Jorden: The McCade Dragon –Erotic Paranormal Romance (11 page)

“And this boy, does he know that you’re helping me?” Vance put his fingers over her eyes then touched her mind.
Stay still. Nothing is going to hurt you. This fool thinks that he can get me to play him against his brother. But no harm will come to you.

He’s the bastard that brought me here.
He said he’d already figured that out.
Oh.
Well then, why aren’t you getting me out of here?

Because I need more than just this dumbass in this. He is playing me against his brother, as I said, but I don’t know why yet. Not that they’re both not going to be going to prison, but for now, I need more information. Such as, is there really a piece out in California? It could save a woman’s life to know that.
She told him good idea.
Yeah, I have them on occasion. In a moment, I’m going to drop a knife behind you. When you get it, please be careful. It’s very sharp.

“When is your brother supposed to come here and get her? I’m assuming that he is aware that someone kidnapped her already.” Vance spoke to the other man, and it took Jasmine a few seconds to realize it wasn’t her he was asking. The other man said that his brother was aware, and that he expected him and an extraction team soon to get her. “You mean to cut her ears off. I’m to understand that is the only way to get them, correct?”

“So far as we know. If she had just left them in the box where she was supposed to, then we’d not…my brother wouldn’t have had to go this far. I think he has it in his head that he only needs the one piece to rule, or something like that.” Vance said nothing, but she heard a soft thud and something heavy touched her hand. His
be careful
was all she got before the bright light flashed once again and a door closed.

She touched her fingers to the object by her hand and nearly screamed when it cut her. As blood filled her palm, she tried to be extra careful in getting it turned around so that she could cut whatever binding she had on her wrist.

After painfully stabbing herself twice more, she got her hands free. When she sat up, still in the dark, she peeled the gag off her mouth and stretched her jaw twice before moving to free her legs. Jasmine had to sit there for a couple of minutes, just rubbing the blood back to her feet and hands, before she felt like she could stand without falling over. When she stood up, carefully, Jasmine was terrified that she was going to get killed as soon as she left the little room.

The door opened silently, and when she was in the big room beyond, her eyes burned with the light. Jasmine then looked down at her hands and realized she really had done a number on herself. One of the cuts looked like she might need to get some stitches. But that was the least of her problems if she was caught here. Moving along the wall toward the windows, Jasmine tried to reach Jorden. Relief at hearing his voice nearly took her to her knees.

Thank God. Where are you? Do you know? And are you hurt?
She might have laughed at his tone had she not been trying to figure out the answers to the questions that he was rapidly firing at her.
Honey, Vance said that he’s not too far away, but he wants you to try and get out of the building. Then you’re to tell me where you are.

I’m not sure just yet. I…Vance saved me.
He said that he knew that and was going to thank him every day for the rest of his life.
I’m still in the building. I’m working my way around the place. I can hear voices, and I think I should avoid just popping out in front of them.

Vance told me that you were in the business district, but not much else. I think he thought that I’d get hurt or worse if we let the bad guys know that you’re safe. Or that I might mess up his plans. I’m sort of not sane where you’re concerned.
She told him that she loved him
. And I love you as well. When I get you, don’t even think that you’re going to rest up or anything like that. I’m taking you to the bedroom and fucking you until you can’t leave me again.

I didn’t actually leave you this time.
When the voices moved away, she started walking again. Her hand was throbbing a little and she thought that she was dripping a blood trail behind her. Wrapping her hand up in her shirt, she told Jorden about it.
I can’t really see it yet, but it hurts. He told me to be careful, that it was sharp, and in my haste to get free, I didn’t heed his advice.

When I come and get you, we’ll go see Kenton. He can stitch it up if he needs to, and make sure that there is no infection.
She leaned against the wall again when she felt tears fill her eyes.
Honey, it’s going to be all right. As soon as you’re safely out of the building, I’m coming to get you.

Gavin, is he all right?
Jorden told her he was with him and worried, but fine.
My grandma has no marker, and I’ve not been able to go and see her yet. My whole life has changed, some of it good, some of it bad, because I picked up a junk box at an auction and tried on a pair of pretty earrings. Jorden, will it be any better for the other women when they find their pieces?

I don’t know. I think.... I would think not. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but there are a lot of people out there, I guess, who want a part of this.
She asked him what it was that they might get.
The power to control the dragon.
She told him that was just too scary to think about right now.

She moved to the doorway that was under the most windows. She had no idea why she thought it was going to be crowded when she got out of this place, but that was her plan. To get out, blend in enough so that she could get somewhere safe until Jorden came for her. But when she opened the door, she could only stare.

Large empty buildings surrounded her. Some of the windows were boarded up, and those that weren’t were broken. There were signs in front of a few of them. A carpet warehouse. Another was called Morton’s Hardware. A few of the buildings had even been painted on, so long ago now that the lettering was faded, but no less beautiful in the art of it. She wondered what it had been like in its heyday. How many people had simply walked the sidewalk looking for a great deal or someone to sell them carpet. To take her mind off the fear and pain she was in, she talked to Jorden.

Do you or any of your family own buildings here in the business district? Because I have to tell you, to call it that is really giving the wrong impression.
He asked her what she meant.
Well, for starters, there is no business at all. Not a single one. And most of the buildings look like they’ve been empty longer than I’ve been around. How can anyone not care for a part of their history like this?

I don’t know, love. I think I might own one of them. It was part of a deal that the family took on about ten years ago. Kenton does as well, but I don’t know who else. Why? What did you have in mind?
She told him nothing as yet, but it seemed a shame.
Once you get back here in my arms and we’re sated, if that is ever going to happen, we’ll talk about the empty buildings.

If we talk about them now, I won’t have to think about how terrified I am and how much my hand hurts.
She looked down at her blood stained shirt.
It’s really bleeding. I might have cut myself deeper than I thought.

Don’t look at it. Look at the street names. I’m pulling up my information now.
He sounded scared, which didn’t help her.
Okay, there are two that I own there. One is on Market Street. And the other is on.... Let me look here. Okay, the other is on Winder. No street or avenue, just Winder. The paperwork that I have on the first one says that it used to be a factory, but not of what. The second one was at one time a place that made bricks. Cobblestones, I guess.

She looked at the street sign she was under, but she was distracted by the building that was to her left. Jasmine fell in love with the old building and asked him what the address was of the building he owned. When he told her, she nearly wept with joy.

It’s Winder Avenue, and the building is beautiful. I think at one time it was a bakery too. There are signs for bread painted on it from about the thirties, I think.
He told her that it was a local bakery called, of all things, Winder Bakery
. That’s about right. I want to put a shop in here when you get things squared away.

Anything you want, love. I’ll even buy up the other buildings too. But you have to come to me. I can’t get there until you tell me it’s safe. Vance is afraid that if I show myself there, it will mess up his plans to catch them.
She wasn’t entirely sure why it had to be that way, but she made her way around the building and to where she could hear cars and other business sounds
. Where are you now?

I can see a shop called Second Hand in front of me.
He told her that she was perhaps a block or so from Kenton’s offices.
Should I go there?

Yes, but please be careful. While you’re around people, we don’t know who is looking for you.
She asked him why he’d not been able to come and get her.
Because our house is being watched, and Vance said that we didn’t want anyone to know that you’re safe just yet. He said that if I were to leave and they follow me to where you were, then they’d know that we’re on to them.

He told me that he was trying to get more information on another piece. He said that he needs to make sure that whoever the woman is, that she is safe too.
Jorden said that is what he’d told him as well.
I can see Kenton’s office. I’m at the back where the parking.... He is at the door waving for me to come to him.

Be careful, love. And I’ll be there soon.
She told him she’d be all right now and started for the door.
Kenton said that he can see you, and you have no idea how good that makes me feel. Just sit, Gavin and I are on our way.

Those were the best words she’d heard in all of her life. As soon as she entered the back door, Kenton grabbed her up in his arms and hugged her. It felt wonderful, but she started crying and jabbering about pain and bakeries. He must have understood because in no time, he had her in an office and was cleaning her wounds. She had cut herself worse than she’d thought.

Chapter 9

Gavin watched as Uncle Kenton put the stitches in his mom’s hand and wrist. She was getting fluids pumped into her as well. Uncle Kenton had told them that she’d lost a bit of blood, but he also wanted to flush out her system in the event they’d given her more than chloroform to knock her out. He held her hand in his and talked about what he’d done while she’d been gone.

“I got all the stuff in my room tagged. Dad said that I could get rid of whatever I wanted, but that you got first dibs. He also said that if you sold them for me that I could have the money, minus your cut, and use it how I want. I’m going to open a savings account so I can have money to buy a house. Or a car. I haven’t decided which yet. I might need a car before I need a house.” His mom said his name. “Yeah, I’m going a mile a minute, but you have no idea how terrified I was when they told me you’d been taken.”

“I’m okay now.” He nodded but wasn’t so sure. Uncle Kenton said that one of the cuts was really bad. “He’s going to make sure I’m all right before he lets me leave here, you know that, don’t you?”

“Yes. But when Grannie went to bed that night, she told me she was all right too.” Tears filled his eyes when he thought of losing his mom. “Please don’t die on me, Mom. I love you, and you’re my mom.”

“I love you too, baby. But ask Kenton. He’ll tell you I’m going to be all right.” Kenton nodded as he worked. “See. I know it looks bad, but really, we’re all going to be fine once the bad guys are gone.”

“And we’re working on that part too.” Gavin didn’t point out to Uncle Kenton that there were more than just the ones they knew about right now. He’d heard Vance and Dad talking about the long list of idiots that were trying to get the jewelry. “Also, you’re going to have protection all the time now, as is Emma. And Vance is going to give us some really good news, hopefully today, on what is going on with the idiot that took your mom today.”

Gavin knew they were doing the best that they could, but he wasn’t sure it was going to be enough. These guys wanted her, and they didn’t seem to be stopping at getting what they wanted. He touched the earring on her ear that was closest to him.

“I’m so sorry.” She asked him for what. “I told you to put them in. I talked you into it that night, and since then, everything has gone badly for us. I’m not saying that Grannie dying was my fault, she was really sick, but—”

“You stop right there. I put them in, and the last time I looked, I was an adult. I don’t always make sound decisions, I’m not perfect, but putting these into my ears was my decision, not anyone else’s. Also, you have to think of things this way, Gavin. Had I not put them in, do you think it would have stopped those men from coming after us? Or that even after I gave them up, that they would have said thanks and left it at that?” He shook his head. “No, they wouldn’t have. And by me putting them in that night, not only did it get us the best help we could get in keeping us safe, but it gave us Jorden and the rest of the McCades too.”

“But they’re in danger too.” She shook her head at him and he nodded. “Yes they are. Those men are coming here, and we led them right to them.”

“They were already here.” Gavin looked at Uncle Kenton. “Emma had men following her well before she met up with us. Had she not broken into this very office and tried to get herself help, those men would have killed her and I would never have known the greatest love of my life. You two being here is no different. We’ll gather our wagons around each other, and the other women that come here, and pray for the best, and kick their asses all over the place when they get uppity with us. It’s the best we can do. But this is in no way, shape, or form your fault, Gavin. We were dragons long before you and your little family joined us. In fact, you being here has made us stronger.”

“I want you all to be safe. I don’t want my mom hurt, or any of you guys either. I love you all.” Uncle Kenton assured him that he wanted that as well, and that they all loved him too. “My mom, she’s all I have, and I can’t be without her.”

“I understand. I don’t know what I’d do without my mom around. I hate to think about losing her too. But we’re your family now, Gavin. And will be for the rest of our lives. You should also know that when the bad guys come again, we’re going to be more than ready for them. You’ll see.” Gavin nodded but said nothing. When Uncle Kenton lifted his chin up and had him look at him, Gavin wanted to cry like a little kid. “My mom, she’s the sweetest, kindest person I know. But when my dad came to her home once and tried to hurt Lewis by holding him down and trying to cut his head off with an ax, my mom pulled out a gun and shot him twice in the head. Just like that, she ended the problem.”

“She killed a man?” Uncle Kenton nodded and smiled. “I love her to pieces, but now I might be afraid of her just a little. She really killed a man? Aren’t you just a little afraid of her knowing that?”

“I am. A lot. But I also love her as much as she loves me. And I know that she’d never do anything to hurt any of us.” He laughed. “But don’t tell her that. I don’t want her to use it against me when I know a secret. Like what we’re getting her for her birthday or something.”

Gavin felt better; not great, but better. When his mom dozed off again, he just watched her sleep. He wanted to never leave her side again, but that was as unpractical as it could get.

When Uncle Kenton said he was finished, Dad came into the room. He’d been told he had to go if he couldn’t contain himself. Apparently, he was a little nuts when it came to blood and those he loved. Jorden smiled at him and took Mom’s other hand when Uncle Kenton left them alone.

“Having her hurt makes me a little on edge. I would imagine that I’d be the same way with you getting hurt.” Gavin said nothing, his heart aching too badly at the moment. “Son, she’s going to be all right from this. A little tired because of the drug they used, and she’ll have to not use her hand a bit, but she’s fine.”

“I don’t want her hurt.” Dad said that he didn’t either. As they sat there, neither of them saying anything, Gavin thought of all the things that could have gone wrong today. And when Dad said his name again, he looked at him.

“I can see the worry on you. Smell it as well.” Gavin nodded. “I’m going to tell you something. It’s all true, so I want you to believe me when I tell you that things have a way of working out no matter how bad it looks at the beginning.”

“Uncle Kenton told me that Grandma killed her husband when he tried to hurt Uncle Lewis.” Dad said she had, but that wasn’t it. “You mean she really did it?”

“Yes. And she was beaten up pretty badly by then too. My dad, he wasn’t a nice person, nor was he a very tolerant person. Most of the time he’d come home only to beat the crap out of Mom and take whatever money was around the house.” Dad shivered as if he was remembering something else. “But that’s not what I wanted to tell you. When I was nine or so, Kenton and I were playing in the backyard. It wasn’t that big of a deal for us to be out of Mom’s sight for hours on end. Vance was out there as well, but he was doing his own thing. Much like he does now. Anyway, as we were getting our crap gathered up that only little boys can find, we saw this streak of black run by us.”

“Wolf?” Dad said no, it was a bear. “There are bears around here too? Do you think you can introduce them to me?”

“I will with the ones that I know, but this was a wild bear. And he was hurt.” Gavin knew that animals when hurt or cornered could be a little nutty, but Dad continued before he could ask which he was. “He had rabies and he wasn’t right in his head. While we were trying to figure out what to do, where to go and not have him run us down, a large man came out of nowhere and hit him with a ball bat. Now I know what you’re thinking; what would make a grown man hit a bear with a bat? And I have to tell you, Kenton and I thought the same thing. But before the man could hit him again, the bear turned on him and the man told us to run when he did.”

Gavin held his mom’s hand just a little tighter as Dad got up to pace the room. When he finally sat down again, Gavin wasn’t sure if he wanted him to continue or to stop right where he was.

“The man was hit in the back by the bear, knocking him head over ass into the creek we’d been playing by. Vance was down there too, and when he came up to see what was going on, the bear spotted him.” Dad looked at him then. “When he took off toward Vance, no doubt to kill him, the man threw the bat toward Kenton and I. Now remember, we were just kids. But this bear was going to hurt our brother, so when Kenton picked it up, I found myself a rock and hit the bear with it.”

“Did he turn to you then?” Dad nodded, his face grim. “What did you do? I mean, a bat and a few rocks isn’t much to fight a grown bear.”

“No, it wasn’t, but when he came at us again, Kenton put the bat on his shoulder like he was ready for a grand slam. The faster he came at us, getting closer all the time, I knew we were going to die. Both of us would be nothing but a gut mess, I remember thinking, and then he’d go after Vance and the man who had tried to save us.” Dad looked out the little window in the room as he told the rest of the story. “He was nearly atop us by then, just a few feet separated us from him, when he just dropped to his knees, then onto his belly. It took us a few seconds to realize that he was dead. When Kenton dropped to his knees as well, I thought for sure he’d been hurt, but he said he was fine, just scared to death.”

“The man had a gun.” Dad nodded. “And he shot him so that you’d be all right. Why didn’t he just use the gun in the first place?”

“He said he’d been afraid of hitting one of us. But he didn’t kill the bear, Gavin. Vance did it. He pulled the man’s gun out of his pants and shot the bear once in the head, killing him immediately.” Gavin sat there in stunned silence. “So you see, even when things look really bad, and it really did for us, something or someone will come through and help you. And Vance? He’s still saving our asses all the time.”

“I’m surely glad that he’s on our side.” Dad said he was as well. “I don’t know if I wouldn’t have wet myself with a bear coming at me.”

“Let me tell you something that I’ve never told another soul. I was nearly at that point myself when it turned on us.” Gavin nodded. “We’re going to be all right, Gavin. I swear this to you.”

Gavin believed him too. His dad had helped fell a bear and had come out on top. And even with a rock, he was going to help protect his family. Gavin felt like him and his mom were in good hands with the McCade family. He almost felt sorry for the bad guys.

~~~

Richard wasn’t sure what was going on, but the woman was gone. And his brother was royally pissed off at him. When he shone his flashlight again over the area that she’d been at when he’d left not two hours ago, he saw the blood, but no woman. She’d been tied up, so whoever helped her out was going to pay for making him look bad.

“She’s gone and hurt herself.” Wilburn just stared at him. Like he was waiting for him to just keel over and die. “I thought if we had her and the earrings you’d feel better about stuff. That you’d not be so angry at me all the time. I wanted to give her to you as a gift.”

Not really. What he’d wanted to do was to bring his brother here with Vance and have him kill his brother. He figured that since he’d already told Vance that Wilburn had taken her, it would be nothing for the man to shoot Wilburn between the eyes. But Vance, like he did to him all the time, hadn’t shown up. Not returned his dozen or so calls either. They were going to have to talk about this, Richard thought.

“And how did you expect me to feel better about
stuff
, Richard? Because the McCades surely know by now that you kidnapped one of their own.” Richard didn’t point out that they thought Wilburn had done the kidnapping, but told him again that he was sorry she’d gotten away. “So am I. So am I. I can hear it all now, McCade Broad Brings Down the Glass Men.”

“Do you really think they’d call her a broad?” Wilburn growled at him. “Well, that’s what you said, you know. And how was I supposed to know that she’d get free? I had her all tied up around her arms and legs. Do you think she might have had some kind of weapon on her? I never thought to check on that.”

“Of course you didn’t. That is why you’re in deep shit over this, and I’m going to let you wallow in it.” Richard said nothing, knowing that he’d already talked to Vance and told him his version of what had happened. “What is it you supposed was going to happen here? That she’d just lay there and let us cut her up, and then we’d let her go afterwards? I’m curious how you had this whole plot worked out in your head.”

“I just wanted to be helpful.” To get Wilburn dead and out of his way in this. But he didn’t voice the last part. He was pretty sure that his brother would kill him if he did. “What would you have done differently? If you’re so perfect, what would you have done?”

“I would have drugged her, cut the fucking earrings off, and then killed her where she stood. No fucking around. No taking her somewhere so she could be found. Or in your case, where she could fucking get away and tell on me.” Richard thought he did have a point. But Wilburn’s way would have gotten nothing for Richard. His way, the best way, was where Wilburn would have been arrested, tried, and sent to prison, if not killed by Richard’s partner. Richard would have it all then. Even the earrings and whatever else might come with them. “Are you working out what you’re going to say to the police when they find you? Because I’m not going to lift a fucking finger to help you out of this mess. You did it, you suffer through it.”