Taming Amanda (Book 1) Jacob's Broken Mercenaries

Chapter 9

Amanda

“No! you have to hold B and A at the same time.” Tally remarks as she takes the controler and shows me for the second time.

“See? Like this, then you can release it and press quickly. That’s how you jump.”

I nod, not really paying attention. My mind is elsewhere, but Tally and Estevan are the only two people in the house besides Katie, I feel comfortable around, and Katie is off looking for a house. Estevan and Jacob are..  well, I’m not sure what they’re doing, but it’s work related.

“Are you even listening?” Tally asks, not taking her eyes off the screen. She’s got the remote in her chocolate coated hand. I laugh out loud when I spot the chocolate smeared on her chin and the now chocolate covered remote. Ah, to be young again. I shake my head and stand up, stretching.

“No, I’m sorry I’m a little distracted. I've got a lot on my mind.” I loath to admit it, but I’m really worried about Austin. It’s been three days since he disappeared, and I hate how we left things. Maybe I was a little over dramatic about the whole undercover thing but invading my privacy. That one’s on him. I wish he didn’t get me so damn hot and out of control. He makes me want to give in to my baser instincts, but if I did that, my heart would follow. Something tells me he’s not boyfriend material, and I don’t think we’re supposed to boink our coworkers anyway.

My stomach starts to quiver, and I jerk, straightening my back. I know that feeling. No, not now!

“I’ll be right back, feeling hungry.” I tell her, but Tally doesn’t hear me. She’s too engrossed in her game. I take a bowl of fruit salad I’ve been picking at since yesterday and devour it, followed by some dark honey and wait. The quiver goes, and I sink in my chair, relaxing.

“How are you feeling?”

My sudden company causes me to jump knocking over the jar of honey, and I catch it before the glass shatters.

“Sorry." He says. Jacob enters my line of sight, and I shrug, easing back in the chair.

“I noticed a lag in your training this morning, and when you were listing off protocols, you seemed distracted.”

How the hell would he know what’s normal for me? It’s only my third day.

“I’m fine, just a little tired.” I reply, Keeping the irritation out of my tone is a struggle.

“You need to feed Amanda. It's not optional. It’s survival.”

Oh God, I’m not having this conversation with him. He pulls a chair out. I can feel him scrutinizing me. The intense stare makes me fidget uncomfortably.

“Did John?”

I snap my attention to him, and my words bite.

“No, he did not, and I am not going there with you or anyone.”

Jacob flinches at my tone, but he doesn’t leave like I want him to.

“What did John do to keep you… fed?”

At least that question is safe enough. I might as well answer, "It doesn't look like he's leaving any time soon. I’m not sure it’s an actual thing or a name of a serum he came up with, but it’s worth a shot.

“He fed me something called ambrosia? It was thick and tasted sweet, so sweet.” My mouth waters just thinking about it.
“It kept the worst of the pains away. I was still starving and weak, cold, too, but that could have been my fear.”

He’s so quiet, I steal a glance. Jacob seems to be in deep concentration, and I wonder if he even heard me.

“Will you come somewhere with me?”

What? now? I shrug my shoulders, wondering if I even have a choice.

“You always have a choice, Amanda.”

What the fuck,

“Can you read minds?” I ask with eyes as big as saucers. Jacob laughs at me, shaking his head from side to side.

“No, I can’t, your very easy to read. We’re going to have to work on your poker face.”

Why does everyone keep saying that? I suppose I have a lot to learn, and sitting here dormant is exhausting.

“Ok, where are we going?” I say with a smile.

“To see an old friend about a few connections.”

I get up to follow him and he turns around looking me over,

“You might have to change or your going to stand out like a sore thumb.”

I look down at my fuzzy white sweater with the little pop poms and the ice cream pattern pants.

“What should I wear?”

He pauses, rolling the question over

“What would you wear to a club?”

“Were going dancing?”

He laughs again

“No, were going to a club but not to dance. You should look like your going there to dance,”
he pauses seeming confused. It looks like he’s looking for the right words.
“ try to blend in.” is what he settles on. I grimace, feeling like a dolt of course this isn’t Katie duh…?

“What are you?”

He laughs loud and long walking away. I hear him mumble about me fitting in and it makes me happy I’ve been kind of short-tempered lately. It’s not like I don’t like it here, more like I don’t like my situation. I’m a succubus and three days isn’t a lot of time to get used to the idea. I choose a silver slinky dress that glitters when the light hits it and trade in my cow spotted purse for a suede black clutch and matching stilettos. Jacob comes down looking pretty sharp in his leather jacket and black jeans. A crisp white v neck shows hints of odd looking swirls across his chest. My eyebrows climb my forehead. He doesn’t look so stuffy anymore.

“Ready?” He asks holding out his elbow. I slip my arm through. He leads me to an elevator and we go to ground level. My eyes go wide when I see the collection of cars. There’s an early model pearl white Hummer with purple ghost flames, A cherry red seventy-one barracuda, A seventy-six Lincoln Continental Mack IV, A lime green newer GT with a soft black top, and a jacked up blacked out wicked looking dodge ram with a set of forty-six inch mudders.

Jacob walks over to the shiny black corvette. It’s a C8 Zo6 I’ve never seen one up close, but I know they’re rumored to have eight hundred horsepower and seven hundred foot pounds of torque. I’m giddy at the sight running my hand down the smooth body, an electric thrill courses through my veins. My dad was a car buff, so naturally I took an interest. Who doesn’t love sleek body lines and raw power at your fingertips?

“Are all theses yours?”

He smiles appreciatively

“You like cars?”

“Like is to plain a word for how I feel about cars.” I say as I run my hand along her sleek hood. He opens the door and I peek inside. Sweet Moses, I’m in heaven.

“This one’s mine, Estevan owns the Lincoln, Grayson the cuda, Tally didn’t want anything but the cop out mustang. Elliot drives the hummer why I have no idea-"

“And Austin owns the truck?” I finish. Jacob nods, giving me a knowing smile, and I avert my gaze back to the sexy beast in front of me. I already know the answer, but I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t try.

“Can I drive?”

Jacob pushes me in to the passenger’s seat,

“Never.”

Thought so, all well I may not be the driver but I’m going to feel her rumble and I can only hope Jacob gives her enough gas for me to feel her kick...I’m sad when he slips her in park. The ride was amazing.  Jacob wasn’t scared to hit the pedal, but he didn’t go near as fast as I would have.

Our eventual destination is an alley. I look around and see a set of steel doors. Were in the industrial area and I definitely feel over dressed.

“When we get in, don’t say a word unless your addressed and I okay it.”

I turn, giving him my best what gives look I reserve for only the most deserving situations.

“They’re a very old-fashioned group. Just trust me, we’re going for help so play along.”

I’m not happy about it, but I agree for argument’s sake and save my energy. I slip my arm back in Jacob’s and wonder how ridiculous we look together. He’s a great deal older than me and looks like the devil and well me? You get the picture. A double knock on the steel door brings out a tall burly man with a waist length red beard and oh my god, horns. Big tan colored and twisted horns on top of his head. I try not to stare as he escorts us through the second set of doors.

Oh, my… this isn’t just a club. Its exclusivity is limited to the supernatural. I see centaurs, demons, a vampire feeding in a dark corner.

“Stop staring with that expression on your face. Your going to draw unwanted attention.”

I snap my head forward and follow Jacob up a set of stairs. We wait at a door where a massive man with tusks and a snout stands, his arms folded. It looks down at us,

“State your business.”

Jacob looks into the camera above the door and a green light flashes. The thing grunts and opens the door, glaring at us. Jacob doesn’t pay him any attention.

When I step inside, I’m in awe. The room is crystal, everything glimmers. There’s a wall of cameras and a tall man in a crisp black suit stands with his back to us.

“Jacob, to what do I owe the pleasure, Old friend. ”

Jacob smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, I gulp at the thick tension.

“I have a request that requires certain connections.”

He turns around and I see his eyes are black, completely, no white at all.

“It’s about the girl. You want to know if I can get ambrosia.”

It’s a statement, not a question, I look down at the floor and pray nothing bad happens because of me.

“You know I can get it. That’s not the question you should be asking.” He directs the question to Jacob. I risk a quick glance at Jacob his face is grim and I worry about what he’s going to say

“Your afraid of what it will do to her.” Jacob exclaims.

I hear a dark laugh come from the man with black eyes.

“I see you haven’t lost your touch. She’s not naturally made. Ambrosia is a drink from the gods. Have you seen what it does to humans?”

What? What does it do? I don’t remember anything bad happening when I had it.

“Yes, and I’m willing to take the risk.”

I look back and forth between them.

“Amanda! Look at me!” Jacobs frantic voice fades and I lose all control of my body going blank. I’m starring into black eyes as they flash white, then back to black. I can feel him inside my head and the intrusion feels heavy, like my head is too full and there’s an awful pressure. I want to cry out and protest but my body is not in my control, it’s frozen in place. Then just like that he’s out and I drop like a sack of potatoes, my head pounding.

Jacob lifts me up and I lean on him dropping onto his shoulder. My eyes are wet and my legs shaky. What the fuck just happened?

“Go, have a drink, enjoy my club. I’ll have it ready in an hour. Jacob, I presume you know you owe me now?”

I feel Jacob incline his head but I don’t move partially because my head hurts too much but mostly because I don’t want to risk that mans gaze. I never want to feel that again!

“Good, dilute it. She’s had it that way before.” He tells Jacob matter of factly. I’m silent until we get back in the car. I kept my head down and had nothing to drink. Even if Jacob hadn’t declined, I would have in fear of what I’d be drinking.

“Don’t ever take me to a place like this again!”

Jacob gets in and starts the engine. It’s not until we’re a few blocks away before he even acknowledges me.

“I did this for you because you refuse to feed and until you do were going to have to come up with an exchange… the vial is small.”

He holds the vial up, and I scoff. It holds two tablespoons worth of a pink syrupy substance.

“That’s maybe two doses-” I ask.

“Try six, I don’t know what they were giving you but it wasn’t this… I don’t even know if you should take it.”

Easy for him to say. He never accidentally sent someone to their death, I think.
“Oh, I’m taking it.” I assure him. Even now my stomach quivers, the slight ache still prominent. Besides, what have I got to lose? You can’t turn a pile of shit into anything less than a pile of shit. Right? Funny how I view my life now...