Garret

The dinner was awkward with the three Knights staring at Jade whenever she wasn't looking directly at them. The Commander and his wife excused themselves before the desert and left taking Madison's things with them. Madison my irritation asked to stay. I really wished, that I could let my guard down tonight with Jade and I still could not get myself to trust any of the Knights. I felt as if there was a bottomless well where my heart used to be, filled with sorrow and dread. How was I not only supposed to live without Ember but also live forever? This double loneliness felt so overwhelming right now. I needed someone to understand. But now I had to endure an evening playing cool, with a nosy brat Madison Knight was. After the dessert we moved to another place, where at the bar I ordered some soda for myself. Jade got some fancy drink and Madison ordered the same and it must have been strong because she was soon openly staring at Jade with glassy unfocused eyes.

Fortunately many guys noticed Madison, which she greatly enjoyed and finally got engrossed in flirting with some young intern at some lawyer's office enough, that she did not follow, when Jade pulled me outside for a "smoke".

"Ember dumped me on a phone ea week ago." I said quietly. "I heard that. Oh Garret." Jade looked at me with compassion. "There's more Jade. After the war, she got my blood tested in some Talon's lab, and they determined that the blood transfusion from Riley made me immortal, like a dragon..." I stopped fearing I would start to weep. "I have not heard of such thing. Strange..." Jade mused but then reflected. "Garret, it doesn't have to be as bad as you feel now. You of all people can use this time to something good. You don't have to let it destroy you." She said it firmly, surely hoping for a soldier in me to react, but I was manning up for months now and every time I expected things to get easier, things got worse. "Jade, I will not be able to remain within human society. I'm seventeen, people do not get to look that for a very long time. I will have to hide, lose everyone, oh my God!" I sobbed not being able to control it any longer. The news did not scare me at first, I would get longer with Ember. But now, that it was just me, I haven't felt this lonely since first few weeks after my mother died. How could I start a family knowing I would see my children and grandchildren die? Was I to stay with the Order forever, watching over Talon. Getting my heart shredded to pieces every time I had to meet Ember and suffer her cold indifference? See her with Riley, when I would be alone forever?

Jade gripped my arm. "No Garret. Your life was taken from you, when the Order of St George claimed you. They took this innocent good human you were and groomed him, twisted him to their purposes. They only taught you to kill, to fight and to hate, but you are so much more than this. This must feel like a curse now. But it can be a blessing. You get another shot at life. You have time to learn anything you want, become anything you were supposed to be. I have a strong feeling that this immortality was not handed you by accident. You will be fine. But I need you to focus." Jade put her other hand on my wet cheek and pulled my face to make me look at her. "Riley is Ember's Sallith'tahn..." Just what I wanted to talk about. "I know, it means life mate and they are supposed to be together." I said impatiently. "No, it's not about that. Something is wrong. He told me when we've met, and then he said. "I haven't had opportunity to tell Mist, would you?" She looked at me and I really could not care less about Mist. "Why cannot he tell her? Why does he want me to do this? There is more to this bond, than I know about as it's a rare and forgotten thing. But I will travel home to China and meditate about it. I just need to know, that I am leaving you in safety Garret, that nothing is threatening your life while I'm away." She spoke with intensity, that made me understand. "It's okay Jade. You can go, I do not feel like killing myself just yet." I said dismissively, she petted my cheek and said. "Don't even say that! You are strong and brave and you will get through this. You will not feel like this forever." She said and wiped at another tear rolling down my cheek. Then she hugged me and said. "Let's go inside, it's rude to leave Madison alone." "Go ahead, I just need a moment." I said.

Jade and Madison found a table before I came back and were surprisingly deep into some exchange, that stopped abruptly when I approached them.

"I'm getting myself another drink, you want something?" I asked. Jade indicated their full glasses and I went to the bar. It was getting late and crowded, but I did not care. "Damn boy, how did you score these two?" A stranger laid his hand on my shoulder and I moved instinctively out of his reach. "They are my friends." I replied, but followed his gaze to where Madison was laughing at something and Jade watched her exasperated. They were beautiful each in her own way, and not knowing all the trouble with them, men could imagine I was lucky. I turned back to the bar and ordered soda and a glass of the best whiskey they had. It was an impulse and I would probably regret it in the nearest future, but I was now regenerating at extra speed I could just as well use it to something reckless.

Jade eyed my glass but said nothing, I noticed that Madison was drinking soda now, Jade used her influence. "What are you talking about?" I asked.

It was a large place and soon afterwards an elderly DJ started to play some dance music. Madison was tripping and Jade took her out to dance. I moved to a spot beside the dance floor, where I could watch them. I did not know Jade could be like this, all relaxed and oblivious amid so many people. She moved with incredible grace and soon many men were dancing close to them. Madison was beautiful, her shiny golden hair hanged down to her waist, she looked at the same time innocent and sexy wearing dark blue wrap dress, she must have been very fond of.

Whiskey was not that bad after first sip, I finished it and got some rum with coke.

Jade and Madison have been dancing for maybe fifteen minutes, when music changed to "Wonderful tonight". They looked at each other and started their retreat from the dance floor. Jade almost magically made them evade at least three guys who were set on dancing with one of them. I put my glass on the nearest table and strode towards them.

"Would you like to dance?" I asked surprised Madison, who smiled and gave me her hand. I led her to the middle of the floor and placed my hands on her slender waist. She laid her hands on my shoulders and we swayed to the rhythm. Madison looked at me and moved closer joining her hands on the back of my neck sending a pleasant thrill down my spine. Sweet smell of her perfume reached my nostrils and suddenly I thought, that she wasn't that bad.

Jade patted my arm. "Garret, it's late, I need to go now." "Okay, we better go too, there's another day of hanging in the void tomorrow." I hated their new conference room. Jade called upon an Talon car that dropped us off at the hotel, before it took her on to wherever she was staying. I followed the black limousine with my eyes until it turned the corner. "Wanna go for a walk?" I asked Madison. She smiled and took my hand.

We talked about our childhood in the order. Madison told me about growing up surrounded by soldiers, with their training and missions and fear of her father. Only Peter dared to familiarize with Commander's family. Her mother wanted to be able to see her every weekend, so Madison moved school every time they moved and after two first times did not even try to hold on to friends she has made, when it was time to move again. This was a different Madison. She was vulnerable and lonely, like me. Gone was the silly girl who practically stack her butt out in front of twenty soldiers and relentlessly pursued a guy, who avoided her like plague.

We walked several blocks on the main strip and then turned around and went back to the hotel. When we exited the elevator on our floor Madison got suddenly quiet. We snuck past her parents room, then it was hers and mine. I stopped at her doors but she tugged my hand and made me follow her to my doors. I opened the doors and let her in as side lights flickered on. My bag stood beside the doors, where I left it after my arrival, the room was spacious and inviting with comfortable sofa in the sitting area and queen size bed. Tristan booked the largest room for me, he was still smarting after the way Commander Knight treated him, when he first arrived at western chapterhouse. Madison closed the doors behind her and kissed me.

I wrapped my arms around her waist returned the kiss reluctantly. Her lips were warm and soft her eyes were closed and she leaned in pressing her body against mine. She was gorgeous. I broke the kiss. "Madison, I am still in love with Ember." I did not want to deceive her or take advantage of her. She flinched but then pouted her lips for a split-second becoming the spoiled brat everybody knew her as. "And I am still in love with Josh." She countered. "It's their loss." She added and kissed me again. I wanted her, if this was for the fresh wound of Ember's change of heart, or loneliness that for the first time in my life really scared me, or for how men eyed her at the bar tonight, I did not care. Here was something that could soothe my pain, even if only for a short while, so I grabbed at it desperately. She tugged at my lower lip and I let her in. I drowned in the sweetness of her kiss, her warm body was now pressed against mine and I let my hands to wander up and down from her waist to her firm buttocks, that I have found so offensive only few days ago. Her fingertips caressed back of my neck and head.

After a while we broke the kiss, kicked off our shoes and went to the huge bed. Madison sat down stiffly sideways on it and looked at me with large eyes. I sat facing her, took her face in my both hands and kissed her softly watching for reaction. Her green eyes seemed black in the faint lighting, her unsure expression did not change. So I combed her hair behind her ear with one hand and asked. "What is it?" Her lips moved without a sound before she cleaned her throat and said. "I am a virgin." So am I, or am I? I did not want to think about that afternoon in the clearing right now, instead I smiled at her. "It's okay Madison, we don't have to do anything more." She shook her head. "I want to. It's just that I don't know..." She drifted away. "I am nervous that's all." She said and turned to admire a poster on the wall across from the bed. I didn't know why but I answered with truth. "I am a virgin too." She looked surprised. "I thought..." she started and drifted away. I leaned in and kissed her again. This time she returned the kiss wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

-smut removed

When I came back from the bathroom after a short while, she was already dressed in her dress and tucking her panties into her purse. She avoided my eyes and I strode to her and put my arm around her shoulders. "What is it Madison?" I asked. She did not need to leave, actually I would have loved to get a round two already. She did not come, when we were together and I wanted to at least even that up. She still looked into the floor. "It's late and we have to be at Talon's HQ before noon tomorrow." She mumbled. I put my finger under her chin and looked into her eyes. " Is something wrong? You can sleep here." I said, and she shook her head but relaxed slightly. "No. Trust me, you don't want my father to come looking for me here." She said and I snorted. "Last time I checked, I was his Commander. I am not afraid of your dad Madison." She grimaced at that but then smiled. "I will sleep better without a horny teenager pestering me all night." She said. "Am I that transparent? Oh my God!" I replied. "Let me at least put on some pants and walk you to your doors."

:.:.:

So ships, don't even get me started on ships. And I love them all, so this is going to get complicated. I hope you are still enjoying the story. Full version of this chapter is available on AO3. You are welcome.