Their Taydelaan (8 page)

loss. Jade had not only left the area, she’d somehow managed to block their connection in their dreams. It’d been the longest week in both

their lives, and Zack was seriously considering taking his lover home to Sesturia for a while. At least there they would have the love and

support of their families.

He sighed as he tried not to think of the woman who’d invaded his

heart. She’d been frightened the first time she’d met Mitchell in the hospital, and neither of them had been able to learn why. Zack had set the problem aside, arrogantly assuming that once the mating link

became stronger that they’d know. But it seemed that by not pressing

the point or asking her directly, they’d missed an important problem.

He felt certain that whatever caused her sudden, nearly violent

withdrawal was also the cause of her fear.

“I’m sorry,” Mitchell whispered for the hundredth time. He was

blaming himself, worried that he hadn’t controlled the enzyme well

Their Taydelaan

55

enough, that he’d somehow scared their woman away. The link had

been broken so completely that the enzyme wasn’t even producing in

Mitchell’s body anymore. Nothing highlighted their loss more than

that.

Zack heard the knock on the door and really wanted to ignore

their unwanted visitor, but a moment later the bell rang several times, and it pissed him off enough to get his ass out of bed. He kissed

Mitchell’s cheek as he pulled the blankets back into place and then

went to deal with their unwelcome guest.

But when he opened the door to Jed, his anger slid away, and he

invited the official leader of the Sesturian community on Earth into

their home.

Jed didn’t waste any time with small talk. “I heard about your

problems with Kayla’s sister, and I wanted to make sure that you

understood the situation.”

Understood the situation? What was to understand? Jade didn’t

want them. End of story.

Jed watched him closely for a moment, as if he was reading

Zack’s body language, or maybe waiting for him to say something.

Zack kept his mouth closed and his expression neutral. Jed may be the equivalent of a governor in his world, but he really didn’t have a clue what Zack and Mitchell were going through.

“The concept of a Taydelaan is probably more complex than

many of our people know. Your potential third isn’t just one person,

but rather a type of person,” Jed began, managing to shock Zack into

stunned silence in the process. Everything he knew pointed to a one

and only Taydelaan, not a choice. “It’s a combination of things that makes a Taydelaan a perfect match, but there is always more than one

person who would fit the description. It’s not a high number. It’s

something like one in half a million, but with six billion people on this planet, it means that there is a good chance that you will meet another woman who’ll be your Taydelaan.”

56

Rachel Clark

“But we want Jade,” Mitchell said from the doorway. He leaned

against the door jamb, looking tired and beaten, but he held his jaw stubbornly.

“Jade has already closed her connection to you,” Jed said in the

type of voice Zack had heard on self-help commercials—kind but

firm. “If she wanted to be your Taydelaan, she wouldn’t have been

able to do that.”

Zack could feel Mitchell’s determination falter. She
had
been able to shut them out. It certainly wasn’t the actions of a woman willing to love them. “What if she’s just scared?” Zack asked, trying to deny

how desperate he must sound. “What if something in her past made it

difficult for her to accept our love?”

Jed considered his words for a moment and nodded slowly. “I

suppose that could be true. Fear can override some pretty strong

emotions, especially if memories intrude. Did you sense anything in

the partial link that you had? Any memory or trauma that could

explain her sudden withdrawal?”

Zack shook his head in frustration, but Mitchell pushed himself

off the wall and stood taller. “The day I met her,” he said, frowning as he tried to put into words what he’d felt, “she nearly freaked out when I tried to stop her walking away. I didn’t do anything that could be

considered threatening, but her reaction was well out of proportion.

She practically ran the length of the hallway when I let her past.”

“And after her…uhm…orgasm,” Zack added, glancing at Jed in

mild embarrassment to be discussing something so private with a man

who was virtually a stranger, “I sensed something about an ex-

boyfriend or ex-lover, something that left her feeling unloved.”

Mitchell walked into the room and wrapped his arms around Zack.

“I felt that, too,” he said quietly.

“Well, I think the best thing you can do is go after her,” Jed said

decisively. “Find out what she really feels. If she truly doesn’t love you, at least you’ll know for certain and can move on with your lives.

Their Taydelaan

57

And if she does love you, well I guess I’ll see you at the Joining

Ceremony.” Jed shook both their hands and left without any fanfare.

“Let’s pack some clothes,” Zack said, already mentally planning

their trip. Technically, Jade was only three hours away, so they could make the trip there and back in a day, but he had every intention of

parking themselves on her doorstep until she admitted the truth or

kicked them to the curb. Either way, he wasn’t planning on it being a short visit.

* * * *

Jade pulled her car into the driveway and rested her head on the

steering wheel, trying to find the energy to climb out of the car and into bed. Since leaving her men behind, she hadn’t felt the inclination to do anything. She only went to work because she couldn’t afford to

lose her job, otherwise she would’ve stayed in bed for the entire

week.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and looked

over just as the door was flung open. Jade gasped as a rough hand

grabbed her arm and tried to pull her from the car. The seat belt

jammed, and a male voice cursed before leaning over her and undoing

the clasp. Strong arms dragged her from the car and slammed her

back against the door panel.

“Where the hell have you been?” The familiar voice made her

cringe, and she really, really wished she hadn’t come home today.

“Duncan,” she said in a breathless, frightened voice even though

she was trying to hide her fear, “why are you here?”

“I need more money,” he growled as he kicked the car door closed

and dragged her to the front door of her home. “And I don’t like

waiting.”

She frantically searched through her bag, trying to find her keys

with shaking hands. She knew from bitter experience that when he

was like this the slightest thing could set him off. She swallowed

58

Rachel Clark

nervously as her fingers finally wrapped around the house keys. She

tried to fit the key into the lock, but he grabbed them from her, undid the lock, and pushed her inside ahead of him. For a crazy moment she

considered shoving the door closed in his face, but she knew he’d

quickly find a way in and his resulting anger would bring far more

danger.

“Money,” he reminded her as she stood dumbly in the hallway,

wondering how the hell she’d ever considered herself in love with this man.

“I don’t have much at the moment,” she said truthfully. Hell, she

could barely keep up with the day-to-day bills lately, and thanks to

this man, her savings were nonexistent.

“Well then,” he said, taking a menacing step closer, “this visit is

not going to go well for you, is it.”

“Duncan,” she said, trying to sound reasonable instead of scared

to death, “I gave you everything I had last time. I can’t give you what I don’t have.”

“Fine,” he said, sounding really pissed off, “I’ll take your

mother’s jewelry.” The only thing of any real value in her mother’s

jewelry box was her engagement ring, and she’d fight tooth and nail

before she handed it over to this asshole.

“It’s never going to stop, is it?” she asked, finally realizing that he would always be back for more. After the last time, she’d thought it

was over, that he’d finally taken everything of value and would never be back. Obviously, she’d been wrong.

He laughed at her, his golden good looks and bright smile belying

the beast within. “Well that depends, darlin’,” he drawled as he

stalked closer, “on how quickly you can get them pretty jewels for

me. I might stop if you ask really, really nice like.”

The look he gave her had her heart hammering in her throat. She

could barely breathe. Panic wrapped her gut, squeezed tight. She

knew what came next.

Their Taydelaan

59

Chapter Eight

As Mitchell slowed the car so they could find the correct house,

Jade’s fear slammed into them like a sledgehammer. Momentarily

stunned by the link’s reconnection, Mitchell stopped in the middle of the street and glanced over his shoulder at a small, tidy house. He was certain that’s where Jade was, but he couldn’t identify the source of her terror.

He put the car in reverse and backed up to park the car out front of

Jade’s home. A quick glance at the letterbox confirmed the house

number Kayla had given them. As he stepped out of the car he felt

Jade’s sudden spike in terror. She wasn’t frightened of them. She

wasn’t even aware they were here. Something, or someone, inside the

house was the reason for her fear. Terrified for her, he didn’t bother knocking. Just burst through the front door.

Mitchell dragged the man away from her, his fist landing on the

man’s jaw before he could even consider the implications. Zack

moved to help Jade. She still had her jeans on, but her shirt had been ripped in two.

The man groaned, pushed himself to his feet, and growled in

irritation. “Who the fuck are you?” he yelled. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

Mitchell turned to Jade, trying to understand what the hell was

going on. Kayla had said this was Jade’s house, that she lived alone.

Mitchell saw the man’s swift attack just in time to counter it. Off

balance, Jade’s attacker fell awkwardly into the wall.

“Your house?” Mitchell asked as he stood over the man

aggressively. “Explain to me how this is your house.”

60

Rachel Clark

“Simple, that whore,” he said, pointing to Jade, “is my wife, so

this is my house. Now get the fuck out of my house.”

“Jade?” Zack asked the woman in his arms. “You married this

asshole?”

“Divorced him, too,” she said defiantly.

“Oh, look how brave you are now,” the man said as he pushed

himself upright and took a step closer. Zack moved to stand between

Jade and her ex-husband. The man smiled mockingly at Zack’s

protective stance. “Don’t worry, slut, when they get tired of your

constant nagging, I’ll be back to finish what I started.” He laughed as he stepped out the door. Mitchell wanted to follow him out and finish what he’d started with his fists. But Jade’s fear still called to him, and he moved to wrap her and Zack in his arms.

“I’m sorry,” she said as reaction set in and tears started to fall.

“I’m sorry that I hurt you. Th…thank you for coming to help me.”

* * * *

Jade couldn’t seem to stop the tears. She’d never felt more alone

than she had when Duncan had been tearing at her clothes. If Zack

and Mitchell hadn’t chosen that moment to come through the door,

she had no doubt that her ex would’ve followed through on his

threats. He’d done so before. She shuddered at the filthy feeling the man’s touch had left behind.

“I need a shower,” she managed to sob through the unstoppable

tears.

“Baby,” Zack said as he held her carefully, “you should report this

to the police first. You’re already bruising around your breasts and

stomach.”

She glanced down at her chest, almost surprised to see the

circular, finger-shaped bruises. Adrenaline still pumped through her veins and seemed to be masking the pain.

Their Taydelaan

61

“I don’t want to involve the police,” she said as embarrassment

slid through her. She should’ve reported him the first time he raped

her, but she’d always felt particularly ashamed that she’d invited that man into her life in the first place. Explaining her stupidity to officers of the law just seemed too humiliating. Duncan had been threatening

and demanding money from her for years, and that just wasn’t

something she wanted to explain in minute detail.

Mitchell nodded as if he’d heard every thought in her head.

“We’ll protect you,” he said in a strong voice, “but what happens

to the next woman he chooses to harass?” Guilt warred with

embarrassment even though she knew going to the police was the

right thing to do.

“All right,” she said, trying to swallow her misgivings, “I’ll report him to the police. I never should’ve married the asshole in the first place.”

“Why did you?” Mitchell asked.

“I don’t remember,” she said honestly. “I was tired of being alone,

could hear my biological clock ticking, and wanted a family. I guess I didn’t see the man for what he really was until it was too late.” She shook her head, disgusted at her own weakness. Had she been so