Always And Forever: Carson Manor, #2

By Candace Dowds

Skyler and Jaxon are finally happy, that is until his ex-fiance Koby threatens to kill everyone Skyler cares for. She must leave her soulmate behind in order to keep him safe. Phillip, the head of the vampire council helps keep her hidden from Jaxon, Lila and Albie. Skyler doesn't cope being without the other half of her soul. Her mind begins to play tricks on her, telling her that she should give up and die, so that became her mission, she would try to kill herself, but her fae body won't let her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candace Dowds
• Release date: Sep 28, 2016
• ISBN: 9781535062008

Candace Dowds

Candace began writing after the passing of her son in 2009. It has been an emotional release for her. She is supported by her family and friends. Other than the time she is writing, she sits back for hours reading books by her favorite authors, Tijan Meyer, Rachel Vincent, Richelle Mead, Colleen Hoover, Claudia Gray, Jay McLean and so many more. That or she will go for a calming drive while listening to Eminem, Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers or The Rap God, whichever you would like to call him. Her kids are just like her, sarcastic, but fun loving. The rules she lives by 1 Don't take life too seriously 2 Don't live up to others ridiculous expectations 3 Surround yourself with people who love you for you 4 If life becomes too much, have a stiff drink and start again tomorrow.

Book preview

Always & Forever

A Carson Manor Novel By Candace Dowds

Dedication

I wish to thank the Carson Manor fans that push me when I feel like giving up. Thank you, Carmen, Kate, Lyn, Cheryl, Karen, Denise and of course, Macarena. I love you all.

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To my children, you are my world. I am so grateful to have you all. I love you to pieces x0x0x

And of course, To you, Marshall Mathers, Eminem, Slim Shady. Recovery was the only album played as I wrote this book, so thank you.

The last three months have been an absolute nightmare. It took Lila, Albie, Jax and me over five weeks to find the perfect house to move into. One that was still close to campus. I didn’t want to live on the Carson Manor grounds, and there were a lot of pissed off sluts that wanted to kill me just because I was engaged to the man they all wanted. So it was settled, we wouldn’t be living on campus.

I’d had a few run-ins, but nothing my fae powers couldn’t handle. Now, I only have two actual full-blown enemies at college, two bitches by the names, Vessna, and Chloe. Those bitches have been on my ass since Jax, and I began dating. It’s been so ridiculously

stupid.

Apparently, I wasn’t good enough for him. The

crap that goes through their heads when I’m

near made me want to bash the shit out of them, but I knew I couldn’t. My anger controlled my fae powers, and because I hadn’t managed to get a grasp on them as yet, they would push me to a point where they will wish that they hadn’t fucked with me and when that day did come, I’d probably need some serious vampire council backup.

Then there was my beautiful, but impatient fiancé Jax. Who at least once a week asked if I was ready to set a wedding date, but I didn’t see what the hurry was. He was going to live forever, and I didn’t plan on being a fae for the rest of my life, I planned on having Jax turn me when I began to age somewhere down the line, so what’s the rush?

Let’s face it, Fae’s do have a limited lifespan, but it’s a minimum of a few hundred years. But I do know that if it came to a point where I was in trouble, Jax would turn me without a moment’s

hesitation.

Skye, I hear Lila call.

In my room, I call in return.

The tiny pixie looking vampire walks into the room and takes a look around. OMG, how many books do you two need? she asks with her hands on her tiny hips.

I also glance around and smile. Jax and I share a love for reading, so to fit all of the books we own into one room, he turned two of our walls into bookcases. It smelled like an old second-hand bookstore in the room, a smell I craved. We love them, I simply shrug.

Quickly, she turns around. Anyway, I came to tell you that Pete’s throwing a huge party tonight, you want to go?

Automatically, I want to say no. I hate going to campus parties. The dirty looks I receive from all of the girls that want to date my fiancé just got worse and worse with every day that passed. And not to mention the thoughts that emanate from them. It takes all I have to just try and block them from my mind, but when that doesn’t work, I will leave. Those bitches had turned me into a hermit. I’d go to class, and I’d come home. That was it. Have you spoken to Jax? I question.

Lila rolls her eyes, My God, do you two do anything separately anymore? You spend your days together and your nights fucking like rabbits, she exclaims.

Did you talk to Jax? I repeat.

Yes, Another eye roll. He said that he would go only if you go. I swear the pair of you had better get sick of each other soon. I want my best friend back, she pouts.

Lila’s English and sarcastic vampire boyfriend Silas had to go to Ireland on some business trip. Since his departure, she’d been on my ass. She had been so bored, well, not as boring as she would have been if she hadn’t made me her pet project. Lila was constantly trying to cheer me up, do my makeup and drag me out to parties. While Silas was gone, I would humor her, but the second he returned, that bitch would not be making me do anything she knows I hated doing.

I take a step toward her and wrap her up in my arms. How long until Silas is back, I ask as I hug her and she lets out a sigh.

He’ll be back next week, she looks up at me. I’m sorry I’ve been so annoying.

I tighten my grip on her. You’re not annoying. You miss him, and it’s something I can relate to. I would hate to be in your position. I couldn’t imagine having to be away from Jax for more than a day. That man’s my life, my love and the reason I breathe.

I do. I miss him so fucking much. I wish he didn’t do vampire council shit. She pulls back further. Anyway, do you want to go with me tonight? she’s begging, and she’s hurting. How the hell could I say no to her?

Of course, I’ll go. Is Al also going to be there?

Albie, our fourth housemate, was Pete’s best

friend, so I assumed he would be there trying to hook up with the hottest chicks on campus while they were wasted.

Lila raises an eyebrow, Do you really think that Al would give up a chance to get some ass? she asks.

No, I don’t, I laughed as I check my watch. Well, it’s five now, so I’ll go and hop in the shower and get dressed.

No problem. Tell me when you’re out so I can jump in. Every one of us has our own separate bathrooms, but the water always runs hot or cold when someone’s already using one of the showers. It’s something we’re going to have to get fixed, sooner rather than later.

I chuckle as I watch Lila skip out of my room,

then I turn and open my ginormous closet and look for something to wear.

Eventually, I come out with my light blue skinny jeans and a black shoestring camisole and lay them out on the chair in the corner of the room, ready and waiting. In the bathroom, I had the taps turned to the perfect temperature and I slipped off my clothing and stepped under the warm water.

Just as I’m washing out the conditioner, the curtain moves back, and Jax pops his head in. God, you’re sexy, he smiles that smile that makes me throb for him. So, I grab the front of his shirt and pull him in with me, clothes and all.

Immediately, his lips are on mine, and my hips are pressed against his. Lila wasn’t wrong, we do go at it like rabbits. It doesn’t matter where we are, or what the situation, I always want him. I feel whole when he’s inside me as if we were one.

Jax pushes me up against the wall as the water streams down our bodies. I only pull my lips away from his when I strip his shirt off of him.

I cannot get enough of this woman. She’s gorgeous. With her back against the wall, I lifted her legs until they were tightly wrapped around me, and when they were, she begged me to fuck her. So I did.

Even when the water was turned off, Skye’s lips were still on mine. I love you so fucking much, she says, breathless.

Love you too, baby, I murmur as I move us to the bed. We’re still soaking wet, and we don’t care. If I’m going to go drinking tonight, I know I’ll probably just come home and collapse in bed, so I’m going to get as much of her in as I can. And that’s exactly what I do, Skye takes control and rode me until we were both blissfully happy and taken care of. Again. She then collapsed against me, her head on my chest and I look down at her and move the stray hairs away from her face. Hey, I whisper. She looks up, and her eyes find mine.

Yeah? those eyes. Those damn eyes that make everything better.

Do we have to go to this thing, or can we just stay in bed together? I could lay back in bed with Skye, every night for the rest of our lives and never be bored.

She moves further up until her lips are close to mine. I would love to, but Lila’s down. It was the only reason I caved and said yes to going. She presses those perfect lips to mine for a moment but then pulls away. You know how she is. She’ll get there, find some of her girlfriends, have a few shots and chill out. We probably only need to be there an hour, she shrugs.

My hand grazed the skin behind her neck, and I cupped it, bringing her lips back down onto mine. I love kissing her, I love the closeness of it. But I then pull back, leaving her out of breath. Good, I’d prefer to be here with you than at a party with a pile of assholes.

Those assholes worship you and Al. It’s me they hate.

She’s right, and I hate that she’s right. The guys on campus are pretty awesome towards Skye, but the girls, fuck those girls are bitches. They’ve been so nasty to her because of me. Personally, I don’t understand it. It’s as if these whores had some claim to me, a claim they were never entitled to, but she won’t let me do anything about it because that’s just not the type of person she is.

Skye had, over time, taught me to trust her. I would try to keep my word that I would stay out of it, but God it was hard. I swear, if those bitches kept going, I’d sick Lila onto them. I wasn’t sure how much longer I would be able to hold back because these are attacks directed at the woman I love.

Pete’s frat house was the best house on campus. It was huge, with eight bedrooms, five bathrooms, a game room and a pool out the back. But Pete wasn’t your typical frat president, though. He was a down to earth rich guy who loved to make people happy with his parents’ money. He didn’t discriminate when it came to the people he invited to these huge blow ups he would host. Everyone was welcome, I admired that about him. It’s not too often that you would find a fraternity president that cared about everyone he came across. And the only way you could ever be accepted into his home to pledge was to prove to him that you weren’t a douchebag.

As we’d entered the front door, I kept Skye close. She hated coming to these damn parties, but she wanted to do this for Lila, who by the way, was already missing. I could have stayed at home in bed with my woman, and I wouldn’t have had to spend what could have been quality time with Skye, out there at a party Lila dragged us to.

I’m going to fucking kill her. Lila left my side before we’d even arrived at the front door. I could have been at home having sex with Jax all over the damn house, but instead, I was stuck at a fucking party with morons.

Skye, Jax, how’s it hanging? I look up and see that Pete is fighting the crowd to get to us.

He takes me in his embrace, Skye, I can’t believe they managed to get you to come! Don’t stress, though. If anyone fucks with you, you let me know, okay? I look up to this gorgeous, tall, blonde hair, blue eyed man that could be a model, and smile. Pete is one of the sweetest guys you could ever meet, and if it weren’t for the fact that Lila already had a boyfriend, I would have been pushing those two together. They would be perfect, so perfect.

I shake my head, It’s all good, Pete. I’ll kick the slut’s asses myself. And I will. No one will mess with me again. I’m done with hiding. I knew everything would no doubt end in disaster, but there really was only so much one person could take. Especially when they were trying to get between that person and the man they loved with their all.

Good for you. Pete pats me on the back and then turns his attention to Jax whose hand is still clinging to mine. Jax my man, how about you pair come through to the bar and grab some drinks? Pete offers.

Sounds like a plan, he almost screams because the music had been turned up.

When we reach the bar, Jax took a seat at the table after Pete had poured us a couple of Bourbon and Cokes, and he pulled me into his lap, my arm wrapped around him. So, where the hell have you been hiding, Skyler? Pete asked. I’d been at home a lot, or if Jax felt like going out and I didn’t, due to the bitches at these parties, I would go and spend my evening with my Nana Sophie.

Jax would continually offer to cancel his plans and come with me, but I would insist he go. Who was I to take away his social life just because I couldn’t be bothered dealing with a ton of bitches that hated me?

Mainly at home, and my grandmother’s. She’s a tough woman, but she’s also not getting any younger. I like going to help her with the things she can't-do for herself anymore, I shrug and take a long sip of my drink. I prefer to get wasted while attending these parties. Sober Skyler will shoot her mouth off to any one of the bitches but wasted Skyler will bury them alive.

I like your grandmother, she’s a cool lady, Pete tells me.

I nod in agreement, She is.

Pete then stands and heads towards the bar, and while he does that, Jax dips my chin with his thumb until we’re eye to eye. I love you, he whispers.

I love you, too, and his hand cups the back of my neck and he pulls me in for a kiss.

Okay, okay, you pair of horny teenagers, shots!

Reluctantly, I pull away and laugh, Pete has so many drinks poured by the time I look around. How many shots do you think we need?

"Enough to get drunk. You never come out

anymore, and drunk Skye is always a good

laugh," he laughs as he continues to pour.

Eight shots later, I was on my way to being drunk. Jax was playing a game of pool with the boys, and I’d managed to track down Al, and we stood together at the glass doors leading from the bar to the backyard.

The outside was always beautiful. Pete had tiny fairy lights threaded through the trees, and the outdoor furniture looked as if they cost more than my grandmother’s cabin. So, which whore will I see doing the walk of shame from the house in the morning? I’d laugh because it’s true.

When I had first met Albie, I would never have taken him as a whore. He was a gentleman in all aspects, except when he would hook up and leave the women while they were still sleeping, or kicked the whores out of the house in the morning.

Al leans in, so he doesn’t have to scream,

Not sure yet. I know that there will be at least one doing the walk, but who is still the question.

My eyes roll in exasperation. You’re such a perv, Al.

Yes, I am, he grins with those dimples that make him seem so innocent.

As we stood and talked, suddenly, I heard mine and Jax’s name’s mentioned. And instead of shutting it out like Celeste, another fae I had trained with in Ireland, taught me to, I focused in on it. I was done with being the victim. It was time for me to stand up for myself, to stand up for my relationship. OMG, I don’t know what he sees in her, my eyes find who it is that’s dogging me. Of course, Vessna and Chloe, those assholes are the ‘I hate Skyler’ ringleaders.

Because they were the head cheerleaders for Carson Manor, in their tiny minds, they thought that the hottest guys at school belonged to them. Who the hell were they anyway? Rich bitches that picked on anyone that had to work for a living. But the thing that drove me utterly crazy was the fact that before Jax met me, he never went near these whores, he never even fed from them. Is that why they’re so determined to break us up? Both Jax and Al had told them that they had no chance with either of them, it was just a mission for them, plain and simple.

Chloe starts flapping her mouth next, She’s not even good looking, I just don’t get it, and the bitch is so plain. Jax is so fucking hot. I know he’ll come around and want a piece of me. He’ll finally figure that she’s ugly as fuck, sooner rather than later.

Are you kidding me? She must be some sort of charity case, something to occupy his time. We need to do something to her. We need to fuck that bitch up good so that he doesn’t want her. She’s a fucking fake ass whore. She hasn’t even got any money. I don’t know what Jax’s family does, but I know he has more fucking money than your family. They’re not going to let him spend shit on her, Vessna adds.

Those sluts could talk about me all they wanted, but to start talking about Jax’s family, pissed me off. They were killed in the most horrible way many years ago, and they did not deserve to be spoken about by two whores that had no idea what it was like to lose everyone that meant the most to you. I didn’t need Jax hearing this shit, it has to stop, now!

Oh, and I heard that her father left her when she was a baby, even he knew she was a waste of time. That was Chloe.

Immediately, I see red, and it’s fucking go

time. I dive forward, dropping my drink to the

ground. I hear Al call my name, but I ignore it. I’m done with the shit. I will not stand back and be the bigger person for one more minute. I don’t care if I got charged or kicked out of college, I’m done.

The bitches saw me coming, and they were surprised, but they still weren’t fast enough to block my attack. I’d grabbed both of them by the hair, and I yanked on them until the sluts were on the ground begging for mercy. I won’t lie, it felt pretty damn good. I’d love to kick them in the faces, but at the same time, I knew, that deep down, I wasn’t that girl. You little fucking sluts are going to stop your shit. You can try to split Jax and me up as much as you want, but it won’t fucking work. No one there wants to fuck you. Everyone’s scared that they’ll catch a fucking STD. You skanks had better find someone else to torment because I’m done. Keep going with your, I hate Skyler club, and I will hunt you down, and I will kill you bitches! I seethe.

I then feel an arm snake around my waist, I know it’s Jax. I don’t have to look around to know it’s him. Let go of them, baby, he whispers. They’re not worth it, I yank on their hair one last time before letting go of them. I can see that they’re crying and I feel a small sense of relief. They’re begging. So they fucking should be.

But then Al steps forward, his face directly in theirs. You two have no idea what you’ve done. You fuck with Skye, you fuck with us. You’re blacklisted bitches. There’s no ways in hell that you will still be head cheerleaders by this time tomorrow. You should have let her be. I fucking warned you to stay away from her, I warned you that you would never win, his voice is low, there’s no yelling, which sends a chill up my spine. Then he turns and simply walks away.

My body’s on edge, I want to break down, but I can't-do that in front of everyone, it would make me look weak. So instead, I turn to Jax, and he takes me in his arms. Come on, baby. Let’s get you home, he then turns us to face Chloe and Vessna, who are still on the ground holding their heads, crying. To our home, together, because no whores will ever come between us. You’re fucking lucky it was her that dealt with you and not me. Come near her again, and I will be the one to fuck you up. Jax faces me again and presses his lips to mine, and I feel a sense of relief sweep over me. He is my safe spot.

We went straight home. I didn’t even bother finding Lila. I was sure she’d be okay since Al stayed behind. Jax held my hand until we were in our bed, where he enveloped me in his loving arms. You okay? he whispers into my hair.

I couldn’t take one more minute. Fuck this fae hearing, if I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t have known what was being said. The tears sting the corners of my eyes. They started talking shit. Shit about my dad, saying he left when I was a kid because he realized how plain and a waste of space I was.

He holds me tighter again. I’m not sure I wouldn’t have done the same thing to them. I’m kinda glad you did it. I know that Lila would have killed them if it got back to her, that’s why I asked Al to stay behind to make sure she doesn’t. He leans in and kisses my temple.

Al seemed pretty pissed, I sigh. Al is as calm as they come, but they had managed to piss him off. That’s not an easy thing to do.

If anyone can bring them down, it’s him. You’re his family now, Skye. He will go as far as I would, to protect you.

I know. I just don’t see him get pissed much. He’s usually so calm. I hate that I was the reason he was so mad, I bury my head further into his chest.

It wasn’t you that did it. He’s been shitty with those bitches for a while now. He asked my permission to bring them down a week ago, but I told him that you had to give the okay.

I smile at that. It seems that Jax is indeed serious when he said that we’re a team and that he wasn’t to baby me. Thank you, I whisper. I can’t keep it in anymore, I just want to cry, and he lets me.

C:\Users\canda\Downloads\POP UP\nightype.nightype.png

I was oblivious to what those bitches were saying outside. While I was shooting a game of pool with the boys, I continually turned to check on her. When she’d moved, I panicked for just a moment, but then I saw her talking with Al, so I figured all was okay, but the next minute, I heard him yelling her name, so I dropped my pool cue and fought the crowd until I was out in the backyard. When I saw that she had Vessna and Chloe both by the hair, for one moment, I wanted to let her go. I was as proud as fuck, but I knew the implications she would be sure to face if I did let her do what she wanted. Drunk Skye had no limitations, no fear, and no boundaries.

I’d snaked my arm around her waist. She’d known it was me because she didn’t yank away from my touch. Let them go, baby, I’d whispered to her. I knew she’d heard me, but she didn’t let go. I heard what she said to them, and I was proud. I had no idea where those girls came up with the plan to split us up, but it would never work. They’re not worth it, I told her.

Eventually, she let go and took a step back and into my arms.

To see her lying here so upset over some asshole human girls pisses me right off. If only they knew what she was capable of, You know what we should do tomorrow, I brush the hair away from her face, but she doesn’t look up at me.

What, she whispers.

We should take a drive out to see your Nana Sophie. School starts back in a few days and time is not going to be our friend. What do you say? I ask as I kiss her forehead.

Finally, she raises her head and shifts up the bed, placing it on the pillow, causing me to roll onto my side to face her.

Her lips press against mine for a moment before

she pulls away again. That sounds like a nice plan. I know I see her every week, but before I moved in with you and the others, I would drive back and forth from school daily, so that I could be with her. She’s been there for me when I needed her most. It was her idea for me to move closer to campus. It took me weeks to come around to the idea, but eventually, she told me that I had to do it. That I was wasting an hour a day on driving alone. She takes a breath. I just miss her, I miss the love and warmth the cabin gave me, it’s a safety blanket. I walk into that house, and all of my problems melt away when I’m there. I guess I feel guilty for not always being there for her.

My thumb brushes away her straying tear. Well then, we can leave in the morning and spend the day with her. I like going to see Nana; she always knows the right things to say, I lean back in, pressing my lips to hers.

Skye’s hand moves to the back of my neck, and

she pulls me to her. She wants to be loved, and only I can give her that. I let her guide me, I don’t want to rush. When she’s upset, she wants me to be slow, to love every single inch of her, so that’s exactly what I will do.

My hand rests on her waist, and she moves closer to me, hers sliding from my neck, down my chest until she’s grabbed a fistful of my shirt.

It doesn’t take long before we’re naked, it’s the one thing I know we’re experts at, getting each other’s clothes off. Somehow, I’m not even sure when or how it happened, but I ended up sitting in the chair in the far corner of the room, with Skye standing in front of me and I drink her in. She’s perfect. My hands skim the sides of her waist as I pull her down into my lap, her back pressed up against my chest.

My body is drawn to her, and I press my lips to her shoulder, my hands gripping firmly on her waist. I don’t want her to move. I want to love her the way she deserves to be loved.

His lips kiss my back, and I can feel how hard he is beneath me, and all I want to do is lift just enough to have him fill me, but at the same time, I need to feel the love from him.

As he kisses along my back, my breasts ache for his touch, and I know exactly how wet I am. That’s what he does to me. His presence alone always has my body wanting more. Jax’s hands move up my stomach to my stiff nipples, and the moment he pinches them, I cry out, and my head falls back, resting on his shoulder.

Jax makes me feel whole in a way I have never before in my life experienced. Lila always told us that we were always in bed and she was right, but for me, it’s a comfort. It’s him making up for all of the horrid atrocities I have faced in my life. Selfish? Probably, but every time I bring up the subject to Jax, he quickly shuts me up, telling me that it is, in fact, his job to place the jumbled up puzzle pieces of my heart back together.

Suddenly, his fingers leave my still aching nipples, and he holds them up to my lips. Lick them, he whispers, his voice ragged, so I do.