Lexi giggled at Zane’s nervousness because it was really cute. “I’m fine with you coming with me,” she assured him with a smile. “In fact, I came down here to see if you wanted to go with me. You obviously need to get out as much as I do, and I thought it would be fun. As for avoiding you, I’ve just been in a bitchy mood this morning. We’ve both been tense, so I figured we could use some space.”
Zane’s grin was a beautiful thing, and it made her pulse quicken. There was an innocence about Zane that Lexi hadn’t seen in many years. She sure didn’t see it when she looked in a mirror. “I’m glad to give you space whenever you need it,” he began, clearly struggling to keep his hands to himself, “but you never need to worry about giving me space. I’m happiest when you’re with me. Touching you is soothing when I’m this worked up.”
“So, we’re going running?” she asked, not sure she was ready to respond to what he’d just shared with her.
“Yes,” Zane replied. “We’re going running.”
“Great!” she practically chirped. “I’m just going to change into something more comfortable.”
“I’ll go talk to the vampire outside and make arrangements while you get ready,” Zane said as Lexi hurried upstairs.
Chapter Forty-One
Zane was glad Rand was the vampire assigned to watch Lexi’s house that day because he’d been pretty easygoing about the whole idea of them running. Unlike some of the younger vampires, Rand wasn’t worried about checking in with Connor to make sure it was okay first, and he’d even had an idea for a place they could run.
Over at the school for the older kids, they had a large grassy field that would give Lexi plenty of room. School was out today, so there was no reason to worry about the kids. Rand hadn’t even seemed surprised by Lexi’s request. He’d explained to Zane that some humans still ran for exercise and fun, but not very often.
At the moment, Lexi was eying Rand as they walked to the field. Rand was a massive, scary looking vampire with black hair, dark brown eyes, bronzed skin, and a nose that had obviously been broken more than once. One could easily assume Lexi was nervous in his presence, but Zane was pretty sure that wasn’t the case, especially after sparring with her yesterday.
“I won’t hurt you,” Rand assured her in his gentle voice that always seemed strangely at odds with his appearance. “The idea of having a guard watch you must make you nervous, but it’s just a precaution at this point. Connor seems to like you.”
“She’s not afraid of you,” Zane assured him, nearly laughing at the idea.
Rand raised an eyebrow to express his doubt.
“It’s true,” Zane insisted. “She’s looking for weaknesses in case she needs to fight you.”
“Really?” Rand asked, sounding intrigued. “What have you found so far?”
Lexi gave him a look that said he had to be out of his mind for asking. “Why would I look for weaknesses and then tell you what I found? If I do that, then I lose the advantage in a fight.”
Rand laughed. “So, you’re a warrior from the past?”
Lexi’s eyes became somewhat haunted, and Zane automatically reached out to take her hand. “I’m just a survivor,” she replied. “Survival is much easier if you’re not helpless.”
Rand nodded his understanding. “Things weren’t easy for you even in your time, were they?”
Lexi hesitated, and something told Zane she didn’t really want to talk about it, so he figured he’d change the subject. He knew enough about her past to understand it was hard for her to discuss. “There’s the field up ahead. I’ll change and run with you.”
“Change clothes or change into a lynx?” she asked.
“Change into a lynx,” he replied.
“Okay,” she said. “I was going to be annoyed if you wanted to go all the way back to the house just to change clothes.”
Rand looked around. “It might have been easier if you’d changed forms before leaving the house, Zane. Even with the school closed for the day, we still run the risk of students being around, and Connor will be angry if you strip naked out here. He’s loosened up some after his time with the wood nymphs, but not enough to tolerate you being naked at the school.”
“I guess people still have hang-ups about nudity. That’s a pity,” Lexi mused.
“Would you walk around naked with me if that weren’t the case?” Zane gave her an impish grin.
Lexi let out a sigh. “Probably not,” she admitted. “I’m one of those poor unfortunates who still have hang-ups about nudity, I’m sad to say.”
“Maybe I can help you work on that,” Zane offered, unable to mask the rough quality of his voice. How could he not be aroused from thinking about his mate naked? The idea of her being so comfortable with her body that she wasn’t at all embarrassed to have others see it was hot as hell.
“I’d like that,” Lexi admitted. Her cheeks flushed, and there was no mistaking the intoxicating scent of her arousal. He couldn’t get enough of his female, but for now, he needed to focus on her needs and ignore his own desire to fuck her right here. If Connor didn’t want him getting naked out here, he definitely wouldn’t like him fucking Lexi here, and something told him Rand would try to intervene.
“I guess I’d better run in human form,” Zane finally said.
Rand placed a hand on Lexi’s shoulder when she started to turn away. “Many people here, including myself, have lived very hard lives, little warrior. None of us will judge you for your past if you ever need to talk about it.”
“Thank you,” Lexi replied, sounding uncomfortable. She looked up at Rand with a serious expression. “You’re too nice.”
Rand just laughed. “I am?”
“Yes,” she answered him. “That’s your biggest weakness. You don’t know me, or what I’m capable of, but you want to offer me a little piece of your soul to make me feel better. It’s a weapon I could use against you.”
“She’s got you pegged,” Zane agreed.
“You’re right, but I prefer to keep that part of myself. It wasn’t easy to maintain my compassion throughout the years. There were times when I nearly became the monster many humans believed I was, and I’m proud of my ability to avoid that outcome,” Rand explained.
Lexi considered what Rand had told her. Finally, she looked up at him and smiled. “Then I suppose it’s also your greatest strength. You also favor your right leg slightly, and it throws your balance off some.”
Without waiting for a response, Lexi took off running, and Rand stared at her in awe.
Zane had been expecting her to move at a human speed, but Lexi’s slow pace was nearly as fast as a vampire’s. Racing after her, Zane fell into step beside her, almost tripping over his own feet when he got caught up in the determined look on her face.
They ran back and forth across the field several times before Zane gave in to the temptation to wrestle her to the ground, careful to take the brunt of the fall. From what Zane had heard, vampires were aroused by the chase, and this likely would have been enough to cause that reaction in your average vampire. Shapeshifters reacted totally different. The hunt was never arousing, so running with his mate didn’t remind him of sex, but it did bring out his playful side. He would have also been wrestling with her in lynx form.
Lexi was a fighter, and she immediately worked to gain the advantage as they rolled on the ground. While Zane had the advantage of strength, he was holding back, and he waited until Lexi pinned his shoulders under her knees.
“Hah!” she shouted with a triumphant grin, which quickly faded when he pushed up with his feet, knocking her off balance long enough for him to gain control. This time, he pinned her on her stomach and put his teeth on the back of her neck, directly over his healing mark.
Lexi giggled when he moved his hands to tickle her rib cage.
“No!” she squealed. “Tickling is cheating!”
Zane laughed and then nipped her earlobe before moving back onto his knees.
Rolling onto her ba
ck, Lexi tried glaring at him, but she kept giggling.
“Bad, kitty!” she scolded playfully. “That is not how you jog.”
Zane crawled over the top of her and rubbed his cheek against hers.
“For Christ’s sake, Rand! What are you letting them do at the school?”
Connor’s shout was enough to make Lexi laugh, which had Zane laughing along with her.
“We are so busted,” Lexi whispered loudly, clearly wanting Connor to hear.
“They’re just wrestling,” Rand argued.
Connor snorted, and Zane decided this was as much fun as they were going to have on the field today, so he stood and reached out a hand to help Lexi to her feet. When she took his hand, she yanked and tried to sweep his legs. While Zane managed to avoid the leg sweep, he still ended up back on the ground.
“You little sneak!” he accused.
“See? Nothing sexual at all,” Rand insisted, gesturing to them.
Lexi let out an inelegant snort because there was no way she could have missed his erection. While their play hadn’t started out sexual, Zane had a thing for strong females, and it was hard not to get aroused when Lexi was proving her strength.
“We should probably go home,” Lexi said, trying hard to look serious.
“I’ll walk you,” Connor told them.
Rand raised an eyebrow.
“You need to get home to your wife,” Connor insisted. “Norah was really sick during training today.”
Rand nodded and hurried off without a word. Zane didn’t blame him. Rand adored Norah. Her illness also explained Connor’s foul mood. From what Zane had heard, Norah had grown up in the same house as Connor. Zane had already figured out what was wrong with Norah, but he figured she’d tell the males in her life when she was ready. He could keep a secret—as long as no one tried talking to him about Norah.
Chapter Forty-Two
Lexi was thankful Connor wasn’t in the mood to talk on the walk back to the house, because she had a lot on her mind. It was a good thing Connor hadn’t witnessed any of her run, or she was sure he’d want to discuss the very things that were bothering her.
The run had left her exhilarated and a little frightened. No one had to tell her she was moving faster than she had before. For some reason, being off her meds had unlocked a lot of things inside of her, and even if she was more or less accepting them, they scared the hell out of her. She still didn’t understand why so many abilities were suddenly showing up since there had been many years when she hadn’t been on medication. Maybe some Fae abilities manifested themselves in adolescence, and her medication had prevented that from happening. There was just too much she didn’t understand about what she was, and she got the impression no one here understood much more than she did.
Zane’s impromptu wrestling had done a lot to relieve her tension, and even though she knew that wasn’t why Zane had started it, she was grateful that he had. Playing with Zane made her feel young and carefree, something she’d never really experienced before him.
“Sorry about being so short with you.” Connor’s voice finally broke the silence. “Vampires don’t normally get sick, so I’m a little worried about Norah.”
“You seem more pissed than worried,” Lexi commented.
“I am,” Connor admitted, looking over to study her. “You’re very observant.”
“No, I’m not,” she argued before letting out a sigh. “I sometimes sense what people are feeling.”
“Try not to worry,” Zane soothed. “Your Fae abilities will come in more now that the medication is out of your system. That’s why you were so much faster today, and it probably explains why you’ve developed some empathic abilities.”
“Faster?” Connor asked, latching onto that part of what Zane had said.
“She might be faster than you,” Zane bragged.
Lexi was uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation, and that left her with two choices. She either needed to shift their focus from her abilities, or she needed to get the hell away from them. Zane’s concern washed over her, and she stared at him, knowing she was experiencing his emotions.
“Why were you so mad about Norah being sick?” Zane asked, clearly sensing her need to change the subject.
“She’s lying to me, which pisses me off,” Connor replied testily.
“Just give her time,” Zane told him at the front door. “She’ll tell you when she’s ready.”
“You’re right,” Connor agreed. “Are you trying to change the subject?”
“Yes,” Zane admitted. “I was wrong to bring up Lexi’s speed. She needs time to process all of this before we talk about it.”
Lexi was amazed at how well Zane understood her, and even more surprised when Connor nodded his agreement.
Connor’s phone buzzed before he could say anything else. When he looked down at it, he let out an annoyed huff.
“I’ve got some things I need to handle,” Connor explained, sounding tired and irritated. Something told Lexi the person who’d just messaged Connor would be getting their ass chewed out very soon. “I’ll have another guard here soon, but I need you to stay inside until then.”
“What about sparring?” Zane asked.
Connor looked at his phone again. “I’ll do what I can, but it may need to wait until tomorrow.”
With that, he hurried away, leaving Lexi alone with Zane.
“Do you know what you need?” Zane asked with a sweet smile.
“Are you going to use some awful line to try to have sex with me?”
Zane laughed. “My body is always at your disposal, but I was thinking you needed food, a shower, and a good distraction. How about if we watch another movie?”
“That sounds wonderful,” she told him and snuggled into his side with a sigh.
Chapter Forty-Three
They were on their way home, and Cam still hadn’t convinced Claire to accept him as her mate. Sure, she’d let him pleasure her with his mouth and fingers. She’d even returned the favor, but that was a far cry from what he needed. The last couple of days, he’d been distant with her, except when he was making her scream his name. She’d tried to talk to him about what was bothering him, but he hadn’t been in the mood. Maybe he just wasn’t ready to admit things were over between them. For him, they’d never truly be over. She was his mate, and even time wouldn’t change that, but he’d reached the point where he no longer believed things were going to work out. Giving up hadn’t been an option in the beginning, but apparently, he could only be rejected so many times. After her reaction to his declaration of love, he’d been filled with constant doubts.
At the moment, Claire was sitting next to him in the jeep. She was driving, so he was doing his best to avoid distracting her since he knew how much she hated being behind the wheel. The plan had been for Ian to drive the entire trip, but after what they’d learned, they’d decided that getting home quickly was in everyone’s best interest. Cam was torn on his opinion about ending the trip as soon as possible. Part of him wanted to stop the self-torture of hanging on to dreams of working things out with Claire. The other part of him wanted to cling to those last moments of pretending she’d accept him.
“You can stop pretending you’re asleep,” Claire said, and he opened his eyes to look at her.
“Just trying to avoid distracting you,” he insisted.
“Thanks,” was her nervous reply. “So, we should make it back home tomorrow night at the latest. Bet you can’t wait to get some freedom from this jeep. If this travel schedule is making me crazy, I can’t even imagine what it’s doing to you.”
Cam sighed. “Yeah, I miss having more freedom to run. Being in human form this long also isn’t easy for me.”
“How often do you need to be in lynx form?” she asked, and Cam was surprised by her question since she didn’t usually ask him about his life as a shifter.
“It really depends on what’s going on,” he replied, trying to think of the best way to explain
it. “Some days, I like to spend most of the day in lynx form. I imagine I’ll run for hours when I get back.” In his lynx form, his mind wasn’t confused by all the emotions that were dragging him down now; it was more about instinct. Of course, it was going to take practice to control his desire to go after Claire, but he’d figure it out.
“What’s it like?” she asked. “Changing, I mean.”
“That’s hard to describe,” he admitted thoughtfully. “It’s like there are these vibrations moving across my body, and then it becomes more intense as the change happens.”
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
“No, it feels kind of good once you get used to it. The first change is somewhat difficult, and I wasn’t sure I liked it,” he admitted. “Some say they liked it the first time, but for me, it was just strange, and I felt kind of out of control.”
“You like being in control.” Since Claire wasn’t asking him a question, he decided not to reply.
“Have you ever taken the time to think about where we’d live?” Claire asked out of the blue.
“Yes,” was all he said.
“You aren’t going to elaborate?” she asked with a huff.
“He’s not stupid,” Ian piped in sleepily. “Knowing how you react to his claim that you’re his mate, you’ll probably argue with anything he says.”
Cam suspected the same, and Claire’s lack of argument probably meant she agreed with Ian’s assessment.
“Sorry for waking you,” Claire told Ian, and Cam suspected the subject of his life as a shifter and any relationship they might have had was at an end.
“No big deal,” Ian assured her. “It’s about time for me to take over driving anyway.”
Cam was both relieved and disappointed to have this conversation with Claire interrupted. There was this part of him that was thrilled that she was finally asking about where he saw their future. The other part of him was terrified that this conversation was just going to end in heartache. That’s when Cam came to the depressing conclusion that finding his mate wasn’t enough. Claire wasn’t a shifter, and she would never be ready to commit to him.
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