Jacob's Ladder (String of Fate) by Bianca D'Arc Read Free Book Online

attitude toward her. He seemed to want to keep her safe for reasons known only to himself.
    With her Guard, Ria knew why they risked their lives to keep her safe. She was the Nyx and there were generations of honor and duty standing between her position and the people who were sworn to keep the Nyx safe. They would have done the same for any Nyx. Not just her. Though she was sure most of them were very fond of her as a person, and she counted several of them as close friends. Some, like her cousin Cade, were even related to her, but none of them were there purely for her—just her, apart from her position. They were there for the Nyx, not Ria alone, but that was okay. Ria had become the Nyx, and the two were inseparable at this point. She just wished sometimes…that it could be different.
    She wasn’t sure where Jake stood on the matter, but she sensed his motivations for protecting her were much more complex. The vibes she was getting off him were more…personal, somehow. As if he would be there, helping her, regardless of whether or not she was the queen of her species. As if he actually cared about her as a person, irrespective of her function in shifter society and the sacred duty that haunted her.
    “You’ll be safe here for the night,” Jake was saying as they drew closer to her door. “I doubt anyone or anything could get on this vessel without twenty shifters coming down hard on them, and the magical protections surrounding this yacht are the finest a selkie can spin, which is to say, very fine indeed.” He smiled as they stopped in front of her door.
    Jake didn’t hesitate, but opened the door and walked in ahead of her—just as one of her Guard would have done—checking behind each possible place of concealment, including the attached bathroom. He nodded to her once he had checked every last inch of the place and she walked farther into the cabin, with what she knew was a bemused expression on her face.
    She took the scrunchie out of her hair and tossed it on a small coffee table set between a sofa and a comfortable-looking chair. The room was big for a ship and had a sitting area in addition to the luxurious-looking bed. She ran her hands through her hair as she went over to the small, mirrored bar and opened a can of soda, pouring it into a glass. As an afterthought, she splashed a bit of rum into the glass along with some ice and took a sip as she turned around. She leaned against the bar, looking at Jake. He hadn’t moved.
    “Do you want a nightcap?” she asked in a quiet voice, slowly sipping her spiked soda.
    “I’d better not.” But he didn’t move. His eyes followed her hand as she raised the glass to her lips and sipped at the cool, bubbly liquid.
    She took her time, watching him just as closely. There was something in his eyes when he looked at her…something almost feral. Which was an odd thought, considering he wasn’t a shifter.
    “Why are you here, Jake?” Her tone was both soft and challenging.
    He surprised her by stepping closer, coming very near her personal space. She didn’t mind. There was something very soothing about his presence and he didn’t frighten her. On the contrary, he intrigued her beyond all expectations. Who knew a human could be so compelling?
    “I’m here for you, milady.” His gaze held hers and she knew there was more to his words than their simple meaning.
    She put her glass down on the tabletop behind her, the crystal clinking against the marble top of the bar. Her gaze never left his and something started to glow down deep inside her. A spark of attraction that had never quite been extinguished since the moment they had danced at that wedding all those months ago.
    “There’s more to it than that,” she challenged. “You’re not like the members of my Guard. I can’t quite figure you out. What motivates you? Why do you look at me so differently than everyone else? You don’t seem intimidated by my position in the least, which is something