Hearts Unbound Page 5

When he lowered her to the bed, Jareth eased on top of her, and she knew the answer. She wanted him so badly that her legs went around his waist of their own accord as she pulled him down to her hungry mouth.

  Their kiss was gentle at first, until Jessica embraced him, bringing Jareth flush with her body. His weight was so delicious on top of her that she moaned while his tongue plunged deep.

  After a few moments, Jessica couldn’t hold back. Her need to have Jareth pulsed through her as she deepened their kiss and demanded that they join, here and now. Jareth must have felt it too, as he surged against her, bringing forth a cry of desperation from her lips.

  Jessica still wore her robe, but it fell open as Jareth’s greedy fingers bunched her shift to her waist. She only had a moment to realize that she wore no other undergarment before his fingers were stroking her slick skin.

  With a gasp, Jessica arched into his hand, staring deeply into his eyes while his fingers danced upon her. She’d never known such pleasure existed. She could feel something building inside of her, almost a pressure, yet it was such a good feeling as she strained against her shelmir. She could do nothing but pull his head back down to her mouth.

  “Will you come for me?” he said, pulling back just enough to torment her.

  “I—I do not know—how—”

  “Do you feel this?” Jareth asked, just as he thrust one of his fingers inside of her. It didn’t hurt, but was strange and uncomfortable and…beautiful, all at the same time.

  “Yes!” she cried out.

  “Think of nothing, my sweet, but my fingers upon you; inside of you. Think only of the feelings I am evoking with my hand. Concentrate only on me.”

  Jareth continued to plunge his finger inside of her while his thumb swirled on her sensitive flesh. Jessica gasped and dug her fingernails into his shoulders. Using his other hand, Jareth tossed her shift up a little more to expose her bare breasts.

  “You are so beautiful, shelmir,” he groaned against her skin. “Let me taste you.”

  Before she could understand his words, his mouth was on her breast, suckling it to a fine point while caressing it with his tongue. The hot, slick sensation was exquisite.

  The combination of his fingers and his mouth was her undoing. With a shout of ecstasy, Jessica fell over the edge of rapture, straining again and again for every ounce of pleasure Jareth would give. Her entire body shuddered, feeling the warmth of her passion spreading throughout her limbs.

  With a few more deep thrusts of his finger, Jareth lifted his head. “You are mine now, my sweet Cassandra,” he whispered.

  Chapter Ten

  Jessica’s entire body stilled at his words. What did he just say? He couldn’t have said…

  An uncomfortable silence stretched out between them as Jareth sighed, laying his head on her shoulder.

  “I am sorry,” he finally whispered. Jessica was acutely aware that his finger was still inside of her. Shoving on his shoulders, she tried her hardest to dislodge him.

  “Please, get off,” she said, biting her lips hard to keep the tears at bay.

  “Jessica—” he began as he rolled off of her, but she held up her hand as she stood, adjusting the ties to her robe.

  “Do not say a word, Jareth,” she said softly. She couldn’t help the hint of sadness that seeped into her voice.

  “I am sorry. Please believe me, I did not mean it.”

  Jareth rolled away and stood on the far side of the bed. She couldn’t see much more of him than a dark silhouette.

  “Yes. You did.” Jessica’s hands trembled while she smoothed her hair back. A pain pierced her heart and she swayed on her feet. It was hard to even draw breath.

  He will never love me. The thought made the pain in her heart jab a little deeper.

  After sharing one of the most intimate moments of her life with him, he’d called her by her sister’s name. He might as well have reached into her chest and crushed her heart.

  “Jessie, I am sorry,” he said, rounding the foot of the bed. “I…I—”

  “Just go. Please? Please leave, Jareth!” Jessica covered her face in her hands and her shoulders shook. Every single dream she had ever harbored about Jareth Moreland came tumbling down around her. He’d been obsessed with her sister for far too long; it had permeated his very being. Jessica had no hope of claiming his heart for her own.

  He stood an arm’s length away from her for a few moments, as if unsure what to do. Jessica’s soft sobs filled the room and she turned to collapse on the bed. There was no more hope inside of her. Jareth’s words to her only confirmed her worst fear. He wanted her because she was the sister of his glorious Cassandra. And she, like a fool, had tricked herself into believing he wanted her on her own merit, her own worth.

  Their shelmir bond only served to make him want the sister of his beloved all the more.

  Jessica had no idea how long she lay on the bed crying. When she finally lifted her head to look around the room, Jareth was gone.

  * * *

  Jareth sat on a small hill that looked down on Crichton Manor. The sky lightened with the dawn and he welcomed it. How long had it been since he had actually enjoyed a sunrise? He couldn’t remember.

  Anger pumped through his veins as he stared at the horizon, anxiously waiting for the first rays to peek over the trees in the distance. He couldn’t believe he’d called Jessica by her sister’s name. Where it came from, he had no idea. He hadn’t even been thinking of Cassandra.

  He hated himself for it nonetheless.

  Jareth had shared Jessica’s first descent into lovemaking and he’d ruined it, just as he ruined everything. The witch had killed his brother, along with Cassandra, the woman he was supposed to be sharing his newfound title with. Both of them were beyond his grasp now.

  And Jessica, the sweet girl. She’d done nothing but save him from a horrible death, not to mention his curse, and how did he repay her? By berating her at every turn, and making her feel as if she could never live up to her sister.

  Jareth knew that must be what she was thinking. Her sobs had ripped through his heart and he didn’t know what else to do to soothe her other than to leave, just as she’d requested.

  Damn it, why did it seem he was always apologizing to her? What would it take to erase Cassandra from his heart permanently? Jessica had admitted she knew a little magic. Perhaps she could help him.

  With a bitter chuckle, he ran his fingers through his hair while the sky turned from pink to gold. Be enchanted with more magic? Preposterous, he thought.

  Every moment was spent thinking of Jessica. He hadn’t thought of her sister in some time. Why, then, had he called her “Cassandra” during her throes of passion?

  She’d been willing. And wet. Jareth’s body tightened at the memory. If he’d whispered her own name into her ear, he’d be waking up in her bed this morning instead of watching the sunrise—alone.

  With a deep sigh, Jareth squared his shoulders as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. The warmth of the rays touched him and he almost cried at the wonderful sensation. For centuries, sunlight had burned him, and yet here he was, sitting in the grass and soaking up the beams.

  All because of Jessica.

  Wiping a tear from his eye, he stood and brushed his breeches with his hands. Jareth still marveled that the sunlight did him no harm as he turned his hand in the light. “Amazing,” he whispered.

  He’d best get back to the manor. His servants would wonder where he was if he didn’t appear for breakfast. His shelmir deserved an apology. She had done all she could to protect him from Morana and he admired her for that. However Jessica had been deeply hurt by his words the night before. Would she be upset enough to call off their wedding plans?

  A lump formed in his throat at the thought of losing her. Forever.

  No, he told himself. That would not happen. She belonged to him. He only had to prove it to her.

  Jareth glanced back at the sun, squinting. No, that wasn’t what he needed to prove to
her. She’d said time and again she was his. What he needed her to believe was that he was hers. After calling her by her sister’s name, Jareth knew he had a hard road ahead of him.

  With determined steps, he walked down the hill toward the manor. From now on, he would no longer waste his thoughts on Cassandra. What he’d said to Jessica was the truth. Her sister was dead to him. She hadn’t been anything more than a dream ever since the very beginning. Perhaps it had been an evil spell of Morana’s that made his anger and jealousy burn so hot inside of him.

  He was no longer maddened with envy and hatred when he thought of Laith and Cassandra.

  His heart overflowed with guilt that he’d conspired to kill his own brother. Laith, his twin, had once been his best friend.

  Did Jareth have any hope to redeem himself? He hoped so. And he truly hoped Jessica would be willing to help him find what he was looking for.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jessica stared out the window at the dawn. Jareth was out there somewhere. She could feel him. Time and again she thought she’d cried every last tear inside of her, yet time and again, she proved herself wrong. With a shuddering sigh, all she wanted to do was lie in bed for the rest of the day, but a nagging feeling of dread would not leave her alone.

  There was a weight on her heart, and it was hard to lift her limbs. What was wrong with her? Jareth’s words last night had drained her. Could it be possible she was just exhausted? She hadn’t slept at all.

  However, there was a buzzing in her ears. If she hadn’t been lying in the silence, she might not have heard it. Swallowing hard, Jessica moaned as she covered her eyes with her hands.

  “Morana knows,” she said dejectedly.

  Jessica sniffled as she opened her eyes only to stare at the ceiling. She had no doubt that she was under some kind of enchantment. Her body seemed heavy as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. It was all she could do to stand. Glancing at the bureau, Jessica knew there was no hope of getting dressed, not in her state.

  Trembling, she fumbled with her robe, making sure it was securely fastened before shuffling to the door. She had no idea if Jareth would be able to feel her trepidation through their bond, but she tried sending him her thoughts regardless. Even if he still dreamt of her sister, he deserved to know about Morana’s treachery.

  Fear overtook her heart as the door swung open, revealing the vacant passageway beyond. Even now, her breathing was labored as she clutched onto the wall for support. It was as if her entire body was made of stone. Every step was an exertion.

  Jessica tried not to panic. Morana’s enchantment would kill her, she knew. It was only a matter of time before the spell weighing her body down would crush her. And she had no doubt it would be most painful. Grunting, it took her long minutes to reach the end of the hallway. Thinking on Jareth, she could feel him. He was closer, perhaps returning from wherever it was he went off to.

  “Jareth!” she called out as she stumbled. With tremendous effort, Jessica found her footing again and made her way to the banister at the top of the long staircase. “Jareth!”

  The front door of the manor opened, revealing her shelmir as she gazed at him in the foyer from the railing. With another sob, she yelled his name again. “Jareth!”

  He glanced up at her and the shock on his face was evident. “Jessica?” he said, hesitantly climbing the first few stairs. “Why are you out of your room in nothing but your robe?”

  She clutched on to the top banister for dear life. She wanted to fly into his arms, but dared not let go.

  “Morana…has…found me,” she said, panting.

  Jareth’s eyes widened.

  At that moment, something pushed Jessica. Hard.

  Her grip on the banister loosened and she couldn’t stop herself from tumbling down the stairs.

  “Jessica!”

  Jareth’s voice echoed in her ears. She hit each stair with such force, it was as if the staircase itself was trying to kill her. After what seemed an eternity, she finally came to rest at the bottom, groaning.

  Jareth was there, smoothing her hair and yelling words at her that she could no longer understand. He looked frantic.

  Jessica could taste blood in her mouth. Every movement made her body scream in pain. She could no longer lift her arms. The spell was getting stronger.

  “Jareth,” she managed to whisper. “My sweet Jareth.”

  Before she knew what he was doing, she was in his arms as he bounded up the stairs. He took a familiar hallway, but not the one that led to her room. Instead, she found herself in his chambers once again as Jareth laid her gently on his bed.

  The look in his eyes made her heart break. Tears shimmered there as he spoke, but she still could not understand his words. Could it be that he cared for her just a little?

  Jessica longed to stroke his face, but her hands would not cooperate. However, he clasped her hand in his own and kissed it. Her heart swelled.

  She could feel a darkness overtaking her. If she was going to die by Morana’s hand, the one thing she needed to do before she passed was to tell Jareth of her feelings—her true feelings—for him.

  “Jareth,” she whispered, barely recognizing her own voice as she closed her eyes. “I…love…you…”

  The darkness finally closed in around her.

  * * *

  Jareth’s heart stopped. “Jessica?” he whispered, stroking her hair. “Jessie?”

  Shaking her shoulders, there was no response. Her eyes had fluttered closed as she murmured a few words; words that sounded uncannily like…she loved him.

  “Jessica, answer me!” he demanded. Jareth sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her limp form into his arms once more. Her head fell back as he embraced her, burying his face into her neck. Seeing her fall down the staircase had frightened him more than he ever thought possible. The words she’d said just before she fell, however, had the hair rising on the back of his neck.

  She’d said Morana had found her.

  Could Jessica be under a spell?

  Sniffling, Jareth pulled back and took in her pallid skin. She was breathing, and his relief was so great that he pressed her to him once more.

  She needed a physician, yet if her illness was the result of a magical spell, then she would surely die unless it could be lifted. Jessica moaned, bringing Jareth’s thoughts back to her. Leaning her back into the pillows, he patted her cheeks.

  “Jessie? Shelmir, can you hear me?”

  She did nothing more than toss her head from side to side as sweat beaded her brow.

  “I cannot lose you,” Jareth whispered. Leaning over her, Jareth placed a soft kiss on her dry lips. If she had indeed said that she loved him, then every one of her actions suddenly made sense. What a fool he’d been! He must have broken her heart many times in the past few days.

  Searching his memory, Jareth tried to recall any other woman who had said they loved him and meant it. His heart was saddened when he couldn’t remember a single one. His entire existence as a vampire relied on his powers of suggestion. Powers he had used to woo women into his arms.

  Jessica had freed him of that existence, and she still wanted him. He couldn’t lose that.

  Setting his jaw, he pulled the blankets around her limp body as he stood. Caressing her face one last time, he turned to the doorway, determined to confront Morana once and for all.

  Just as he reached the door, Jessica screamed behind him. He ran to her as her limbs thrashed on the bed. Again and again she screamed as Jareth tried in vain to calm her.

  “Jessica!” he yelled, holding her head in his hands. She opened her eyes and gasped for breath. “Can you hear me?”

  Her eyes were filled with pain, and it was all he could do to continue looking into them.

  “Make it stop!” she yelled as her body convulsed once more, and then went still.

  “Morana!” Jareth exclaimed, glancing around him as if she were in the same room. “Stop this madness!”

  He was desperat
e. He had no idea if Morana could truly hear him, but that’s when the witch’s familiar cackle echoed all throughout the room. Every hair on his body stood on end at the sound of it.

  “How truly naïve you are, boy.”

  “Where are you?” he demanded as he stood from the bed.

  “It does not matter where I am, Jareth,” the old crone said. “What matters is what I can do to your shelmir.”

  With her words, Jessica once again screamed as her entire body writhed.

  “Stop! Please!”

  Again, Jessica’s body went still.

  “What do you want from me?” he called out.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” he heard Morana say. “I want you.”

  Jareth shivered. He recollected those very same words he’d once spoken to Cassandra when he’d abducted her friend Tina. Tears filled his eyes at the memory. How could he have been so callous? He would have laughed at the irony of it all if his shelmir wasn’t in such horrible pain.

  “Release her. Release Jessica.”

  “Why should I? She stole you from me!”

  Jareth’s body trembled. “She didn’t steal me; I was not your shelmir! Jessica is the one who saved me from death at the hands of Cassandra, reborn. I am not the Jareth you know in this age. I am Jareth from hundreds of years in your future. I have already been cursed as a vampire, and I will not willingly feel that curse again, woman. I know what lies before me if I choose that path. Jessica has given me a new life. And even if you kill her now, I will still find her when we are both reborn. Not even you can sever the shelmir bond, no matter how badly you want me!”

  Silence was his answer as he gazed around the room.

  “Morana!” he yelled.

  “You speak the truth. The shelmir bond cannot be severed,” he finally heard her say. “But it can be suppressed. I can enchant her soul so that she won’t be reborn for millennia!”

  “Let her go and I will spare you, crone,” Jareth said between gritted teeth. “If you kill her, I will hunt you down until you are dead at my feet.”

  “You cannot kill me, boy!” Morana cackled.