Stone Cold Revenge (Set In Stone, Book Two) Page 3

  “To answer your initial question, you are the one who will restore the lines.”

  I knew this. It was another useless piece of info from my fate: You are the chosen. The one. Your birthright is great. The clouds will clear as your twenty-eighth birthday nears.

  “As trite as it sounds, many are counting on you.” Mr. Janson looked over my shoulder and his demeanor shifted back to professional mode. “Welcome. You’re right on time. We’ve got paperwork to review.”

  I heard Teryl snicker, but I knew it was from nerves, not humor. I turned and my blood pressure skyrocketed. My plans for settling in quietly fizzled out. Awareness singed my skin.

  MacLean was here.

  So was mate number two: Jax.

  Chapter Two

  The two of them made quite an impression when they entered a room together. I would have appreciated it more if I wasn’t still furious about Scotland. I hadn’t had a chance to speak with either of them since then, which was probably a good thing. My emotions were a jumbled mix of anger, appreciation, hurt, and heartache.

  “Hi guys,” I said, with a weak smile and finger wave. I refrained from smacking my forehead. What a ridiculous way to greet my mate—or both of them. God, they were gorgeous. Jax stood a solid, lean, six feet tall with black hair and silver-gray eyes. MacLean was just as muscular, a few inches taller, with copper eyes. As different as night and day. But they walked into the room, all predatory grace and controlled power.

  Be still my raging hormones. I had to work to unscramble my thoughts with these two in the room.

  On paper, I’ve been engaged to MacLean since the age of five. Our fathers had drawn up the contract to forge an alliance between our families—an alliance I still didn’t know much about. My father had wiped my memories clean because he’d assumed I was powerless. It was easier for him to erase my past and send me off to live a regular life than continue to acknowledge me as his daughter. I’d only recently remembered a little about my own powers, but I still had large pockets of my life I couldn’t remember at all.

  But I remembered MacLean.

  He’s a phoenix, who works for the king of light elves. I fell in love with him during my teen years—his ready smile was everything a sixteen-year-old girl dreams of. A thoughtful, handsome charmer, he was easy to love. He also has a huge protective streak, can burn and rise from the ashes, and has the most brilliantly colored wings when he’s in a phoenix state.

  Jax was my employee. I’d hired him a little over two months ago at Emmaline’s, which is my perfume shop. He’s a sexy but overprotective gargoyle. And when he’s in his full gargoyle state, his wingspan—whoa, baby. Our attraction had been instant, but we hadn’t acted on it until recently.

  In this world, mates form bonds. Unbeknownst to me, Jax and I had formed one last week. I’m still not sure exactly how it happened, although I can guess where it happened: in bed. I can feel that bond like an invisible cord between us. I ignore it when I can, especially when I’m angry with him. It’s disconcerting to feel another’s emotions as if they’re your own, and it’s a distraction I can’t afford. I have too much going on right now, and I need to be focused. Distractions might mean lives lost.

  The two men had squared off not long ago, and as awesome as the sight was, I needed to avoid it again. They were waiting for me to decide which of the two I should choose, and in the meantime, I welcomed the protection they each offered. Now that I was going to be living on my father’s property, with Luke watching my every move, I needed their help. It was the mate conflict I could do without. They needed to help me, not fight over me.

  “What are you guys doing here?”

  MacLean smiled. “Great to see you, too.”

  Jax remained silent. He usually did. His gray eyes spoke volumes, however. I looked at Teryl, who had a nervous smile on his face.

  “They’re here to sign the marriage contract.”

  I whipped my head around to stare in shock at Mr. Janson. “Both of them? What are you talking about?” Oh, this was bad. Very bad.

  “No, not both of them. Only your true mate. Your father left the contract open so you could fill in the name. Here, take a look.” He handed me the papers.

  Horrified, I refused to touch them. “He’s going to force me to name my mate? Now?”

  “After some thought, I realized you might not want a marriage to MacLean,” my father’s smooth tone replied from the doorway. My shoulders tensed as Jedren walked back into the office.

  “Oh. How generous of you.” I didn’t try to hide the bite of sarcasm in my voice. “I haven’t even been here a full day and already you’re trying to force my hand?”

  I could feel the weight of his disapproval. I only hoped he could feel my growing fury, too.

  “Elleodora, please. I have your best interests in mind.”

  I raised a brow in a fair imitation of him. “You’re joking. You’ve never cared about my best interests. Save the act for someone who will buy it,” I said. “I’m here. I’ll attend your ridiculous meetings and training sessions. But don’t insult my intelligence with your lies.”

  He pressed his lips together for a moment, but he sounded unperturbed when he said, “I signed your stipulations. I asked you to be my heir. I have no desire to upset you. I want you to be happy with your mate.”

  Lies! my mind screamed. “No.” My voice shook with anger.

  Jedren plucked an invisible piece of lint off his sleeve. “No? What does that mean?”

  “I don’t need you to draw up a marriage contract. I’m an adult. And my mate has nothing to do with you.”

  “I beg to differ. Any children you have affect our standing, as well as the lines.”

  “No,” I repeated more firmly.

  Jax and MacLean stilled—that eerie motionlessness only hunters seemed to be able to pull off. I wasn’t about to let my father manipulate me into naming my mate, not before I had a chance to speak to them privately. This power play would result in one of them being hurt. Jedren wouldn’t care—the man was incapable of feeling any kind of emotion. (Greed and the thirst for power don’t count.) But I cared. I cared about these two men, and Jedren wasn’t going to force me to humiliate one of them right now.

  This supposed gesture of goodwill and wishes for my happiness made me sick to my stomach. He didn’t mean a word of it.

  Jedren’s pale eyes watched me. This was a test. I didn’t care whether I passed or failed anything for him, but I just didn’t want to fail myself. And that meant holding my ground.

  “This isn’t your business. I won’t sign anything.” And I wouldn’t repeat myself again. I did the only thing I knew to do: I turned and walked out of the room.

  I hoped Jax and MacLean understood why. I wanted and needed to talk to them, but not with an audience. I wouldn’t let my father control my life. And I for damn sure wouldn’t let him influence my choice of mate or any connection we shared.

  I left the mansion and went straight to the guesthouse. It sat about a hundred yards away—not far enough, in my opinion. But it would have to work for now. Maxim stood on the front porch, talking on his cell phone. I pretended I didn’t see the evil smirk on his face and walked past him as I heard him say, “Yes, Jedren wants her trained. You’re going to be working from the ground up, so you’ll be well-compensated.”

  I slammed the door behind me.

  I squared my shoulders and surveyed the interior of the two-story house. The first floor was spacious, with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and utility closet. Modern furnishings and state-of-the-art appliances filled the space. My bags had been dumped inside the front door. I spared them a quick glance to make sure Maxim hadn’t emptied them out or gone through them. I wouldn’t put it past him.

  Fortunately, he hadn’t. My father must not be too worried about my ability to do him harm. I sighed and walked up the stairs that were to the right of the front door. The guest accommodations were nearly as grand as the main house. Jedren never spared any expense
to keep up appearances.

  The second story alone contained four rooms—five, if you counted the size of the master bedroom’s closet. Not that I brought enough clothes to fill it, but I could admit I liked it. Since I couldn’t be home, it would work.

  I returned to the first floor and checked the kitchen for a coffeemaker. I’d only had time for one cup this morning, and it just wasn’t going to cut it. I found a sleek machine that took me almost ten minutes to figure out. My regular coffeemaker was a cheap, simple model. This one was state of the art and had more buttons than one pot of coffee required. Once I finally had it brewing, I sat at the dining table and slumped back in the chair. I had to be honest—there wasn’t enough coffee in the world to get me through this ordeal.

  I was in way over my head. Jedren would always be one step ahead of me. He’d had decades to perfect the art of being an evil villain, and I had no plan for taking him down. I just knew I had to.

  Mr. Janson was the third person to call me “the one.” An oracle had said something similar. Blythe, a hunter and light elf who had healed the stab wounds Luke inflicted on me in Scotland, had also mentioned it. I rubbed a hand over my face. I didn’t want to be the one; I simply wanted to be me. And I still needed to figure me out. When my birthday arrived, the me I knew might change in a big way. As a demigod, my powers would arrive when I turned the same age my mother had been at my birth, which happened to be twenty-eight. Who knew what bizarre things would happen between now and then?

  I held a hand in front of me. With just a thought, a small flame appeared, dancing above my palm. I made a fist and it disappeared. I’d been practicing the trick since last week, but it was nothing more than that—a trick. It’s usually typical of the light elves, but because of my unusual bloodlines as a demigod and shadow elf, no one quite knew what to expect from me. Teryl, Jax, and MacLean had all been shocked by it. The ward thief abilities had also been an unwelcome surprise.

  Speaking of…I jumped up and ran into the small bathroom. Pulling down my slacks low enough to expose my left hip, I stared at my newest ward. The mark looked bigger than the others: about an inch and a half around. The elaborate scrollwork was burned into my skin.

  I had no idea what this ward did. But I didn’t plan to use it, so for now, it didn’t matter. Pulling my slacks back up, I went out and poured a cup of coffee. I’d look into the marks later, when I didn’t feel so overwhelmed. Normally I took exception to being branded—who wouldn’t? But right now, I couldn’t wrap my brain around it. I’m sure Teryl would know what the pattern meant. Maybe he’d know how to get it off, too.

  Suddenly, the door swung open. Teryl yelled, “Elle! Are you okay? I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”

  “Jeez. Ever heard of knocking?” I grabbed a paper towel to mop up the coffee I’d spilled at his noisy entrance. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

  He skidded to a halt in the kitchen. “Well, you, um, walked out and seemed upset…” he trailed off and looked around. “Nice place.”

  I shrugged. “Not for the price.”

  “No kidding. So what was that all about?”

  I poured him a cup and sat down at the table. “Which part?”

  He took an appreciative sip. “Mmm. Not signing the marriage contract. The ward from the fae dagger. Walking out.”

  A knock at the door prevented my answer. Great, they’d all followed me here. “Hang on.” I opened the door and frowned at Maxim. “What?”

  “We’ll work on your manners first,” he replied in a snide tone. “You’re meeting with your trainer tomorrow in the gym.”

  I stared at him. He looked happy with his pronouncement, which meant I should worry. “Okay. Is that it?” I wanted him gone.

  “Yes, Maxim, run along like a good little girl,” Teryl said, walking up behind me, his words offering support. “By the way, Elle likes her coffee black. Don’t forget that tomorrow.”

  Maxim flashed a nasty smile. “Heard from Clio lately?”

  “Shut up,” I snapped, before Teryl could launch himself at Maxim at the mention of his fiancée.

  I watched Maxim’s eyes bug out as his throat constricted with my command to shut up. Oops. I’d forgotten about that little ability. Mind control was another power I’d inherited from Jedren. One of the abilities I’d gained that came in handy. It didn’t work on everyone, and even then it was sporadic, but since it was working on Maxim, I waited until he met my gaze. “Leave Teryl alone,” I said with emphasis.

  Maxim couldn’t look away. His brown eyes flashed with fury as he brushed a hand across his throat and gurgled. I was sure he was thinking of a few choice words for me.

  I stepped closer and whispered, “My father may put up with your attitude, but I won’t. Treat me with respect or I’ll maim you.”

  “You…can’t…” he managed to choke out.

  “Do you really want to test that?” I hoped he wouldn’t call my bluff.

  “Bitch.”

  His insult made me smile, even though it meant my command was wearing off. I still saw the flash of fear in his eyes. I was getting to him, which was exactly what I wanted. This household had always operated on fear. Jedren groomed his employees to do his bidding without question. They understood power and intimidation. If I was going to get anywhere with Maxim, I needed him to fear me, no matter how much I hated it.

  “What did you call my mate?”

  We all froze at the sound of the low, deadly growl. I kept my smile firmly in place when Jax stepped onto the porch behind Maxim. Jax’s eyes shifted to silver when upset, and right now, they were bright silver. “Did you insult my mate?”

  My control over Maxim wore off, but still, he didn’t answer.

  Jax shifted to gargoyle so fast, I took a step back. When his shirt hit the ground, I knew what was coming.

  Teryl whispered, “Oh, shit.”

  Maxim moved away from the threshold and held out his hands. “I…sorry. I didn’t mean…”

  “Hunters can smell a lie,” Jax said, not advancing, but I swear his presence swelled. His voice deepened when he shifted to full gargoyle. Because he stood outside, his wings were extended. Maxim’s face went white. I didn’t know if Jax could really smell a lie, but Maxim seemed to believe him. After seeing the fury on Jax’s normally impassive face, I did, too.

  “Treat her well or I’ll hunt you down,” Jax promised. “Leave. Now.”

  Maxim didn’t hesitate. He turned and ran across the lawn toward the main house in an awkward sprint.

  “I’m pretty sure I’d run from a pissed-off gargoyle, too,” I murmured, watching Maxim stumble up the steps.

  Teryl turned to me with a mischievous smile. “You didn’t run from Maura.”

  Maura was one of the hunters who’d come after me last week. Hunters offered their services for retrieval of objects, or in my case, people. The Council that governed the lines used them to keep everyone in check, as do those who can afford a hunter’s services privately, like my father. Maura was a gargoyle and Jax’s former girlfriend. Needless to say, we didn’t get along.

  Maura aside, the hunters were necessary. The Council needed them to keep the peace between and within the lines. I hadn’t had much experience with the Council yet, but from my understanding, they acted as Elders for every line—oracles, shadow elves, phoenix, and light elves. The hunters carried out their edicts.

  Jax and MacLean were hunters, too, but they acted in more of a bodyguard capacity. Luke was a hunter at the opposite end of the spectrum. He and Maura were some of the nasty ones who enjoyed hunting and killing anyone they were paid to. Heartless mercenaries.

  “True. I didn’t run from Maura, but Jax is scary. There’s a difference.” I turned to Jax and tried not to stare. When he shifted to stone, his shirt came off to make room for his wings. Normally, I’d be fine with that, but with an audience, I didn’t need the distraction. And I was still upset with him for his betrayal in Scotland. I had yet to come to terms with him working for my father. “Ok
ay, back to flesh, please. We need to talk.”

  He shifted and pulled on his shirt, covering the interesting planes of his chest, and followed us into the house. “I’ve missed you, little gem.” His deep voice sifted through me, making everything hum in approval. Jax devoured me with his eyes. Heat curled around me.

  I’d missed him, too—or at least, I missed the guy I knew before he’d betrayed me. It was the first time we’d seen each other since I’d told both guys I needed space. Through our bond, Jax had to know what I was feeling, because I could sense his emotions—relief, uncertainty, and agitation, all of which had started when my father mentioned the marriage contract.

  “Can I join the party?” MacLean walked up before I closed the door. His eyes were serious. Dressed in a pair of slacks, button-down shirt, and blazer, he looked good enough to eat. A familiar sense of comfort settled around me.

  “Sure.” I waved him in. We could turn it into an awkward mini-reunion after our hellish time in Scotland. I touched his arm briefly as he passed by. “How are you?”

  “Better now,” he responded in a low voice.

  I was, too. MacLean always made me feel safe. He’d been the only bright spot from living under my father’s rule.

  They filed into the kitchen quietly. I offered everyone coffee, and then sat at the table. “I need you to understand why I won’t sign any paperwork for my father regarding my mate.”

  “Elle…” MacLean started.

  “Little gem…” Jax shook his head.

  “No, let me talk. We need to establish ground rules. I asked for space, and you guys have been trying to give it to me, which I appreciate. But I’m still not…” My voice faltered as I looked for the right words. “What happened in Scotland…the scars aren’t just physical.”

  Jax closed his eyes, lips pressed together in a tight line.