Page 25 of Stegian: Project Exorcism 4

Chapter Thirteen

Stegian shifted in his seat,uncomfortable with the amount of tension in the room. It had been that way since he’d first arrived, begging them to find Jacquelyn and save her. Never did he dream they would aid in his healing.

My mate.

His gaze slid over Jacquelyn. It had been days since they’d found her and brought her home. Christian and Lorelei worked overtime, trying to heal her, but nothing they did seemed to help. The worst part of it was that Bradi had insisted they shut life support off to the body they’d foolishly believed held Jacquelyn’s spirit. So, in the midst of their sister’s battle to live, they laid another part of her to rest.

Bradi and Sevan made sure armed guards remained posted just outside of the chamber they’d given to Stegian and Jacquelyn. He couldn’t blame them. Had roles been reversed, he would have killed them and avoided the risk to his loved ones.

Loved ones.

The idea of having the ability to love at all still shocked him to the core. His blue- eyed ray of sunshine had come into his life like a whirlwind, turning it upside down and freeing him from a demon he never dreamt he could live without. The act had almost cost her life and, for that alone, Stegian would never forgive himself. He’d done so many things over the course of the last one hundred and fifty years, none of which he was proud of. At least none until Jacquelyn. Claiming her as his wife, his mate, was something he would never allow himself to regret.

His demon was still out there, still looking like him, still inflicting pain on someone. He was sure. While they’d saved Jacquelyn, in the chaos, his demon had escaped. Stegian knew he and his demon would meet face to face again someday. He knew he’d find a way to kill the demon once and for all.

Jacquelyn gasped and Stegian bolted upright in the chair, moving closer to her bedside and taking her hand in his. “Jacquelyn?”

She blinked and stared up at him. Her brow furrowed as she lifted a shaky hand and caressed just under his right eye. A slow smile spread over her face. “You’re alive.”

He couldn’t help but smile as well. “Trust you to worry more about me than yourself. Woman, have you no sense? I am a killer, a—”

Shaking her head, she put her free hand over their joined ones. “No, Stegian. You were never a killer. The demon was. Not you.”

“Did he…” He swallowed hard.

As she averted her gaze, he fought back a swell of power that wanted to come. It wanted to lash out, destroy everything around him because he’d dared to allow harm to come to her and to their unborn child.

A knock sounded on the door and Stegian desperately hoped whoever it was would just leave. He needed time alone with Jacquelyn. Time to explain why he couldn’t stay with her at the compound.

“How is the patient doing?” Marissa, Bradi’s wife and a doctor, asked, peeking her head into the room. A guard followed close behind her and she rolled her eyes, shoving him back out the door. “I’m fine.”

“But, the captain ordered me to—”

Marissa put a hand on her hip and glared at the guard. “You can tell the captain that I said he could shove his orders up his ass.”

The guard’s eyes widened. He backed up, allowing Marissa to close the door. She turned and offered a soft smile to Stegian.

“Your husband is right to be concerned with you being alone with me, Doctor. Do not go against his wishes on my account.”

Marissa ignored him and moved to Jacquelyn’s bedside. She beamed as she saw Jacquelyn was awake. “Hey, you, how are you feeling? You gave us all quite a scare.” She motioned towards Stegian. “Big guy included.”

Stegian wasn’t sure how to take Marissa’s attempts at friendship. Even when he’d been one with the demon, Marissa had seen glimpses of good in him. It had unnerved him and left the demon confused.

Jacquelyn squeezed his hand gently. “The big guy gave me quite a scare too. Last time I saw him, his throat had been slit wide open and I—” She choked up. “I thought he was dead.”

Stegian had little memory of the events after the demon rose up and attacked him full force. What he did recall was sporadic and filled with desperation to get help for Jacquelyn. She had been his only concern.

She still was.

“I am well, solnihshka mayo.”

Marissa grinned at the sight of their joined hands. “He’s being modest, Jacquelyn. He almost didn’t make it. Christian and Lorelei refused to give up on him. I think Lorelei’s reasons were genuine. She wanted to know your mate was well. Christian,” Marissa grimaced, “I think just wanted to find you. I’m not a hundred percent sure he’d have helped Stegian if he didn’t need information from him.”

Jacquelyn let out a long breath. “Christian would have helped. In the end, he would have regardless. I know him well, and I know he’d have seen that Stegian and the demon are two different people. He knows firsthand what it’s like to be controlled by the demon. I’m sure none of us can fathom what it was like to have it be a part of you every moment of your life.”

Marissa went to work assessing Jacquelyn and making small talk. The women talked of how Marissa first met Bradi and how the two butted heads something fierce from day one, until they realized they were in love.

Jacquelyn seemed to hang on the woman’s every word. Stegian helped her to sit up and was about to give the women some privacy when Jacquelyn’s gaze met his. “Do you want to know about the first time I met Stegian?”

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