Her Mortal Mate

Chapter Twenty Two: Feelings Of Jealousy

Adam

I didn't stay on video chat with my littles for long. I was exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically and was practically getting ready to slip out of the chair only after a few minutes of chatting with them.

I was thankful for what Jadea had done to ensure my children didn't see me in such a terrible state. With her makeup, I'd almost looked normal for Aidan and Anika. They had already been traumatized by their near death experience, there was no reason to scar them or scare them any more. Though, by the looks of it, they were having a lot of fun wherever they were, the horrors of what they'd gone through almost seemed to have been put in the past.

After signing off and shutting down the computer, Jadea helped me back into bed where she gently wiped away the make up with little towelettes. When she was finished, I couldn't stop myself. "Sleep with me?" I asked her. I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want to risk her leaving me, of just disappearing. My body felt so heavy from the effects of the drugs, I wasn't sure when I would wake up again and my fear was that she wouldn't be here.

"Of course. Give me a minute to freshen up and change. I'll be right back," she smiled softly, caressing the side of my face lovingly. She didn't hesitate. She didn't refuse. Minutes later, she crawled into the bed beside me and curled up against my back, effectively making me the smaller spoon. It was comforting. It was soothing. And if my mind wasn't racing a thousand miles a minute, wanting to know what happened and how she'd saved my children, I probably would have fallen asleep with no issues.

Instead, I rolled over in her embrace and saw the questions deep in her tired gaze. I felt guilty for asking, because she looked damn near as exhausted as I felt, but I just needed to know.

"Tell me what happened. Please."

"You need to sleep, vanilla," she scolded gently, her arms wrapping around me and pulling me further into her comforting body.

"I won't be able to. Not until I know."

I could tell she wasn't convinced. "Please," I pleaded. "The last I'd heard about my children from the men who'd taken me was that they'd killed them and Mrs. Lindsay. What happened? How did you save them?"

She sighed heavily. "Why I can't deny you is beyond me," she teased, kissing the tip of my nose before giving in. "It was sometime after our final concert had ended when I received a phone call from your cell phone. At least I believed it was your cell, I know now it wasn't. The culprits used a technique some scammers use--and this isn't important," she muttered softly, reprimanding herself. "Anyway, the caller stated that I needed to back out of the race for the seat in the council to ensure your safety and survival." As she continued on, her voice became distant as I fought to stay awake. My mind drifted as sleep tried to overtake me. The instant I heard Mrs. Lindsay's name though, I perked up and was able to focus on her words once again. She described in detail what they'd found at Mrs. Lindsay's house, how she and the children had survived by hiding away in a little spot in the floorboards, and how Sargent Moore helped them in the aftermath.

I was trying my hardest to stay focused, but my body was fighting with me.

Jadea sighed. "Sleep, vanilla. I promise I will be here when you wake up and I'll answer every single question you have."

As much as I may have wanted to fight my body's need for sleep, I knew I was fighting a loosing battle.

She held me tight in her embrace and her gentle, melodious voice lulled me to sleep as she sang a sweet lullaby.

***

When I woke up it was dark and for one moment, panic consumed me because I believed I was back in the container at the shipyard. For an instant, it felt like my limbs were immobile. My muscles burned and ached from the poison they were pumping into me. I was alone as the summer heat lingered in the container, making me uncomfortably warm. Sweat clung to me, dampening my clothes. It was getting harder to breathe. I just needed to get out--

"Adam?" Jadea's voice pulled me back from the brink and snapped me out of the panic attack I was suffering from. Her beautiful face loomed over me, her side pressing firmly against mine. "You're alright," she whispered, wiping the sweat from my brow. "You're safe." Her hand traced a path down my neck and chest, and I reveled in her cool touch. My eyes drifted shut once again and I was just about to fall into the land of sleep once more when I heard the door to the room open.

I kept my eyes closed and my body relaxed, assuming it was just one of the others from her pack come to check up on us. I didn't want to give them any reason to stay in the room. I knew it was selfish, but all I wanted was to have time with her. Alone.

The bed dipped as she rolled away from me and got up off the bed.

"I brought you dinner," an unfamiliar voice reached my ears.

"Thank you, Lance," Jadea's soft voice answered as she made her way over to this new character.

"How is he?"

I heard the deep breath she took and the pause before she responded. "He's recovering. It's just taking some time."

Opening my eyes to slits, I got a glimpse of the man who was talking to Jadea. In the dark it was hard to pick out the little details, but he was rather tall and broad. He sported short black hair and seemed rather familiar with Jadea. He stood close to her and his body language was comfortable. One hand rested and rubbed her shoulder soothingly before he pulled her into a one armed hug. "You should wake him up and make him eat a little something. The broth would be better than nothing if he doesn't feel like he can keep anything down. Sometimes, the after effects of the demons blood can make one have a rather upset stomach. But he needs to eat something. Just like you do."

I saw him pin her with a stern gaze. "Have you been talking with Caden?"

"He asked me to make sure you at least ate one good meal a day while you remained here. And, to remind you to drink plenty of fluids and do your daily affirmations."

Her annoyed sigh spoke volumes. Were her and Caden back together? It seemed odd he would order her to do these things without reason. I knew Caden had once been her Dom, but they'd gone separate ways some time ago. She'd assured me last year that whatever was between them was over. Had something changed this past year? "Where is he?"

"Lucien is having him, and the other two, follow the coast northward in hopes of finding and picking up the trail."

"He left already?"

"You were fast asleep. He didn't want to wake you."

She nodded. "Do you know if there is anyone checking the southern ports? Down Cali, Baja and into Mexico?"

"Nikolai sent Allen and a few others that way."

"Good."

"But I wouldn't get your hopes up," he stated softly.

"I know," she sighed. "It's going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. More than likely they won't be able to find anything, but it's a good idea to cover all the bases just in case. How are you feeling?"

He scoffed. "Me? I'm tuff as nails, Jadea. It's going to take a lot more than a little hellhound venom to take me out." He almost seemed to puff out his chest.

She smirked and jabbed a finger into his stomach and he instantly deflated. "Yes. You are too stubborn to let venom be your kryptonite."

He chuckled. "Alright, Jay. Get some rest. And eat. When I come back in here to retrieve the tray, I expect at least your plate to be spotless." He pinned her with a pointed look.

"Fine," she groused. "Good night," she dismissed him, turning her back to him.

When he left, I watched Jadea as she slowly lowered herself into one of the chairs at the little table. She covered her face with her hands and then rubbed them over her face tiredly, agitatedly. I eased myself up into a sitting position and watched her a little closer. Something wasn't right. I could fairly feel it in the air. And, while I was certain it had something to do with the situation we were now in, I had to wonder why Caden had made sure to leave instructions with Lance to ensure she ate, drank and did affirmations. It sounded like she was back in some kind of relationship with Caden again.

"I can damn near hear the wheels turning in your head vanilla. Why not just say what's on your mind?" she encouraged gently—her tone not at all annoyed—her gaze meeting mine from across the room.

I mentally chewed on everything I'd just seen and heard and tried to identify what it was I was feeling. Dr. Andrew and I had been working on me identifying overbearing emotions, labeling them and working through them. I was feeling jealous of Caden and whatever was going on between them. "What is going on between you and Caden?"

Her expression gave nothing away. "There is nothing going on between us. We went our separate ways before I ever met you, and we didn't get back together afterwards."

"Then why is he ordering you around?" I could almost hear the growl in my voice. I didn't like the idea of her being with him.

She chuckled at my choice of words. "He's just trying to watch out for me, Adam. Because he knows I will listen to him."

There was something going on under the surface. Not between her and Caden. I trusted her and her word. She hadn't given me any reason to doubt her. If she said there was nothing going on between them, then there wasn't. "Why does he feel the need to leave behind instructions to make sure you eat and drink water? And do... Affirmations?"

The way she shifted told me I was onto something. It was a topic she didn't want to discuss and I saw her mulling over how she wanted to reply. Last year, when we had started getting serious, I was always left baffled by how easily she had been able to read me. But, after my time conversing with Dr. Andrew and learning how to master my own emotions and feelings, I had a better understanding of how she so easily read me.

"Why are you hesitant to tell me?" I asked, watching her closely.

Those gorgeous green eyes met mine warily. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, Adam," she started as I slowly slipped out of the bed and made my way over to her. "I just don't know exactly where to start. The beginning seems logical, but it's a long and heavy story, and I don't know if you will be up for it."