Chapter 28
Josephine paced the barn. Butch was a liability. The damned fool was so eager to please he was acting without permission. That shit needed to end.
Maybe a few days in jail would set him straight.
“You don’t want them out?” Orlando murmured, still watching Mason.
She snorted. “The fool called me, after ignoring my orders. Yes, I want to leave them. None of them are smart enough to realize they’ve been manipulated. And like I said, I never told the fools to go after the girl in her motel room, let alone break a window and start a fight.
“Besides, with them in jail, they may let their guard down. And in a day or two, Mason can slip into Wanatoga and take Chatan, which if the girl is there, will bring her out.”
Orlando smirked. “Always scheming.”
She couldn’t help thinking three steps ahead. “Honestly, I don’t think this could have worked out better. And it gives me time to train Mason. Show him what to do to break poor little Chatan’s mind and get him to follow.”
His brow arched. “Really think you can teach a mundane that easily to use such powerful magic? It’s complicated. That was one of the reasons Maxine claimed she didn’t use it more.”
“I will find a way.”
* * * *
Once Joe and Loval finally left, Chatan went around the building. He followed his senses to the large tree behind the bench. “Jace, they’re gone. Come out, please.”
She appeared in the tree, holding her bloody foot.
“Stepped on glass?” he asked.
Nodding, she started down. When she slipped, he caught her. “Careful, you lost a good deal of blood.”
“Yeah, so I noticed. But they didn’t find me, and it seems I need to thank Joe, again.”
“I called him. Do I get thanks?” he teased.
“Depends. What happens now?”
He prayed this was the right choice. It was the only way he imagined she’d stay with him. “I beg you to help me deal with my past and stay with me at my mother’s house. It’s mine. I just haven’t stayed there in a long time.”
Her head tipped. “Why don’t you like going to your mother’s house?”
“Watched her die there. Dad left soon after. It’s lonely now. But if you’re with me, breathing happiness back into the cabin, it will be fine. My cousin keeps it up for me.”
“Who’s going to watch the motel?”
“Koa. He’s bringing his wife to sit with him. And he made me promise to let him meet you before you follow me home, but I need to check your foot before I let you drive.”
She huffed. “I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding all over the place, Jacinda. You’re not fine.”
“Fine.”
He adjusted her in his arms and carried her to the office. “First aid kit is in here. I’ll clean it up before I heal you. And I’m carrying you back to your room so you don’t step on more glass.”
“What about you?” she protested.
“Shoes, and I’ll be fine. Besides, I can fix your foot.”
She closed her eyes and sighed.
“Hey, I’m not freaking out. Give me a little credit here. I want to take care of you, but I’m not yelling. I knew you could handle yourself. But unless you can heal yourself, and I’m guessing since you haven’t, you can’t. I can.”
“Thanks,” she muttered.
He smirked. “That’s better. Look, I’m glad you slipped out of there. Sorry you got hurt, but at least you’re mostly fine.”
“My foot is no big deal.”
He wanted to argue, but she was letting him heal it, so he shut up. “Are you okay?”
“Mmhmm,” she murmured. “If this keeps up, I’m going to do something about them.”
“What? Without leaving here, what are you honestly going to do?”
“Whatever I have to.” She didn’t promise to stay put, which worried him immensely.
“It’s too dangerous. We have no idea what kind of magic Josephine has by now. But where the fuck was Mason?”
“She’s brainwashing them all. Maybe he broke free? Who knows?”
“Maybe it’s time to call the Council.”
“Silver Council?” Jacinda snorted. “Yeah, and then you have them up here, poking their nose into people who shouldn’t exist.”
“What, like you?”
She nodded. “Yeah, like me. My magic is the product of mixed blood. The combination is scary. More so than either of my parents. The Silver Council could choose to hunt me.”
“No, it’s different now. I understand the Dark Templar are gone. And the new Magister seems to be cool with all manner of Others.”
“And how would you know?” Jacinda challenged as he stepped back.
Chatan lifted her foot and winced at the deep gash running from the arch to the heel. “I’ve met the magister, Robert McCallister, and his lieutenant, Preston Emrys. They’re not what you’d expect.”
“Should I ask?”
He laughed. “I’ll tell you, if you come home with me.”
She finally relented. “All right. In your mother’s home.”
Chatan smiled as he took a rag and washed the blood away, but it was still oozing. “So, my healing will take care of the wound, but it may still be sore. I’m not nearly as good at healing as my brother Dakota.”
“It’s fine, really.”
He grabbed the bottle of alcohol. “To kill the infection first, and if you need to hit me, I’m fine with that.”
She laughed. “I can block the pain. Just do it.”
Chatan looked down at her foot and removed the rag. Then he poured the alcohol over the wound. She didn’t flinch.
“That must come in handy,” he offered.
Jacinda sighed. “It only goes so far. Too much pain and I can’t keep it up long. My foot isn’t a big deal.”
Only, it was a big deal. She’d left a trail of bloody footprints, and she’d been bleeding all over the tree for a good half an hour.
Holding her under the knee with one hand, he moved close and turned on the water in the sink beside her. He rinsed the rag and shut off the water before going back to wipe away more blood and the alcohol.
He remembered how Eddie and Jackie healed each other. Brent had told him about it some time ago. So, he was going to try Eddie’s version, see if it worked better than his mother’s version.
Jacinda’s eyes locked on his. “You look nervous.”
One corner of his mouth tipped up. “Never tried it like this, but I have a feeling it’s going to work a lot better than normal.”
Her head cocked. “Why do you say that?”
“You’re my other half.” Before she could respond, he leaned down and placed a kiss over the wound, channeling magic as he caressed her heel and calf.
She let out a sigh that sounded full of need.
Smiling, he trailed his lips over the tear in her flesh. The skin sealed as he went. She squirmed on the counter, pressing her thighs together. Need poured through him. He wanted to strip her down and have her right there.
Someone cleared their throat. He stepped back, slowly putting her leg down. She blushed.
“What was that? I’ve never seen this room so full of magic,” Koa asked.
“Healed the cut on her foot,” Chatan said, turning to face Koa. “Went better than I expected.”
“I see that.” He glanced at the bloodstained rag. “How bad was the cut?”
“Pretty bad,” Jacinda admitted. She slid off the counter and walked to Koa. “I’m Jacinda.” She offered her hand.
“I’m happy to finally meet you. I’m Koa.” He shook her hand and grinned at Chatan. “Take care of her.”
“Plan to, as much as she’ll let me,” Chatan promised.
Jacinda rolled her eyes but nudged Chatan’s ribs. “And if I need to take care of you?”
“Give and take, it’s all about the give and take,” he answered.
Her eyes lit up.
A woman stepped into the bathroom. “I’m Chrissy. And aren’t you pretty?” She hugged Jacinda, who awkwardly hugged back.
“Thanks. So are you.” Jacinda’s blush deepened.
“You two get out of here. We have the office covered,” Koa stated.
“Good night,” Jacinda offered.
Chatan hugged each of them, then swept Jacinda off her feet. “Last thing I want is for you to step on more glass.”
She leaned close and whispered, “I’d let you heal me again.”
He’d rather enjoy her than worry about healing.