Chapter Thirteen
Jade stared intently at her screen, trying to make sense of what she was reading. The text was fascinating, and she’d been devouring the old books, trying to find some clue as to how the mages figured out how to control humans. As far as she could tell, there were at least six separate sources from all over the world that talked about this kind of magic.
The knowledge itself didn’t seem to come from one single source, and she wondered how Stefan was able to gather all the information. It must have taken the mage years, traveling thousands of miles to find the right people and encantations. One of the books was translated from old Norwegian and talked about the runes, while another book in Swahili had at least the first part of the necessary spell. But, finding out how he got the spell was only a minor part. How it worked, and more importantly, how to stop it, were the more crucial tasks at hand.
In the beginning, she put off having to interview Marcus. Fear and apprehension prevented her from even looking at the mage. He had, after all, orchestrated her kidnapping and detention. The Alpha had been generous, giving her as much time as she needed before confronting Marcus. However, the clan needed her. She was the only person who could figure out how the mages were controlling the humans and how to stop them. Now, she was ready to face Marcus.
“Jade!” Meredith called from the main lab downstairs. The other Lycan was late. Usually, Meredith arrived at the lab at the same time or just before Jade arrived, escorted by one of the Lycan security people. Jade was surprised to find the lab empty that morning, but it meant she could work in peace.
“Good morning,” Jade replied as she descended the staircase.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Meredith said, plopping herself on her favorite office chair. The blonde Lycan had declared it her princess chair, and covered it in pink and purple glitter stickers, writing “Princess Meredith” all over the back. Jade had warned her that was vandalism, to which she replied, “Awesome. Put it on my tab.”
“What happened?”
“There was some excitement with my roommates.” She rolled her eyes. Her “roommates” were Marcus and Daric, who were detained on the same floor as her, deep in Fenrir Corporation’s super secret, secure bunker. Meredith had never actually seen either of them during her time there nor shared a room with them, but said roommates sounded much better than fellow prisoners. “Anyway, the security guys were tied up, not literally—but damn, have you seen that Tate Miller? Anyway, they were all busy, so there was no one to bring me here.”
“Well, I was just working, so no worries,” she turned to walk back up the stairs, but Meredith used her cat-like reflexes to bounce from her chair and catch her arm, spinning her around.
“Hold on, young lady! Aren’t you going to tell me what happened last night?”
Jade clamped her mouth shut, her face going red all the way to the tips of her ears. Oh, God. Last night. She still couldn’t believe it. Had it really happened? Waking up, alone in bed this morning, she wasn’t sure it was real. But the beard burns on her neck and between her thighs told her otherwise. She and Sebastian…on the couch. And then he slept over, right next to her on the bed. He held her all night, his rock hard body pressed up against her. It was still dark out this morning when she felt his lips on her cheek, murmuring an apology. There was some emergency at work, and he had to leave right away. She was half asleep, and she remembered reaching out to him—
“Hello? Earth to Jade?” Meredith waved a hand in front of her. “Oh. My. God. Was it that good that he literally fucked your brains out? Jade, you slut! High five!” The other Lycan raised a palm at her.
“Meredith!” she exclaimed, swatting the palm away “He didn’t…we didn’t…”
“You’re telling me nothing happened?”
“Well, not nothing.” God, she wished Lara were here. It was too bad she and Liam had to fly to San Francisco and wouldn’t be back until next week.
“So you guys…” Meredith wiggled her eyebrows.
“I’m not telling you anything about my private life!”
Meredith, of course, took that as an invitation to cajole her further. “I don’t need to know everything! Just the juicy bits! Although I should have known you didn’t serve him your cherry pie since you can still walk straight.”
Jade let out a pained groan. “Look, it’s not what you think. And by the way, your grand plan was a failure. We didn’t drive him away.”
“Well, that was the genius of my plan!” Meredith cackled. “I knew Sebastian would either leave you alone or pull his head out of his ass and finally admit he wanted you himself.”
“What?”
“Well, it worked, didn’t it? Jealousy on a man is so hot and Sebastian was off the charts last night! And while you may still be virgo intacta, you won’t be for long, will you?”
“I—”
“You’re welcome!” Meredith preened, giving her an exaggerated curtsey.
“Ugh!” Jade threw up her hands. “I don’t know—” A vibration from her pocket startled her, and she quickly fished her phone out. She frowned when she saw the unknown number on the screen. “Hello?”
“Jade, it’s Sebastian.”
Her stomach did flip-flops, hearing his rough voice. “Um, hi,” she said, feeling her face go hot. How could the bloody man make her blush over the phone? She quickly ran up the stairs to her inner office, locking the door behind her before Meredith could guess who it was.
“I’m sorry about this morning. We had an emergency with one of our jobs over in the Middle East,” he explained. “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. Dandy. Just great,” she said. God, did she sound like a dork? “How did you get my number?”
“I called my number from your phone before I left,” he explained. “Listen, I don’t have a lot of time to chat right now—I’m still putting out fires here—but I should be done here in a couple of hours. I’m taking you out tonight.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he said cryptically. “But wear something nice. A dress. Like you had on last night.” His voice was thick and warm like honey, and Jade wondered if he was thinking of the same thing she was. Could she go through with it? Maybe she should think about it first. Yes, she should step back and re-examine this whole thing.
“I’m not sure—”
“Great, I’ll pick you up at seven, darlin’,” he said, hanging up before she had a chance to protest.
Jade leaned back against her table, her brows knitting in confusion. He was taking her out? Like on a date? Honestly, she thought they could just go back to her apartment. It was a perfectly good place for sex, and she changed the sheets on her bed regularly. They didn’t need to go somewhere fancy. Maybe some takeout at her favorite Chinese place beforehand.
“Was that him?” Meredith asked as she burst into the room, the supposedly locked door flying open.
“That door was locked,” Jade said wryly.
“Did you forget who I am?” the other Lycan asked, waving a small metal tool in her hand. “You need a better lock.”
Jade sighed and shook her head.
“Soooooo,” Meredith said, sauntering over to her. “Are you going to see him?”
“I guess? I mean, yes. He’s taking me out tonight. He said I should wear something nice.”
“Woohoo! Shopping time!”
Jade groaned. It was a wonder she got any work done, spending half her days shopping. Looking at Meredith, dancing happily at the prospect of being able to get out of Fenrir, she sighed. I’m such a pushover.
***
“You look gorgeous,” Sebastian said, his eyes roaming over her. He was standing outside Jade’s door, looking handsome himself in a dark suit.
“Thank you,” Jade replied, her skin heating from his perusal. As much as she hated shopping, she was glad Meredith convinced her to pick this dress. She thought the white color was a bit much, but it was sexy. The lacy sheath dress skimmed her slim figure, ending in an asymmetrical hemline. The deep V neckline flattered her cleavage without being vulgar, and the peekaboo ladder-stitch insets under and between the bust line gave just a tiny hint of what was underneath. It was the back that made the dress show-stopping. Thin straps crisscrossed over her naked skin, intersecting over the lines of her Tree of Life tattoo. Her hair covered the back part, so she felt confident enough to wear the dress.
“Now go change,” he said gruffly.
“What?” she exclaimed.
“I can’t stand anyone else seeing you in that dress,” he said. “I’d end up spending half this date beating up anyone who looks at you and the other half trying not to tear it off. Go change, darlin’.”
Jade stomped back into her apartment and grabbed the white shawl hanging from her coat rack. With an exaggerated flourish, she draped it over her shoulders. “Better?” she asked sarcastically.
Sebastian gave her a quick kiss on the lips, a gesture that sent zings of electricity straight to her core. “It’ll do,” he said, tying the shawl around her. “I can unwrap you later.”
He offered his arm, and with a wry smile, she took it. They went downstairs, where his car was parked. He opened the door and helped her inside, then slipped into the driver’s side.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He flashed her a grin. “Like, I said, it’s a surprise.”
Sebastian drove expertly along the streets of Manhattan, heading downtown. They turned on 23rd Street and then slowed down as they approached 10th Avenue. He parked the car right underneath some old above-ground railroad tracks.
“We’re at The High Line,” Jade said, looking up at the old freight train line that was turned into a public park.
He said nothing, but exited the car and opened her door, helping her out. He led her to one of the metal staircase, holding her hand as they ascended.
When they finally reached the top, Jade took a sharp breath of air. They were in the middle part of the park where a table and two chairs were set up on the lawn, surrounded by hanging lantern lights. Two people dressed in white shirts and black pants were waiting next to the table. A champagne bucket was standing by the side, chilling a green and gold bottle.
“Sebastian, how did you…” Her eyes darted around her, still wondering how he pulled this off. The High Line was a public park, after all, and tonight, they seemed to be the only ones there.
“You like plants, right?” he said, leading her towards the table. He pulled out her chair and helped her sit. “I thought you’d like it here. Have you been here before?”
She nodded. It was one of the few times she ventured out of midtown. “I love the concept of using only local flora. Do you know that all the plants here were sourced from local growers, no more than a hundred miles from Manhattan? The landscaping was actually built to create different microclimates so that’s there’s less—” She stopped short and blushed. “Sorry. I must be boring you. Meredith calls it my ‘science word vomit’ and I’ve been trying my best not to do it.”
Sebastian chuckled. “You’re not boring me,” he said. “Not at all. I’ve never been here. Maybe you can show me the different plants later.”
“I’d like that,” she said.
Sebastian nodded to the two servers, and they quickly went to work. One opened the champagne bottle, and the other scurried to a small tent set up in the corner.
“Thank you,” she nodded and smiled at the young man who filled her glass. “What should we drink to?”
“How about…to the High Line?” he said.
“Yes, to the High Line.” They clinked glasses, and Jade took a delicate sip of the bubbly liquid.
“So, Doctor,” he teased. “What else can you tell me about this park?”
As the waiters brought them their food, Jade began to spout off facts she had read about the park. Being a biologist and bioengineer, she loved everything about the concept of not only re-using the old freight car tracks but also planting species endemic to the area, which meant less waste and fewer plants dying. Sebastian listened to her attentively, asking questions every now and then, which meant he was actually listening to her. She felt a little self-conscious though, as his steel gray eyes stared at her intently, lingering on her lips or between her breasts when he thought she wouldn’t notice. Or maybe he did want her to notice.
“I’ve talked your ear off, I’m afraid,” Jade said as she took a spoonful of the caramel cheesecake. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself? Where did you grow up? Do you have brothers and sisters?”
Sebastian’s eyes suddenly turned a dark, stormy gray, and his body tensed. “I’d rather not.”
“Oh,” Jade said lowering her eyes. The tension in the air was tangible, and Jade felt herself shrinking away from him. She turned her head towards the view of the Manhattan skyline, closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the cool air on her skin.
“Jade?”
She nearly jumped out of her chair, as Sebastian was suddenly beside her, his shadow looming overhead. “You move so quietly,” she said, putting a hand over her galloping heart. That masculine scent that seemed to cling to him wafted through the air, making her dizzy.
“I got you something,” he said, placing a robin’s egg blue box with a white ribbon on the table.
“I…” She touched the box with her finger. “Th—thank you.” No one had ever given her jewelry before nor did she see the point of buying some for herself, which is why she never wore any.
“You haven’t even opened it.”
Jade undid the white ribbon and opened the box. Inside, nestled in tissue paper, was a thin, delicate gold chain necklace. Lifting it up with her fingers, she realized it was actually three strands of chains linked together, each a different color of gold.
“May I?” he asked, offering his hand.
She nodded, and he helped her up, then made her turn around. His callused fingers brushed her hair aside, lingering a little longer on her skin. Taking the necklace from her, he draped it over her neck, letting the strands fall between her breasts.
“It suits you,” he proclaimed, leaning down and pressing a kiss on her shoulders. His lips seemed to brand her skin, and she suddenly felt dizzy and feverish. “You should wear jewelry more often.”
“Thank you,” she managed to say.
Sebastian twisted her around to face him, snaked an arm around her, and pulled her up, slamming his lips down on hers. The kiss was wild and passionate, and she thought her knees would buckle if he weren’t holding her up against him.
“Sebastian,” she moaned, her hands moving into his jacket to get as close to him as possible. The hard muscles underneath his shirt tensed and flexed under her touch and he moved in again for a rough kiss.
“Jade,” he rasped as he pulled away. “I can’t wait. Do you want to leave now?”
She nodded, not sure if she could speak.
“I got us a room, not far from here. Just give me a sec.” Sebastian walked over to the two servers, giving them curt instructions.
A hotel room. There was a small part of Jade that was disappointed. She thought that well, maybe he would take her to his home. Her curiosity was burning with all the secrets Sebastian Creed kept hidden. No, she told herself. Better not to know. There was no point, not when there would be nothing between them after tonight. A stab of pain gutted her, but she pushed it down.
Sebastian walked back to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. “Are you all right?”
Jade tugged her shawl around her tighter. “I’m fine.”
“Let’s go.”
Jade followed him down the metal steps and back into the car. The drive was short, less than five minutes, and they pulled up next to the tall, sleek building. A uniformed man waiting outside opened Jade’s door and helped her out, and then took the keys from Sebastian.
He guided her into the doors of the Gansevoort Chelsea Hotel, walking past the luxurious lobby and straight into the elevators. Jade felt her heart beat staccato rhythm against her chest. A few people got on the elevator with them, and she pressed herself back against the cold metal wall.
After a few minutes, they arrived on the top floor. They stepped out, and Sebastian led them to the door on the right, opening it swiftly with his keycard.
The first thing Jade noticed about the suite was the view—an entire wall was made of glass, giving them an incredible view of the Hudson River. The room itself was massive, decorated in a modern style in dark gray and black tones. There was a large sofa in the middle facing the window, a bar in the corner and a kitchen/dining area to the left.
“I hope you like the room,” Sebastian said, walking up behind her, removing his coat and loosening his tie. His arms came around her waist, pulling her to him. She gasped when she felt the bulge poking against her lower back. “Change your mind yet?”
She shook her head and then turned around in his arms. “No. I want this. I want you.”
With a low growl, Sebastian picked her up and walked them towards the bedroom, lying her down on the soft mattress. He removed the loosened tie and began to unbutton his shirt.
Her eyes devoured him. As he removed the shirt, she watched the muscles on his arms and chest ripple with contained power. She also found out the answer to her question that night at Blood Moon. The tattoos went from his left wrist all the way across his chest, a mix of various designs from tribal to classic to modern lines. There were a few military ones, too, and some she didn’t recognize. But she thought they were all beautiful and suited him so well. God, he was massive, and she felt a twinge of fear that he would crush her. But she knew he wouldn’t. Not Sebastian.
“Hmmm…” Jade mewled, throwing her head back. Suddenly, Sebastian grabbed her by her legs and pulled, hauling her up on his lap. She could feel his erection pushed up against her nakedness, and she grabbed onto his shoulders to get some leverage as she ground against him.
“Slow down, cowgirl,” he teased. “This won’t be like last night. This time, it’s gonna be the real thing. Are you ready?” His gray eyes searched hers, waiting on her, giving her one last chance to turn back.
Jade nodded. “Yes. Sebastian.”
He let out a growl from deep within his chest, and she thought she saw a flash of gold in his eyes. That was probably her imagination, her brain heady with pleasure. His hands reached behind her, finding the zipper of her dress and pulling it down. Jade eased down the straps on her shoulders, exposing her breasts to his heated gaze.
Sebastian bent his head, kissing her between her breasts, then capturing a nipple with his mouth. The sensation of his warm tongue on her sensitive nipples sent pleasure straight between her thighs.
“God, you’re so perfect,” he murmured against her skin.
Suddenly, her eyes flew open as she felt something against her thighs. Something…vibrating? “Sebastian!” she called.
“Yes, darlin’…” he soothed, his hand stroking her back and his mouth drawing in the other nipple.
“Sebastian…no…”
His head popped up, a confused look marring his face. “No?”
“I mean yes, but…there’s uhm…something vibrating in your, er…pants?”
Sebastian let out a cuss and released her. He shoved his hand into his pocket and retrieved his phone. “Shit!” he cursed, looking at the screen. With a sigh, he gave Jade an apologetic look. “I told the office to contact me for absolute emergencies only. Sorry, darlin’.”
“It’s fine,” she replied in a breathy tone. “Go ahead.”
With a nod, he answered the phone with a gruff hello, and then slid away from the bed. Jade watched as his ripped back muscles tensed. He slowly turned to face her.
The look on his face made Jade’s blood run cold. He put a hand over the receiver. “Where’s your phone?”
“It’s in my purse,” she answered.
“Go check it,” he urged.
Her heart thumped, and she knew something was going on. She slunk off the bed, pulling the straps of her dress up to cover herself. Walking out into the main suite, she snatched her purse and pulled her phone out. Eight missed calls. All from Fenrir. Dread gripped her chest like a vice, and she quickly tapped on the green button to call the number back.
“Dr. Cross,” Nick Vrost answered, his voice tight. “Where are you?”
“I’m…I’m out,” she said nervously.
“Are you safe? Do you have your protection detail with you?”
“Yes.” I supposed this counted, she thought to herself.
The Beta let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Stick to your security team. Whatever you do, don’t come to Fenrir. Go home.”
“Mr. Vrost, what’s going on?” She chewed on her lip, anxiously waiting for Nick to give her good news.
There was a pause, and finally, Nick spoke. “I’m afraid the mages tried to break into Fenrir. Marcus is dead.”
She let out a soft cry. “I’m sorry. I mean…” Oh God, she would never get to talk to Marcus now. They would never find out how the mages were controlling humans. It was all her fault for being so weak.
“Jade,” Sebastian called as he stood in the doorway. “Did they tell you?”
She nodded, the lump in her throat preventing her from speaking.
He padded over to her, gathering her in his arms. “I’ll keep you safe. I promise, nothing will happen to you.”
God, she wanted to break down. He was so big and warm, and she felt so safe. She wanted his comfort and his solace.
“You know who’s out to get you, don’t you?” he asked, his voice growing cold. “Tell me, Jade. Tell me so I can put him away.”
She tried to speak, but all that came out was a choked sob. “I…I don’t know.”
“You’re lying,” he growled, his hands going to her shoulders. “Tell me now.”
What was she supposed to say? Should she make something up? She shouldn’t have done this, shouldn’t have gotten so close to him. Now she not only lost the opportunity to deal a major blow to the mages, but their secret could be exposed. “I’m sorry, Sebastian,” she pulled away from him. “Take me home now, please.”
The anger seemed to roll off Sebastian, and she nearly shrank under the heaviness of the air around them. He turned as silent as a stone and stalked back to the bedroom. Jade stood there, rooted to the spot until he came out again, buttoning his shirt.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, not looking at her.
She followed him meekly, keeping her distance. It all seemed like a blur to her, the events whirling in her mind. Soon, she found herself in his car, and then they were right outside her apartment building. Her door clicked open and she stared at the short, stocky man waiting patiently for her.
“Dr. Cross, I’m Aiden James,” he said, holding out his hand, friendly blue eyes looking at her curiously.
She took it, and let him help her out of the car. When she heard the car door slam shut, she flinched visibly.
“Aiden is my right-hand man, Dr. Cross,” Sebastian explained as he walked around the car. “He’ll stay with you tonight.”
“Where are you going?” she asked, unable to help herself.
“Out,” he said brusquely. “I have work to do.”
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” Aiden said.
Sebastian said nothing but gave his friend a curt nod. He walked back to the driver’s side, slipped into the sleek car, and then started the engine.
Jade watched the car speed away. She felt an ache in her heart, clawing at her, and it wouldn’t stop until she sent it a plea. “No,” she choked.
“Did you say something, Dr. Cross?” Aiden asked.
“I didn’t…I mean, I’m just tired,” she sighed.
“No worries. Sebastian wants to make sure you’re safe for tonight. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll be crashing on your couch, but I won’t be sleeping,” Aiden explained. He nodded to the car parked across the street. “Additionally, we have two guys watching your building.”
“Uhm, thank you,” she mumbled.
“No worries, Dr. Cross. Sebastian had this on top priority. Anything you need or want, just tell us, okay?”
“Thank you, Mr. James,” she replied.
Aiden nodded. “Of course. Let’s head back to your place and make sure you’re settled in. Don’t worry about anything. You can sleep soundly tonight.”
Jade very much doubted that.