Damian's Immortal (War of Gods 3) (20 page)

“
I’ll have them returned,”
Jonny said. “And Charles? Where is he?”

“
He can track Others. He
led us here.” Damian lifted his head, indicating the three forms
standing at the top of the hill. Charles’ eyes glowed red in the
night. He stood next to Dusty and another of Dusty’s
Guardians.

“
Useful ability,” Xander
said. “Unfortunate I didn’t know that before you traded him,
Jonny.”

Jonny flushed at his tone.

“
Just part of the game,
kid,” Damian said to the Black God. “That’s what happens when you
have an Oracle for a mate.”

“
Damn Oracles,” Jonny
muttered.

“
You have no idea,” Damian
replied then turned his attention to the figures on the hill.
“Disarm and go home, Dusty!”

The assassin nodded. Damian glanced around
Ballynoe once more, satisfied they’d resolved this mess without
blowing up an international landmark. He closed his eyes to
Transport home, well aware he had to figure out what to do when the
Watchers came for Jule’s woman, which they certainly would.

* * *

Jenn pounded into the punching bag. Being
surrounded by vamps all day and night made her crazy with the need
to kill a few. Pissing off Jonny wasn’t part of her plan, so she
took her anger out on punching bags every evening. Jonny had begun
disappearing in the evenings with most of the vamps, and she knew
he was out hunting humans.

She hit the punching bag harder, sweat
dripping down her body and soaking her leggings and sports bra. She
waited until the vamps were gone before going to the gym, not
wanting to tempt any of them to attack her while she was half-naked
and distracted. Jonny had given orders that no one touched her, but
she’d seen firsthand how well the vamps followed the Black God’s
directives. The mess in Ireland earlier made her body crawl in
memory of the dangerous power.

“
Good form and
energy.”

“
Leave me alone, Xander.
This is me time,” she warned.

He came into view and moved around the
punching bag. He was taller than it by a head. He braced it for
her, watching. She ignored him, until it was clear he wasn’t going
anywhere.

“
What?” she demanded,
dropping her arms.

“
You’re not fully twisting
your wrist when you punch with the right hand.”

She stared at him then shook her head and
punched again. While she wanted to ignore his advice, she found
herself double-checking. He was right. She punched slowly a few
times until she was certain she’d corrected her punch.

“
Are you so bored you have
nothing better to do?” she asked between punches.

“
You do amuse
me.”

“
Great!”

“
Twist your hip more when
you hit with the left.”

She glared at him but adjusted her form. A
few more punches, and she grew too uncomfortable with him to
continue. Jenn lowered her hands and strode to the small collection
of her things: a towel for the gym, a bottle of water, and a
backpack filled with the weapons Jonny had given her when they
returned a couple hours ago from Ireland. The Black God had mumbled
an apology before leaving her alone to join the vamps on a hunt.
She didn’t have to ask him to know he didn’t dare confront Xander
about it.

“
I can’t imagine you came
here to watch me beat the shit out of a punching bag,” she said and
took a long swig of water. “Did you take down the door to my room
this time?”

“
Brave,” he said. “I’ve
enjoyed my interactions with the Guardians.”

Curious, she paused with the water bottle
halfway to her mouth then set it down and flung the towel over her
shoulder. The vamp was quiet.

“
And?” she
asked.

“
The Oracle didn’t tell
you you’re intended for … greatness?”

Jenn clamped her mouth shut. Sofi had said
similar before Dusty almost blew up Florida. Jenn thought little of
it at the time.

“
I think we’ll keep you
past the thirty days, just to be sure a certain Grey God does what
we want him to,” Xander continued.

“
Darian?” Jenn asked.
“What does this have to do with Darian?”

“
She didn’t tell
you.”

“
Who didn’t tell me what?”
she demanded, approaching him and glaring up at him. “Spill it,
Xander.”

“
You’re his
intended.”

Jenn frowned. “His
intended
what
?”

“
His mate,” Xander said
with his slow smile. “Powerful bargaining chip to have you
here.”

“
That’s crazy, Xander.
She’d never tell you that! Besides, Darian isn’t …” …
my type.
The words died
on her lips.

“
Interesting,” he said.
“The Grey God may not think the same.”

“
No, you’re wrong,” she
said and snatched her things from the floor. “Darian wants nothing
to do with any woman after what he’s been through.” She strode
towards the door, fed up with the vamp toying with her.

“
What was the second
lesson you taught Jonny? Everyone associated with your target is a
weak point.”

Jenn paused in the doorway of the gym. For
the first time since he began his sick games, Jenn felt genuine
fear trickle through her. She didn’t know if he’d met with the
Oracle or not, but his words sounded eerily like Sofi’s, who had
claimed her destiny merged with Darian’s.

“
Everyone fears something,
Guardian,” Xander reminded her.

“
And you? What do you
fear, Xander?” she asked over her shoulder.

“
Exactly what you fear,
that what should happen, won’t.”

She turned to look at him.
She didn’t expect the Original Being to admit to fear. He
manipulated the Black God like a puppet and quietly ran the vamps
Jonny wasn’t yet capable of managing. He’d let her live, knowing
she was obligated to report everything to Damian and powerful
enough to be dismissive of any threat she might cause. The idea
he
feared
anything amazed her. In that moment, she almost felt a human
connection to the creature with the red eyes.

“
What should happen for
you?” she ventured.

“
Go and rest, Guardian.
You’ll need it,” he said. “And yes, I took your door.”

Jenn bit back a retort and left, unable to
shake the sense he’d told her something he didn’t mean for her to
know. She strode to her room, irritated by another thought. She’d
felt a connection to Darian early on, as soon as she met him, but
she’d never allowed herself to dwell on it, even when he sought her
out almost daily to spar.

After her conversation with Xander, she
couldn’t help wondering if there was something more that made
Darian seek her out or made her willing to humor him.

Chapter Nine

Yully awoke in a cozy bedroom that smelled
of lavender. Light poured in from a large window, and a fan
overhead made the curtains flutter.

“
Hey.”

She twisted at the sound of Jule’s voice. He
sat beside her bed, his large body awkward in the small chair. He
wore a snug T-shirt that displayed the roped forearms covered in
tattoos. Tattoos peeked from the V-neck of the T-shirt. His dark
gaze was steady, his body rippling with the power she couldn’t
quite pin down. The flow of energy between them, though, was open
and warm. She was safe again.

“
Hey,” she
replied.

“
How’re you
feeling?”

“
Tired but good.” She
looked around again and drew her knees towards her chest. “Where
are we?”

“
Home,” he said with a
slow smile. “Temporary home. Damian’s headquarters is in Texas for
now. You’ll find home is wherever we are.” His words warmed her
from the inside.

“
I like that idea,” she
said. She held out a hand to him, and he took it. “My father
…”

“
We sent his soul back to
the immortal world.”

“
Good, I think,” she
whispered, chewing her lip. “I guess I should feel sad, but I
don’t. I still feel angry.”

“
You have every right to
feel angry,” he replied. “You’re safe now. No one can ever hurt you
again.” His gaze flared at his words, and the energy between them
pulsed. This time, he wasn’t a fever-riddled man incapable of
defending her.

“
Something happened to
you,” she said.

“
I regained a couple
things I thought I’d lost.” His look was too intense for her to
doubt she was among what he’d discovered. “Do you feel well enough
to take a walk?”

Yully cleared her throat and nodded, her
face hot.

“
I’ll come get you in a
minute. Bianca brought you some clothes.” He indicated the neatly
folded clothing on the table beside the bed. He kissed her hand and
left her alone.

Yully looked around again, uncomfortable in
the strange place without him. She wore a soft nightgown and
changed into the clothing left for her. The window was open,
assuring her it was neither cold nor raining. The jeans, T-shirt,
and sandals would suffice. Whoever Bianca was, she’d thought of
everything. Next to a small toiletry bag was a brush, hair clip,
and scrunchie.

She wasn’t accustomed to anyone taking the
time to think of her. Her father sent her to the store for her own
things since she was adopted. While she could’ve bought anything
and everything she wanted with the handful of money he’d give her,
she found even the simple thoughtfulness of a scrunchie
touching.

Yully finished readying herself and stepped
outside the room. Jule waited patiently, a smile crossing his face
as he took her in. He held out a hand, and she hugged him instead
of taking it. The warmth of his body made her senses tingle with
both need and happiness. While she didn’t quite know where she was,
she felt a sense of belonging.

“
You can have hugs
whenever you want,” he said with a laugh. “And anything
else.”

“
Just you,” she replied.
“Everything else terrifies me right about now.”

“
You have nothing to fear,
sweetheart,” he said and tilted her chin. Yully met his gaze,
utterly relaxed and content with his heat and power moving through
her. His thick arms squeezed her closer. “C’mon. Let’s meet your
new family.”

Her chest tightened at his words, but she
nodded. Jule took her hand and led her through the large log house
with its earthy décor. They paused in the doorway of a large
library, where a beautiful, petite blonde sat. Yully entered ahead
of him and spotted the reclining Guardian dressed all in black in
one corner.

“
This is Sofi and her
bodyguard, Pierre. Sofi is Damian’s mate. She’s also an Oracle, so
she comes up with strange, random things sometimes,” Jule said,
winking at the small woman.

“
Random?” Sofi repeated
with a smile. She rose. “Happy to meet you at last,
Yully.”

“
Welcome,” Pierre called
from the other side of the library. “Irish and French share common
ancestors. We’ll get along well.”

“
I’m actually not Irish,”
Yully said. “The accent says otherwise, but I was born in New
York.”

“
Never mind. You’re on
your own,” Pierre replied.

Yully looked at Jule.

“
Ignore him. He amuses
me,” Sofi said with a smile. “Welcome home. Bianca’s out back.
You’ll have some time here with us to adjust before Jule yanks you
to Europe.” The Oracle’s gaze sharpened as she looked at
Jule.

“
Yes, ma’am,” Jule said
with a snort.

“
Thanks,” Yully murmured,
amused to see the tiny woman stand up to someone Jule’s size. He
tugged her hand, and she followed him out of the library and
through the sprawling house and a large kitchen to the back
door.

A shapely woman with curly dark brown hair
leaned against the railing of a paddock between the house and a
large outer building. The Texas sun was gentle, and Yully enjoyed
the light breeze and warmth after the Irish autumn. She shaded her
eyes as they crossed to the paddock.

“
Bianca!” Jule called. He
turned to Yully. “She’s a Healer. She can bring people back from
the dead.”

At Bianca’s sunny smile, Yully could see the
woman cheerfully helping the injured. The Hispanic woman hopped
down from the fence and shielded her eyes to see them as they
approached.

“
Did you get a horse?”
Jule asked, looking at the animal in the paddock.

“
Yeah,” Bianca said. “He’s
a rescue from a local rancher. He was headed for the dog food
factory. Fixed him up, and he’s good as new. We have dogs now,
too.”

“
I always wanted a dog,”
Yully said. “You rescue them, too?”

“
Yes.”

“
What you’re saying is
that you rescue pitiful animals like your mate,” Jule
said.

“
Jule!” Bianca gave him a
disapproving look that quickly melted into a smile. “He was lost
when I found him. I think all these Guardian-men are.”

Yully smiled, at ease with the two women
she’d met so far. She hadn’t had friends since she was twelve. The
idea of spending her days with the reserved Sofi and cheerful
Bianca was surprisingly appealing, though she couldn’t help feeling
intimidated by their happiness. She didn’t think she was capable of
such an emotion after living in fear for so long. Her gaze went up
to Jule.