Society Rules (37 page)

“Did I simply destroy her life, rather than save her? Look at all I have cost her.” Indie tried to meet his eyes, but they looked past hers, as if he were seeing another place.

“I could take her back,” he whispered, closing his eyes. “But I’ve put her in danger. William knows now that she is Society born . . .”

She stared at him in shock.

You
would
choose
her
path
for
her,
young
Jackson?
A soft, yet powerful voice seemed to come from every corner of the room. Indie looked around for the source, and found no one, but immediately sensed an august presence.

It soon became clear that the voice was coming from inside her head, yet seemed as though anyone in the room would have heard it. She clung tightly to Jax; not fearful, but overwhelmed by the idea of the origin of this voice.

The voice laughed gently, full of love and smooth as silk.

William
Taylor
would
take
her
back,
even
as
he
plans
his
revenge
upon
you,
my
Brother!

“I would take her back, and leave her in peace. I will turn myself over to officials, to take away the heartbreak I have brought to her . . . and her children,” Jackson spoke, misery overcoming him. The voice caressed the corners of Indie’s mind.

Ah,
but
there
begins
the
conundrum,
does
it
not?
The
pain
inflicted
upon
you
if
you
are
captured
and
harmed,
will
be
simultaneously
enjoyed
by
your
Equal.
She
would
share
in
your
torment,
as
well
as
your
death,
should
it
occur.
Are
you
prepared
to
offer
her
this
fate?

Jackson shook his head fiercely at this idea, and snarled in a nearly bestial fashion, before dragging himself away from the rising outrage at the very thought.

“Not if I forgo the Commitment. And I will. In a heartbeat, to free her from her pain! There is
nothing
I will not offer for her happiness.” The abrupt shift in his expression and tone from murderous to distraught was astonishing.

Indie pulled herself out of his clutches.

“What are you
saying
?” She gasped the words, feeling, suddenly as if she were speaking in a vacuum.

“Who are you talking to?”

He didn’t respond, but continued to look through her, his expression one of devastation, desperation.

“Jax,
PLEASE
!” she shrieked at him now, truly terrified. The whispery voice filled her head again, soothing yet commanding.

Our
young
Brother
is
fighting
a
battle
within
himself
at
the
moment,
and
he
is
looking
to
the
Elders
to
give
him
the
strength
to
take
himself
a
way
from
you,
if
that
would
ease
your
pain.
The voice sounded amused, in spite of her rising panic.

“Are you—?” Indie already knew—“you are an
Elder
?” Indie gasped, awestricken.

That
I
am,
my
precious
one,
the voice confirmed. Indie was reeling. She grappled with the knowledge that the voice she was hearing, belonged to one who was part of the reality-shaking concept that Jackson had presented earlier.

She also realized that she had not had time to allow this knowledge be fully accepted, in spite of the fact that here she was,
hearing
the voice of one of the highest order. It was impossible to shake away the feeling that she was somewhere outside of her body . . . a fascinated observer of the whole scene.

She turned to face Jackson, and planted herself on her knees in front of him.

“Jax!” She shook him. “Listen to me, please! In spite of the fact that this is painful for everyone . . . I can’t regret this. I just
can’t
!” Indie shook him again, and his eyes looked slightly more focused.

“You say you have waited your whole life for me, but I also, have waited my entire life for you! How can you not see . . . how can you not
know?
I was half a person, simply existing for the sake of others before you found me. I didn’t know why I was lost, I just knew I was. I need you now with every ounce of my being, and I
won’t
be without you, do you understand?” Jax turned his eyes fully on her, tortured and almost the color of the night sky now.

“No. I
can’t
do it, Indie, and I
won’t
bear your suffering!” He placed both of his hands around her face, and brought his forehead down to rest on hers. But Indie pulled back and spoke firmly.

“Just
stop
it! Shake it off, warrior! If you say that you can’t bear my suffering, then how will you live if you leave me?” she demanded. “That will be suffering that neither of us can bear, and I will not allow you to do that to me . . . to
us
! You would
not
take away my free will, would you? I heard somewhere that you can’t do that!”

Soft laughter filled the room. The disembodied voice of the Elder swirled around her.

Your
Equal
rejects
your
heroic
attempt
to
rescue
her
from
the
path
that
destiny
has
set
before
her.
Do
you
hear
her?
Will
you
honor
her
vote
in
the
decision
of
her
own
fate?

Indie seized Jackson by the shoulders and got all up in his face before speaking again. “Let me put it to you this way, Jackson Allen; I will not tolerate separation from you. Period. What do you have to say to that?”

The stereophonic laughter deepened, and Indie could feel the rumble deep within her chest.

Are
you
stating
your
Commitment,
Indie,
to
your
soul
mate
 . . .
your
Equal?

“Yes!” Indie spun around wildly, trying to face the origin of the voice that seemed to come from everywhere. “I am! I will make the Commitment, right here. Right now!”

These words had the effect of knocking Jackson free of the numb sickness that he was allowing to consume him. His head shot up, eyes snapping as he tried to turn her toward him.

“Indie, wait. You have to stop . . . to think!” he pleaded, his voice hoarse with misery. “You cannot rush into this decision.”

Your
partner
has
chosen
her
path,
Brother.
You
should
respect
it.
She
makes
her
choice
with
full
knowledge,
and
free
will.
Would
you
truly
deny
her
this?

The voice was gentle, but faintly disapproving.

“But does she?” Jax looked up fiercely. “Does she really know what this could cost her?” Jackson still sounded broken. Indie opened her mouth to give Jackson an earful for being so stubbornly obtuse, but before she could respond, the voice of the Elder rose to fill the house with its sound.

Does
anyone
know
in
advance,
the
consequences
of
their
actions?
One
may
have
an
idea,
but
the
true
outcome
is
an
unknown.
Your
Indie
has
very
clearly
indicated
that
she
is
prepared
to
face
any
situation,
except
for
the
removal
of
yourself
from
her
life.
These
are
the
words
of
your
worthy
Equal,
and
I
have
seen,
and
now
accept
her
Commitment
to
her
life
with
you
 . . .
her
partner,
her
Equal,
for
all
eternity.
The
question
now
is,
do
you
accept
her
will,
Jackson?