pdf - Saving Jenna.PDF (11 page)

“Get your fucking bloody hands off of me, Bas; I can damn well walk on my own.” There was a lunging crash, and Jenna broke the kiss to peer around Nic as the other two men entered the dance area.

Aidan had clearly taken the worst of the beating they’d inflicted on each other. He was holding his ribs, his right eye was swollen, and there was blood drying under his nose. The Dragon jerked away from Bas’s supporting arm when he noticed that he had Nic and Jenna’s attention, and promptly staggered into a chair.

Behind Aidan and Bas six more men entered the room, all of them massive in build, all dressed in black. Jenna shivered at the menace that followed them into the room.

Nic tightened his arm around her as Bas opened up the conversation.

“Once I discovered that Rowan Stone had been recaptured by her father, I knew that your One would need to retrieve her.” Jenna cringed as growls and hisses filled the room.

Bas continued, “So, knowing you would be here tonight, I arranged for my Alpha team to meet us here as well. Based on the information we’ve gathered, and what I’ve heard from Jenna’s conversation with Aidan tonight, we can assume that Ms. Stone is being held on either the second or third sub-level.”

“Probably the second,” Jenna interjected. “My father likes to keep his more dangerous experiments on the third sub-level. The second is for recalcitrant daughters, and for “pets” that need discipline.”

“Pets?” One of the large, dark and scary men asked.

“Pets,” Jenna confirmed. “Pet Vampires, pet Weres. My father keeps pets.” She could see the men were all as sickened at the idea as she was herself, and a moment of shame that she shared the blood of such an evil being.

The tall, dark and scary one who’d questioned her leaned over his chair back and offered her his hand. “I’m Mikhail,” he said. “I’ve tangled with your father more than once.” Jenna gave an inner groan as he clutched her hand in a crushing grip. If he’d faced off with her father in the past, he was sure to hate her just by association. “I don’t know how the hell you managed to escape him with your life, but you definitely have my respect.” Jenna’s eyes widened as he proceeded to demolish her preconceptions. “And, little girl, we will see your sister free of that bastard, begging your pardon, no matter how we have to do it.”

Bas smiled, and Jenna got the distinct impression that both she and his team-member pleased him.

“Jenna, can you give us a detailed layout of the house and its subterranean levels?” She nodded quickly. “Good. Mik and his team will leave ahead of us. Tonight, in fact.

They will infiltrate the grounds, and when it’s time for us to come in they’ll be in place to cut the alarms and take care of the outside guards.” Bas’s security knowledge was incredible; he obviously knew exactly what he was talking about as he gave the group of men instructions.

“Jenna will lay out the house for us, and give us whatever information she has about Stone’s security, but you’ll need to do a little recon. Check out locations of security, log comings and goings of security and medical staff. And of anyone else, for that matter. I figure we have two days max to gather all the information Jenna can’t provide.” Jenna was fascinated as she watched the men. None of their expressions changed; they remained calm, cold and aloof. Her father’s troops would surely come out on the losing end if they tried to engage these men.

“Any questions?”

A tall blond in dreadlocks waved his hand. “Yeah, what if Stone is there? Can we kill the motherfucker?”

Bas looked to Jenna. Did she want her father dead? She didn’t know; he needed to pay for all the hell he’d rained down on all the Night Creatures, and on his own daughters. But could she be the one to sign his death warrant?

Bas noted her silence, and turned back to the blond warrior. “It’s your choice. If you take him alive, he will go before the Council, not the human court system. Either way William Stone will be a dead man.”

Jenna wanted to feel remorse, wanted to feel hurt that these men wanted their revenge written in her father’s blood, but she only had to close her eyes to picture Rowan, broken and bleeding from one of his punishments, or to hear the agonized screams of creatures begging for mercy or death.

No, William Stone deserved whatever justice these men meted out to him.

“Aidan, you and Nic will come with Kane, Abel and myself,” Bas continued.

Aidan held up a hand. “Sorry mate, you’re going to have to count me out of this one.”

Jenna laid her hand over Nic’s arm, patting it lightly. He took a breath and gritted out, “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Dragon?”

“You want me to risk my ass to help out the offspring of William fucking Stone. I don’t think so.” The look he shot around the group held as much pain as it held anger.

“No fucking human has ever come to
our
rescue. The bastard wants to pen us in like animals. Where’s the Goddamn outcry for
our
missing people? There isn’t any, mate, and I’ll tell you this: that man will not stop at anything to get her back once he knows she’s still alive.” As he pointed to Jenna, a tiny shock physically shot down her spine. Nic hissed in her ear, his heart rate increased as he pressed into her back.

“Fuck you, Dragon,” Nic growled low. “Jenna is not her father, and if you ever speak about her in such a way again, I will finish what I started today.” Aidan growled right back at him, flipping him off as he stalked out of the room.

“Fucking women,” he roared as he disappeared through the employee’s door.

Bas scanned the rest of the men. “Anyone else who wants out, move your ass now.” A lump formed in Jenna’s throat as the other men stood in place. These strangers were willing to put themselves in danger for her. To help rescue her sister, her best friend, from hell.

Strangely, she wasn’t angry with Aidan. His pain was written on his face as clearly as words in a book. No, Aidan had every right to stay out of the rescue attempt. She didn’t blame him, and she suddenly needed for him to know it. Even if he’d most likely shoot her gesture down in a blaze of glory.

Turning carefully in Nic’s arms she placed her hand on his chest, kissing the open collar of his shirt. “I need to go talk to him.”

“Not while he’s being such an asshole,” Nic snarled. “Stay away from him until he remembers he’s not the monster Stone would like to paint him as, Jenna.”

“Oh, stop it. Didn’t you see his face, Nic? He’s obviously in pain. You can’t be mad at him for not coming with us.”

“He’s supposed to be my friend. If he were going to rescue his mate’s sister, he knows I would be right there fighting by his side.”

“Nico,” she sighed. “You are an amazing and generous man.” She smiled when he lifted his brow. “But this isn’t anyone’s fight but mine. I won’t condemn someone for not joining a suicide mission.”

“
Our
fight, Beloved. This is
our
fight. Go then, talk to my asshole friend. If you’re not back in five minutes, though, I am coming to get you.” Jenna pressed her mouth firmly to his pulse point and left Nic to follow Aidan.

* * * *

He lifted his head, his eyes piercing her with menace. “Fine. Say whatever it is you need to say, and then get the hell out.”

“I don’t blame you for not wanting to go.”

“How very fucking noble of you.” Aidan left his seat and stalked to the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a shot. He tossed the drink back and quickly filled the glass again.

“Why do you hate me so much?” Jenna knew her father despised her because she didn’t fall in line with him and his ways of thinking, but besides being born a Stone, she couldn’t think why this Dragon would hate her so much. Before he’d been dismissive of her, but now Aidan’s hate was like a living, breathing thing, ready to explode at any minute.

“It’s not just you,” he relented enough to admit. “I hate all humans.” His pain gripped her by the throat as for a split second raw emotion passed over his handsome face.

Jenna went with her instincts and approached him. She placed her fingertips on his forearm. “What happened to you?”

His eyes locked on the place where she touched him.

“They took something from me,” he whispered as he moved away from her. “Go to your man, and leave me alone with my good friend here.” He held up the bottle of scotch.

“I’m sorry Aidan, for all the pain you were caused. I would take it away if I could.” Jenna fled the room before her tears fell, never seeing the tortured, wounded look the Dragon sent after her.

*

The orders were given, and Bas’s team would meet back at the bar in two night’s time. Nic was more grateful to his Blood Brother than words could ever say. Unlike Aidan, Bas hadn’t even waited to be asked. He’d simply seen what needed to be done, and then did it.

But Nic had one more favor to ask of his oldest and best friend. He hated doing it; he knew Bas was barely hanging on, fighting the depression and ennui of hundreds of years, just as Nic had been before he’d dreamed of Jenna. He didn’t show it, not in word or deed, but it was there just the same, deep in his eyes, just out of reach, a loneliness of the soul.

Nic thought of Bas’s reaction to Jenna. Perhaps what he was going to propose would be a benefit to Bas, too. Perhaps Jenna could act as some small balm for his soul until Bas found some peace of his own.

“Sebastian,” he caught the older Vampire’s arm as he walked by. “I must ask something of you, my old friend.” Bas grabbed the stool next to Nic.

“You sound so serious. You know you have only to ask and it’s yours, Nic.” Bas’s automatic “yes” without even knowing the question only deepened Nic’s appreciation for his friend.

“I want you to become Jenna’s Guardian.” Nic noted the flicker of sadness in Bas’s eyes. The other Vampire didn’t look surprised in the least, though. “You are the only one I trust to ensure to her safety.” He met his friend’s eyes. “This time I understand what I’m asking of you, Sebastian. If you choose not to do it, I will understand.”

“Try not to act like anymore of a jackass than you absolutely have to, Nicky. You know that I wouldn’t allow you to ask anyone else.” Bas’s cocky smile faded into a serious expression. “You honor me, my friend,” he said as he stood and grasped Nic’s shoulders. “I consent to take the blood of your pretty One into myself, and to become her Guardian in your absence.” Bas released Nic and gave him a little shove toward Jenna as she returned from Aidan’s office. “Now let’s get moving. We’ve got a shitload of work to do, and only two days to do it in.”

*

Nic was silent as he led the way back into the penthouse. Jenna understood something important was about to happen, something that made both men silent and somber, but she’d be damned if she understood quite what that something was. Nic only told her that he couldn’t do his job, couldn’t fight for her sister, if he was consumed with worry for her safety. He’d said he needed to know that she’d be cared for if something happened to him, and that Bas, his Blood Brother, was the only one he trusted with her life.

They entered the living room, and Nic led her to a comfortable chair, seating her elegantly. Pulling up a matching ottoman, he sat facing her. Bas perched on the arm of her chair. Jenna squirmed a little, unwillingly aroused by the natural pheromones the two men surrounded her with. Both Vampires drew startled breaths, and she felt their gazes, blue ice and gray fog, snap to her face.

She shifted again, uncomfortable, and finally said, “I’m sorry. Jeeze.” She flipped a hand at the two men. “But can you blame me? The two of you are sending out enough little sex germs to arouse the entire WNBA!”

Bas threw his head back and laughed, sounding more free and uninhibited than she’d heard him sound all night. Nic just groaned humorously and buried his face in her lap, shoulders shaking. She noticed his laughter died a quick death, however, when she automatically twined her fingers through his silky hair.

*

“You, my friend, are one lucky son of a bitch,” Bas laughed at him, and Nic had to agree. His One was beautiful, courageous, sexy as hell, and she made him laugh. More, she’d returned laughter to Bas’s eyes, and Nic hadn’t seen any emotion stronger than mild curiosity there in decades.

As he tried to bring himself under control,
little sex germs?
he studied his Blood Brother. Bas looked at Jenna with an appreciation that went beyond the aesthetic. He looked at her as though she was a woman he wanted. It was unnerving, and a bit surprising. In the centuries they’d spent together, Bas had taken lovers of both sexes, but he’d always gravitated toward men. That was one of the reasons Nic had been able to trust him alone with Jenna.

There was no one else in the world Nic would trust with Jenna’s safety, with his very soul, but the sharing of blood was a very sexual experience. The bond was always stronger when the blood was filled with adrenaline, and the quickest and safest way to get Jenna there was through arousal. Seeing the speculative gleam in Bas’s eyes was worrisome, because as liberal as Nic might be, he would not,
could
not share his woman.

While he knew Bas understood, he was afraid his old friend would be hurt in the process.

Once the laughter died down, Nic took Jenna’s hands in his own. Meeting her eyes he said, “You’ve heard me refer to Sebastian as my Blood Brother.” She nodded and he asked, “Do you understand what that means?”

“I gather that it means you share a closeness that’s more than friendship,” she answered hesitantly. “I’m not sure if it means you’ve shared blood by choice, or if you were sired by the same Vampire, though.”

Nic nodded, and began to explain.

“You know that I am very old. Sebastian is even older than I.” Jenna flicked a glance at the Vampire sitting on the arm of her chair. Intellectually she understood that he was centuries old, many centuries apparently, but like Nic, he looked no older than a man in his middle thirties.

“When I was changed my sire, Phaedra, abandoned me. I’d made a pretty plaything, but a fledgling Vampire was far too high maintenance for her.” His words were bitter, but his tone was not, a dichotomy that confused Jenna a bit.