Chapter 434

Rafe is instantly on his feet, a snarl ripping from his lips as he crosses the room in a few strides and places himself between the intruder and his mother, tucking her back behind him. The page quails a bit at the sight of the fierce prince, his canines extended.

“See?” Maryam says, her voice pitched somewhere between pissed off and dry. “Was that necessary? The poor guy’s just letting her know that there’s a phone call.”

“Thank you, Meatball,” Ella murmurs fondly, patting Rafe on the arm. “But I think I’m okay.”

Maryam bursts into laughter and Rafe blushes a deep red, tucking his fangs away and hating that nickname more than he ever has in his life.

“Please, highness,” the page says, stepping forward and holding the phone out to the Queen with a shaking hand. “You…want to take this call.”

“All right,” Ella says, her eyes wide and her voice anxious as she reaches for the phone. Mark gets to his feet, everyone’s eyes on the queen as she says a soft hello into the receiver.

A moment later Ella smacks a hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears.

“Mom!” Rafe gasps, stepping closer to his mother, reaching for her. “What’s wrong!?”

But for once Ella ignores her favorite, dropping the phone to her chest and whipping her head to the side towards the doors behind which Roger and Dominic consult with their advisors.

“Roger!” Ella shouts, her voice loud and desperate, ringing out in the room. “Roger, come quick!”

Rafe’s face pales as his mother turns back to him, a huge smile bursting across her face as she bursts into tears. “Rafe, go get Cora – right now –“ she murmurs, lifting the receiver again to her ear. “Here, Jesse,” Ella says, her voice shaking. “Here comes your father right now –“

A little moan of relief escapes Rafe’s lips as the doors to the conference room burst open and Dominic and Roger stride through, looking alert but wary.

Rafe lingers only for a second before he forces himself to turn and rush from the room. Because his mother is right.

If Jesse is on the phone, safe, and back in this world?

He has to tell Cora and all of the ducklings too. Right now.

Jackson finishes putting up the tent in record time as I light a little fire for us. That, of course, takes very little effort too – just a moment of holding Jackson’s hand as I concentrate on the little pile of sticks that I’ve gathered and it bursts into flames.

It’s not much, I think, as I lean forward towards it and wrap my arms around my knees. But, then again, I don’t think we’ll be staying up very late. And I have other intentions regarding how I plan to keep warm.

“Here,” Jackson says, settling in next to me and passing me four granola bars.

I balk a little. “You want me to eat four granola bars!?”

He frowns at me like he doesn’t understand why that’s such a ridiculous request.

“Jackson,” I growl, dropping the food in my lap for a moment. “You had food this entire time? And you didn’t eat?”

He shrugs, looking down at the little fire. “I wasn’t hungry.”

I snarl, giving him an ineffective shove that makes him grin.

“Fine, I was hungry, but I was saving it for you.”

“Jackson,” I sigh, my shoulders slumping as I look up at him. “You risk being just…a little bit too chivalrous here. If we’re about a day from the border between here and Moon Valley, surely I don’t need four granola bars –“

He laughs and nudges me. “Eat your fill, tiny. You can have the rest in the morning.”

I squawk in protest, picking up the food and shoving it at him too, clearly implying that he must have some as well, but he just laughs and pushes it gently back towards me.

“Would you please just let me take care of you?” he says quietly, shaking his head.

I break a little under that incredibly kind plea. I mean, who can continue to protest in the face of such a sweet, heartfelt request?

“Fine,” I grumble, moodily unwrapping one and taking a big petulant bite. I have to stifle my moan at the taste, because it’s the kind with the peanut butter and the chocolate mixed in. And mom, knowing that it’s my favorite, packed it for me. Tears spring to my eyes at the thought of that – of mom worrying about me, and picking out a snack she knew I’d like, and packing it in Jackson’s bag because she knew he’d find me.

“Is it really that good?” Jackson asks, his voice baffled.

I turn and look up in his face to see him staring a little aghast at the tears in my eyes, and I burst out laughing, offering it to him. “Take a bite and see.”

He does as I bid, taking the world’s smallest bite, and then slowly begins to chew. “I mean it’s good, Ariel, but…”

I laugh again, harder this time, and scootch closer to my mate, leaning against him as I finish my meager little dinner.

I fight hard against sleep as the minutes slip past, talking lightly with my mate about how great it will be to get home. But even as I struggle, my eyes start to slip shut.

“Come on, Tiny,” Jackson murmurs, “time for you to rest.”

Despite my protests, Jackson gathers me into his arms as he stands, kicking some dirt on my little fire. And then he carries me over to the tent, sitting down just inside and then laying back, taking me with him so that I sprawl over his torso. I snuggle closer, deeply happy with my face pressed to his chest – my favorite sleeping spot, and one which I’ve missed so much since I’ve been away.

Jackson sighs contentedly too, drifting an idle hand up and down my back as he takes the thin blanket and pulls it over both of us.

I look up at him with a smile and then glance down over the length of my body and his, wondering how the hell that blanket is supposed to be big enough. But when I see Jackson’s feet hanging out of the tent, the blanket ending somewhere around his knees, I burst into laughter again.

“Jacks!” I say, sitting up a little. “Why didn’t you make mom give you a bigger tent!?”

“I would have,” he murmurs, pressing a hand firm against my back, wanting me to lay down again. “If I’d known how big this one was before she packed it –“

“How did you stay warm!?” I gasp, ignoring his hand and sitting up further, appalled, my legs falling to either side of his body so that I straddle his stomach.

“I didn’t,” he replies, dry, grinning up at me. “But come on, Ari – lay down – I’m warm enough for one more night.”

I smile down at him and bite my lip, considering my choices. Because, I mean, I am very tired.

But…

He’s just so gorgeous. And he’s not wearing a shirt. And I’ve spent a very long time worrying about the nation, and plotting how to escape, and missing the feel of his body next to mine –

And quite suddenly, I do not want to sleep. Not at all.

My hands move to the back of my silly Atalaxian dress, starting to undo the buttons there that fasten the collar high on my neck.

Jackson takes a deep breath and runs a hand up the length of my side, a little unable to resist even as he turns his eyes away. “Ariel, you need to sleep…”

“I’ll sleep tomorrow,” I say, playful and cheerful, tugging next at the zipper that runs all the way down the length of my back.

“Ariel,” he sighs, shaking his head. “You’re injured, and exhausted, and your body really needs the –“

His words cut off with a muffled groan as I shift myself backwards across his body, settling my ass over his hips instead of his stomach, pressing against the thick, hard length of his cock, which betrays his real feelings about what he wants me to do right now.

“Like I said,” I murmur, my voice pitched low as I push the dress over my shoulders and down my arms, shoving it off my wrists and then reaching up to pull my stupid Atalaxian bra up over my head, tossing it to the side. “I’ll sleep tomorrow.”

Jackson turns his head to the side, pressing his eyes shut, stubborn in his determination to do the ‘right thing’ – let me sleep, and heal.

“Oh, come on, Jackson,” I say quietly, grinning, enjoying myself as I lean forward, letting my hair swing forward over my shoulders. Softly I cover his left hand with my right, tugging it gently so that it slides up my side, guiding it until his hand cups my breast in his palm. “Touch me.”

Jackson’s willpower crumples like a tin can.

He moves in a flash, a wicked snarl filling the tent as he grabs me to him, turning me over and pressing my body down into our little sleeping mat as he seals his mouth to mine. I press myself hard against my mate, my hand slipping down his body to grip his thick cock in my hand. I moan as I feel it slide against my palm.