Their Mating Illusion [Paranormal Protection Unit 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“My poor Quincy,” Gaia murmured and reached out to touch him. “You need to find your own self-worth. You are worth so very much more than you think. You are amazing Quincy, but you just don’t see it. You think that they don’t have respect for you but nothing could be further from the truth. You are loved. You are respected. You have family here and you don’t realize it. I have no other to turn the line to. None would be as well suited as you are.” Her words were spoken with absolute honesty. “You have a part of me inside of you, far more than you realize,” she admitted. Touching Quincy’s cheek, however, she leaned in. “I won’t let you be mateless,” she assured him. “I release you,” she whispered softly. “May the Gods help her.” She breathed out and vanished, the room returning to normal time as she did so.

Maya was speaking when time went back into sync. “If you don’t mind, Michael, I’m going to simply spend time here with my bond-mate. I want to get to know him. You know as well as I do that there is nothing that you can do to stop me. I’m a grown woman, and I’ve found my bond-mate. You know how revered that relationship is,” Maya told her brother, an ache in the back of her head and a feeling of loss swamping her, but it was a feeling she was well used to and pushed back.

Still staring at where Gaia had been, Quincy was barely aware of the talk going on at the table to his left. She was never mine if she had to have another in her life, he whispered to the Earth, knowing Gaia would hear. She wouldn’t answer, now that she’d done as he’d asked, even though he felt the need to do something. Looking to Allister, he moved over. “Good luck,” he murmured to the man. “You’re going to need it with your bond-mate. The Gods be with you both,” he mumbled before slipping from the room. He couldn’t stay, not if he was going to ever chance seeing her. Moving crisply to his office, he stood in the middle. He had to leave, had to go anywhere but there.

After Michael left, sulking like a child, Maya asked to speak alone with Talon. When she was finally alone in the conference room with Talon, she sighed. “I can’t remain,” she told him softly. “I can’t be here. Now that Michael is gone I can open a Slip and get out of here. I’m not sure where I will go but I will find a place. Sometimes it’s absolutely best to go to ground and hide instead of hanging out in the front of the world so that I can die,” she murmured. “And you know as well as I do that he’s even now trying to figure out a way to kill me.” Or worse.

The large dragon before her ran a hand through his hair and finally asked, “And your mate? You planning on telling him you’re ditching out?” Talon smiled at her shocked look and said, “What, thought the old Dragon wouldn’t notice the sparks between you and Allister when you came into the room or the fact you were aroused?” He snorted at her. Waving a hand, he shook his head. “It’s your life to do with as you will, Maya, but know we’ll be here if you ever need us. Right now I have a Warlock I need to go and try to keep from leaving,” he muttered.

“Why would he want to leave?” Maya asked with a frown. “And as for him.” She sighed and shook her head. “I’m missing something,” she admitted bluntly. “Yes, I am very attracted to him but…” She paused and then whispered, “I feel as if I’m missing something so very important and can’t figure out what it is.” She never thought she would have a mate, had been told she would be forever incomplete and maybe this was why. “I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, for the first time. “In any of this. I just don’t know what to do, Talon. I’m terrified of Michael. Not just that he would kill me but if he were to collar me.” She shuddered. “No one would stand a chance,” she whispered. “Do you know what that feels like? To know that you have to die for humanity and the others to live? That just sucks.”

“Your brother is power hungry and more than a little pissed he didn’t get what he feels he deserved when your father passed,” he said, moving toward her. Taking her hand, he gently sandwiched it between both of his. “As I said, I can’t tell you what to do, Maya, but always follow your gut. The head will always muck things up, your heart will always assume the best of everything, but if you listen to your gut, your instincts, you’ll never be led astray. As to Quincy”—Talon pulled out his phone to re-read the message—“apparently he’s been released from something and can’t remain. I have no idea what it means but I have a feeling he may have lost whatever last screw he still had holding all his marbles in.”

“He won’t stand a chance. Allister,” she clarified. “Against Michael,” she added and then frowned. “Can I talk to him? I understand just how confusing it is to be a Magic User,” she told him honestly. “It really and truly does suck sometimes to be a Magic User. Sometimes there is so much pushing at us that it’s not even funny. If you wouldn’t mind, can I talk to him?” So far the Dragon that Talon mentioned hadn’t even so much as batted an eye her way, apart from introducing himself, that was. “Have you ever felt as if there just isn’t something fully right in life? Anyway, can I talk to him?”

“Couldn’t hurt,” he said with a shrug and touched her arm. “Come on,” he said lightly, taking her arm in his hand. “I always feel as if most things in life are completely and totally fucked up. But I’ve learned to roll with it and wait for the sequel. There’s usually a better clue in there at some point that tells me where I should go. Not always, but on occasion.”

“Ah, good advice,” Maya said with a smile. “Well, hopefully I can talk to this guy and he will stick around. You need a good Warlock that you can depend on, one that will always have your back.” She looked up at Talon and said, “You need to apologize to him as well. From what I understand you gave him hell about the Vortexes. Just because I can open a Slip and not have others in danger doesn’t mean that he can. No one else could do that,” she told him. “So you should apologize to him for giving him hell.”

“I’ll apologize.” Talon rolled his eyes at her. “When did you become such a bossy little thing? Last I remember you were all terrified of the big, bad Dragon,” he teased with a grin as they walked along. Reaching Quincy’s office, he knocked and pushed open the partially open door. Staring at how empty the room appeared, Talon shifted his eyes to Q as he stood there staring right back. “Going somewhere?” he asked.

Shifting his gaze to Bulldog, he nodded. “Anywhere but here,” he said. “I’ve put out some feelers for a replacement. There’s a couple good blokes working over in Europe at the moment with contracts that are freeing up in the next while. I sent their details to you to review so you’d have an idea about them when you were ready to interview.”

Maya frowned and looked to the man and then to Talon. “Talon, I think there was something you needed to say?” she asked softly and moved from Talon’s side and walked to the Warlock. “Hello, I’m Maya. I can’t recall us actually meeting.” Holding out her hand to him, she waited. Something was off. What the freak was happening?

Quincy shook her hand quickly, he was never so glad he’d pulled on the pair of gloves for dismantling all his electronics. No way she’d get a read through the leather. “Quincy,” he said before stuffing two fingers into his back pockets and looking to Talon as he prayed for her to just go away.

“I have to apologize, Q,” Talon said, moving in closer. “Maya has given me a little more information and I realize I was wrong to question you and I apologize also for yelling at you. Your judgment has always been sound and to the betterment of the team.”

Shrugging, Skittles shifted on his feet. “Don’t even worry about it.” He stood there for a time. “Look, I have a lot of packing to finish, so if you two don’t mind…” He waited again, hoping that Talon at least would get the fucking hint and get her out of the room. Damn it, he still wanted her. Either Gaia was losing it or she’d screwed up. He shouldn’t still want to jump her bones!

“Can I have some alone time with him, please?” Maya asked softly. “I think that he and I need to have a chat.” Now she remembered. It wasn’t Allister who had her all hot and bothered. It had been this man. It had been this Warlock that had her hot and bothered. When Talon left the room, she closed the door with a small force of wind and looked at Quincy. “It was you,” she murmured. “The whole time, it was you. Why would anyone think that it was the Dragon when the whole time it’s been you?” She knew it for what it was. He was her bond-mate.

Staring at her in absolute shock, he was scrambling internally.
What the fuck!
Gaia!
he bellowed out to the Earth in a near panic. She’d told him he was released, he was free, he had no more tie to the woman. What the everloving hell had she done! He knew he likely looked like a bloody guppy, with his mouth opening and closing and the stunned expression on his face, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t have a fucking clue what to do or say.

“I released you from your pain,” the voice said a moment before the woman appeared. “I set things right,” she said and smiled at Maya. “Hello, daughter.”

“Gaia.” Maya bowed her head respectfully to the Goddess. “It is an honor,” she whispered softly. Looking up then, she frowned. “I’m at a loss,” she whispered.

“You need a Warlock mate, darling. One that will be the best of the best, one that will take over the Royal Line and become the new King.” She looked to Quincy. “And that man is Quincy, because sometimes the best illusions are ones that never really were to be,” Gaia said as she smiled at Quincy. “I needed you to find that sometimes giving up your desires for one you love is truly the best path.” She knew that the man would be pissed at her, as he had the right to be, but she added, “I needed you to learn that lesson now before it was too late. She was always meant to be yours, not Allister’s.” She explained, “I just needed, wanted you to understand the gift that you were being given. She’s truly special and you will have to always be on your guard.” She shrugged. “But of anyone, you can do it. I have faith in you, Quincy. I always have. I needed you to feel the loss of your bond-mate so that you would understand it and never allow it to happen.”

“What?” Maya whispered in shock and looked to Quincy. “You were willing to give me away?”

Glaring at Gaia for that serious faux pas, he looked to Maya. “I was willing to ensure you were happy and had the best as you should. I also wasn’t willing to share,” he admitted quietly. “I know others can have dual or triple bond-mates but I can’t. My childhood shaped me that way.” Another glower toward the Goddess. “I don’t share well. I never have. Especially when I’ve had absolutely nothing to begin with. Everything you see here I’ve fought tooth and nail to earn. I never once had the easy ride, the luxury life, or knew what it was like to trust without question.”

“And I could never share either,” Maya murmured. “I’ve seen others do it but I never could. I only have ever wanted one. One man that would understand me,” she whispered. “I could never, ever be in a love triangle because it would be too much. I have never understood how they could work. Yes, I know that they do but not for me.”

“I know, child,” Gaia said with a smile. “I’ve always known who could and could not survive a multiple bond-mating. Believe it or not, I truly do have my children’s well-being in mind when I pair them with others.” She looked to Quincy. “Everything that you have now is yours, yes, but you deserve and will gain so much more.” She sighed and added, “If you both can survive the fire. Now if you will excuse me.”

The look that Maya gave Quincy was clear. She had no idea what to say to the man that was willing to give her up. “You fought for things, but you wouldn’t for me?” she whispered softly, hurt evident in her voice. “Wouldn’t talk to me so that we could figure out what part I would want in your life?”

“I’ve fought merely for the right to draw my next breath,” he told her honestly. “I fought to have you, just you and I forever, but she wouldn’t be swayed. As much as I wanted you I couldn’t stand the thought of sharing you and did what I thought was best.” Gods, now he’d have to figure out what to tell Allister. Fuck him and his big mouth for that parting shot. “You always have a choice. I can only tell you the truth, Maya. That’s all I have. If you’d rather not have me, then go now and don’t look back,” he told her, staring at her straight on. “But if you stay, know that it’s forever.” Gods, he’d never survive if she left. It would kill him right then and there.

“I won’t settle for a moment less. You need to understand that. If I were to stay, its forever,” she told him and took a step in closer to him. “And I don’t share,” she put out there. “At all, I refuse to,” she said with a demanding tone, another step closer. “So you tell me. Do I stay or should I go?”

Licking his lips slowly, he watched her, searching her face for some clue, some hint. “Stay,” he breathed out in the barest of sounds. He wanted to reach out and pull her close to him but she still had to make the final decision. He’d put in his two cents. Now it was all up to her. Tense, he waited and watched her.

“And it’s forever?” she whispered softly and moved yet another step and stopped herself. She had been the one moving closer to him. She had been the one who had been reaching for him. Well, it was time for him to reach for her. “You know it’s not going to be easy, right?” she asked quietly. “I have a brother who wants to collar me so that he has full access to the power inside of me.” She knew that Quincy would know what a collar was and just how horrible it was. “And I have a serious addiction to gummy worms. Like I-should-have-stock-in-the-company addiction, so if you want me, if you want me to stay, then come get me.”

“Always forever,” he breathed out, stepping into her so close that every breath had her breasts rubbing his chest. Cupping her cheek lightly, he stroked his thumb over her skin. “I have shares in Skittles.” Leaning his head in, he stopped a hairsbreadth from her lips. “I’ve never had anything easy, Maya. I’m a fighter and always will be.” Quincy’s words were spoken quietly a moment before he pressed his lips to hers.

Maya wouldn’t let him be anything less. Wrapping her arms around him tightly, she kissed him back, the fireworks sparking behind her eyes and making her finally, for the first time, feel whole. When their mouths parted, she looked at him and smiled. “Wow,” was all she could say. He could certainly pack a punch with his kisses. “And I will always be here at your side, forever, Quincy,” she whispered to him and then smiled. “I think you should recall your resignation because we both know it’s really not what you wanted to do, was it? And then I think that you and I should find somewhere that we can be alone because I really, really need you, my bond-mate.”