Children of the Gods - A Chosen Novel (9 page)

“No, I certainly cannot. In fact, this new
host Jaxson chose is clearly bringing out a lust for life I have
not seen from you in hundreds of years. I can see why he would be
protective of it.”

“Yes, she is strong. We do enjoy her.” I
stroked my hands against my sides and slid them down to my
hips.

There was a glint of menace in her eyes.
“Maybe I will take her sister when she is of age.” She smiled a
wicked smile.

I smiled back, but I am sure she could see
the flames burning in my eyes. “Yes, I believe she would suit
you.”

“Oh?” Her eyebrows arched.

“Yes, the girl is also missing important
parts.” My smile widened as hers disappeared. “Have you never
noticed the limp? I believe the girl is lame.”

She turned and stormed away. I gritted my
teeth and tried to steady my breathing. My heart thundered in my
ears. My thoughts drifted to the knife I was only recently aware
was stealthily tucked into Jaxson’s pant leg. To keep from crying,
I imagined plunging it deep into Duester’s back, finishing what
Lennie started.

Jaxson put his hand on my shoulder, and I
looked up to see the concern in his eyes. It softened me. I did not
want to feel soft. After the previous night, I could not afford to.
So I took his hand and looked away.

My thoughts kept returning to Anaya as I ate,
but I needed to focus on the current issue. Duester. She continued
to send stares my way that chilled me to the bone. There was the
question; if she was out to hurt Anaya, why did she threaten my
family? Did she know?

The walk back to the room was a quiet one. It
made the echo of Griff’s footsteps more obvious, like a percussive
reminder that I was a prisoner here, and there was no escape.

“Are you okay?” Jaxson asked as we stopped in
front of the room.

“I am. Why do you ask?”

He traced his fingers over my eyebrow, across
my temple and down my cheek. He smiled, but his eyes seemed
sad.

“I know you are fond of this one.” He brushed
his finger across the tip of my nose. “Duester’s comments have
upset you.”

I nodded.

“We will keep her away from Reka’s family. Do
not let her trouble your mind.” He leaned in and kissed my nose. “I
will be back before dinner, maybe sooner,” he said, turning to
Griff. My guard nodded and followed me into the room.

Griff took up his post in the chair Jaxson
made for him. His dark eyes felt like they were probing my soul now
that we were alone in the room with nothing standing between
us.

Again, thoughts of Anaya invaded my brain.
She was the worst kind of selfish, leaving me to fend off her
enemies, and now she had robbed me of all my allies. Even Griff,
sitting there watching me, looked guilty. He too, played a part in
the circumstances that brought me here.

“Do you intend to just stare at me for the
next four hours?”

“You know I am required.”

“Do not act like you are just a servant,
Griff.”

“I am as free as you.”

The silence that followed his words was
oppressive. What could I say to that? Did it mean Jaxson would do
anything to keep him too?

“I am tired. I think I will get some
rest.”

“Yes, it has been a draining morning. Sleep
will help bring you clarity.” He nodded his approval.

When I woke, Griff was gone and the room was
dark. The only light came from the doorway to the wash room.
Quietly, I padded to the edge of the doorway and watched as Jaxson
bathed.

“You were sleeping so peacefully I did not
want to wake you. Your dinner is on the bureau.” He did not turn to
face me when he spoke.

“How long did I sleep?” It felt like I had
only closed my eyes for minutes and it left me feeling off
balance.

“It is almost bed time.” He still did not
turn. Alarmed, I walked across the room and knelt next to the tub
facing him.

“Is something the matter?” I asked.

He touched the hand I had absently placed on
his shoulder. “Not now that you are awake.” His voice was deeper,
husky sounding.

“What is it?”

“You would not wake up.” He looked and
sounded like a frightened child. I could not help my reaction, nor
did I want to. I was not going to change who I was to fit into
their mold.

I crawled into the tub, dress and all, and
sat in his arms. He held me tight, tighter than ever before. And
for the moment I did not care who he was, or who I was for that
matter. There was only his skin and his fear blending with my skin
and my fear; common in allies and in foes.

Chapter
11

I did not object in the morning when Griff
met Jaxson at the door and took his place in the chair that
remained.

“You look better this morning.”

“Yes, half a day asleep will leave anyone
feeling well rested.”

“More rest on the agenda today?”

I shook my head. “No, I think I have done
enough lying around. I feel like stretching my legs today.”

He eyed me with interest. “Swimming?”

Shaking my head, I flicked my hand toward the
wash room. “Go, I need to change.”

As I dressed in the tight man pants and
bodice, I realized I was growing fond of the way they made me feel.
I felt confident in them, like they were a second more durable
skin. That is what I would need if I was to endure what I had
planned.

“I want you to teach me to fight,” I said
when Griff re-entered the room.

“What?” There was horror in his usually calm
eyes.

“You heard me. I do not want to feel so
helpless.”

“Helpless? You seem to hold your own pretty
well.” He chuckled.

“Only when I am angry and not with any skill.
Teach me.”

“Jaxson will not approve.” He shook his head
as if that ended the conversation.

“Then we will not tell him. He cannot say no
if we do not ask him for permission.” I saw defeat in his eyes. I
jumped and clapped my hands together.

“You are worse than a child, more trouble
than one too.” He did not mean it. His face reflected some of my
own excitement.

~o~

It was hard to sit through breakfast.
Watching everyone eat and talk made restless, especially Duester,
who met my stares several times. I wanted to begin training, so
that, should the occasion arise, I would be able to back up my new
sense of authority.

In my bones, I felt the situation was going
to arise, and sooner than I might be prepared for. “Where can we
train?” I asked without breaking Duester’s gaze. The malevolent
look in her eye caused a shiver of fear which then gave way to
excitement.

“I know a place. We will talk after
breakfast,” Griff said.

“Perfect.”

I had to try not to skip as we left the
dining room.

“Could you tone it down? I feel guilty enough
as it is.”

I could see he really did. If it was not so
important, I would let him off the hook. Betrayal was not in his
nature. It was not in mine either, but that is what it felt like
and I was forcing his involvement.

Everything I did in this place made me feel
like a villain. The only thing that ever felt right was being kind
to Jaxson, and that was the one thing that should feel wrong.

~o~

“Ready?” Griff asked again.

“If you keep asking me in that tone, I am not
sure I will be able to say yes.”

He grinned.

“I am not giving up, Griff!” Though my aching
ribs disagreed with my comment. I widened my stance and braced
myself when I saw the shift in his muscles.

“You are only going to try to knock me down,
not hit me, right?”

“Your opponent is not going to tell you what
she plans, before she does it,” he responded, and took a menacing
step forward.

“Right.”

“Loosen your stance,” he ordered.

I did not take my eyes off him. I already
learned that painful lesson earlier, but I relaxed my leg
muscles.

He took another step which brought him closer
than it should have. I fought the instinct to brace for impact. He
advanced, about to grab me. I dodged, feeling my muscles hum with
an energy that felt wild, like an animal’s. This was what it was
like to feel truly alive.

With speed that thrilled and frightened me, I
swept Griff’s legs with one of mine while pushing him down with my
hands. He hit the floor and my reaction was stunted by my shock.
Before I realized what was happening, I was lying on my back, the
wind knocked out of me.

Griff’s laugh was thunderous. My face burned
with frustration. It still took a minute before I regained my
breath.

“You could not let me have one small
victory?” I asked, still flat on my back.

“Your opponent will not.” All the laughter
was gone from his voice. I knew he was right. He stood up and
loomed over me like a giant, offering a hand.

I shook my head. “I need a minute.”

“How about we take lunch and see how you feel
then?”

“Okay.”

He pulled me to my feet and it felt like all
my bones had to shift to re-find their proper places. He chuckled
as I shrugged and wiggled to help them along. I glared back.

“This was your idea.”

“I think you are enjoying abusing me a little
too much. If you were my friend, you would have just said no.”

“I did.”

“No, you said ‘Jaxson would not approve.’” I
wiggled my head and mocked his voice. “Ensuring my commitment by
appealing to my sense of rebellion and refusal to be
controlled.”

“If I had said no, would the same thing not
have happened?”

“Oh, shut up.” I turned and stomped away. He
caught up to me at the door, all smiles.

~o~

I was busy ignoring Griff and his ear to ear
grin when the dining room suddenly tensed. It was so quiet I could
hear that I was the only one breathing. I did not need to look up
to know Jaxson had just walked in.

The air changed; it was sweet. Even the food
I was chewing tasted better; and my throbbing sides hurt less.

I kept my head down, trying to deny the fact
that my entire being craved his presence, that he soothed an ache I
was unaware was there until it was quieted.

I glanced at Griff and his grin looked, if
possible, even more smug. He had that look my sister used to get
just before she tattled. The,
you are about to get in big
trouble
look.

“Jaxson!” Griff called in an overly
enthusiastic tone.

Unable to pretend any longer, I looked up.
Jaxson’s expression was unreadable, but his strut was fast and
agitated. I had a feeling Griff’s look was right. I smiled and
stood to greet him. His features softened, though he remained
tense. He walked around the table and reached for me without a
word, pulling me into a gentle embrace.

His fingers glided over my ribs with more
purpose than normal, like he was examining me.

“Are you alright?” he whispered into my
hair.

“Yes.” I pulled back to look at him. He
looked fierce, like a lion, but his touch was as gentle as a
breeze. His protectiveness was palpable, peppering the air with his
scent.

“Does food taste better when I am near?” I
surprised myself with the question.

His whole demeanor changed. His grin let me
know just how deeply my question pleased him. Before I could feel
embarrassed for sharing just how much of an affect he had on me, he
leaned in close and kissed me passionately.

“Now try the food,” he said, pulling away. I
sat back down and he took his seat next to me. I cut a piece of my
chicken and placed it in my mouth. It was better than any chicken.
Ever.

I looked at him completely in awe. “It has
never been like this before.”

“You have always kept a distance.” His voice
was melancholy, then he smiled. “This is what you have been denying
yourself all these years.”

I knew why Anaya tried to make me avoid the
things I had shared with him over the last few days.

“It is not only me that has gone without for
so long.” I touched his hand. “For that I am sorry.”

“I am a patient man. I knew you would come
around. It is but a second in eternity.”

I knew that was not true. He suffered much
due to her selfishness. It was this, my time with him that would
feel like only a second when I was gone. Living with Anaya then
would be torture, knowing what he could have but did not.

I felt her satisfaction at the thought, and
wondered if that was her end game all along.

~o~

Back in the room, it was just me and Griff. I
could admit how much I hurt. Standing in front of the mirror, I
realized there was no way I was going to be able to hide the day’s
activities from Jaxson. They were spelled out in black and blue
across my back and sides.

“I am on to you.”

Griff looked up as I returned from the
washroom. He smiled innocently, but said nothing.

“You did this on purpose so Jaxson would
know,” I said, holding up the side of my shirt.

He blushed. “I did what you asked. I did not
take it easy on you. I wanted you to know what you might expect.”
His grin told me he left out that if it also told on me that was a
bonus he would be pleased with.

“And I suppose you had no idea he was coming
to lunch either?”

“He might have mentioned it.”

I rolled my eyes and collapsed onto the bed.
Every muscle tightened in protest, then slowly relaxed.

“No training this afternoon?” he asked with a
chuckle.

Ignoring him, I tried not to pay attention to
the nausea my sore muscles caused. I grabbed a pillow and tucked it
behind my head. My eyelids felt heavy, so I closed them.

“Anaya, Anaya.” Griff gently shook me.

“I am sorry. I did not mean to fall asleep.”
I yawned and stretched.

“You were talking in your sleep.” His face
was pale.

“I was?”

He nodded and his face got paler.