Conrad’s life.

She remained focused on her objective and waited with bated breath for some sign from Conrad.

* * * *

The minute Conrad launched himself at Kallon, he felt something inside of him was taken away, but he didn’t feel weakened by it. He felt strengthened. Something he had been holding inside of him came forth and made him feel powerful.

It was then he realized this thing inside of him wasn’t him at all. It was Jamie. He could feel Jamie inside of him. It was weird and unnerving. He could feel her shock and worry. Was the same thing happening to her?

It was then he felt Jamie’s love for him. It was the most powerful thing he had ever experienced. Could she truly feel that way about him? He could take on the world the way he was feeling just then. One puny, now-mortal hoplite warrior was not going to stop him from reaching Jamie.

It wasn’t until a cold, heavy, and metal object hit him in the temple that he realized the fucktard was beating him with the butt of his .50 caliber gun, and it fucking hurt.

Conrad quickly rolled away, and it was then he saw blood on the ground, his blood. The little shit had shot him. Conrad was quickly coming to despise this shithead.

“Why won’t you stay the fuck down?”

Because a bullet may cause significant damage, but beating an immortal with a measly .50 caliber wasn’t going to do much.

Just as he was about to take another shot at killing the guy, Conrad had a strong feeling come over him. He felt the need to maneuver Kallon so he stood between him and the party. He realized it wasn’t him but Jamie that wanted Kallon to be moved around like a puppet. He didn’t know why she would want such a thing, but he trusted her and did as she silently asked.

Once done, he knew he needed to communicate he had done as she wished, so in his head he told her it was done and willed Jamie to hear it. He wasn’t sure he’d managed it until he saw an arrowhead burst through Kallon’s chest. Shock was written all over his face as he looked down to see the foreign body protruding from his chest. Kallon fell to his knees and dropped his weapon. Conrad watched as the man before him fell forward, landing on his face, dead. He didn’t feel an ounce of sorrow for the man who had threatened to harm his woman.