Tangled Redemption (8 page)

She could not make heads or tails of them or the situation
and right now she was in no shape to even try. Which was stupid because any
moment now the door could break open and an army of Ferals could storm in to
kill her.

Sydney nuzzled his neck. Miguel’s arms tightened around her.

She would deal with them if they came.

The air in the bathroom was filled with mist and the scent
of orange and lemongrass. Jayden had prepared the bath. “I’ll drown if you put
me in there by myself,” she murmured.

Jayden chuckled. “We can’t have that.”

She heard rustling of clothes and then the splashing of
water. A moment later Miguel passed her over into Jayden’s arms. Arms so thick
and strong they were a safety net. He settled her between his legs and began to
wash her. His rough chest hair stroked across her back. His thick cock rested
against her ass, but she wasn’t worried.

They wouldn’t do anything about their raging dicks. For some
reason they seemed to have made the decision that these three days of
competition were all about her. But that was about to come to an end.

Miguel handed her the now obligatory chocolate and had a
glass of water ready. She savored their attentions, their closeness, and found
the way back to herself. Sydney wanted nothing more than to linger here, but
she needed to know. She opened her eyes and sat a little straighter. “What will
happen tomorrow?”

The men exchanged a glance.

“That will depend on what mood Nasir is in,” Jayden said.

Miguel remained silent. He only studied her with his dark,
shadow-filled eyes.

She bit her lip and cuddled into Jayden’s embrace. The big
man held her closer. “I don’t want to choose.” There, she’d said it.

Jayden kissed the back of her neck. “What do you want?”

“I want us to stay as we are.” And wasn’t that the stupid
truth? She probably had Stockholm Syndrome or something. How else could she
explain that she felt safe with two lieutenants in a Feral army, one of them
responsible for her kidnapping?

Both men had touched something inside her. Something that
she thought had died after killing her husband.

“I do not believe Nasir will agree to such an arrangement.”
Miguel’s deep voice echoed through the bathroom.

“He will if we make him think it was his idea and if he
believes it’s the worst possible outcome for me.”

Miguel’s gaze narrowed. Jayden chuckled. “Very clever.” He
rested his chin on her shoulder. “If you tell him you want neither, that the
both of us together are too much for you—”

Sydney snorted.

“We all know that’s not the truth, but it might be an
incentive for him.”

Miguel crossed his arms over his chest. “What is going to
stop me from going to him and telling him about this little plan? In exchange
for having you all to myself?”

She froze. “But that’s not what I want.”

Jayden tightened his arms around her.

“Why would I care?”

Why would he care? Sydney realized she had assumed both men
would agree with her wish, that both of them enjoyed the current situation and
wanted it to continue. “Will you?”

For an endless minute he didn’t respond. “No, but the next
time you plan to lie to our leader you may want to take into consideration who
you are with.” He nodded at Jayden. “Who is to say that he won’t go to Nasir to
get you for himself?”

She swallowed. He was right. This wasn’t some kind of sex
colony where the biggest decision was who she would sleep with. In the time she
had been here she’d managed to access her data files due to a number of
breadcrumbs she’d left for herself. In between mind-blowing sessions with her
two men she had dug deeper into Nasir’s network and tracked down more buyers,
but she had no way to tell anyone. The stripped comp Miguel had provided her
with had limited capacity to receive, but nothing she’d tried had given her an
opportunity to send.

Even if she found a way, she had no idea where she was. She’d
tried calculating the distance traveled, but there were just too many variables
for a satisfactory conclusion. She didn’t leave the room but for her daily walk
and that took her in the opposite direction from the shuttle launch pad.

Basically she had done very little but grown to trust her
prison wardens.

It was official. She was completely and utterly insane.

Jayden kissed the back of her neck again. “Easy, love. He’s
just being a jackass.” He lifted her hand and nibbled on her fingers. “Miguel’s
right in that we have to be careful who we speak in front of, but here and now
it’s just the three of us. I believe we can all agree when I say we want each
other and we don’t want this triad to stop. Jade, we haven’t even fucked yet.
It would be such a shame to break this up before I get to thrust my hard cock
inside you while Miguel fucks me.”

Fire blazed through her at those words. So far they’d only
exchanged one kiss. She wanted to see them doing more. Far more.

“Are we in agreement?”

Sydney swallowed and nodded. Miguel lowered his head once.

“There you go. Out there we can continue to be competitors,
each of us having our own little strategies and plans. But in here we leave all
that behind and focus on bringing Sydney to more pleasure than she has ever experienced.”

Sydney smiled and shook her head. “I am not sure I can
survive.”

Miguel’s firm expression eased the slightest bit. “But what
a way to go.”

For a moment everyone stilled and then they burst into
laughter.

Sydney couldn’t believe it. How could she enjoy spending
time with her enemies?

But were they really? From the moment she’d met Miguel there
had been something different about him, something that didn’t fit with the rest
of the equation. And Jayden, so seemingly out of place with his easygoing, always
laughing persona. Were they who they said? Or was she only hoping they were not
because her stupid, stupid heart had decided they both looked good?

* * * * *

The next day Miguel stood beside Sydney and Jayden, watching
Nasir, trying to predict how the Vampire would respond to their plan. Sydney
would have to be convincing. Nasir was no fool, even if his sanity was in
question.

The subject of his thoughts strode into the room, followed
by his usual entourage, slightly larger today probably because of the occasion.
“Well then, there the three of you are. How have the last three days been?” He
waved at them to sit. Jayden and Sydney did, but Miguel crossed his arms behind
his back and stood at parade rest.

Nasir smiled, but danger lurked in his eyes. Miguel sent a
mental warning to both Sydney and Jayden. He didn’t know how receptive they
would be, but didn’t want to leave that avenue untried.

“Well then, Honorable Radnall, what is your decision?”

“I don’t want either of them.”

Nasir paused, then burst into laughter. “Really?” He looked
between Jayden and Miguel. “That doesn’t bode well for your reputations.”

Miguel remained impassive, a trait he knew Nasir hated.

Jayden laughed and shrugged. “Actually I think this time it’ll
work in our favor. We’ve worn her out, so she’s decided she wants nothing to do
with us.”

“Is that so?” Nasir’s smile dropped. He leaned back in his
chair and crossed his legs. “And why would you believe you have the right to
make any decision at all, Honorable Radnall?”

Sydney pressed her lips together, anger and disgust
shimmering in her eyes. She was good. Better than Miguel had anticipated. “I
don’t believe I said anything about my wishes being taken into consideration. I
am only responding to your initial question and my response remains the
same—neither of them.”

Tension invaded his body. She was pushing Nasir with that
bite in her voice. It was just a touch too much.

The Vampire’s gaze narrowed and he studied Sydney like a bug
under a microscope. He tapped his finger against the top of the armrest.
Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Silence spread across the room.

Miguel didn’t move, but he knew they were screwed. He wasn’t
sure what had given them away, but Nasir didn’t believe them.

Just before he was about to speak Jayden rose to his feet.
“Nasir, can I take you away for a moment while you make your decision? I
received intel on an unrelated matter I need to bring to your attention.”

Miguel straightened, unable to stop himself. What was Jayden
doing? Suspicion swirled through him. Why did he need to speak with Nasir
alone? Unrelated? Not likely.

Nasir’s brows rose. He looked between Miguel and Jayden, saw
Miguel’s change of position and curled his lips. “Unrelated, you say?”

Jayden nodded.

“I can’t wait to hear about this.” He rose and stepped through
the door into his soundproofed office. No matter how sensitive the hearing it
was impossible to overhear what happened in the office unless Nasir wanted them
to. Jayden followed after throwing Sydney a quick wink.

Miguel suppressed the growl rising in his chest. He met
Sydney’s questioning gaze, but gave her an infinitesimal shake of head. She
sobered up and cleared her expression.

He stared at the closed door.

What the hell were they talking about?

Jayden followed Nasir and closed the door behind himself.
The other Vampire sank into the chair behind his desk as Jayden sat before him.
For a moment his course of action made him feel bad, but Sydney’s safety came
above everything else.

“I believe Calatrave is behind the attempts on your life.”
It was an outright lie because Jayden had done his best during one of the
attempts and failed. Didn’t mean Miguel wasn’t responsible for the other two.

Nasir leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desktop.
“Indeed? And why do you believe my second-in-command would be after me?”

“I don’t have details yet, but I’d like to request that you
allow me to remain in this triad so I can stay close to him. There’s something
about him that has my senses tingling.”

“You mean your senses other than the ones that want to fuck
him?”

Jayden shrugged. “He is an attractive man for sure, but it’s
more than that.”

Nasir leaned back and once again tapped his finger, this
time against the top of the wooden desk. “You are aware Calatrave’s been with
me for nearly five years? He worked himself up through the ranks and has shown
his loyalty more than once.”

“I am sure he has.”

“Whereas you have only been working with me for what? Nine
months? And now you want me to believe that you have evidence indicating
Calatrave?”

Jayden nodded. “I come in with fresh eyes and see things
people who have been here for longer may overlook.” He held up his hand. “I’m
not saying he is guilty, I’m just asking that you give me the opportunity to
investigate. Remaining in the triad is my best chance to see what he’s up to.”

Nasir rubbed his chin. “Very well.”

Elation shot through Jayden. It had been a long shot, but
for once it seemed to have paid off.

“But I want you to supply me with Sydney Radnall’s blood in
exchange.”

Jayden froze. That was an impossible ask. Sydney had made it
more than clear that she would die before allowing anyone to take her blood.

Nasir raised his brows. “Is there a problem?”

Bastard. He knew exactly how Sydney felt about sharing her
blood. He knew the only way Jayden could agree to this would be to go behind
both Miguel’s and Sydney’s back.

He wanted to curse and ball his fists but didn’t allow any
of his anger and disgust to seep through. “Not at all.” A little bit of Naema
blood would not change the course of the war and in the end may even save the
life of one or two humans from the pen.

The last was a slim hope, but it worked as justification.

Jayden rose.

“I’m looking forward to my first donation.” Nasir rose as
well. The cunning satisfaction in his eyes made Jayden want to punch him, but
he only turned away and planned his next steps. The first of which would be to
alleviate Miguel’s suspicions. The second would be to gather what he needed to
take Sydney’s blood without her knowing.

His stomach clenched at the thought of doing something so
completely against her will, but there was no other choice and sometimes the
means justified the ends.

He stepped out of the office and grinned at the other two.
Sydney responded with a smile, but Miguel was his usual impassive self. Jayden
really wanted to get the other man to share more of his emotions, but doing so
outside the bedroom would endanger all of them.

Nasir clasped his hands before his chest. “Now, about this…arrangement
you are so unhappy about. Unfortunately, Honorable Radnall, I don’t want to
give you what you want. You will remain in the custody and care of Estimable
Calatrave and Maywater as their sexual pet. They are free to do with you
whatever they desire as long as it doesn’t outright kill you. Understood?”

Sydney’s mouth went dry, but she forced herself not to
swallow. Instead she counted Jayden’s freckles. It eased her and helped her to
keep her heart rate steady. There was just something about the way the Vampire
stood before her, as if he only had her best interest at heart. But when she
looked into his light blue eyes, she saw they had turned nearly gray and showed
a raging volcano of emotion. And none of it happy.

She slowly rose to her feet, the baggy black uniform she’d
been given on her first day absorbing and hiding the sweat on her lower back.
She met Nasir’s gaze and nodded. “Understood.”

His smile cut like the blade on his desk. “Wonderful.” He
turned away from her and addressed Miguel. “So sorry, Miguel, you will have to
share your pet and food with another.”

Miguel didn’t move. “You know what I like. This scenario
gives me more than one way to fulfill my desires.”

For a moment the volcano of emotions in Nasir’s eyes turned
black. Sydney clenched her jaw, expecting the worst, but instead he burst into
laughter. “Well done.” He glanced at Jayden. “You may have bitten off more than
you can chew.”

Jayden shrugged. “Nothing I don’t want to swallow.”

Nasir laughed some more.

The laughter grated across Sydney’s senses. She walked over
to Miguel. He gripped her nape and turned her to the door. His claim, blatantly
possessive and dominant, helped her stomach to settle.

He escorted her out of the chamber of horrors. Jayden fell
into step behind them.

She was about to say something, but Miguel tightened his
grip. She took the hint. He didn’t take her back to her room but turned on the
walkway that took them outside. They walked farther than they had before. The
forest surrounding them kept the air cool and comfortable, and made it
completely impossible for her to decipher more about her location.

Sydney pushed that thought aside. Her opportunity would
come.

After about thirty minutes they reached a small clearing,
the sunlight turning the forest greens into an idyllic picture. She smiled.
Being away from the compound lifted the cloud of dread that hovered over the
place. She twirled in place and stretched her arms to the sky. “It’s so
pretty.”

Jayden laughed and took her hands. The sun brought out the
deep auburn in his hair, making her want to run her hands through its fire.
Once again he guided her into a dance, leading her with an ease and grace that
was at odds with his bulk. She laughed and followed. He hummed a few notes of a
classic. They turned to Miguel who held his comp and had pulled up a classic
tunes site.

Jayden laughed and spun her around.

“May I cut in?”

Butterflies danced through Sydney’s stomach at Miguel’s
words. His old-fashioned approach made her respond in kind. “The next time we
pass here.”

He smiled and nodded. Jayden led her around the imaginary
dance floor. When they returned to Miguel he handed his comp to Jayden and took
Sydney into his arms. A little breathless she followed where he led.

Unsurprisingly, he was as good a dancer as Jayden, but there
was an edge to his leadership that made her heart race. Jayden danced with a
wink and a smile, not taking it too seriously, whereas Miguel guided her as if
the world depended on it.

She loved both.

His black gaze held her captive as he took her through the
steps.

The melody changed. She looked over and saw Jayden fiddling
with the comp. “Ah, here we are.” Another quick and fun tune pealed through the
clearing.

Miguel quirked his lips and lived up to the challenge by
twisting and swiveling her like a pro. She laughed, enjoying herself immensely.

At the end of the dance Jayden grinned broadly and gave them
another song. Miguel didn’t miss a beat. Jayden added his voice to the melody.

Lightness fluttered through Sydney. She wanted to freeze
this moment in time. This moment where Miguel smiled and allowed his impassive
mask to drop. This moment where her two men discovered a mutual enjoyment of
music. This moment where the world around them disappeared and they just were.

Miguel cradled her against him, one arm around her waist,
the other on her neck. As Jayden brought the song to an end, Miguel turned her
and led her into a dip. Knowing he would hold her she shifted her weight and
stretched one leg into the air.

He smiled and pulled her back to her feet.

Jayden clapped. “You should do this professionally.”

“I have.”

Sydney gaped.

Miguel rolled his eyes as he led her to a hoverbox at the
edge of the clearing. “I am twelve-hundred-and-ninety-three years old. There
are very few things I haven’t done.” He tapped in a code, opened the box and
lifted out a picnic basket. “Every warrior should know how to dance. It makes
you lighter on your feet.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. Of course he had to
bring fighting back into it. His age made her swallow a little bit. There were
a lot of years between them. She gaped some more when he snapped open a blanket
and added a food container. He also pulled two bottles out of the basket. One
was clear, probably water, the other mirrored a wine bottle. Her stomach curled
when she imagined where the blood had come from. Then she saw the fine sheen of
dust.

“I have a personal supply of blood. The only way to ensure
no contamination.”

Jayden dropped onto the blanket and pulled her down beside
him. Sydney made herself comfortable, but she didn’t quite believe Miguel’s
words. They made sense, but there was something beneath them. He was a master
of making statements that could be interpreted multiple ways.

Jayden stroked his hand over her shoulder and handed her the
food container. She opened it to another delicious stir-fry. She inhaled and
moaned. “Jade, this smells amazing.”

Miguel handed her a fork. “Eat.”

She wanted to roll her eyes at his demand but dug in
instead. She hadn’t felt like eating before their confrontation with Nasir.
Sydney pushed that thought away. “When and where did you dance professionally?”

For a moment she thought he wouldn’t respond. He poured two
glasses of blood and handed one to Jayden. “It must have been around five
hundred years ago. There was a woman—“

Jayden burst into laughter. “There usually is.”

She tried to smile but couldn’t quite pull it off. She
didn’t want to hear about his passionate affair with another woman. Lifting the
fork she hid her expression.

“I had just lost a very close friend in a stupid and
unnecessary war. I needed a change and ended up on a small moon. I went to
explore the main town because it had interesting geography. Rock and mountain
surround it on three sides. It sounded diverting and I wanted to see it. A
major dance competition had the whole town in a frenzy.” He shrugged and sipped
his drink. “One of the home girls was without a partner due to an accident. I
offered to help.”

Sydney wanted to slap the fond smile off his lips. This had
happened centuries before they even met and it wasn’t as if she had any claim
to him.

Jayden caressed the back of her neck, giving her something
other than the anger inside her to focus on. “What happened next?” he asked.

“We managed to come third in this competition, which
qualified us for another round. Margaret worked me like a dog until I was up to
her standards and I joined the circuit.” His smile dimmed. “We did that for a few
years, but she wanted a family. I couldn’t give it to her so we parted ways.”
He was about to say something else but looked around and grimaced. “She died of
old age as humans are prone to do.”

“Do you still think of her?” Sydney wanted to pull the words
back before they finished leaving her mouth.

He studied her, his eyes once again like obsidian. “Once in
a while I remember her fondly. The drills she put me through have become second
nature, making me a better fighter.” He drank more blood, his watchful gaze
studying the clearing. “I have no emotional attachment to her.”

He lied. Her new ability, a gift for nearly dying, told her
this clearly. Sydney barely managed to keep her expression impassive. This was
the first time she had ever heard him lie outright. But she understood why. If
anyone overheard they would interpret this connection as a weakness.

She nodded and turned to Jayden. “Tell us about being a rock
star.”

Jayden laughed, brushing away the slight awkward pause that
had fallen over them. “Love, I was no star. My friends and I were barely
midlist. We had this neat little shuttle.” He shook his head. “Barely good
enough to fly and held together by spit and tape. We used it to tour clubs and
any other venue that would take us. We built a small fandom and had a lot of
fun.” He shrugged. “Then one of us got married, another decided he wanted a
proper job. Things fell apart as they are prone to do when you grow up.” A big
smile curved his lips. “It was a great time and it prepared me so I could sing
for you.”

She cupped his cheek and kissed him. Same as Miguel he held
something back, something painful deep inside him. This was not the time and
place to ask for more. “Well, I love to dance, so I’m very pleased to have two
such great partners. The majority of the men I had to dance with during my
father’s functions barely knew the basics.”

“Why did you keep going when the dancing was so bad?” Miguel
asked, a spark of humor lightening his eyes.

Sydney groaned. “Naemas are all about how things look to
outsiders. Everything is about being in complete control every minute of every
day. I was still a child when my father began his campaign and showing himself
as a wonderful family man was a must.” She shrugged. “It went on from there.
When he took office my mother looked after his social calendar and designated
me his assistant. Because I am the youngest no one seemed to think I might have
other ideas. My three brothers—”

“Three?” Jayden asked, his innocent expression an
exaggeration.

She chuckled. “Yes, three of them.”

Jayden threw Miguel a laughing glance. “We need to watch our
backs.”

“I always do, but now I’ll add another layer.”

Sydney laughed to hide her desperation. It wasn’t as if
Miguel and Jayden were dating her and needed her brothers’ approval. She wished
that was the case, but it wasn’t. “Anyway, they’d found their path early and
were all very successful. I couldn’t make up my mind and tried too many things.
Other than looking after my family’s finances I didn’t contribute. After the
last debacle my parents designated me my father’s companion.” She grimaced. “I
wasn’t very mature and threw a fit. That’s when I started to go on trips
without telling anyone where I was going except for my best friend. In the
beginning everyone freaked out, but then they got used to it. That’s how my
bastard husband could explain away my disappearance.”

Rage and hatred filled her, followed quickly by humiliation.
She had been a spoiled brat and it had nearly cost her everything. Sydney
forced a smile onto her lips and met the two men’s thoughtful gazes. “Let’s
just say I’d much rather dance with either of you than with an old geezer
pinching my butt.”

“If you need someone to pinch your butt I am first in line.”
Jayden’s teasing helped her to calm.

She rested against him as she turned to Miguel. “Why do they
call you the Spaniard? What does it mean?”

He shrugged. “I was born on Old Earth.”

She gasped but realized she should have made the connection
when he stated his age.

“I grew up in a city called Madrid. When the resources could
no longer sustain ourselves we found this new galaxy. Originally there were a
number of us. Earth was very, very far away so we began to call ourselves by
our nationalities to remember what we’d left behind.” A small smile curved his
lips. “We spread far and wide and times weren’t easy. I think there are only a
handful of us left. Being the Spaniard became part of me.”

Sydney had a feeling there was far more to this story, but
instead of digging deeper she climbed to her feet and put the empty container
back into the box. That’s when she noticed the second, smaller container. “What’s
this?”

“Open it.” Miguel’s voice turned husky.

Her core throbbed. He only used that voice when he was about
to touch her. She opened the lid and sighed when she saw the slice of decadent
chocolate fudge cake. “Jade, this looks amazing.”

“I completely agree.”

She turned to Jayden, but he looked at her, not the cake.
Sydney laughed. “Why thank you.” She dropped back onto the blanket between the
two of them. “But you’ll have to wait. Nothing and no one comes between me and
this cake.”

Her men laughed.

She dipped her spoon into the cake, ensuring she had a
little bit from every layer. She moaned when it hit her taste buds. The bite of
the dark chocolate, the sweet softness of the fudge cake, the sugary hit of the
chocolate icing mixed with the whipped cream. It was scrumptious.

Sydney opened her eyes for a second bite and found herself
the center of attention of two powerful and hungry men. Miguel looked predatory
and even Jayden had a wolfish glint in his eyes. She swallowed and put the
spoon down, her body already heating with need. “I believe it’s time to return
to the room.”

“Are you sure?” Jayden asked.

“Yes.” She carefully closed the lid on the cake container
and put it back into the bag. “I’ll have the rest later.”

Her men jumped to their feet. Within moments everything was
put back into the hoverbox. Miguel programmed it and it shot off. “The cake
will be in my room waiting for you.”

Her mouth grew dry. Her nipples peaked. She nodded.

Jayden took her hand and led her back. No one said a word.
The tension around them increased with every step. The closer they came to the
compound, the longer their strides grew. Sydney was just glad she had long
legs.