Chapter 21
Her thundering heart finally calmed down as she shut herself in the bedroom and quickly opened the window in case she needed a quick escape.
The bastards tracked her down by some miracle. Why would they assume the pillar? Or had Josephine assumed she’d go for a landmark? How would she know about it?
Of course, her men knew. She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Hopefully hiding the car was enough to keep them from the hotel. Not that it was totally hidden, but it was back to blue with the original plates.
Not that she thought they actually saw her car. No, they hadn’t made it to their trucks yet. She had cut it close, though.
The knock on the door nearly made her jump out of her skin. She hurried to the window and climbed up to slip out.
Chatan came around the back with a raised brow. “You gonna let me in, or are we hiding somewhere else?”
She’d seen him on her way back to the main street, but he hadn’t recognized her then, had he?
“Shit, you scared me.”
“Imagine my surprise when I found your car gone when I came to look for you.”
Her arms crossed over her chest. “I’m not a damned prisoner. I can come and go as I please.”
“Yes, you can. Doesn’t mean I won’t worry when I don’t know where you are. Especially at night, and twice as bad when I know those assholes want to find you.”
“I’m not afraid of them.”
“You’re shaking, Jacinda.”
“Adrenaline rush. Not fear. I can take care of myself.”
“No one said you couldn’t. Now, are you going to let me in, or am I climbing in?”
“I wouldn’t try it. You’re pissing me off.”
He put his hands on the sill, one corner of his mouth tipping up. “Come on, Jace. I only went to the town meeting because I had to. I didn’t want to leave you.”
She sighed and plopped onto the bed, then pulled her legs up cross-legged. “Fine, come in, since you seem determined.”
He hopped through the window with ease and stretched out beside her without reaching for her hand. “Why so aggravated with me?”
“Everyone in general. First you, then your aunt and cousin. Look, I appreciate the concern, but I’m an adult who doesn’t need a constant babysitter. And if you think you and I having sex means you can expect status reports, you can fuck off.”
Chatan sat up and caught her hands. “No, I don’t expect status reports, and I need to remember you’re not used to checking in with anyone. I don’t have that. Everyone expects me to check in and I’m thirty.”
“I’m never going to be someone who constantly checks in. Not for anyone.”
He nodded. “You notice I’m not yelling at you, I’m not telling you to change?”
“Thanks.
He blew out a breath. “I want to, but I realize that’s not you. How do you change your car color?”
“Magic,” she answered simply, not wanting to get into the details of transmuting. Because the car wasn’t just an illusion. It was fully changing the molecular structure, though not by much, to alter the color. She did the same with her hair long enough to get back to the motel.
“Okay. By the way, Joe and Loval are dealing with those assholes. You slashed their tires?”
She nodded. “Yeah, wanted a chance to get out of there in my car, not on foot. Wasn’t sure I could outrun them, and I wasn’t sure what they’d do if they found my car, which was hidden with an illusion.”
“Makes sense.”
He trailed a finger over the bracelet and smiled. Then he met her eyes. “You found this there, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “Not quite on this plane, though I’m not sure how to explain that.”
“Like the island.”
“Something like that.”
He turned her wrist over and tipped his head. “It’s missing a stone.”
She shrugged. “This was how I found it. Mostly. It adjusted itself to fit my wrist. It was larger.”
He grinned. “More reason to believe you’re the one to help free Dove.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know about all that. Besides, it’s missing the symbol for dove.”
“You remember what I told you?”
“Of course I do.”
“No, about you being the one to free her? I think she’s still locked away under the waterfall, which means her symbol is there.”
“And you already told me I can’t go under it.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way.”
Her head tipped. “You’re not going to argue?”
Lying down, he pulled her with him. “Nope. Not arguing. I’ll politely request you to keep me informed so I know when to worry when those assholes are roaming around. Strictly so I can find you if you don’t come back.”
“But only if I’m in danger.”
“Of course. And yes, we all need help sometimes,” he murmured. “But right now, I need you.”
Her smile spread as she leaned into him. “You need me?”
He took her hand, guiding it to his hard length. “What do you think?”
She bit her lip, looking into his eyes. He made her feel alive in ways she’d never felt in the past, and he wanted to show her what he felt. Arguing with that was impossible.
She lifted a hand and cast a spell to trap the sound inside, just in case the guys from Saint Morton wandered back over to Wanatoga.
“Not mad anymore?” Chatan whispered against her ear as he caressed up her side.
“You’re not trying to control me. You just want me safe. So no.”
“Thought about you all night, Jacinda. And when I found your car gone, it scared the hell out of me. I’ve seen what’s left when Josephine gets done.”
There were a few questions on her mind, like what the hell were they doing if they knew this chick was killing so many, but she wanted to forget that and focus on Chatan.
“Thought about you too,” she answered, then trailed her fingers down his chest.
“Let me stay tonight. I want to make love to you until we can’t move, then hold you until morning.”
She answered with a kiss.
* * * *
Mason stormed into the barn with Butch on his heels. He wanted to turn around and slug the bastard, but he didn’t. He kept moving, only stopping when he was an inch before Josephine.
“We need to take Chatan. He’s hiding her. I’m positive of it. It’s going to be the only way to get to her.”
Smiling, Josephine nodded. “I agree. But not tonight. I understand they already got the better of you all.”
He sighed. “She was there. She found something at that damned pillar in the forest.” He pulled out his phone and showed her the picture he snapped.
Her head tipped to the side. “Could the stories be true?”
“What stories?” Mason asked.
Josephine smirked. “A god of the underworld was trapped long ago on their land. A demon if you will, though he was something far stronger. Something that threatened to destroy the world as we know it.”
“Old myths,” Mason muttered.
“Not necessarily. There are truths in all the old stories. I wonder what she found. There are so many stories about the area. It could be any number of things.”
“We’ll find her,” he promised.
“You can bring me either Chatan or the girl. Eventually, I’ll have both. In fact, I wonder if she doesn’t unlock something within Chatan. His parents were of two different bloodlines, and I know he believes he’s worthless, but he has so much potential.”
“Potential for what?”
She glanced over her shoulder at Butch. “Leave us. I have to speak to Mason, alone.”
A smile slid over Mason’s lips as Butch stormed out.
Josephine lifted his chin. “Do you abhor my magic?”
“No. It makes you what you are.”
“Do you want to be like me?”
“Would you want me more than you do now?” he countered.
She nodded. “I want a man as strong as I am. Which means, I’ll give you some of the magic I take next time, if you promise to always serve me.”
He nodded slowly. “I am yours, Josephine. Your will is my own.”
“I think it might help you capture Wendy and help you keep Chatan from breaking free when you find him. In fact, I have someone coming here for the purpose of stealing their magic. You will have theirs.”
“As you wish.”
“I’ll even train you.”