Lizzy Ford (36 page)

“Quiet,” he said softly, holding her tighter.

“No, Xander! I have to find Jonny.”

He rolled her onto her back, using his body to still her movements. She was shaking beneath him. With a frustrated groan, she stopped fighting.

“Xander!” her voice cracked with emotion, and tears were in her eyes.

“Two things.” He kept his voice calm and level. “One, you are not tracking down Jonny. Two, there are two people on this planet who can get her back. I’m one. The other is in Texas, waiting for us to show up.”

She listened, though the edge of hysteria was in her gaze. He smoothed away the tears and kissed her, drawing her far enough into his influence to calm her. When her shock wore off, she responded timidly. Her heart was slamming fast and hard against her chest. Xander felt her yield and lifted his head.

“My Ashley,” she murmured.

“I’ll get her back. You calm enough to deal with this shit?”

She swallowed hard and nodded. Xander brushed his lips across hers once more then eased off her. He held out a hand to help her out of bed.

They dressed in silence. Jessi’s hands visibly shook, and he reached out to her, taking the hair band she was trying to use on her hair. She wiped her face. He gently pulled her hair back and wrapped the scrunchie around a low ponytail.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m so sorry about all this, Xander.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“I dragged you into this. And my cousins, and now –“

“I can toss you back in bed and wear you out until you calm down,” he interrupted.

Her gaze flew up to his, interest flaring in her eyes a moment before she shook her head.

“Ashley is at the mercy of some sadistic psycho and you’re …” she drifted off, realization crossing her face.

He slapped her hard on the ass.

“I
hate
that,” she muttered.

Xander chuckled and held out his hand. She took it readily, and he pulled her into his body for a quick kiss before he Traveled.

They arrived at the paddock where he found her last night. His senses picked up on the Guardians and Gods gathered in the red barn.

“You ready for this?” he asked her.

Jessi swiped away her tears and drew a deep breath. She took his hand with both of hers and nodded. Xander walked with her towards the barn. Brandon was pacing outside the entrance, as if waiting for them. He stopped at their approach. His jaw was ticking, his eyes rimmed with red.

“Are you okay, Brandon?” Jessi asked. She hurried the last few steps to him and flung her arms around him.

The worried teen hugged her tight, more tears forming. Xander headed into the barn, giving them some space. Damian, his three brothers, Charles and Jenn were all gathered in the barn, along with his least favorite Natural, Sofi. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he growled in response. Eden smiled from her spot a few feet from the others.

“I was explaining why we can’t trade your crystal,” Jule started in the tense silence.

“Not the best idea,” Xander agreed. “Think I figured out who’s after it. Jule, Eden and I aren’t alone.”

They waited with visible caution. Xander was tempted to leave, simply so he could handle this the way he would, if Jessi wasn’t involved.

“I don’t want the Originals fucking up my world.” Damian’s tone was dangerous. “Especially knowing you all can’t directly fight one another.”

“Balance of power,” Jule said.

“Jonny’s the key,” Xander said. “If he pushes back, the Original Other won’t have the luxury of options for taking the gem.”

“The kid isn’t going to push anyone,” said Dusty, Damian’s operations director for the Western Hemisphere. Dusty’s wife was the sister of Jonny, making him the brother with the most personal connection to the Black God.

“Unless he has a reason to,” Xander pointed out. “Ashley didn’t just happen to know where to go.”

“She’s caught in the crossfire,” Damian said. “Or no?”

“Jonny hasn’t killed her type since he crossed over. He’s got an interest in her.”

“The kid’s half-hormones, half-vamp,” Jenn seconded. “Definitely likes brunettes.”

“We’re working together on this issue, right?” Damian asked.

No one said anything. Xander considered.

The soft click of the door closing announced Jessi and Brandon. Brandon was all but clinging to his cousin, whose gray eyes were taking in the group uneasily.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Jessi’s tone carried a puzzled note. “We’re going to get Ashley back.”

“You? No,” Jule told her. “We’ll handle it.”

“
You
, no,” she echoed, fire flashing in her gaze. She rested a hand on her hip. “If I’m not mistaken, I’ve got the magical power of stealth mode.” She said the last two words with open skepticism. “It counts for something, doesn’t it?”

“We don’t send defenseless Naturals to face the Black God,” Dusty replied.

“I really don’t care. He’s expecting to meet me.”

“You wanna talk your girl off this crazy idea?” Damian asked Xander.

“You wanna remind your friend I have a means of contacting Jonny and he’s expecting to hear from me?” Jessi crossed her arms.

Jenn hid a sudden laugh behind a cough while Sofi smiled.

It didn’t take Xander long to realize he had a much larger issue than Ashley. Jessi wasn’t going to stand on the sideline when it came to her cousin. He didn’t want her anywhere near the Original Other or Jonny but was almost certain she’d figure out how to get herself in the middle somehow.

“Jessi helps,” he said at last.

Damian frowned.

“Thank you,” she said.

I need a distraction,
he told Jenn through her mind.

The Guardian eyed him.

“Phone, Jessi. I know you talk to him via texts,” Xander said, holding out his hand to the woman beside him.

She looked up at him, hesitating as she searched his gaze. Relenting, she dug the phone from her pocket and placed it in his hand.

Darian shifted and glanced at Jenn then Jessi. Xander sensed the silent communication.

“We need to break for a few minutes,” Darian said. “Meet up in ten to come up with a plan?”

“Sure,” Damian said, eyes on his brother. “We’ll set up a meeting with Jonny in the meantime.”

Xander tossed him the cell, and Darian strode out of the barn. Jessi turned to Xander expectantly, concern on her face.

“Jessi, want me to show you around?” Jenn asked.

“One sec, Jenn. Do you have a plan?” Jessi asked Xander.

His gaze went to the red gem between her breasts.

“Too late to back out now,” she hissed.

“You make that choice yet?”

Jessi gazed at him. He saw the doubt and was stung by it. Xander didn’t say what he wanted, that he took a chance on Jessi, but she hadn’t yet decided to take one on him.

“Boundary,” she whispered.

“Wrong fucking answer.”

“I’m sorry, Xander.” She turned to face the door. “Yes, Jenn, I’m ready.”

Xander watched her go, fury and frustration within him. He didn’t know if he could save Ashley, but he was the best choice Jessi had. She knew more about him than anyone else ever had – and still rejected him.

His only solace: she was worried about Ashley. He got it, even if he didn’t like it. Even if she was fucking
wrong.

The three of them left.

“What the fuck just happened?” Dusty demanded when the door closed.

Xander glanced down at the smart phone in his hands. He slid his thumb across the screen to unlock it. With a sinking feeling, he realized he’d guessed right. Jessi didn’t trust anyone – even him – to help her. Anger trickled into him.

“I think I know.” Damian’s eyes were on him.

Xander dropped the phone and crushed it with his foot.

“Yeah, I know. X’s woman just pulled the wool over his eyes.”

“When this is over …” he growled.

“Sounds like the plan just got easy,” Jule said grimly. “Follow Jessi. You still have her tagged, Xander?”

“You GPS-tagged your mate?” Dusty almost cracked a smile. “Are you stalking her?”

“The opposite. Making sure she’s not sneaking up behind me to kill me,” Xander said and removed his cell from his jeans.

“You can’t sense her either. Interesting,” Damian said. “Definitely a skill I look forward to honing in Brandon.”

“If Jesse agrees. Otherwise, you risk fucking with me.” Xander opened the program that allowed him to track the GPS markers he planted in Jessi’s belongings. Several were in Southern California while two blue dots – the one in her cell phone and the other in a shoe – appeared on the map in Texas.

When he glanced up, the three brothers were staring at him in various stages of amusement. Jule smiled. Damian was cautiously entertained while the corner of Dusty’s lips curved up. Xander was surprised to find he didn’t give a shit how funny they found it that he was openly claiming Jessi. Eden grinned.

He had left his corner. He wasn’t going back to it, where she was concerned. Whether or not she knew it, she was his, the second woman in his life he was allowing into his world.

“She really got to you,” Jule said, shaking his head.

“It’s one thing, when you can put someone yelling at you to sleep. Quite another, when you have to deal with it,” Xander replied.

“Thank god I don’t deal with that shit,” Dusty said.

“Your wife has the ultimate trump card, Dusty,” Jule pointed out. “She’ll run to her dear brother, the Black God, who will crush you.”

“No worse than a mate who turns all the food in the house into dog treats when she gets pissed at you,” Dusty shot back.

“I deserved that one,” Jule admitted.

“I didn’t.”

“Yeah, well, I got all of you beat,” Damian said. “Oracle.”

No one spoke, and Xander growled. The blue dots in Texas disappeared, drawing his attention to the phone in his hand.

“She’s on the move,” he said, anger settling in his blood as he realized his newest challenge was going to be much more than he bargained for.

“Tell me where she lands,” Dusty directed and whipped out his phone. “I’ll rally the stations in the area. Headed to the ops center.”

“Jule, you’re with Xander and Darian. Find that Original Other,” Damian said. “I’ll be heading to see Jonny shortly. Dusty, is Bianca available to put us back together again?”

“Yep.”

“Yully’s on standby, too,” Jule said. “She’ll give us boosts as needed.”

Xander listened, uneasy at the thought of the Guardians and Gods he despised helping him with his issue. Logically, he understood they were needed, but it didn’t make things feel better. Bianca, Dusty’s mate, was a Healer of extraordinary power, who had turned her brother from a vamp into a human again at one point. Jule’s mate, Yully, was known as the Magician and the first to kill an Other. Able to draw off the magic of those around her, she could amplify and redirect it. She was also able to turn objects into something else, a rare talent.

“Alright,” Xander said grudgingly. “We do this, and you get the fuck out of my hair.”

“Deal,” Damian replied.

Jessi opened her eyes, still weirded out by the idea of moving between places without moving at all. Jenn released her hand, and she looked around at her apartment.

“I might be a few minutes,” Jessi said. “I’ve gotta get stuff for Brandon and Ash, too. You’re welcome to make yourself at home.”

Jenn’s eyes were roving the apartment, as if she expected vampires to leap from the shadows. She gave a brisk nod to indicate she heard.

Jessi went to Ashley’s bedroom. She closed the door as quietly as she could and locked it. Heart pounding hard, she sat on the bed and pulled out her cell phone.

It wasn’t going to take Xander long to figure out she’d tricked him. He’d realize she was about to betray him, then come to kill her.

After making love to her with such tenderness and passion. Her heart and stomach both fluttered. The man who tore people in two had been beyond gentle with her, savoring every inch of her body, as if he was trying to memorize everything about her. She was more than a one-night stand or a rerun. The choice he made had been to keep her, despite knowing what she was capable of doing to him.

She gazed around Ashley’s room, her fear and sorrow so deep, they hurt. Posters of teen pop stars populated her cousin’s wall. A white desk crammed in a corner was covered with teen magazines, and a box of beads had spilled and scattered a rainbow across the carpet. Normally, Jessi would groan at the mess in the teen’s room. Today, she’d give anything just to have Ashley back, no matter how long it took her to fix the vacuum cleaner after it choked on the beads.

Toying with the necklace, Jessi tried hard to quell her panic. She wasn’t entirely certain what to do, how to keep the gem and Ashley safe. She hesitated a moment longer then texted Jonny.

Got the necklace. Come get me. Ashley’s room.

She swallowed hard and set down the phone. Her eyes lingered on Ashley’s precious beads. Too nervous, Jessi instinctively knelt on the floor beside the overturned box and began collecting the small treasures. She fingered a bracelet Ashley started. The pang of worry that hit her was so sharp, she gasped.