Stone Cold Seduction

Chapter Nineteen

Fated.

How dare he throw that word in my face?

My father straightened and brushed his hands on his neatly pressed pants. There wasn’t a smudge, stain or wrinkle on his suit.

I, on the other hand, looked like hell. Covered in blood, clothes full of ragged holes from the dagger, we couldn’t have looked any more different. I was fiercely proud of the fact. I wanted him to know I wouldn’t make this neat and tidy. Ever.

Jedren tugged the cuff of his sleeves in a dismissive gesture, then turned toward the seated hunters. “As you can see, I have her well in hand. Thank you so much for your dedication to the Council. The souls will be returned shortly, and I will make a personal apology on behalf of our family.” He looked back down at me. “After Elleodora is settled in.”

I refused to react to his taunting. No matter how badly I wanted to kick him. Muted sounds echoed in the room as the hunters got to their feet. They walked past me, but only Maura stepped into my line of vision.

“Ciao,” she purred, in that throaty voice I loathed.

“Run away from me. Now,” I whispered back.

She cursed as her feet unwillingly rushed to obey. We’d see each other again. And it would be ugly.

I looked forward to it.

Blythe hesitated next to me and looked toward Jedren. “Shall I stop the bleeding?”

I didn’t know if she offered honest help, or if she was merely showing deference to my father. I didn’t really care. She was a hunter. That lumped her into the category of enemy. The list was growing at an alarming rate.

He nodded and she knelt beside me. Green eyes met mine, momentarily breaking my stare-down with my father. She placed her hand above my heart and I felt the warming tingle as the healing process began. I couldn’t drum up any feelings of gratitude. I stayed still, watching.

Her long blonde hair fell around her face, obscuring her from the others’ view. She mouthed something to me.

I blinked in confusion. Was she chanting?

“You are the one,” she mouthed again, her eyes imploring me.

Gwen had said something similar. The one for what? Blythe was a hunter. One I neither knew nor trusted. It didn’t make sense. I just wanted everyone to leave.

She seemed to sense my mood. Blythe stood and walked out without another word.

Good riddance to all of them.

Jedren waited until all of the hunters except for MacLean and Jax were gone. I knew Teryl was still here, too, but I couldn’t see any of the three of them from where I lay.

“I mentioned before, all you had to do was ask for your fate.” Jedren watched me with a curious expression. Waiting.

I didn’t take the bait. I stared at the ceiling, and concentrated on my breath, testing to see how the stab wound felt if I inhaled normally. A slight twinge, but manageable.

He sighed and motioned to Luke. “Fetch the parchment from my office.” He stared down at me. “When you become my heir, I can guarantee the protection of those you love.”

My laugh caught us both by surprise. He had to be joking. Jedren had no clue what love or protection meant. “The only one you need to protect is you.”

The threat fell flat, even to my ears, and my father smiled. “Teryl, I’ll forget your part in this as soon as my daughter has moved home.”

My eyelids flickered. He knew he had me. Now he wanted to rub it in.

“I won’t give up my shop.” I would fight him on that. I had worked too damned hard. I wouldn’t let him take that away from me. It was the one thing I had that was mine. My creation, my inspiration, and my passion.

“You won’t have time to run it. You have bigger and better things to concern yourself with now. Your little store was a nice distraction, but it’s no longer of any importance.”

“Emmaline’s stays open. I’ll hire a manager, but I won’t sell.”

He lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “As long as you manage your duties as my heir and it doesn’t interfere, I don’t care.”

My duties as his heir? The thought of following in his footsteps made me sick. Sick at heart, and sick to my stomach. I wouldn’t make this easy for him.

“I have stipulations,” I managed to bite out.

Jedren lifted one silver brow at me. He let his gaze travel over my prone, bleeding form with disdain. “Stipulations? You’re serious?”

Yeah, I wasn’t in much shape to negotiate. But I wouldn’t cave easily, either. Not anymore. This trip had changed me. And he still didn’t know the extent of my abilities. “Yes, stipulations. Protection for Teryl and Clio isn’t enough.”

He folded his hands behind his back, and rocked back on his heels. “Hmm. Name them.”

I tried to move, but a sharp pain in my dislocated shoulder had me panting. Under the pain was a slither of unease. Why would he even consider listening to my conditions? Of course he had an ulterior motive. I expected it. But maybe, in this case, it would work to my advantage. Living with him would be hell. However, if I played my cards right, it would give me protection, resources, a shot at Luke, and…

And my head hurt. Thinking made it worse. Damn.

Jedren exhaled when I didn’t answer. “You are too weak for this. We’ll talk on Wednesday about your stipulations. After you’ve returned to Seattle and cleaned yourself up.” He gave me another look of disgust.

I didn’t care. Now I had time to think about it when I could finish a complete thought.

Luke reappeared, and handed my father a roll of parchment.

“Get up, Elleodora,” Jedren said disdainfully.

My body twitched and obeyed. Blythe hadn’t healed my dislocated shoulder or the concussion, just the stab wounds. I groaned and blinked, trying to bring the tilting room into balance. Why couldn’t one of my abilities be magical healing powers?

“I believe you’re finally ready to have this.” My father offered me the parchment. I made no move to touch it. The skin around his mouth tightened. “Your fate. Take it. Now.”

My right hand came out and grabbed it. I made no move to open it, just waited. I wouldn’t make this easy for him. If he thought he’d snap his fingers and I’d jump to obey, he’d better think again. I could only be pushed so far. I wasn’t a cowering child. Not anymore. And he’d figure it out, starting now.

Jedren tipped his head, as if perplexed by my behavior. “I have to get back to Seattle. You can show yourselves out. One week, Elleodora.” And then he and Luke walked out. Just like that.

The second the door closed, the guys surrounded me, talking over each other.

“Sit in this chair! We need to look at your injuries.”

“Damn it! I couldn’t move.”

“We have to get you to a doctor.”

I ignored them, only stood and stared at the door long after the sound of Jedren’s car faded. I had my fate, but in my heart, I knew this trip had been a complete and utter failure.

I’d walked into a trap. One set by Jax and my father.

For a brief moment, I wished I could go back to one week ago. Before I’d known about gargoyles and shadow elves. Before I’d known about fates and oracles. Before I’d met MacLean and remembered our history. And especially before I’d acknowledged I loved Jax. I didn’t know if I’d ever get over that.

“Elle.” Teryl gently put his arm around me.

I cringed and stepped away. “My shoulder.”

Teryl seemed to notice my left arm was still hanging awkwardly at my side. He took in the rest of my appearance. His face was solemn and sad. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. You came after me. That counts.” The words were heavy in my throat. I didn’t want to cry anymore. Tears were useless. Besides, my head hurt too damned bad. I wished I would stop seeing double. “I might have a concussion.”

Teryl brushed my hair aside carefully, and studied the contusion. “Yeah, that’s a bad one. Let’s get you to a doctor.”

“I won’t let him hurt Clio.”

He met my gaze and forced a smiled. “I know. But at what price?”

“It’s not your choice to make.” True love wasn’t in the cards for me, but I’d be damned if he lost a chance at his. No one else would suffer, not if I could help it.

Anger twisted his normally cheerful features. “It’s not your choice, either. He’s forcing you to do his bidding. Just like he’s done with everyone else. You’re just as much a victim as the rest of us. That son of a bitch.”

I cringed at a sharp pain in my head, and Teryl immediately apologized. “Shit, I’m sorry. I just…I can’t…” He sighed and stared at the floor. “I’m so sorry we weren’t here in time.”

Me, too. But…shoulda, coulda, woulda. It didn’t matter now. I waited for numbness to set in. I hoped it would be soon. I didn’t want to talk anymore.

MacLean reached for my left hand, then hesitated as he, too, took in the limp, twisted way my arm was hanging. “Let’s get you to a doctor. I can’t begin to explain how I felt tonight.”

I held up my good hand, with the roll of paper. “Please, don’t. Not now. I just want to get out of here.”

Nausea rolled through me, and I bent over, inhaling deep, gulping breaths. Please don’t get sick, please don’t get sick, I silently begged my stomach. I only had a tiny shred of dignity intact, but I wanted to keep it. Explanations would have to wait.

“Little gem.” Jax’s deep voice was quiet, but I flinched. “Please, let me explain.”

I didn’t look at him as the nausea passed and I stood upright.

Teryl shifted from foot to foot. “Ah, okay then. MacLean and I will just, ah, head outside. Is that okay?”

I gave him a quick nod, which I immediately regretted as my head protested the movement. I waited until the door shut behind them before turning to look at Jax. He was back to normal. No glowing eyes. No massive wings. Just a shirtless Jax.

“One minute, Jax. It’s more than you deserve.” I wanted him to deny everything. I wanted him to offer a hundred valid reasons for his role in this nightmare. I wanted him to go back and protect me like a mate was supposed to.

I felt a movement in the bond between us, like a heartbeat. It was weak and unsteady.

“Little gem,” he said again.

“No. Don’t call me that. Say your piece, and then I’m leaving.” I should have walked out with Mac and Teryl.

He lifted his hands, then dropped them back at his sides. “I’ve been watching out for you and protecting you this entire time. Not trying to hurt you. I would never do that. If you believe nothing else, believe that. The contract I have with him is not what you think.”

Furious, I flung the roll of parchment at him. “You’re damned right! Nothing is what I think! But I can honestly say the last thing I expected today was to see you waltz in and announce you were a hunter. That you still worked for my father!” My chest heaved as I fought to breathe through the massive ache in my heart.

“I am not working for him.” His voice remained calm.

My entire body shook with the force of my anger. “Right! When you two talked about the contract, that must have been code for, what, a coffee date? You’re his maid and forgot to clean his house? Give me a break, Jax.”

He took a step toward me. “It was a contract he took out over ten years ago. Before I first saw you. Before I knew you were his daughter.”

He fell silent.

“I’m waiting for you to explain,” I yelled, tears falling, unheeded. I couldn’t ignore the side of me that desperately wanted and waited for him to offer a plausible excuse. To make me believe he really was on my side and not my father’s. To tell me this was all one, big, unbelievable mistake. Or better yet, another nightmare.

“I love you,” he said.

Three words I would have given anything to hear a few days ago now fell flat. A cruel mockery of the bond between us. “That’s your explanation? I don’t believe you.”

“I need you to know. No matter what happened today. No matter what happens tomorrow. I love you.” His deep voice shook a little. His fists clenched and unclenched.

“You’re down to thirty seconds,” I replied, voice tight. I wasn’t buying it. I thought my heart had shattered completely when he’d walked in earlier. I was wrong. Hearing him say he loved me was like another knife to my heart.

“Before I saw you ten years ago, your father hired me. An open-ended contract. It’s common for hunters.”

“To hire out like mercenaries? Interesting.” I didn’t try to rein in the scathing edge to my tone.

“No, not mercenaries. We offer our services, typically as bodyguards. When the Council doesn’t need us.”

“Right. A mercenary. I thought common gargoyles did that.”

“They do. So do hunters. A gargoyle hunter is a bonus.”

I remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“When my parents died, I lived with my mother’s family. They have been Jedren’s bodyguards for decades.” He looked at me expectantly.

“You are just now getting around to telling me this? Now that I’ve been trapped by my father, with your help? Ten seconds.”

“Damn it,” he bit out. “I can’t explain this in a minute.”

“Goodbye, Jax.” And I turned and walked away. I kept my spine straight, though the pain inside begged for me to curl up and bawl my eyes out.

Right before my hand reached the doorknob, I heard him call out. “You’re mine. I won’t give up on us.” The deep, ragged tone tore through me, but I ruthlessly ignored him.

I didn’t hesitate as I walked through the door and out of his life. I let the door close behind me with a soft thud.

And I left my heart behind.