The Almost One Night Stand

Chapter 79

Multiple POVs

Jerron's POV

I'd felt her pushing at the edges of my mind, searching for me. Dove? I'd called out, only to have her sever the connection abruptly. Did she mean to reach out to me, or was it just a coincidence? I couldn't risk it - maybe she was in danger. I quickly abandoned my task and took to the skies, heading toward the cabin. I landed, quickly shifted my form, and approached from the back. Something was off - no smoke rose from the chimney, and I couldn't sense either of the occupants.

My body tensed as I noticed the back door standing open. When I walked into the empty room I felt his presence - the descendent had been here, and she was gone. I took a ragged breath and approached the front door and walked toward the now-empty clearing. As I summoned my magic, I knelt on the ground pulling on the water molecules to retell the events that had taken place only a few hours earlier.

I heard a mournful cry and realized it was my own. 

She was gone.

Balor's POV

"What do you mean they freed her?" I howled as Delilah cowered before me. "How many times are you going to fuck this up?" I watched as Jerron walked up behind her, snaking his arm around her shoulders. She tried to struggle, but he sank his fangs into her neck as her body went limp, and he let her fall to the floor. "Please tell me you didn't just fucking kill her?" I groaned.

Jerron put his hand on his hip and snapped, "What do you take me for? I know we need the stupid cow, but at least this way she'll be more compliant." He nudged her with his foot, "Besides, we can always sell her to Zolros. He's always looking for more breeders. Might be an option for someone else as well," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"What did you do to Delilah," Mara cried when she spotted the woman on the floor.

"Jerron thought she needed to relax a bit. Apparently the stress of losing her niece, yet again, was too much for her." I watched as Mara's face paled. "Oh, hadn't you heard, Mara? Her soulmates rescued her. Apparently, the descendent has been revealed and his magic was stronger than Addanc's."

"Not like the old guy will be doing much of anything anymore," Jerron snorted and flopped into the chair next to my desk.

"What do you mean," Mara asked.

"The Abhartach and his new mate devoured his eternal soul. Poor old guy is a hollow now. Word is it almost sent both of them over the edge. They attacked one of their own, but good ole' Merlin saved the day," Jerron made a sour face and pinched the bridge of his nose, then broke out laughing hysterically.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked, staring at him.

"I just realized there's probably a target on my back now," he sighed, tears falling from his eyes from laughing so hard. "Fucking Holly King will see it and declare a manhunt, well, dragon hunt." Oh shit, the mark. Jerron hadn't hidden his. I'd warned him for eons that his ego would be his undoing, but this time it really might be. "Um there's something else, I've been meaning to tell you," he stammered.

"See what?" Mara asked. "You didn't hurt Nimue, did you? We had a deal. She gives you heirs and then I get her. She's meant to be Dearg Due, she's mine," the petite vampire growled.

I rubbed my face, grumbling, "Jerron, I'm beginning to see merits to your earlier suggestion." He snorted and I heard her squeak. I looked up just in time to see her body hit the floor next to Delilah's. "Thank fuck," I groaned. "Now what was the other thing?" I asked him.

He blew out his cheeks and gulped, "She's my mate." I visibly staggered, grabbing the edge of the desk to steady myself. Then I threw my head back laughing. "Wait, when I laugh I'm crazy, but you can just laugh at my misfortune and it's cool?" he snarked.

"We are so cosmically fucked, Jerron," I told him, sucking in a breath, "I think she's my mate as well." He fell back into the chair he'd been sitting in earlier with a stunned look. "I went to see her at the cabin and something happened. I...I'm still not entirely sure, but..."

He rubbed his hand over his face, "Okay, one problem at a time old friend. First, we need to deal with these crazy bitches before they hurt our mate. Then we need to figure out how we are getting her back - if she'll even have us." He stood, smoothing his suit, "So, I'll ring Zolros - delivery or pickup?" Jerron smirked.

"Since you're a wanted man, let's go with delivery. They can't follow us below," I said. Guess we're going to a Bánánach auction market - oh joy.

Author's Notes:  So are they the bad guys or not...decisions, decisions, decisions...

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