Bones Of Contention: The McKinnon Legends - The American Men Book 3 (36 page)

They were standing in the predawn light.

Jamie was arguing the benefits of allowing Josh to touch her, fully catching her scent more deeply. “Gage, he is going to have to be able to track me should things go wrong. Even though I’m sure my power signature is easy to follow, we are just going to have to give him that extra edge, just in case.”

Josh agreed. “If I am close, I can follow the power signature, but once she is out of range, I won’t be able to feel that. It is very short lived, I am finding. Scent lingers much longer.”

“You understand what you are doing, right?” Gage looked to Jamie to know her own boundaries.

“Of course,” she responded without hesitation. She understood that she was giving Josh the ability to track her to the ends of the earth if it came down to it.

They were standing in the field just about to make the switch. Jamie bravely volunteered; no one had coerced her. He was so proud of her knowing she did not have to do this, but was willing to for Jesse’s sake.

Josh hated what he was doing. It was a choice no man should ever have to make, but ultimately Jamie made up his mind for him when she handed him back her necklace and a vile of her blood and told him to go see her father for reinforcements.

Josh was remembering that first meeting with her father.

“Who in the name of the universe are you?” Kronos’s voice vibrated through Josh almost disrupting his heartbeat. So, this was what a true Titan looked and felt like.

Josh shrugged. “I’m your best friend or worst nightmare depending on how this conversation goes.”

Holding his ground, Josh felt the power of the wizards begin to fully course through his veins. A deep calm passed over him as he was beginning to sense his full potential on the field of battle.

King Kronos burst out laughing. He found this young mortal amusing, brave, maybe foolish, but still amusing.

“Now, by what right do you think to invade my kingdom? What would be so important that you would fracture the treaty?”

“Jamie’s life and the life of my daughter. I would think this would be enough. And if not, then I have the invitation of your queen.”

The King sat up fully. “You have seen Brianna? What of Jamie? Are they coming home?”

“Not for me to say,” Josh answered honestly.

“Then you are welcome only if my wife returns. Now, do you stay and continue this farce, or do you tell me your true reason for entering the enemy camp?” Kronos pushed for an answer silently signaling his guards to come forward.

Josh was quicker. The Singing Sword was instantly at the king’s chest poised to pierce his heart.

“Jamie is right. You are an intelligent and clever being. She told me you would see right through that one. All right, I am here to defend the very treaty which you have not just fractured, but currently are in serious violation.”

The king was taken back by the accusations. “I have been true to the terms from the beginning. To do otherwise is foolish and counterproductive.”

“You have not kept a tight enough leash on one of your own. Does VanDarious ring any bells with you? As king you are ultimately responsible for the actions of your peoples.”

“Oh, that little nuisance.” He waved his hand around. “I should have not taken pity on that worm when he spoke against my choice of mate. Then he was outspoken when Jamie was born and I named her my heir. I confess it was an oversight and has been a thorn in my side for quite some time.” Kronos sighed almost dramatically.

Josh was livid at the flippant nature in which this being was treating the very creature set on killing the love of his life and the one currently in possession of his daughter.

The king continued his confession. “Brianna was right. I should have listened to her counsel, smart woman, and killed him as an example.”

Instead, the king had hoped for his subjects to learn a lesson from his actions and to learn to show some compassion. However, that is something they were completely incapable of doing, he feared. “Not in the nature or genes.”

“We cannot and should not fight what or who we are.” Josh felt the statement was never truer than at that very moment. He had always felt different. He had always fought for the underdog. He was always the first to step into harms way to shield and protect the innocent and weaker individuals and to fight for truth and justice. Sounded corny, but true all the same. Now, he understood why. It was in the very molecular makeup of his being. “The wizards understood this of the Fae’s nature, and that, my friend, is the only reason I even exist.”

“You’re a Protector.” Kronos nodded as if finally, fully understanding. He looked inquisitively at Josh and saw flashes of something else there. “Yes, you are one of the wizards' minions. However, I dare say not the only reason you exist. Nonetheless, I will not belabor the finer points with you. But who would have thought my wife and child would have fled feeling the Protectors more capable of keeping them safe than their very own husband and father?”

“Brianna is human, Kronos. As such she had faith in the wizards’ promise to keep her child alive. They held good to their word; she is still alive, and I plan on keeping her that way. It is purely a mother’s instinct to protect her child at all costs, even to the death of her own heart and happiness.”

Josh felt it was also in a father to do the same. He was living proof.

“Women. I will live to be ten million and will never come to understand them.” He laughed ironically at the thought of a mere mortal female being the one thing in the universe to completely baffle him. God only knew how much he missed his two girls, he inwardly confessed and not for the first time. They had been gone now several months.

He did not realize the true passage of time. Brianna and Jamie had been gone for over three thousand years.

“That is the universe’s irony, Kronos. We are not supposed to ever understand them. Just love and protect them.” Josh felt that to be an elemental truth. He realized he did not have to understand this new Jamie who was full of power and forces beyond his wildest imagination. He was only to love her, honor her, and protect her. The universe would take care of the rest. “So, friend or foe, what say you?”

Kronos drilled his gaze into Josh, and he instantly felt the barriers of protection Josh erected. Kronos had no power over this man, and he intuitively knew Josh would not be an easy man to kill. Yet, they were still not on even footing. Josh was inside and behind enemy lines and by all accounts prepared to die for the cause. Again, it was not an emotion unknown to him. His respect for this human increased exponentially.

“Entirely your call.” Josh held the Singing Sword point first to the heart of this Titan. Mortality was only a sword prick away for the immortal king.

Death for Josh would also be swift, but only if he was lucky. If not, then the Fae would use him for entertainment, and his death could take centuries if what Jamie said were true.

She had no way of knowing the information she shared would be used against her father. She had begrudgingly shared thinking he was going after VanDarious. He was, just not at the moment.

“I sense no fear in you. A man without fear is no man to be taken lightly,” Kronos puzzled. “The wizards have chosen their champion well, but I am not the enemy, Protector. Let us combine our forces to eliminate a common irritant. I want my child safe as much as you. I have no quarrel with the humans or any other for that matter.”

“I have your word, or the sacrifice will be the life of your wife should you forsake me.” Josh had no idea where that threat came from. Brianna was human. He could no more harm her than he could sacrifice his own child, something Kronos did not have to know.

“Ahh, a man who knows where to strike the deepest. I give you Brianna’s life should I break faith. However, you did not need her life to have me compliant. However, since we are haggling over the price for dishonor, there is a price for you as well, Protector.” Kronos slightly leaned into the sword point. It only served the purposed of showing Josh just how grave his words were. “You, too, have shown your hand. Should you break my faith, you will never see my child ever again. Jamie will be forever lost to you.”

“She is a grown woman and human. She can do as she pleases and you can go to hell,” Josh balked.

“SILENCE! She is Fae by blood and mine to command. Never forget that, Protector.” Kronos drilled coal black eyes into Josh who never batted an eye. “You so much as sidestep, and Jamie will be married off to the man I had chosen for her years ago. She will give him fine Fae children and live two hundred thousand of your lifetimes. I will see her freewill stripped, and she will be happy and compliant. All the while I will have you stand by and watch in your own specially made cage.”

Josh was on him in a flash, barely restraining his desire to kill him. “Touch her freewill to live her own life and there will never, ever be enough magic, space, or time to bring you peace from me, Titan.”

Kronos slowly grinned. “I like you, Protector. I think we have a deal.”

Josh brought himself back to the present.

“I’m sorry I did not trust you,” Josh whispered, standing close enough to her now that he could feel the warm waves of heat emanating from her body. He kissed the top of her head.

“I’m sorry, too, Josh, for many things, but for not what we had together and certainly not this. Don’t worry about me, I am Sidhe Fae and we are a slippery lot. Just get Jesse back safe and sound. That is all I ask. The rest will take care of itself.”

“You ready then?” He looked into her face for any sign of hesitation. He saw none.

She nodded not trusting her voice.

“Then this is for Alexander, the warrior, protector, defender of men.” He took his face and buried it into her neck, deeply inhaling, lightly trailing his tongue to get a taste of her from the tip of her collarbone to the lobe of her ear where he whispered. “And this is for Josh, just the man, who loves you fiercely.” Then he kissed her and took her deeply into his soul. He felt her heartbeat and then there were two, one like a hummingbird’s wings and one steady and strong.

She realized he had heard and remembered after all as she returned that one final kiss. True to her word to the wizards, she would be gone once the trade was completed. Because, like it or not, blood would be shed, the battle between right and wrong, good and evil was set. She just would not be there to see it.

As the wizards said, she would be one less distraction for Josh and his fighting men and women.

She would retreat into the fourth dimension, and live in agony for a very long time, and would dread every day that passed until the wizards showed up to claim the final tie to Josh ultimately taking her baby away. She had bargained for the life of her father and for the life of her Protector.

Josh finally let her go after the throat clearing of impatient warriors worked into his consciousness.

“When this is over, I’m going to marry you,” he promised.

“When this is over, we shall see. First you have to figure out a way not to kill me.”

“Just a technicality,” he teased. “Just remember to follow the plan. I’ll come for you as soon as I can.”

She nodded. This was it.

The plan was set. The exchange was to take place in the middle of the field. Both sides had fighting forces standing at ready. Jamie was to grab Jesse, run, and if possible, get her into the woods for cover. What VanDarious did not know was she had opened the passageway just hours past allowing King Kronos’ and his forces to emerge on the backside of VanDarious and his troops. In essence, VanDarious was surrounded by all sides. However, he was not holding to his end of the bargain. He was walking out with Jesse, knife at her throat.

“Steady, Josh.” Gage placed a restraining hand on him. “We have a contingency plan for this. Remember Jamie can stand on her own feet, and as long as he doesn’t kill her on the spot we have a fighting chance.”

Josh’s eyes widened. “Oh, God, she’s pregnant.” The realization crashed down around him that it was his unborn child’s heartbeat he had heard.  His unborn child as well as Jesse were now both at risk. The knowledge was his undoing. “We cannot let her go through with this now. He could kill them all.”

“Too late, the plan is in motion.” Gage and Jacob restrained him. “She knows what she is doing. You must trust her, Josh. We have no alternative.”

Josh watched in horror as Jesse and Jamie merged in the center of the field. Jamie stopped short with a gray mist swirling around her feet. It was coiling like a snake of evil intent. Just as quickly it vanished. He could not hear the exchange of words, but they were heated and angry. Jamie’s body language spoke volumes, and he felt the magic ripple across his skin. His mark was straining violently at the blatant use of the magic as he felt and saw Jamie and VanDarious covering the field with it. He could distinguish the two forces; one dark and slimy and one fresh, hot, and righteous. It worked to free his daughter as a flash of white, hot magic covered the field. He breathed a sigh of some relief when VanDarious let Jesse go. She ran head long into his arms, and he quickly passed her off to the waiting security officer to take her back to safety. She did not need to witness what was coming. The death of Mario had been too much already.

Jamie, for the first time in over three thousand years, looked back over her shoulder at the love of her life before going in to the waiting clutches of her worst enemy. Something in her face told him he would never see her again.

“Bring me the wizards!” Josh commanded. No one dared to move. “Now!” After that command no one dared not to, and none dared question how he knew the wizards were there.

As if by magic, they were there parting the crowd until they stood face to face with Josh.

“Difficult to handle,” the younger of the three stated as if to say, “I told you so.”

“I have only just begun to be difficult,” Josh yelled not one bit fearful of these creatures.

Josh waved the crowd away to give him some privacy. It was not hard. Most living, breathing beings never wanted to be this close to the wizards. They were just too scary an entity. However, Jamie’s death or total absence from his life scared him even more than these creatures.