Worshiped By The Bear Kings - Complete (11 page)

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

A lever was pulled and the glass case
containing Jasmine opened from the bottom sending her flying down towards the
ring. Brad stepped up on top of Gabe’s bear to catch her in his arms. He then
leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.

When the pair
broke away, Hades was standing just outside the ring.

“Congratulations,”
he said. “You and I still have business to discuss regarding the Uthuro
prisoners.”

“Prisoners?”
Brad exclaimed. “Where are they?”

“Not now,”
Hades shot back. “The guards will escort you back to Jasmine’s room. I will
send for you when I am ready. It will be later tonight. Do you understand?”

Brad nodded.

“Escort them
back to Gabe’s room,” Hades instructed. “And clean up this mess.”

Among the
bears escorting Brad and Jasmine were the bear who had his leg broken by Gabe
in the corridor, and the first challenger Denny. They appeared disgruntled but
nevertheless complied with their leader’s wish.

Once inside
the room and the door was closed and locked, Jasmine and Brad embraced each
other again, and passionately made out. They fell onto the sofa where she and
Gabe had been sitting earlier and continued kissing.

Eventually
Jasmine forced him to stop.

“We need to
talk,” she said, sitting up.

“We’re
together again, my darling, my love,” Brad cooed. “What words must we share?”

“I don’t
know,” Jasmine whispered. “I feel funny about how you killed Gabe. It doesn’t
feel…”

“Gabe isn’t
dead,” Brad replied. “You needn’t worry about him. I just gave him a very nasty
concussion.”

“But all that
blood –”

“He can
handle it. He is one of Hades’ best bears. Almost as strong as Spike and I.”

“He was like
… he was into me…” Jasmine said.

“Of course he
was,” Brad said. “What bear wouldn’t be? The question is which you want to be
with.”

“Who I want
to be with?”

“Spike and I
made a deal with your brother so he would get us here. We’re going to set you
free after we leave here. You can go wherever you wish afterward.”

“I can?”

“Of course.”
He took her hand and placed it against his heart. She felt his warm beat. “But
you feel something for me? Don’t you?”

Jasmine bowed
her head. A single tear fell. “Yes. I do. For both you and Spike.”

“Then let’s
make love now. So we can feel connected again. So we won’t forget each other.”

Jasmine
wrapped her arms around Brad’s neck. “How could I ever forget you?”

“I don’t
know,” he whispered.

She allowed
him to kiss her. Just underneath her left and right cheeks. She breathed
heavily as he clutched at her breasts, ripping at her blouse. He took one out
and put it in his mouth. He caressed it. Nibbled it. Licked it.

Jasmine
moaned and let her back arch over the sofa arm.

Brad took out
her other breast and gave it attention whilst she reached into his pants to
feel his hot cock. He ripped up her dress and pulled away her panties whilst
she allowed his pants to go free.

Before he
entered her, she whispered. “Let’s put the lights off.”

“Uh… Okay…”
he murmured.

He went to
the door and found the switch, sending the room into the shadows.

But it still
wasn’t that dark.

Jasmine, now
standing, grabbed at Brad’s waist and pushed him back onto the floor. The
blinds were hanging open loosely and as she descended herself onto him, his
face was blanketed in the moonlight. His eyes were filled with the stars.

She rocked
herself, back and forth on his cock, whilst his strong hands gripped her sides
massaging her. His breathing quickened.

He flipped
her over on her back and forced himself back into her, both of his hands by her
ears.

This was
about connection.

This was
about intimacy.

She stared
into his eyes and he stared into hers.

So much of
the story had yet to be told…

But Jasmine
could feel it all around them. She didn’t quite know him, or even herself while
she was with him, but this was all meant to be.

His body was
actually a bit slowed down in its thrusts when he did ejaculate, and for them
at that time, this hadn’t been the most usual of sexual encounters. They were
finding new things out about each other. Discovering new truths. Uncovering
hidden words.

And there was
still something Jasmine had yet to tell him…

CHAPTER
TWENTY

“I don’t want to keep anything from
you,” Jasmine whispered to Brad as she lay with him by the window. “I don’t
want there to be any secrets. I want to trust you and Spike with everything.”

Brad sat up.
“Our connection is strong. You can read me like an open book.”

“What do you
mean?”

“There has
been something I’ve kept from you.”

“Well…”
Jasmine murmured. “I’m sure there might be a lot. I wasn’t really referring to
you keeping things.”

“The thing
is, I feel bad about it,” Brad said. “It’s nothing deceptive from our behalf,
but as you say I don’t think it’s reasonable to keep secrets from a mate.”

“Okay. What
do you want to tell me?”

Brad shook
his head. “It’s probably nothing. You can go first if you want.”

“No, it’s
alright. Just tell me what it is.”

“Hmm. Well,
we didn’t find this place by chance. Spike had the address and at first he
wouldn’t tell me how he got it. I pushed him on the way over here though and he
shared with me.”

“How did you
find me?”

“Spike says
he was approached by someone in the forest who knew where you were. He said
they were a friend of yours.”

Jasmine
frowned. “Are you sure? What did this person look like?”

“He said they
were … well, middle aged. And dressed in a robe of some kind.”

Images
stirred in Jasmine’s mind.

“He said he
looked like –”

“A mage?”

“So you do
know him?”

Jasmine stood
with Brad. She was now deeply troubled.

“What is it?”
Brad asked. “What’s wrong?”

“That just
makes me sick,” she whispered. “The idea that he’s spying on me. Following me
around.”

“Who is this
person?”

“I don’t even
know what he wants. Unless it’s because –”

She clasped
her hands over her mouth so she wouldn’t say it.

Now the
terror was in Brad’s eyes.

He grabbed a 
hold of her shoulders. “Jasmine, my beloved? What aren’t you telling me?”

She lowered
her head into his chest, the tears of shame flowing.

And then the
guilty secret was out.

“I’m
pregnant.”

PART THREE

CHAPTER ONE

“You’re pregnant?”

Brad’s hands
loosened from her shoulders.

She turned
away from his chest as he let go completely, and put her hand to her eyes to
stifle the tears.

“You’re
pregnant?” Brad repeated.

It sounded
worse the second time.

“I need to
sit down,” Jasmine said moving towards the sofa.

He hadn’t
even done anything yet, and she was already hurt by him. She could feel herself
caving inward. Withdrawing completely. She wouldn’t look at him, but there he
was. The tall, dark figure in her peripherals. It didn’t make much sense, but
at that moment, she just wished he would go away.

“You mean
you’ve been pregnant this whole time?” Brad asked. “Before you met us?”

Jasmine
didn’t answer him.

His stance
hadn’t changed yet.

“And the
father?”

Silence.

Jasmine wiped
her eyes.

“What about
him?” she asked, trembling.

“Does he know
you hold his child?”

Jasmine’s
face turned slightly. Her eyes pointed towards Brad.

“He… It
just…” she trailed off.

Brad moved
round the side of the sofa and crouched in front of her. He put his hands at
her knees. “Don’t be frightened. Tell me.”

“I’m not
frightened,” Jasmine grumbled. She shook her head. “I just wanted to forget
about it. Pretend none of it ever happened. But how can I do that? When any
day, any hour, any moment – it can just –”

Brad’s
soulful eyes connected with hers.

“Tell me what
happened, my love. Tell me your story.”

And then a
weight behind her lifted. She somehow knew that Brad wasn’t going to judge her
for her tale.

He was going
to be a part of it.

CHAPTER TWO

As Jasmine began telling Brad her
story, her mind went straight back to the wedding of her best friend, Stacey
Caversham. She had stood next to her as bridesmaid as she said her vows to
Zane, and watched them embrace, with the sound of people cheering all around
them… It was utter bliss. Jasmine had cried tears of joy that day, because she
was so happy to see her friend get everything she wanted, but at the same time
she felt more alone than ever. Zane and Stacey were crowned king and queen of
Firebound Island, but there was no reason for Jasmine to remain there after the
wedding celebrations. As the festivities went on into the night, Jasmine found
herself standing outside, alone in the dark. She was looking into the night
sky. Wishing. Hoping. Something would happen to her…

But at the
same time, that pain in her belly –

“Jasmine?”

Jasmine
turned quickly and saw Stacey moving gracefully towards her.

Jasmine did
her absolute best to smile. “Hey there.”

“Are you
okay?” Stacey asked.

“I’m fine,”
Jasmine said quickly. “Just enjoying the night air.”

“Okay. I just
thought I’d tell you we’re having cake and stuff soon, so you should come in.”

“Okay. I
will. Thanks for telling me.”

Stacey
blinked a little. She didn’t seem convinced of Jasmine’s contentment.

“You know you
can stay with us for a while,” Stacey suggested. “You don’t have to run away
anywhere after all this.”

“Thanks,”
Jasmine said. “I’ll think about it.”

“You know,
I’m sure one of Zane’s men might take a fancy to you if –”

“No thanks,”
Jasmine said shrilly. “No dragons for me.”

Stacey took a
step back. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot. How did … How did the abortion go?”

“Fine,”
Jasmine said. “No dramas. I’m alive.”

“That’s
really good. Do you want to talk about it or…?”

Jasmine shook
her head. “This is your day. Don’t let me get you down.”

“Well, no,
it’s not just my day. We should all be happy –”

“I am Stacey,
really. Come on. Let’s go get some cake.”

“Okay…”

Stacey had
been suspicious. She knew something was up.

But before
long she was swept away into Zane’s arms, and forgot all about Jasmine.

She’d lied.
There had been no abortion. She couldn’t go through with it. Even though the
baby was … she couldn’t kill it…

She just
couldn’t do it…

Hearing of
this, as Jasmine told how things had been to Brad, he sat beside her, and let
her head gently rest into his chest.

“Go on,” Brad
whispered to her. “Keep going.”

It wasn’t
what happened after the wedding though that was so terrible. It was what
happened before.

Before Stacey
and Zane were wed and given their crowns.

Before the
devastating attack on the city by the dark dragon and his followers.

Before the
dark dragon had been killed heroically by Stacey and Zane together.

For not very
long, but long enough to scream and cry and plead for mercy…

She had been
his.

CHAPTER
THREE

“You see how difficult this is for me
now,” Jasmine whispered to Brad on the sofa. “A part of me loves my child, is
overjoyed for him, and can’t wait till he’s in my arms… But another part of me
is completely terrified that whenever I look at him, I’ll see the dark dragon,
and the horrible thing he did to me…”

“You are very
brave,” Brad said to her. “Most in your situation, would probably want to be
rid of the child. And they would not be of ill mind to want that.”

“I’m not
trying to be brave,” Jasmine said. “It’s just that I can’t. Literally, I can’t
give it up. It’s hard to explain.”

“It’s not
hard at all,” Brad said. “At least what I’m saying is, I understand.”

“How could
you?”

He sighed.
Stood up from the sofa.

“What’s
happened to me,” Jasmine whispered, “could never happen to you.”

Brad turned.
“Long ago, when the Destair and the Uthuro were one tribe, we lived in the
forest, and never made contact with the humans. It was expressly forbidden.”

Jasmine sat
up, listening to him.

“My mother
didn’t care for the rules. She saw that we were like them, the humans, just as
much as we were bears. She didn’t understand why we couldn’t reach out to
them.”

Brad grunted.
Jasmine could see the clouds of sadness descending over him.

“One day she
met a hunter in the forest. She was in her human form, and he was a young man.
Kind. Affluent. Generous. He took her back with him to his house. And … at some
point … she revealed her bear to him. The hunter, was enraged. He thought she
was a monster. Instead of alerting his people though, he decided to keep her
captive in his basement. Where he … tortured her. Raped her.”

“I’m so
sorry,” Jasmine whispered.

Brad moved
over and sat back down on the sofa with her. He shook his head.

“Thankfully,
the tribe eventually found out where she was. They tore the whole house down.
Killed the hunter and his servants. But when they found her, she was holding
onto a baby. A baby, that was a product of the hunter’s evil ways. They said to
her, it should be killed. Because who would ever want to look at that baby, and
be reminded of the hunter…?”

Tears were
falling from Brad’s eyes.

Jasmine
squeezed his hand.

“Well, my
mother, she loved me. She saw that even though I was the product of an evil
act, I was not evil in myself. And without her courage. Without her bravery. I
wouldn’t be here at all.”

Jasmine put
her arms around Brad to comfort him.

He went into
her, held her against his chest.

She comforted
him.

And he
comforted her.