Page 29

Not An Option

Jared

I didn’t know how long it had been since I had fully slept, but I knew I must have hit my limit as I didn’t even remember falling asleep. Although the relief I felt at finally having Ella back in my arms was what I knew had truly done it.

If I was honest, I couldn’t ever remember sleeping as well as I did when Ella was in my bed.

Before I met her, I would often toss and turn, restless in my sleep, but after…

I had never slept so soundly. I had never felt so content.

It was no doubt why I made the excuses to keep her in it, even before we were together.

When she had a broken arm and lost her voice, I still insisted on her sharing my bed, whereas I had never done so with anyone else other than Lerna.

But now I knew the truth and as a result, I was actually happy to know we had never been intimate, and that it had all been a rouse.

Because it just meant all that more to me with Ella.

The only woman I had ever truly loved.

A woman I now found missing from my bed…

As soon as I woke and didn’t feel her next to me, of course, my first reaction was blind panic. I tore off the furs and ran straight out the tent. I didn’t give a fuck that I was stark naked, I just ran and roared her name.

“ELLA!”

Of course, this caused a quick reaction within the camp as everyone that had been in the war room came running out, thankfully including Ella.

Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of me as I stormed unashamedly toward her, ignoring the actions my naked body created.

Like the way Amelia gasped before her eyes were covered by Lucius.

As for Keira, she was turned forcibly into Draven’s chest, and Lerna stumbled over her words.

“Oh my… oh dear…” Before her husband actually picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and disappeared back in the room. Something that looked like a very good idea right now, which was precisely what I did the second I was close enough to my girl.

“Jared, what are you… whoa!” Her question died in her throat as she yelled in shock. Then, without a word, I stormed back toward our tent, my anger building with each step.

Although, I was no longer panicked, and the feel of her delectable body squirming over my shoulder certainly helped.

As well as the sight of her fuckable arse so close to my face.

A sight I enjoyed many times since the first time I got to witness her arse up close in my club all those years ago.

And then again in Germany, which had been a benefit of her sassy behavior when pushing me in my own club.

And well, since that day, let’s just say that I saw the appeal to tossing your woman over your shoulder at any given opportunity. Now being no different.

However, I wasn’t just pissed to find her missing, but it was more the reason why that had my temper flaring.

Because after making love to her many times throughout the night, we had laid blissfully exhausted and sated in each other’s arms. Which finally allowed us the chance to talk as we each told the other all that had happened that led up to this point.

For my part, I told her what was needed for our plan to work, and on her side, she told me what I already suspected. That she had been a prisoner in her own mind. It was hard to hear all she had been through, but the irony was that using Nero’s spell could have ruined everything.

Because we hadn’t needed it. Ella had already managed to break through to her old self and convince her of the truth.

The hardest part of this conversation was, unsurprisingly, about her dad.

Of course, I would have liked to have left that up to him to explain.

Considering he was the one lying all these years about who he really was.

But seeing as I wasn’t ready to let her go yet, I chose the selfish path and told her the truth.

To say she was shocked was an understatement, and for the most part, I ended up regretting my decision, only fearing it would backfire.

But then as I continued to tell her the reason why he had kept it secret, she had finally started to calm down.

Now as for the part I played in it… well, this was when Ella got upset.

Because I had to admit when I discovered the truth about her father.

Although I was quick to point out that I never planned for her to jump through a fucking portal when attacked by Hellhounds, so she eventually gave me a pass on that.

As for discovering her mum being sick, this was when she started to cry, and it pained me to be the one to have to tell her.

But as painful as it was for her, I went on to explain how her dad was healing her, and this most certainly helped.

Especially when telling her that now she would never know the heartache of losing her parents to old age, as like the rest of us, they were immortal.

Her sweetest words followed as she told me how she felt like I had just given her the greatest gift, and I wasn’t the only one.

Ella was quick to bestow one of her own, with confirmation that my brother was still alive. Which was what led on to her ‘plan’. And this was where our problems had started. What she wanted to do was something I just couldn’t allow to happen.

She wanted me to let her go back there.

Needless to say, things got loud, and not in a good way.

Not like before when we were tearing each other’s clothes off and fucking for hours on end.

Oh, but how I wish that we had been, as it was a fuck load more fun, that was for sure.

Because no matter how many reasons she gave me, how much dire end of the world shit she presented, there was absolutely no fucking way I was letting her go again!

No fucking way I was allowing her to do something so foolish. To go back to that fucker.

No. Fucking. Way.

Which was what I told her.

And her response… She had lured me into a false sense of security, waited until I fell asleep, and left, no doubt to go over her plan with everyone else. So yeah, I was pissed.

“Jared, put me down! This is ridiculous!” she argued, and just because I was furious, I dumped her on the bed, making her wild hair fly all around her face.

I also forced myself to ignore how fucking adorable this made her look.

Then because I didn’t particularly want to have this argument butt naked, I grabbed my pants and yanked them on before facing her.

“They needed to know everything that had happened,” was the first argument that left her lips.

“And your ridiculous plan, did they need to know that as well?” I snapped, making her sigh.

“Look, I know you’re worried.”

“Worried? Ella, I am fucking terrified here!” I shouted, making her flinch, and I instantly felt like a bastard.

The sight was enough to get me to calm it down a notch. I knew she didn’t need the stress after everything she had been through, and I hated that she still felt the weight of this war on her shoulders.

“And you don’t think I am?” she asked, and I sighed before joining her on the bed.

“We will find a way.”

Placing her hand on my thigh, she told me,

“There is no other way, Jared.”

I growled in frustration, raking both my hands through my loose hair and tying it back before I ripped it from my scalp in anger.

“Answer me this, what would be the point to have rescued you, just to send you straight back there?!” I snapped, but damn her fucking logic as she told me,

“So that I could tell you the plan, because I can’t do this alone.”

I got to my feet again, before I started prowling the tent, pacing like my HellBeast was about to crawl out of my fucking skin.

“The answer is no,” I stated firmly, making her scoff, now standing herself and folding her arms across her chest. One that, unlike mine that was still bare, was covered in the dress she had obviously learned how to summon for herself.

The same green one she had been wearing yesterday that brought out the color in her eyes and the red in her hair.

Hair that she had left loose, wild, and free…

as it should have been. In fact, the whole outfit made her look like some ethereal forest goddess, and I tried not to stare at the fuckable way her dress pushed her breasts together.

Gods, she was beautiful and, once again, she was making me fucking hard for her.

But now was hardly the time to start thinking with my dick, despite what I would rather be doing to her… which was much more than having this fucking conversation.

“It’s cute that you think you have the power to make that decision,” she shot back in a dry tone, and damn it if her sass didn’t also make me hard.

Fuck sake, but why couldn’t we be arguing back home at Devil’s and not on the cusp of some fucking end of the world war?! Not dealing with yet another megalomaniac arsehole who wanted to rule the fuck all left after he had burnt it to the ground.

“I do have that power,” I stated, making her point out,

“And the other Kings, do you not think they also have that right?” she threw at me but I, in turn, threw one right back at her.

“And your father? Do you think he doesn’t have a say in this?” Her face twisted in anger at what I knew was a low blow.

“Don’t you dare bring him into this!”

“But he is in this, don’t you see? We turned him into a fucking Vampire just to get his arse to Hell and all for what?

For you to become Garmr’s fucking puppet again!

?” I shouted, and this was the exact point I wanted to punch myself, as I knew I had gone too far.

Something her expression told me as I watched it crumble before hardening in anger.

“I can’t believe you would throw that in my face!” she shouted, making her way out of the tent.

I winced before reaching out and stopping her.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” I admitted, making her at least lose some of the tension in her shoulders. “But, Ella, don’t you see, that is exactly what could happen again if I let you go and do this.”

Her reaction softened, and instead of pulling away, she surprised me by throwing her arms around me.

“But I know it won’t.”

“Ella,” I said her name on a sigh before she pulled back enough to add,

“You have to trust me here.”

“I do trust you,” I said, despite not being sure that I did.

Not in the way she was referring to. Because how could she know what was truly coming?

The lengths that Garmr would go to? What if she did manage to fight off his control, what would he do to her when he realized that she was no longer useful to him?

I knew exactly what he would do…

He would use her against me, and he would fucking win! Because if he ever had a blade to her neck then I would give him the fucking world if it meant saving her life.

“See, you say that, but your eyes tell me something else,” she said after pulling back further to look at me, and damn her for knowing me too well.

“He will use you against me,” I admitted, making her shake her head and tell him,

“Not if my plan works… a plan, I might add, you pretty much shut down before even listening to properly. A plan I was just in the middle of telling the others when you and your big swinging cock showed up,” she said, making me smirk at her choice of words.

“You trying to butter me up with compliments, Red?”

She scoffed and said, “Oh please, like you don’t know it’s big.”

I yanked her closer and growled.

“Fits in you just fine, baby… my tight little pussy,” I said, cupping between her legs.

She moaned and gave me some of her weight and fuck me, but I loved how ready she always was for me. Or maybe not, as she took a step back and shook herself, trying to clear her mind before accusing,

“I know what you’re doing.”

“Trying to fuck my woman and make her scream for me, fuck yeah, I am.”

She chuckled before telling me,

“Yes, well as nice as that would be, we do have more important things to do. Like, you know, all this end of the world shit,” she said, mimicking my words. However, there was only one word I focused in on. A word that made me grab hold of her once more.

I pulled her close and growled down at her,

“Nice?”

Her lips twitched as she fought a grin, instead mocking me by shrugging her shoulders.

“It was delightful?” she teased again, making me growl louder as we continued our banter. So, I ran my nose up the length of her neck and asked her,

“Delightful, did you say?”

I felt her shudder at the feel of my lips against her sensitive skin.

“Hmm, perhaps I could add more words, charming, agreeable… ooh, enchanting…” she said.

I pulled back and raised a brow at her, enjoying the way she tried not to grin. Fuck, I loved her playful side.

“Charming, agreeable… enchanting?” I mocked.

She was unable to hold back the smirk this time, scoffing a laugh as she said,

“Take your pick.”

I framed her face and pulled her so close I growled my next words over her lips.

“Trying fucking addictive!” Then I kissed her, and like our first kiss yesterday, my whole body came alive. It was as if she was the cure to a fractured soul. Everything within me just felt right and whole again.

It was of little wonder my issue with letting her go again. I didn’t want to risk losing her… and for good this time…

I didn’t want to risk losing my heart.

But then when she pulled back and placed her forehead to mine, she also placed a hand to my cheek, covering my scar in a tender, sweet gesture. Then she said in a soft voice,

“Please, baby, just listen to my plan… for me?”

The request made me grit my teeth as I clenched my jaw. Something she felt beneath her palm. Because she knew I could rarely deny her anything, which was why I finally conceded.

“Alright, I will listen but understand now that I make no promises to like it.”

Knowing that this was as good as she was going to get from me right now, she nodded. Then she took my hand and led me from the tent, walking us back toward the war room.

I would have asked why, but the moment I saw the faces of the other women, I knew I had just walked into a trap. Because here she would have backup on her side, meaning…

I was so screwed.