Eternal Embrace (22 page)

Viktor stood as if waiting for them, but the other Lykae had gone farther inside the cave and only moved when Viktor swung his head around and yipped at him. Only then did he jump down from a ledge and walk over, giving Viktor a quick glance as he passed. If Jax had to guess, he thought the other wolf had doubted they’d return and had no doubt relayed that to Vik.

The changelings also appeared uneasy, but instead of standing, they remained where they’d been.

“Look, we need to get out of here, Vik. I can go to the council, reach Hunter and see if these collars can come off. She can also help out with all of you,” he added, including the changelings in the conversation. “But we need to know if that’s what you want.” Jaxon motioned to Joey. “Joey broke the spell, but we aren’t certain if draining your blood will work for all of you or if it’s because we’re vampires or because we’re bonded. There are too many unknowns at this point, but we should move out of this area and soon.”

Joey stepped closer to his side and squeezed his hand. “That’s true. I’m not sure how I knew that whatever they gave me could be taken out by draining my blood, I just knew.” She paused and tilted her head—thinking, he could tell from the bond they now shared. After only a second she continued. “I guess I felt something, the wrongness of my blood, as if whatever was in that syringe was killing my blood and replacing it with something else…or
someone
else.”

Two of the largest beasts rose from where they’d taken positions in front of most of the other changelings and stepped forward. Both acted as leaders. When Jaxon examined how the changelings had positioned themselves around the cave, he realised they were in two distinct groups, except for one lone lynx-type changeling who sat apart from the others.

“Can you understand that?” Joey asked the two changelings.

Both beasts nodded regally.

“So that would mean…testing, I suppose. But not like that place.” She pointed off outside the cave and grimaced.

“No, absolutely not. I can give you my word no cages, nothing like that will happen to you, but here’s the deal. Gerald is still out there. I need to call in and get reinforcements, and I need to know if you all are on board or want out.”

The two leaders turned and paced back to their separate groups. He watched them for a while, not seeing anything to indicate that they mind-spoke, but what would that look like anyway? The outsider stood, moving closer to the ones that resembled cats rather than the more like wolf-tigers. Joey moved closer to his side, leaning into him for support. He wrapped an arm around her waist and waited.

“They can communicate, like us, but not so directly, I’m guessing,” she murmured. “It was like that for me at least, sorta like a low hum.”

“Can you still sense them?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, and even then it was a sensation more than actual communication like we have through our mind speech.”

Jaxon nodded. It made sense, in a way. If the changelings were of the same species, it might also help them. Animals communicated non-verbally, why not immortals changed into animals? “What about you, Vik? Can you hear them?”

Viktor shook his head.

“We should work on that collar again,” Joey offered.

The beasts settled and Jax sensed they’d come to a decision. All but the two larger ones and the small, lynx, eased out of the cave.

“So, you two are on board, and you’ll go find them if this works?” he guessed.

“Have I told you how hot your mind makes me?”

“Shit, wait until I get you home, would you?”

“I’m tired, Jaxon. Really tired.”

“You missed two days of sleep. You should be tired. I’m amazed you’ve not fallen into at least the first sleep.”

“First sleep?”

“Damn, I can’t believe the things you can do just on pure instinct, and the things you don’t know. I need to get you home,” he said, watching her smile.

“First, call Hunter, and I guess your other immortal…buddies?” She scrunched her nose at that and he ruffled her gorgeous hair.

“No worries, I’m here for you. No one will touch you.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it, but Viktor and Hunter were tough enough to deal with…”

Viktor yipped and walked over to rub against her leg. Clearly, he was impressed with her. “Well, Vik approves, and the Russian bastard hardly likes anyone.”

Vik growled, but Jax grinned. Viktor wasn’t exactly Russian, but close enough that Jax always got a rise out of the lone wolf every time he said that.

“Make the call, then, okay? I’m afraid I’m going to fall down any minute.” Joey yawned then laughed, covering her mouth. “Yeah, a bit tired.”

He flipped his phone open and scrolled to Torque’s number, then decided to call Hunter instead. The witch would be worried. “All right, Hunter. She’ll call everyone else, and that witch can probably place us by our phone.”

“Place us?”

“Find us. She’s good with electronics,” he said, then grimaced remembering what she’d done to his last iPhone. “Don’t let her touch any of our computers,” he said, hitting Hunter’s number.

She answered on the second ring. “Jaxon, tell me you’ve not been kicked back all this time on a mini-vacation!”

“Hey, hello to you too—” He broke off when the pink-haired witch stumbled into the cave. She tossed her hair out of her eyes and scanned the area. “Yeah, not kicking back much,” he finished.

“Holy shit, we’re in, like, Russia. What’s with the wolves?”

“That’s Viktor and another Lykae we don’t know, and these are two changelings we’ve found, but maybe we can cure, because I was changed and now look at me,” Joey rapid-fired at the witch. She spluttered to a stop, covered her mouth and her eyes grew round. “Oh, was I supposed to tell her?”

Hunter’s mouth fell open until she shut it with a snap, then said, “Holy Danu, what was that? You were—”

“Not now,” Jaxon cut her off. “Just call in some of the crew. Let them know there’s another cell around two miles from here, in a valley and mostly underground. Around three miles north of that, you’ll find—”

“Wait, wait, you’re leaving? What’s up with that?” Hunter demanded.

“I’m tired, I’ve had a rough two days, or”—Joey broke off and looked at him—“six months and I want to go home.
Now
.”

“You heard her. We’re out of here. Vik, take care, and Hunter—that collar needs to come off.”

“Wait, you can’t go. I called Aidan, he’s…”

“Aidan?” Jaxon stood taller. If Aidan arrived and saw Joey, there’d be hell to pay and he wasn’t sure Aidan wouldn’t be the one paying. There was no way he was giving Joey up and no one, absolutely no one was taking her from him.

“Jax, what is it? What’s wrong now?”

“Aidan—”

Jaxon shut down their chat and spun, placing Joey behind him just as Aidan shifted into the cave.

“Jaxon, what the fuck is going on? Hunter, why the short message? If you’re going to bother leaving a message, explain the fucking thing.”

Aidan looked pissed off, as if Hunter had woken him from a sleep.

Hunter huffed her hair off her face and gave him a ‘duh’ look. “Sorry, geesh. I thought you were looking for Jaxon, and after he was taken, I thought you’d want to know he’s here, safe, kinda sound.”

“I’m fine. There was no need for you—”

“No?” Aidan drawled, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes on Jaxon’s face, then shifted his intense stare to Joey before looking back at Jaxon with an even angrier expression. “So, the rumours are true, then?”

Jax didn’t even bother to deny it, but he didn’t confirm it either.

“Jaxon, I asked you a question,” Aidan said after several seconds of silence.

Jax broadened his stance, preparing his body for a fight. Joey was his. No one, not Aidan, not Gerald would change that. “Did ya? I didn’t hear one, Aidan.”

Aidan’s dark brow creased and he snorted. He stalked to the side of the cave and examined Joey, then lifted a hand and beckoned to her. The hairs on Jaxon’s neck rose and his fangs lengthened at the threat to his mate.

“Come here, woman.”

Jaxon fisted his hands, ready to launch into a battle he was going to win against a man he’d called king for more centuries than either of them could probably remember.

Joey nudged him in the back, shocking him so badly he twisted to stare at her, then at Aidan. She’d not obeyed Aidan. The king of the vampires was more than a title. Aidan had power over others if he chose to use it. Jaxon checked in on his old buddy and wanted to grin.

Aidan appeared just as shocked as he’d been that his command was ignored. Well, not exactly ignored Jaxon realised taking stock of his mate. Joey was fuming. The ‘woman’
reference had set her completely off.

She dismissed Aidan with a snort, and turned to give him a cool look, too. “Who is this guy and what’s with the oh-so-subtle pissed vibe
going on?”

“I gave you an order, woman. Come here. Now.” The power in that voice hit Jaxon hard, but Joey frowned over at Aidan, then him.

“Jaxon, who is this jerk?”

“Wildcat, don’t you feel the need to do as he says?”

“Uh, no, why?”

“Woman!” Aidan growled.

“Hold on, just hold it, what’s going on?” Hunter demanded, stepping in front of Joey and facing Aidan.

Aidan frowned at her. “Out of my way. Jaxon, have you broken the laws? Tell me you—”

Joey gripped his wrist and yanked hard, getting his full attention with the frustration pouring off her. “That’s about enough of this! Jaxon, let’s go. I’m tired, I hurt and this guy is pissing me off, so let’s go before I’m forced to get my pipe and knock some manners into his thick skull,” she said, then under her breath muttered,
“
Come here,
woman
? Who says that
?”

No one said a word for a long intense moment, then Viktor snorted and shook his head, giving him a ‘what the fuck’ look only a wolf could manage.

“We’re going, calm down. Aidan just needs to learn that what’s mine is mine and not up for debate.” Jaxon met Aidan’s hard look with one of his own. He owed this man his life, but he’d more than paid him back over the centuries. Aidan had Jaxon’s loyalty, but not the right to dictate Jaxon’s happiness. Joey did. She wanted home. And he wanted to give her anything she wanted, let alone needed. King or not, Aidan would have to understand that. Better now than later.

“Aidan, this is my mate, Joey. She’s tired, as you heard, because we’ve just survived shit I don’t want to talk about. So, if you don’t mind, back the fuck off.”

“Oh,” Joey murmured, and linked her arm with his.

He hugged her close, ignored Aidan’s scowl and called their home. “Get hold of me only if you are in fucking dire straits, man.”

He shifted, pulling Joey in for a long, intense kiss.

“I’m so tired, Jaxon. So very tired.”

“Sleep, baby, I’ll be right here.”

As soon as her back hit the bed, she kissed him gently, and eased into sleep.

Amazed by her all over again, he pulled her close and breathed her in. Her scent and warmth gave him more peace than he’d ever experienced, let alone dreamt he’d have for the rest of his life on this Earth.

Laughing lightly, he kissed her smooth brow. She’d stood up to Aidan, the king of the vampires, and clearly, his power held no sway with her. What did it mean? Jaxon shook his head and settled behind her, securing their home with his mind, and making plans on how to wake her.

He’d need to get her those ice packs. Grinning once more, he sought out the things he’d need and moved them nearby, and finally, with Joey in his arms, fell into the first wakeful but replenishing sleep he’d had in months.

Chapter Nineteen

Joey woke to the smell of chocolate and sweet Rainier cherries. Abruptly, Jaxon’s warm, heavy and very aroused weight settled over her. A brush of something against her lips made her smile, and chocolate with the lush hint of cherries blossomed on her tongue. Immediately Jax’s warm lips covered hers.

“Morning, darlin’.”

She shifted against his heat, rubbed along his hard body and sighed at the rush of lust that bloomed in hers in reaction.
“Oh, Jaxon.”

“Mmm, I think I need to hear that a little louder, my love.”

He rolled and lifted her in his arms, breaking the kiss to press his mouth to her breasts. Within seconds he’d made her breathless. It wasn’t simply his mouth, he used his hands, too, stroking possessively over every inch of her he could reach. He rolled again, and she gasped as he dribbled dark chocolate on her nipples and slowly licked it off.

“Oh, Jaxon,” she gasped, unable to get enough oxygen to her lungs. His mouth was so hot, his body so perfect, she couldn’t bear to wait for him to slip inside and fill her. “Oh, Jaxon, that’s so good. So good.” She arched her hips off the bed and pulled his hair to keep him in place.

His warm, moist breath tickled her breast, then he suckled her hard enough to make her squeal and wrap her legs around his hips. He let go and lifted his head, giving her such a heated look, she felt like she might climax from his sensual expression.

“I think it’s time for more, don’t you, darlin’?” He dipped a finger in the bowl he’d positioned on the table next to the bed, covered it in the chocolate and slowly brought it to her lips. She lifted to meet him halfway, sucked every drop off hard enough to make him groan in pleasure. Good, because she wanted to suck chocolate off every inch of him. Excitement built in her breastbone, travelling down her body in a luscious burst of heat she knew would only grow hotter. If she had her way, Jaxon would burn right along with her, too.

“Jesus, baby,” he murmured, ducking his head to kiss her breast.

She moaned softly around his finger when he used his other hand to lightly pass over her pussy. At the sound, he whispered his fingers ever so lightly along her thighs, before tracing back along the sensitive path he’d created.

“Ah, you taste almost good enough to eat,” he murmured, then dribbled more of the chocolate on her stomach, making her gasp and release his finger. “Ah, I see, perhaps you are good enough to eat.”