Assassin's Mate (Supernaturally Shipwrecked Book 1) (4 page)

Chapter Seven

Silver stared at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t even recognize the woman glaring back at her. Joshua’s ability to throw together a wedding complete with the white dress, reception, and all the fixings in a week and a half was remarkable. It was like he took everything from their first wedding planned and stored it away for another day. She wouldn’t put that past him.

“Are you sure this is a smart idea, Sil?” Zoe asked as she placed the veiled crown on Silver’s head.

“No, but it’s our only option. I won’t have this man terrorizing or hurting anyone else I care about.” Silver wiped the corner of her eyes to keep the tears from falling.

Zoe hugged her tightly. “It will all work out.” She promised. She pulled away and straightened her emerald green sheath dress and flowered hair wreath. “I’m going to get father.”

Silver nodded, afraid her voice would give away the emotions she was feeling then turned back to the reflection in the mirror. If things had been different she could’ve been walking down the aisle to her mate. Maybe that man was Brock, but she’d never know now, thanks to her bastard fiancé. He had so much to pay for. Killing him was almost a mercy. If she let karma get her hands on the man, he’d suffer far worse than death.

She lifted her the skirt of her dress slowly up her thigh. The silver dagger sheathed in white gold was safe and secure, and would be her weapon of choice. The man would feel as much pain as she could deliver to him before she plunged the poisoned dagger into his heart.

Her mother knocked softly on the door. “Sweetheart, are you decent?”

Silver dropped her skirt and made a quick check in the mirror before she opened the door. Wedding dresses were big and bulky and made it easy to hide weapons. There wasn’t even the slightest outline of the dagger on her thigh.

Her mother stood at the threshold, pride beaming from her face. “You look beautiful,” she gushed as she embraced her daughter. Silver held on tight to her mother’s love. It was quite possible when she killed Joshua she’d be killed for her crime. “I have something for you.”

Silver moved aside and allowed her mother into the room. Clara spun around and opened a tiny jewelry box. Inside was a golden amulet molded in the shape of the family crest adorned with emeralds, her favorite gemstone. “It’s beautiful, mother.”

Clara slipped the chain around her daughter’s neck and smiled. “It will protect you.”

“Thank you.” She hugged her again.

“We know what you are doing for us.” Clara shook her head as tears flowed down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”

“It’s okay, mother. I promise. All will be fine.”

Clara swiped away the tears. “I just wish you didn’t have to be near that… that monster ever again.”

Silver took Clara’s face in her hands. “Mom, it’s going to be okay. He will pay for everything he’s done.”

Clara tilted her head and examined her daughter. “I’ve known you all your life, Silver, and I know when you’re plotting something. What are you planning?”

“It doesn’t matter. You look stunning in your dress, mother.” Silver turned toward the mirror just as another knock came on the door. “Come in.”

Edward and Felix, dressed handsomely in tuxedos, entered followed by Zoe who carried two bouquets of green and pink flowers. Her family looked amazing. It was a pity they looked the perfect supportive unit for such a horrific farce.

“I’m ready.” Silver smiled tightly.

“You still have time to walk away, princess.” Her father looked like he’d aged twenty years this last week. His dark hair greying, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening. His body weight was thinning. Seeing him waste away in such a short time over her was heartbreaking.

“No, father. I will marry him.” She stated this with resolve.

Anastacia poked her head into the room. “It’s time.”

The exotic-looking woman made Silver’s skin crawl. She couldn’t wait to scratch her brown eyes out and pull every strand of the skinny bitch’s black hair out, strand by strand. “Thank you, Stacia. Let’s go, father.”

Time seemed to move in slow motion as they made it down the stairs and out the back door to the flower encased archway where her soon to be husband stood in his own tuxedo. The music started playing on cue and her father started them down the flower petal-littered aisle.

It took a moment for her to steady her walk and match her canter to the musical beat. Everything needed to be perfect. There didn’t need to be any doubt in her resolve to make this work. The bastard stood at the end of the pathway with a grin that shouted to the world
‘I won’
. Little did he know, ultimately, he would lose.

“We stand before these witnesses and the gods asking for blessing to this union.” The officiant of the wedding ritual smiled. “Who gives Silver Scarlett Jamison to Joshua Stone Jacobson?”

“I do, her father.” Edward handed Silver’s hand to Joshua’s open palm and kissed her cheek. “I love you, baby girl.”

“Love you too, dad.”

“The offering is made and accepted. If there are any objections to this ritual speak now or forever hold your peace.”

No one spoke. No one dared defy Joshua.

“Do you, Silver Scarlett Jamison, take Joshua …”

“I’m sorry, but I object.” The cocky, familiar voice shouted from the back of the garden. Silver was afraid to turn around.

Joshua turned and growled. “I ordered you dead!”

Silver’s heart skipped a beat as she turned and saw Brock’s sexy grin attached to his incredibly hot body. The whole yummy package sauntered her way down the aisle.

“News of my demise was greatly understated.” He held out his hand to Silver who took it instantly. “I’m afraid your fiancé has had a change of heart.”

Joshua charged toward Brock who shoved Silver behind his back. Silver pulled out the dagger and covered Brock’s back from being attacked by one of Joshua’s pack. Her family joined her side just as chaos exploded around them.

Felix sliced two oncoming attackers with sharpened cat claws. Clara and Edward morphed into tigers, one white and the other orange and black. Anastacia squared off against Silver while Zoe took on a male pack member. They were outnumbered and would probably lose, but Silver planned to take Anastacia with her. She just hoped Brock could hold his own against the alpha because they had their hands full.

Anastacia charged Silver. A fist slammed into Silver’s face and blood poured from her nose. Fury filled her body and instinct, the tigress inside her, took over. There were no thoughts. With each move she countered the exotic beauty. Just as it looked like she was getting the best of the black-haired beast she found herself on the ground after a low down round kick took her legs out from underneath her.

Anastacia jumped on top of her just as Silver aimed the dagger at the woman’s heart. Stacia used her strength to block the deadly weapon. “Stay down, idiot.”

“I’m going to kill you,” Silver snarled.

“No, you’re not. I left your man alive with directions to get here. Instead of killing me you should be thanking me.” The brunette snapped as she slapped the dagger out of Silver’s hand. “Now, stay down. If your man wins you’ll be free, if not, I’ll follow my alpha’s order.”

Brock changed into his panther and flew through the air, aiming for the human Joshua’s throat. Joshua smacked the long, sleek black cat across the muzzle and Silver gasped as she saw her lover hit the brick wall of the mansion.

Joshua transformed into an equally large leopard and charged toward the weakened panther.

“No!” Silver screamed.

“That’s enough!” Zoe yelled with so much alpha strength everyone, cat and human, froze and turned in her direction.

What they saw was a glorious sight. Zoe stood in human form holding two fire balls in the palm of her hands. “The next person or cat to move will feel the sting of my power.” Her green eyes glowed with an eerie silver and green swirl.

“Zoe?” Silver’s voice shook as she whispered loudly.

No one in her family had the ability to harness the element of fire, or so they thought. Zoe apparently did but kept this fact hidden from them all.

Zoe took slow steps toward Joshua. “You’ve tormented my family long enough.”

Joshua, ever the alpha, roared at Zoe who shot one of the fireballs toward his head, narrowly whizzing by. It was a warning. As fast as the orb left her hand another one began to grow and take its place.

Joshua morphed back into human form and took three long, angry strides toward Zoe. Silver knocked the startled Stacia off her and stood up, readying herself to help her sister.

“I’m the alpha here, little girl.”

“Don’t make me hurt you.” Zoe pleaded with him, “I will if it’s what I have to do to save my family.”

“The only way I’ll leave you alone is if I’m dead. Silver will be my wife.”

“Then you leave me no choice.” Zoe raised the two orbs and began to combine them into one massive ball of fire.

Joshua lunged at her. Silver charged in to save her sister. Suddenly everyone stopped. Joshua’s face fell. It took a few moments before blood bloomed around his neck and slowly his head slipped from his shoulders. Everyone looked at the body that crumbled to the ground and then at Brock who held a bloody sword in his hand.

No one moved. Time froze as the reality of what happened sank in. Silver and Zoe were covered in blood splatter. Zoe’s hands dropped, and the fire diminished. Silver embraced her sister who had tears falling down her face.

“It’s going to be okay, Zoe.” Silver promised as she glanced over at her hero who was also covered in blood and nothing else. She mouthed the words, ‘thank you’. Brock saved Zoe from the pain of killing someone. He was a killer. What was one more death on his hands, but Zoe was innocent.

Their torment was over. The tyrant was dead. She was free. They were all free and they owed Brock for that, Brock and Anastacia.

Anastacia took leadership of Joshua’s pack. She was the next alpha in line and would go unchallenged. Zoe, Felix, Edward, and Clara would return home to their own pride. Zoe needed training and would succeed as the next alpha of their pack. She would be a glorious leader and would have Felix and Silver to support her.

But first, Silver and Brock needed to finalize their commitment. After the turmoil had been cleaned up, Brock asked for Silver’s hand in marriage, and Edward granted permission, as long as Silver agreed. Brock had never felt more nervous in all his life as he walked with Silver in their family garden, a ring burning a hole in his pocket.

“I don’t know if there is ever a way to repay you for what you did for us.” Silver smiled shyly as he laced his fingers in hers.

It had been a week since the disastrous wedding, and their world was beginning to right itself. “I’m sure you’ll think of a way.” He grinned that cocky smile that made her knees go weak.

Things were different now. She had responsibilities, and he had no need to stick around. She was sure he needed to go back to work for his assassin order and could do so safely now that the contract on her life was removed. There was only one problem. They’d never had a chance to test their theory. Neither knew if they were true mates or not. A blush spread across her cheeks as she thought of the many ways they could test that hypothesis.

He sat down on the stone bench located near the rosebushes. He’d scouted out the garden earlier and decided this was the best place to ask her his important question. She sat down next to him. “I suppose we need to pick up where we left off.”

“No.” He shook his head.

Her heart plummeted to her feet. “No?”

“No, I don’t need to bed you to know what we have together is real.”

“Okay?” She was confused. “So…”

He knelt to the ground and pulled out the emerald ring surrounded by diamonds. “I’d like to jump to the next step and ask you to marry me.”

“What?” He had to be joking.

“My parents always said you’d know when you met your mate. You’d move heaven and earth to protect her. You’d sacrifice everything that you are to keep her safe. I’ve done that. Ever since our first kiss in the depths of that ship, I’ve protected you, and sacrificed myself and all I believe in to keep you safe. I don’t need to verify my feelings with sex to know we are mates. All I need is you.”

“But…” What if they weren’t true mates? She could bring herself to ask the question because she was overwhelmed with emotions. She was gun-shy, but knew there was enough of a connection between them that she couldn’t give it up.

He kissed her. It was a tender promise with so much urgency. “I need you.”

“And if we aren’t fated?” She had to know. Would he leave her?

“It doesn’t matter.”

“But it does.”

“No, because I don’t care if we’re fated or not. We are mates. I know this in my bones. You’re mine. I’m yours. Take a chance on us, Silver.”

She wanted to, she really did, but fear kept her from answering. “I really think…” His face fell and her heart ached to fix the pain in his eyes. “I think…”

‘You already called him your mate. You know the truth.’
Her cat advised.