Her Mortal Mate

Chapter Forty Three: An Old Friend

Adam

Holy mother of god…

I stared open mouthed at the breathtaking scene before me. As I slowly stepped to the edge and peered over the railing, I took in the spectacle of lights, darkness and beauty of the city. At the very bottom of the cavern were several tall buildings and one very prominent stone one that stood out. Moving out from the center, the buildings, shops and houses were all haphazardly spread. It reminded me of pictures of Puerto Rico, where the houses were all practically on top of each other with narrow streets and even narrower alleyways.

We were at a high vantage point overlooking the entire underground immortal city. We were so far up I could clearly see, and almost touch, the shops hanging from the top of the gigantic cavern. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head when I saw winged creatures flying to and from them. Some looked like angels while others looked like devils.

“Demons, Adam,” Jadea corrected.

Demons!?

What!?

But… what were evil creatures doing here!?

“Try not to stare, Adam,” Jadea sighed, her hand tightening on mine as she turned away from the edge. “I’m sorry I did not warn you. I will explain more about my world after this is all over. Just know, not all demons are evil. They just get a bad wrap due to the handful of bad ones.”

“Jadea!” Lance called out to us from a short distance away. “Well don’t you look sexy,” he smirked as we approached, taking her in from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around her waist and bared my teeth. I really didn’t like his blatant ogling.

Jadea kissed my cheek as amused laughter filled my mind. “Thank you Lance. Shall we?”

He nodded and fell into step on the left side of her as I stayed on her right. In front of us walked Lance’s pack while Jadea’s stayed behind us. I didn’t pay much attention to their light banter and easy conversation. My mind and attention was preoccupied by everything around me. All of the new sights, smells and people… well I guess they weren’t people.

Beings?

I was brought to a sudden stop as we came to a wide point in the road. We were about halfway down into the cavern. My gaze snapped to Jadea and Lance and I saw both of them alert and looking past Lance’s pack. What had caught their attention?

And then that’s when she breezed right on through Lance’s line of wolves. They parted for her like the Red Sea.

She was slightly shorter than me. Long blond hair cascading in waves down her back. She had hazel eyes and a smile that took one’s breath away. She wore a pair of simple jeans, a plain shirt and a long black cloak that swept the ground with a hood.

She looked familiar but I couldn’t place her.

“W-What are you doing here?” Lance demanded, surprised by her appearance.

That devastatingly gorgeous smile turned on him. “Lance, dear. I’ve got it from here.”

“I am seeing them safely to their destination,” he stated on a soft growl, sounding more defensive than anything.

She raised an eyebrow. “Yes. And you are drawing quite the attention,” she noted. “And not the good kind,” she added on a whisper. “At least not by the right kind of bad guys,” she winked.

How did she know of our plans? Was she a part of them?

“Jordan, Mark,” she called authoritatively over her shoulder. Lance’s beta and omega instantly responded as if she were their alpha instead of Lance. Interesting. “Stay with me. Lance, take the rest of your pack and go on ahead of us.”

In my mind I felt Jadea’s pack grow uneasy because they didn’t know who she was. However, Jadea was as calm as ever. “Who are you?” Garret took the initiative and asked a bit briskly as he stepped forward, taking the spot next to Jadea where Lance had stood. His hard gaze clashed with hers. I had to wonder why he was demanding an answer when he was a mind reader. Unless he couldn’t read her mind?

“Im an old friend of Jadea’s,” the woman smiled unafraid. “Friends call me C.”

“Who the f**k has a name like—

“Shut up!” Jadea’s command ripped through our minds. “Just shut up!”

When I reached out to touch her mind, it was closed off. By the looks on the rest of the pack’s faces, they too had been forced out of Jadea’s mind. I had a feeling she wasn’t the one who was blocking her mind, though. My gaze shifted to the newcomer as her gaze held mine with intense curiosity.

“I see you slipped your guards,” Lance noted darkly as he stalked by C, pulling her attention away from me.

“I have to keep them on their toes,” she smiled brightly up at him. “Please. I’ve got them from here.”

“I’m their protection,” he argued one last time, glaring down at her.

“Are you trying to imply something?”

Lance bared his teeth.

“You know I alone can provide more protection than you and your entire pack. No need to make more of a production out of this than necessary. We will see you at the venue,” she dismissed as she smiled wider and an impish look crossed her face.

Lance clicked his tongue. “When they find out I let you do this they are going to kill me.”

“No, they wouldn’t. They know better.”

“You are insufferable,” he hissed but I could tell the fight was leaving him.

“So I’ve been told. Now, run along dear.”

Lance grumbled something unintelligible under his breath before spinning away to lead the rest of his pack away.

Odd.

But I saw the smirk Jadea was trying to hide.

C looped her arm through Jadea’s and led us down a different path. Jordan took point while Mark fell behind the group.

“It’s been a long time, Jadea. You look stunning by the way,” C commented.

“Thank you,” Jadea smiled shyly.

“And this is the notorious Knight Necromancers pack,” she smiled over her shoulder at the others. “It is nice to finally meet you in person.”

“Remind us who you are again?” Blade spoke up. I could nearly feel their annoyance.

“Oh, I’m a nobody,” she reassured, that impish look returning to her eyes.

“Mmmhmm,” Garret hummed doubtfully.

Jordan had come to a sudden stop and C was in motion. In the blink of an eye, she was standing before us, her hand disappearing in the mass of curls at her back, as if she were reaching for something. And that’s when I saw the intricate hilt of a sword.

I heard Blade’s gasp of recognition right before C threw a wicked smile over her shoulder and held a finger in front of her lips. She winked, as if trying to tell Blade to keep what he knew a secret.

Jordan waved his hand and C relaxed. “False alarm. Let’s go!”

I had this strange feeling Jadea and C were having their own private conversation as we walked through the city, but I didn’t have the guts to call this newcomer out for some reason. She might have been small, but she seemed mighty.

We made it the rest of the way down without incident and C led us right to the odd stone building. Taking us directly inside, she stopped just past the doors. The building, even though it was vast, was rather empty inside. Of both furnishings and people.

“So this is your mate?” C asked aloud as she broke from Jadea’s side and stood in front of me, her smile leaving me speechless.

“Yes.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Adam.” She shook my hand. Behind her, Lance appeared around a corner with Nikolai. By the Russian alpha’s pinched expression, he was not amused.

“Constance,” his snarl carried in the space, reverberating along the stone. “What were you thinking?”

Wait a minute…

The name and her face finally clicked. I’d seen her in Jadea’s mind, when we had talked about that time when Lance and her met. Back when the half breed g******e occurred.

I felt more than heard Jadea’s pack mates shock as they too recognized the name, but for other reasons. Jadea’s mind was once again open to us.

Before Constance turned to answer Nikolai, she reached into my vest and pulled out the pair of wolf ears I’d hidden there. Her soft smile was amused. “You definitely should wear these,” she quickly slid them on my head. “They definitely suit you! And they will most definitely draw attention,” she winked conspiratorially.

“Constance!” A different, more fearsome voice fairly shook the building. My heart skipped, and not in a good way, at the tone. My head swung around and I about died on the spot as a shadow loomed over us.

A very tall, dark and menacing demon towered over towards us. He had short black curly hair, unique blue-brown eyes and large horns curling out from his head like a big horned sheep’s. A huge set of wings—which faded from different shades of brown to black—were folded against his back. His attire was much like Constance’s, cloak included, which seemed impossible with his wings.

As C fussed over me a moment longer, those cold eyes moved to mine and I was afraid I would turn to stone on the spot.

“Leave the poor human alone, Gabriel,” she huffed softly, turning to the demon. Her arms crossing over her chest.

“Woman, you are infuriating,” he snarled, reaching out to pull her into him. “Do you know what could have happened!?” His tone softened the instant she was safely in his arms. In his gaze I saw the absolute love and adoration there.

“I was in no danger, Gabriel,” she stated. “And you know it. Otherwise, you would have teleported your butt hurt ass to where I was. It’s not like I kept my whereabouts a complete secret.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Don’t do that again unless you take someone with you.”

“I had Jordan and Mark.”

“You know what I mean,” he snarled.

“And if I don’t?” She challenged.

As the demon leaned in and whispered something into her ear, Lance moved forward and motioned for us to follow him. The instant we were out of Constance’s sight, Jadea’s mind was suddenly abuzz as her pack bombarded her with questions.