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Chapter Thirty-Four

Still disoriented from severing the labyrinth bonds that linked her to Julian, Jade’s knees threatened to give out even before Niko phased them to his legion lands.

The sweet scent of mint enveloped her as Niko swung her against his chest and held her close. He whispered words of encouragement as she closed her eyes against him. Even in her befuddled state, she knew that he was safe, that he was home .

Jade clung to him without reservation.

She didn’t enjoy being a damsel in distress, but she couldn’t manage to shake off the fog.

Such was her shock that she only realized they weren’t alone when a masculine voice cleared his throat.

Jolting, Jade desperately reached for a weapon.

The dagger didn’t manifest in her hand—a sure sign her magic was destabilized.

Roman stood before them.

Her panic ebbed nominally. Roman was safe, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. But something about Niko’s stiffness clued her into the fact that not all was well between the two men, and that fact alone brought her further out of her fog than anything could.

They stood in the air-conditioned chill of a tastefully decorated living room. Clearly a bachelor pad, it was done in navy and black with a warm grey painted on the walls. Large leather recliners, built for men of Roman’s size, framed a fireplace that’d seen lots of use.

Several large overhead lights, medical grade, were stored away in the corner, but everything else in the space suggested practicality and easy comfort. That didn’t erase Jade’s feeling of displacement.

“Prime.” Niko greeted in a voice tight with tension. “We come to request your aid.”

The formal speech cleared the last remnants of Jade’s disillusionment. Sensing the change, Niko gracefully lowered her to her feet, but offered no apology.

She straightened, hesitating to speak as Roman’s scrutiny centered first on Niko, then on her. The earthy brown gaze took in every inch of her, challenging her pride and her assuredness that this had been a good decision.

Eyes narrowing, Roman asked, “Are you aware you’re holding a barrier, Jade?”

“What?” came Niko’s flabbergasted exclamation.

“Granted, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it in mates, but you’ve learned his ability, Jade.” A hint of humor lit his features. “I’d hazard a guess and say that’s why Julian’s manipulation failed to take.”

Niko shifted warily on his feet, gently drawing Jade closer to his flank.

Then, Roman asked the harder question. “What did Julian command you do?”

“He tried to coerce me to kill Niko,” she shivered, her hands coming up to wrap tightly around herself.

“To shoot him with a gun that had silver bullets when we were alone. To not stop or leave until he was dead. Then forget about the whole thing and come back to the capital to be his willing slave. As I was once before, apparently.”

Roman eyed Niko critically. “It’s a good thing it failed. What of Julian?”

“Jade shot him. Currently down for the count, but being attended by his mender.”

“I see.” It didn’t take a psychologist to hear the disappointment in Roman’s voice. “Perhaps one day, Julian will get what’s coming to him.”

The prime’s pointed comment settled uneasily over all three of them. As the silence stretched into uncomfortable territory, Jade chanced a glance at her mate, questioning where to go from here. His features pinched, and Niko took a deep breath.

“Ro, I’m sorry about what I said.” The muscles in his neck worked. “I was out of line, and I don’t believe any of it.”

Niko’s words seemed to have the opposite effect, making Roman’s gaze harden. “Do you honestly believe that I’d hold your words against you? That I’m the type of man who’d withhold your mate entry into the legion because my feelings were hurt?”

Even Jade could tell that the man had been genuinely injured by whatever it was Niko had said to him. And that he found the idea that he’d put his personal wounds above his legion’s wellbeing outrageous.

Niko’s head dipped. “I’m sorry.”

“I think I’ve had enough apologies for one day.” Roman turned toward her, making Jade stand up straighter under his study. “How is it that you, one of Julian’s kinsmen, were blissfully unaware of his predilections?”

“I didn’t know.” Jade blanched. “I swear to you, I had no idea. Every time I brought up a discrepancy to him, he had an answer. When I questioned him about things I thought were curious, he waved away my concerns or put them off so long I forgot about them.”

“So, what you’re telling me is that you’ve never dug deeper, and took his answers at face value instead of scrutinizing his words for what they were worth.” Rolling his shoulders, Roman rose to all six and a half feet of his daunting height. “You’re a pushover.”

Jerking back as if slapped, Jade’s snow leopard hissed through her teeth. “I am not a pushover.”

“From where I’m standing, it looks an awful lot like you rolled over and offered him your belly every time.”

“I—he coerced me!”

“A likely excuse,” came the haughty reply, “and one we can’t verify.”

When her snow leopard roared in challenge, Jade rapidly leashed the beast with psychic chains to hold her back. Since the showdown with Julian, the animal had been pacing feverishly beneath her skin, needing to unleash the rage and fear she’d held inside.

She braced herself under the onslaught of Roman’s commentary, the slights against her character something she wouldn’t take lying down.

“Ask another truth seeker if I’m lying.”

“We don’t have one, and I certainly won’t take your word for it. I’ve long since given up any pretense of trusting anyone from First Legion.”

Staggering beneath the insults, Jade stiffened as electricity sparked through the air and Niko jerked beside her. Deep within her, her leopard snarled against the chains that bound her, straining to shift and defend her honor.

Such was her internal battle that Jade didn’t notice the threat before her.

When she opened her eyes— when had she closed them? —it was to see Roman’s tiger reflected in his gaze. When he commanded her to shift with all the dominance he represented, Jade could do nothing but cede to his authority.

As her limbs and muscles shifted seamlessly to those of her snow leopard, the predator came roaring to the surface. With a menacing snarl, Jade’s cat leapt at Roman with every intention of unleashing the wrath and fury that’d built behind closed doors.

Julian had primed her for violence. Roman had just given her a target.