“Thanks, Camden,” she said as she reached the passenger door.
He nodded and pulled his own open. “I just wanted you to know. You might be new, but you’re not alone.”
Chapter 10
“What can you tell us about your friend?” the older gentleman—who’d introduced himself as Vance, the cat-shifter alpha—asked Siya.
After she’d left the alley with Ram, he had brought her to a building that was apparently a hospital of some sort. It had no markings on the outside and looked like an ordinary building, but she supposed the shifters couldn’t announce they had their own hospital.
Inside, the building did look more like a clinic with a reception desk and a waiting room, but that was all she had been able to see before Ram led her to the room she was currently sitting in.
It looked like a small conference room, but it felt more like an interrogation room with the four large men across from her. Vance was sitting directly across from Siya with Saxon to one side and another gentleman—who had to be Vance’s son, going by their similar looks—sitting on his other side.
Ram was standing against the wall with his arms crossed.
“So, what is this?” she asked. “Bad cop, good cop, bad cop, good cop?”
Vance smiled. “No cops. You didn’t do anything wrong. We just want to know as much about the situation as we can. And that includes your friend.”
Siya hesitated.
“We’re here to help her.”
“Are you sure?”
Vance frowned. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because Demi’s grandmother always told her to never let shifters know what she was.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know exactly. I think her grandmother was afraid you would kill her or something. She said there were shifters who didn’t want the bloodline mixed with human blood.” Siya shrugged. “But you really need to ask Demi these things. It’s all hearsay. Her grandmother never talked about this stuff with me, and Demi always said the lady was a little paranoid.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Vaughn said. “We would never kill someone because they were half-human.”
Vance didn’t say anything.
Siya sat forward. “You’re not really going to kill Demi, are you?” It didn’t make sense why they would bring her to a hospital to mend her back to health and then kill her. Because they can’t question a dead person. Siya’s eyes widened. “Does that mean you’re going to kill me, too? Since I know about you?” Her eyes darted to Ram for some reason, as if he were the voice of reassurance.
He just tilted his head and studied her.
“We’re not going to kill anyone,” Vance said.
Siya looked to the leader again and narrowed her eyes. “Then, why didn’t you say anything at first?”
“You sure are ballsy for someone who’s worried we might kill you,” Saxon said.
Siya shrugged. “If you’re going to kill me, you’re going to kill me. I’d like to go into my murder being as informed as possible.”
Ram snorted.
“No one is murdering or killing anyone,” Vance said, his voice firm. “But there was a group from a long time ago, who did preach on keeping the bloodlines pure. Untainted of vampire or human, and while the wolves and cats worked together, they wanted their bloodlines separate from each other.”
Vaughn laughed. “They must be rolling over in their graves now.”
Siya’s brow furrowed.
“My mate is a vampire, and we have two children,” Vaughn explained when he noticed Siya’s confusion. “And then there’s Payton and Damien, Phoenix and Dante, Sawyer and Kenzie, and Zane and Isabelle.”
“Yes, well, the world is much more progressive now,” Vance said. “Do you know how old Demi’s grandmother is? Was? And her full name? What are Demi’s parents’ names?”
“I have no idea about her grandmother,” Siya said. “But she looked like she was about two hundred years old the whole time I knew her. She passed away about ten years ago now.”
Vaughn snickered.
“I’m sorry. That was probably disrespectful.” Siya’s mother would be ashamed of her daughter’s lack of respect for an elder and the dead. “Her grandmother’s name was Lucille, I believe. Lucille Cross. Demi’s father died when she was young, but I think his name was Austin. She was mostly raised by her grandmother. Her mother, who was human, was around, but she worked a lot. I think she didn’t know what to do with her half-shifter baby. Her name is Sharon Nelson. Demi hasn’t seen her for almost a year though. They aren’t close.”
Vance turned to his son. “Call Reid. Have him dig up anything he can on Lucille Cross, Austin Cross, and Sharon Nelson.”
Vaughn pushed back his chair and stood. He pulled his phone from his pocket as he left the room.
“Are you worried that this Lucille knew something we didn’t?” Saxon asked.
“I honestly don’t know. I don’t understand why she would keep her granddaughter’s existence from us. Even with the groups that didn’t like bloodlines mixed, my father and I have never been against it. I just want to have all the facts.”
“Like I said, her grandmother was kind of paranoid. If she had ever found out that I knew about shifters, her head would have probably exploded.”
“How do you know?” Saxon asked.
“Demi and I have been friends since kindergarten. She trusted me. But she didn’t tell me for years. She knew her grandmother was a little extreme in her thinking, but she also made Demi believe what she was saying. Honestly, I was surprised when she told me to call you tonight,” Siya said to Saxon. “She must really trust you.”
Saxon looked away when everyone’s eyes went to him. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, she made the right call.”
There was a knock on the door to the room, and it opened. It was Vaughn. “Reid’s looking into it. He said he’ll call us when he has information, if we’re not home by then. And the nurse just came and said Demi’s out of surgery.”
Siya and Saxon both stood.
“Everything went well, but she’s still unconscious. She should be waking up soon.”
“Can I see her?” Siya asked. She hadn’t realized how worried she was about her friend until that moment. She had taken for granted that her friend was stronger and healed faster.
Vance cleared his throat. “I think it’s best if we talk to her first.” He looked apologetic. “Why don’t you go with Ram and wait in the waiting room? We’ll let you know when it’s time.”
Siya was disappointed, but she understood. Demi had killed someone tonight even if it was in self-defense. “Okay.”
“Do you mind if I speak with her first?” Saxon asked.
“No. She might be more open to speaking to you alone,” Vance said.
Saxon nodded and left the room. Vance and Vaughn followed, and it was just Siya and Ram again.
“Sorry you’re stuck babysitting the human.”
Ram shrugged and walked over to her. “It doesn’t bother me.”
“That doesn’t exactly make me feel better.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And what would?”
“I don’t know. How about, I’m not babysitting you. I’m keeping you company?” She tried to mimic his deep voice.
Ram snorted again and took her elbow. “Let’s go.” He led her to the waiting room and picked a couple of chairs in the corner. “Sit.”
She did, suddenly tired.
He glanced around. “Do you need anything?”
Siya shook her head. “Just a bed and pillow. It’s past my bedtime.”
The corner of Ram’s mouth lifted, and he sat. He put his arm around her and guided her head toward his shoulder. “You’re going to have to use me for now.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?” she asked sarcastically as she laid her head down.
He responded with mockery of his own. “Sure. You didn’t taste that bad.”
She held up her arm and inspected her c
ut. She lifted her head. “Whoa. It’s almost healed.”
“That’s why I licked you. We have healing properties in our saliva.”
She looked at him. “Not because you want to drink all my blood?”
He wrinkled his nose. “No way. Vampires feed from vampires.” He tilted his head back and forth. “And some feed from shifters. But human blood is weak and doesn’t sustain us.”
“Gee, thanks.” Nothing like feeling inferior.
Ram pressed her head back down. “Don’t be offended. You outnumber us by the thousands. If you take that into account, your species is stronger.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. It felt weird to be so close to someone she’d just met, yet at the same time, it wasn’t strange at all. It must be all the excitement and trauma of the night. She took a deep breath and noticed that Ram smelled almost sweet.
She closed her eyes. “I think I’m just offended that you don’t want to drink my blood.” The evening’s festivities must have also made her admit things she wouldn’t normally admit.
“Don’t worry. I’ll still drink your blood when we fuck.”
Siya’s eyes flew open, and she lifted her head again. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
“Yes,” he said in a neutral tone. He didn’t even look at her. He was staring at his phone as he swiped through stuff.
“You’re pretty cocky.”
“No. I speak the truth.”
“I don’t even know if I want to sleep with you.”
“Sure you do. Otherwise, you wouldn’t want me to drink your blood.” He pushed her head down one more time. “Now, go to sleep. We’re not having sex tonight. You can worry about that later.”
The guy was crazy, assuming they were going to have sex after only knowing each other a few hours, but to her surprise, she fell asleep anyway.
Chapter 11
Demi grunted in pain as she woke from unconsciousness. She tried to open her eyes, but it was bright, so she quickly closed them again.
She heard beeping and the air smelled of sanitation. She was in a hospital.
The events of the night came back to her with a swiftness, and she opened her eyes again. She had to know if Siya was okay, and the man who’d tried to mug them…she needed to know what had happened to him.
She looked to the wall and then to the door and realized she wasn’t going anywhere.
“How are you feeling?” Saxon asked from the chair next to her bed. His face was grim.
“Like shit.” She hadn’t even smelled him there.
He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “That’s to be expected, I suppose. You were stabbed in the side. They had to do surgery on you.”
Demi looked around again. “What hospital am I in?”
“None. You’re at the shifter infirmary.” He tilted his head to the side. “Makes sense since you’re half-shifter.”
“I’m half-human, too, so I could easily be at a human hospital.”
“Except we know about humans. Humans don’t know about us.”
Demi tried to sit up, pushing herself up with her hands, but she was weak.
Saxon stood. “Stop that. You’re going to hurt yourself.” He pushed a button on the bed, and her head began to rise. “Good?” he asked after a couple of seconds.
She nodded.
He returned to his chair.
“How did you figure out what I was? I’m guessing Siya told you.”
“Siya did mention it, but I’d figured it out myself the other night. I always knew you smelled different. I just couldn’t put my finger on why.”
“What’s going to happen to me now?” Demi asked.
At the time, having Siya call Saxon had seemed like the right thing to do. She certainly couldn’t call the police with their technology these days. But human jail might not be so bad compared to what the shifters could do to her. She should have insisted Siya run while she stayed to face the consequences because, now, Siya knew about the shifters’ existence, too. Her grandmother would have been so disappointed.
“I can handle whatever it is you do to me, but please don’t hurt Siya. She’s known about me almost her whole life, and she’s never spoken a word to anyone.”
Saxon scowled. “Your grandmother must have done a real number on you.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“We’re not savages, Demi. We’re not going to hurt you or your friend.”
She sighed. That’s a relief.
“If you thought we’d do something, why’d you call me?”
She shrugged and immediately regretted it. “Ow.” That hurt. “The lesser of two evils, I guess,” she answered his question. “Plus, I’d just been in a fight and gotten stabbed. My rational thinking wasn’t exactly up to par.”
“I’ll say it was. You made the right decision.”
“Hmm.”
“Did you know I was a sentinel when you had your friend call me? When did you figure it out?”
Her nose wrinkled. “A sentinel?”
He shook his head. “Damn, your grandmother didn’t teach you anything, did she?”
“She taught me how to keep my existence a secret. She taught me how to mask my animal scent. I had been doing well the last thirty-two years until I decided to have sex with a shifter. My mistake.”
Saxon snorted. “It’s the smartest fucking thing you ever did.”
“Agree to disagree,” she said, looking away.
“Your heat must work differently? Your grandmother must have at least explained that to you.”
Demi didn’t have a lot of warm feelings for her grandmother, but she didn’t like how Saxon had been speaking about her. “Yes, she did. But she didn’t know that I would ovulate and bleed once a month, like a human. My heat isn’t as strong as a full shifter, according to what I understand from my grandmother’s warnings, but I still need to have sex.”
“That explains the no condoms. And why you smell like me.”
“Smell like you?”
Saxon sighed. “She liked to give you bits and pieces of information, huh? Yes, you smell like me. When a female shifter goes into mating heat, she takes on the scent of her lover for a time. It warns other males away, especially if she’s with child.” His eyes traveled down to her stomach and back to her face. “It wears off before the next heat. The male’s scent usually lasts a lot longer than a month, but I suppose, with your mixed DNA, your body sheds it faster, which is why I never smelled myself on you when I saw you again.”
“That would explain why my grandmother always told me to find a mate or husband as soon as I was old enough.” Demi laughed. “She probably never thought I’d be single with different lovers.”
Saxon’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s hard to find someone to date, much less fall in love with and marry, when you’re stuck between two worlds,” she explained. Not that she cared if he judged her.
“I don’t care about that. I just think it’s ridiculous that you weren’t told everything.”
“Yeah, well, she made do, okay? She loved me in her own way, and she thought she was protecting me.”
Saxon grinned.
“What’s so funny?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.” He stood. “I’ll be right back.”
Saxon left the room, and she closed her eyes. A couple of minutes later, she heard the door open. She sniffed the air, keeping her eyes closed. Two males. Two shifters were with him now. She lifted her lids.
“Demi, this is Vance,” Saxon said about the older gentleman. “He’s the alpha of the Minnesota Pride.”
“Oh. Hello.”
Vance smiled and nodded.
“And this is Vaughn, Vance’s son, and the next in line to be alpha.”
Vaughn looked like a younger Vance.
“Vaughn and I are also both sentinels. We work for Vance, protecting him, his family, and our pride. I explained to them both that you were left in the dark about our kind.”
Vance stepped forward. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Demi. Welcome to the Minnesota Pride.”
“So, does this mean, you’re not going to kill me?”
Vance and Vaughn laughed while Saxon scowled.
Vaughn slapped Saxon on the back. “Great job explaining to her about us, ace.”
Saxon pushed his arm away in disgust. “We didn’t get that far.”
“How long have you known Saxon?” Vance asked her.
“A couple of months.” She looked to Saxon, unsure if she should explain their relationship. “But we don’t know each other that well. We’ve only…”
Vance patted her hand. “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. I can smell him on you.”
She felt her cheeks heat.
“I’m just glad you called him when you ran into trouble. We won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
Demi swallowed. “So, what does that mean for the man who tried to rob us? Did I…”
“Kill him?” Saxon finished for her. “Yes, you did.”
“Jesus, Saxon. Tact,” Vaughn said.
Demi closed her eyes. She had been afraid of that. “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know I would shift like that.” She looked up at Vance. “What’s going to happen now?”
“We took care of the problem. The police won’t be coming after anyone.”
She looked at the three men in the room. “Do you have, like, a shifter jail or something?”
Vance laughed. “Or something. But you’re not going there either. Didn’t Saxon tell you? We know it was self-defense.”
Demi crossed her arms—or tried to anyway. That hurt her side, too. “No. He just told me I had a shitty grandmother.”
Vaughn laughed loudly.
“I did not,” Saxon said.
“I like her,” Vaughn said.
Demi smiled. “Thank you.”
Saxon growled.
“Down, boy,” Vaughn teased him.
“You two, knock it off,” Vance said. “Yes, about your grandmother. Once you’re feeling better, we need to talk about her.”
Chapter 12
“Siya.” Someone was shaking her. “Siya, wake up.”
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