stare. He fixed her a glass of cherry Kool Aid, adding three heaping spoons of sugar and stirring. “What makes you think anything is going on?”
Both of her eyes were open now, her weariness temporarily forgotten. “Because chocolate glazed donuts and cherry Kool-Aid for me are the equivalent of wine and roses for other women. The only time you willingly shovel sugar into my mouth is when you’re trying to soften the blow of something awful.”
“You wound me,” he said, placing his hands over his still heart, but he couldn’t hide the truth in his eyes.
Her voice softened. “Just tell me, Jax. You know it’s better that way.”
All traces of his smile faded away as he sank down onto the sofa beside her. “Vlane Masterson wants to buy my contract from Karthik,” he said bluntly. “Now that Vlane’s married, he’s looking to bring in some new blood, and Kristoff recommended me.”
“That’s wonderful!” Ryssa exclaimed, genuinely happy for her friend. Vlane Masterson was the vamp coven leader in the nearby town of Mythic. He was known for being strict but fair, and extremely generous to those he called his own. A vampire couldn’t ask for anything better until he was old and skilled enough to become a Master himself.
“I said no,” Jax said quietly. “But I’m not sure I have much of a choice.”
“Why would you say no?” Ryssa asked, bemused. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime.” When Jax wouldn’t look at her, realization dawned. “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”
“I want to take you with me, Ryss,” Jax said. “I talked to Masterson about it, told him about you. Not the specifics, of course. He said he’d buy out your contract, too, but Karthik’s being a possessive asshole. He said he wouldn’t hear of it. You’re too valuable, baby.”
Something painful welled in her chest and made moisture pool behind her eyes. It meant the world to her that Jax cared enough to want to take her with him, even if it wasn’t possible. Karthik would never willingly release her, but that didn’t mean Jax should suffer.
“You have to do this, Jax,” she said quietly.
“I won’t leave you, Ryss.”
“It’s not like you have a choice.” If Karthik sold his contract, there was nothing Jax could do about it. He had been transferred to Karthik along with her, won in some ridiculous game the lords and masters liked to play. Not all indie vamps were under contract, but rogues usually didn’t last long on their own until they were much older and much stronger. Jax had been turned less than a century earlier. He was a lot stronger than his human counterparts, but was no match for those who had had hundreds, even thousands of years to develop their strengths and skills. For many years, he had stuck by Ryssa’s side, but this was a chance for something better.
She smiled, forcing a courage into her voice she didn’t feel. “And you can still come see me, right? Mythic is what, like five minutes from Seven Circles at vamp speed.”
Jax pulled her into his arms. “Yeah, I guess. But who’ll take care of you, Ryss? Who’ll watch over you, keep the wolves away?” It was a private joke since so many shifters seemed to find her particularly yummy.
She tried to offer him a reassuring smile and hoped her voice sounded more confident than she felt. As youthful as she looked, she’d been around a long time and knew there was no hope, not for her. Jax was too young to fully understand and accept that, which was one of the things she loved about him. Despite everything that had happened to him, Jax kept his kind, compassionate heart. She wanted him to hold on to that for as long as he could.
“Karthik won’t let anything happen to me. Like you said, I’m too valuable.”
Jax ran a long, cool finger over her lingering bruises. “He hurt you.”
“Only because I allowed him to.”
Jax’s beautiful face clouded even more and he scowled. “Because of that rich douche who
Both of her eyes were open now, her weariness temporarily forgotten. “Because chocolate glazed donuts and cherry Kool-Aid for me are the equivalent of wine and roses for other women. The only time you willingly shovel sugar into my mouth is when you’re trying to soften the blow of something awful.”
“You wound me,” he said, placing his hands over his still heart, but he couldn’t hide the truth in his eyes.
Her voice softened. “Just tell me, Jax. You know it’s better that way.”
All traces of his smile faded away as he sank down onto the sofa beside her. “Vlane Masterson wants to buy my contract from Karthik,” he said bluntly. “Now that Vlane’s married, he’s looking to bring in some new blood, and Kristoff recommended me.”
“That’s wonderful!” Ryssa exclaimed, genuinely happy for her friend. Vlane Masterson was the vamp coven leader in the nearby town of Mythic. He was known for being strict but fair, and extremely generous to those he called his own. A vampire couldn’t ask for anything better until he was old and skilled enough to become a Master himself.
“I said no,” Jax said quietly. “But I’m not sure I have much of a choice.”
“Why would you say no?” Ryssa asked, bemused. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime.” When Jax wouldn’t look at her, realization dawned. “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”
“I want to take you with me, Ryss,” Jax said. “I talked to Masterson about it, told him about you. Not the specifics, of course. He said he’d buy out your contract, too, but Karthik’s being a possessive asshole. He said he wouldn’t hear of it. You’re too valuable, baby.”
Something painful welled in her chest and made moisture pool behind her eyes. It meant the world to her that Jax cared enough to want to take her with him, even if it wasn’t possible. Karthik would never willingly release her, but that didn’t mean Jax should suffer.
“You have to do this, Jax,” she said quietly.
“I won’t leave you, Ryss.”
“It’s not like you have a choice.” If Karthik sold his contract, there was nothing Jax could do about it. He had been transferred to Karthik along with her, won in some ridiculous game the lords and masters liked to play. Not all indie vamps were under contract, but rogues usually didn’t last long on their own until they were much older and much stronger. Jax had been turned less than a century earlier. He was a lot stronger than his human counterparts, but was no match for those who had had hundreds, even thousands of years to develop their strengths and skills. For many years, he had stuck by Ryssa’s side, but this was a chance for something better.
She smiled, forcing a courage into her voice she didn’t feel. “And you can still come see me, right? Mythic is what, like five minutes from Seven Circles at vamp speed.”
Jax pulled her into his arms. “Yeah, I guess. But who’ll take care of you, Ryss? Who’ll watch over you, keep the wolves away?” It was a private joke since so many shifters seemed to find her particularly yummy.
She tried to offer him a reassuring smile and hoped her voice sounded more confident than she felt. As youthful as she looked, she’d been around a long time and knew there was no hope, not for her. Jax was too young to fully understand and accept that, which was one of the things she loved about him. Despite everything that had happened to him, Jax kept his kind, compassionate heart. She wanted him to hold on to that for as long as he could.
“Karthik won’t let anything happen to me. Like you said, I’m too valuable.”
Jax ran a long, cool finger over her lingering bruises. “He hurt you.”
“Only because I allowed him to.”
Jax’s beautiful face clouded even more and he scowled. “Because of that rich douche who
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