CHAPTER SIX-THE LAST SUPPER

“I don’t have a good feeling about this.” With her hand on her belly, Isabelle rubbed at the little one trying to get her attention while they strolled down Jones Street.

The waning moon glowed red in the sky above her as the thunder started in the distance, setting her psychic tendencies abuzz in prickly alarms that rose from her arms.

As he peeked behind him to make sure the children were out of earshot, Jasper agreed. “No, I don’t like any of this either, but I don’t believe he would hurt his son’s mate, especially not in his own home.”

With the brick mansion of her ancient enemy coming up before them, she rolled her teary eyes away. “She’s too young.”

He slid his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “She’s not getting hitched anytime soon, baby. We’re stuck with that smart mouth for at least another decade. Shit! That boy may change his mind about the whole thing once he’s spent a little time with her mean ass.”

A small chuckle escaped her as she poked him in his side. “Don’t make me laugh. This isn’t funny at all.”

The creaky iron gate whimpered out a warning as he opened it for her to walk through. “I know, baby. I’m scared too, but if we can’t make peace with their people, none of us will ever be safe.”

While they stood outside the hand-carved wooden door of the Idrissi mansion, he used the gargoyle knocker to announce their arrival.

When he peeked back over his shoulder to the twins, he raised his arched brow. “Watch your tongues tonight, children. It isn’t acceptable in their culture for children to speak to adults the way you do. Let’s not be rude, please.”

As she crossed her arms and chuckled out through her nose, Tessa rolled her eyes and shook her head at the idea of being controlled. “Well, that’s just great! I’m not even allowed to talk now. What the hell kind of family are you trying to marry me into?”

The stress shot through his lips in one long breath as he glanced up to the sky. “This is a mistake. That child’s never been able to keep her mouth shut since the day she was born. We may as well just go to war now.”

A glare shot back from over her shoulder as Isabelle shook her head and rubbed Jasper’s arm. “Not another word, young lady. You might have your father wrapped around your finger, but I urge you not to test me tonight. I am not in the mood in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Her eyes fell to the ground as Tessa sighed in defeat. There weren’t many people that could bring an abrupt halt to her mouth, but she knew better than to find herself mixed up in one of her mother’s hormone-fueled mood swings. “Yes, Momma. I’m sorry.”

When she twitched her nose from side to side, Teddy glanced over at her. ‘That nose wiggling thing only works on television. You look ridiculous.’

The tip of her nose rubbed against her forearm as her ancient creatures tried to wiggle their way loose into the world. ‘My nose itches. It’s driving me crazy.’

Omar smiled at the Mason’s as the door opened, and the ominous static of his aura seeped out behind him. “Please, come in. Welcome to my home.”

While she stood inside the foyer, Tessa’s eyes darted around the large room with dark marble flooring and Grecian statues. It was a bit vulgar, even for witches known for their love of shiny baubles and trinkets.

He saddled up beside her and smiled as he joined her in admiring his things. “They are quite lovely. Are they not?”

The most sincere fake smile came across her lips as she glanced up to him and nodded. “They’re beautiful. I just love your home, sir.”

While he walked from the sitting room, Rafik smiled at her as Omar put his arm around his shoulder. “Rafik, perhaps you would like to spend some time with Tessa while I give her family a tour of the home before dinner.”

The moment he waited for here, at last, Rafik held out his hand to her. “Of course. Please, come with me.”

When she placed her fingers in his palm, and he closed his hand around them, the rush of joy shot through her veins, and she panted in anticipation as he led her away through the foyer.

Jasper glanced around and smiled at Omar to mask the palpable uneasiness rising inside his gut. “Will your other sons not be joining us tonight?”

As he pushed out his lips and closed his eyes, Omar shook his head no. “They’re out having adventures of their own this evening.”

Barely keeping up with Rafik as he hurriedly led her outside, Tessa’s little feet moved as fast as they could. The impending storm swirled around them as he rushed her to the privacy of the tall bushes that lined the center of the garden.

Once the greenery engulfed them, he tugged her to his chest and slid his fingertips down her cheek, aching to sample her lips one more time. “I’ve been so worried about you, Rohi.”

She remembered Teddy’s words of warning to her and peeled his hand from her cheek. “That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you.”

He sensed her coldness, and a hundred terrible scenarios crossed his mind as Rafik stepped closer and took her hands in his. He wanted to say so many things to her, but they would have to wait until the deed was through. “After tonight, everything will be different for you. I promise.”

From all she’d heard so far, being an Idrissi wasn’t sounding like much fun, so she stepped back and furrowed her brows. “What do you mean different?”

He swore to his father that he dared to do what was right, but as she stood before him, he quickly lost his nerve.

Puberty was kind to her, and the charms of adoration had already taken hold. No man, particularly her mate, had immunity. Trying to convince himself of his ability to do something so ugly, he closed his eyes and nodded. “There is no safer place for you.”

She chewed on the inside of her lip as her eyes studied his face. “What in the hell are you talking about, Rafik?”

He glanced at the ground, then slid his arm around her back and pulled her into his chest again as the reason tonight was so important came back to him. “I will spend every day of my life making you happy.”

A genuine smile moved across her face, and she placed her hand on his chest. “Someday, when we’re all grown up, I hope that’s true.”

The magic of her touch eased his worried mind and solidified his part in the things to come.

He traced his way up her arm with his fingertips before he wrapped his hand around the side of Tessa’s face. As she closed her eyes and let go of every doubt she had about their union, she flinched when his lips took hers. He started gently, then moved his other hand around the side of her face and panted against her between each rough pull on her lips.

Haldir was right. The first taste of love is always the best, but this wasn’t bad either.

She balled his shirt up in her hand as his wet lips sucked and nibbled on hers. Needing to prepare her for what awaited them, Rafik breathed against her mouth and whispered as his fingertips caressed her cheek. “Please, trust me.”

With her eyes still closed to her intuition, she nodded her approval and sealed her Fate. “I do, Rohi.”

When he heard the garden door open and his father’s voice, Rafik left her lips. “Everything I do is for you.”

After a mind-blowing and confusing interlude with him in the garden, he held her hand as they walked back towards the house and met Tessa’s family.

Jasper held out his hand to Rafik and gave a warm, toothy grin. “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order, son.”

The coldness behind Rafik’s eyes made the short hairs on Jasper’s neck stand on end as the boy’s stony demeanor sent warnings through his mind. Fearing that negotiations may fall apart tonight, he decided then to send the children away with Haldir as soon as they returned home.

Rafik glanced to his father briefly before taking Jasper’s hand and shaking it limply.

Jasper swallowed down his plans and lied with a smile. “I’m glad that the two of you found each other early. It took me about two hundred years to find my mate. You’re quite lucky.”

“Yes, I believe that is true.” The protective mate pulled her into his side as if he needed to protect her from every danger in the world, causing Teddy to snicker to himself quietly. Rafik wore the bright, glowing aura of a peaceful man, and his sister was a fire-breathing predator. If anyone needed protecting in their relationship, it was him.

While they walked to the dining room together, Rafik and Tessa slowly followed behind, savoring the last few moments of privacy they would have.

He slid his thumb back and forth over her knuckles, then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. The remains of his garden kisses were still sweet when she licked them from her mouth and thought back to the night they met. “You know, I keep hearing our song at night when I go to sleep. Isn’t that funny?”

“I’ll start singing it to you in the morning as well if it pleases you.” Rafik wiped a tear from his eye and smiled as he tried to fight away the voices in his head. “I carry that song in my heart wherever I go; it haunts me.”

He sounded more like a man who was hurting than happy, and a rare pang of guilt dripped into her chest. Her eyes dropped to their hands, and she hoped he wasn’t regretting her. “I’m sorry.”

With his hand on his chest, he pulled her into his side. “Don’t be sorry. Other than your voice, there is no sweeter sound to me.”

When they made it to the dining room, he escorted her to her seat beside Teddy, and then he sat at the end opposite his father.

Throughout dinner, she wiggled and twitched her nose as she tried to avoid touching it. Her father warned her to be polite, after all.

Her mate evaded her eyes but stared intently at Jasper as he spoke with his father about their courtship rules.

More than a little annoyed with Rafik’s lack of attention, she pushed away the other half of her dessert and shot one of her mother’s evil eyes his way. His hands trembled against the table, and he panted out quick breaths as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Sensing her gaze on him, he glanced at her, and the terror in his eyes sank deep into her chest.

The most miserable part about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. When the hundred wicked voices whispered the bitter truth to her, her hand slid down to Teddy’s and wrapped around it. ‘Something bad is happening. Don’t you let go of me.’

He laced their fingers together and held on tight. ‘I got you.’

Before the warning left Tessa’s lips, the fat drops of blood splashed to the top of Isabelle’s round belly. One last breath left her mouth, and Jasper fought to keep her from falling to the floor.

When the whites of his eyes became a sea of crimson, Jasper faced his children, and the dark red stream fell from his mouth with his last words. “Do what we practiced. Go now!”