“Then I guess Zane will have to go hungry because he’s never behaved a day in his life.”
Zane sauntered over and pushed Lexi’s hair aside to kiss the back of her neck. “She’s right about me being unable to behave.”
“You are a bad kitty,” Lexi agreed breathlessly.
“But you like bad kitties.” He sucked her earlobe between his lips, making it hard to respond.
“Knock it off, Zane!” Quinn ordered. “I don’t want her burning my pancakes while she tries to fight off your pitiful seduction attempts.”
“Were you going to fight them off?” he breathed against her ear, sending a shudder through her body.
“No, but I will definitely burn the pancakes if you don’t stop,” she warned in a strained voice.
Zane chuckled and moved across the room to sit at the table. “Those smell really good, but I’m disappointed that you didn’t get me any meat.”
Reaching in the refrigerator, Lexi pulled out some strips of meat that looked like bacon. She’d been told they were actually made from venison, so she was a little worried about cooking them, but the vampire who’d delivered them had assured her they would turn out perfect as long as she followed their directions.
Zane was grinning like an idiot at the sight of the meat, and she was struck with the irony of a vegetarian learning to cook a meat dish.
“Where’s your vampire?” Zane asked Quinn.
“There was an attack, and they needed to go deal with the bodies,” Quinn explained with a sad sigh. “I don’t have all the details because Danny was exhausted when he got back from meeting with Connor early this morning.”
“I guess this won’t help Connor trust me,” Lexi muttered, not really blaming him for his distrust.
“Probably not,” Quinn admitted. “If it’s any consolation, Raven and Layla like you, so that should help win Connor over.”
“Connor likes you,” Zane added. “He’s just not very good at showing his emotions.”
“That I can understand,” Lexi said as she focused on the meat, worried she’d burn it. It didn’t take long for her to have breakfast ready for everyone. The only thing she was missing was syrup, but the vampire who’d helped get supplies had seemed confused by her request, so she was guessing they didn’t have any. From the way Quinn and Zane dug into their breakfast, the lack of syrup wasn’t a problem.
“Thank you for feeding me,” Zane said with a huge grin after finishing off most of the meat and two huge stacks of pancakes.
“I guess I’d better learn to cook some bulk meals while we’re staying here. I need a crock pot,” Lexi remarked, and almost laughed at the confused looks on both Zane and Quinn’s faces. “Let me guess, they don’t have crock pots here.”
“They might. We grew up with shifters, so most of what they have here is new to us,” Quinn explained. “I haven’t seen anything called a crock pot yet, but Danny’s not much of a cook. Before I came here, he mostly mooched off Layla.”
“I’ve had her cookies and muffins, so I don’t blame him,” Lexi told her.
“So, Quinn, did you just stop by to get Lexi to feed you?” Zane asked.
“Now that I’ve had her cooking, I might do that,” Quinn said with a grin. “Actually, I came by because I managed to get in touch with Connor before he left, and he said it would be okay if I took Lexi over to the training center to spar with you today. I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do.”
“No sparring for you,” Zane insisted, shooting his cousin a glare.
“Connor said the same thing,” Quinn told him with a laugh. “He said my cousins would ‘freak the fuck out’ if I got hurt.”
Lexi frowned. “So, men can also be idiots here,” she deduced.
“In their defense, my cousins think of me like a little sister, and they’re still having trouble getting used to the idea of me being pregnant.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Lexi said. “So, can we go right after breakfast?”
“Yep,” Quinn replied. “Connor cancelled training today because he needed everyone working, so we don’t even have any time constraints. I just have to stay with you, which means Zane has to keep it in his pants.”
Lexi’s cheeks heated. As much as she wanted to insist that they weren’t thinking about sex, that would change. Sparring with Zane seemed to have the same effect on both of them, and she was well aware of what would happen if they didn’t have a chaperone.
Chapter Forty-Seven
“Pull over up here,” Cam said, tapping Ian on the shoulder.
“Why? You gotta pee?” Ian asked irritably.
“No, we’re back in your territory, so I’m going to take off,” Cam explained quietly so he wouldn’t wake Claire or Kyleigh, who were both sleeping.
“Without telling Claire where you’re going?” Ian demanded with one raised eyebrow.
“She knows where to find me if she decides she wants to see me,” Cam replied, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice.
“Just like that?” Ian pushed. “You’ve pursued her for months, and now, you’re just taking off when you’re finally getting somewhere?”
“Don’t you see?” Cam asked helplessly. “I’m not really getting anywhere. She was okay fooling around with me while we were stuck together, but we’re home now. When we step out of this jeep at your settlement, she’ll be back to avoiding me, and I just can’t take it anymore. I’d rather walk away now than see the distance in her eyes return. I poured my heart out like an idiot, and I could see her walls going back up as the words left my mouth.”
Ian merely nodded. “For what it’s worth, I think she’ll come around.”
Stepping out of the jeep, Cam stripped out of his clothes without looking at Ian. “I used to believe that,” was all he said before shifting and taking off at a dead run. In lynx form, his instincts told him to return to his mate, but he fought those instincts. It was time to let Claire go.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Walking out of the room Mark was being treated in, Connor was beyond exhausted.
“How is he?” Simon asked as he rushed toward him, still dressed in the gear he’d worn that morning. Mark had also grown on Simon since he’d moved to their settlement over a year ago.
“He seems to be in good spirits,” Connor answered hesitantly. “Danny and Raven are still in there with him.” He’d decided to call Shelby and have her send Danny back since he and Mark were so close.
Simon nodded and fell into step beside him when Connor started to walk down the hall. “How are you doing?”
Connor raised an eyebrow in question. “I’m fine. Didn’t even get a scratch from that little skirmish.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Simon said. “This can’t be easy for you.”
Connor shrugged. “These are just the kinds of things that can happen with humans. It’s why I’ve been thinking about pulling them from the rotation schedule.”
“How long have you been thinking about that?” Simon pushed, clearly calling him on his bullshit.
“It’s not something I just came up with in the last few minutes,” Connor insisted. That was true—he’d come up with it at least thirty minutes ago.
“Were you thinking about it yesterday?” Simon pushed.
“No,” Connor admitted. “Mark could have died today because he’s not as strong or fast as a vampire. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a strong fighter with great instincts, but he’s still no match for a vampire. He’s been vaccinated, but he could still end up becoming a turned vampire. How do you think Raven will react if I have to kill one of her humans?”
Simon stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Raven will understand that you didn’t kill Mark, a turned vampire did. She’ll appreciate you for saving him from becoming a crazed killer, just like Mark would.”
Connor knew Simon was right, but he was still having a hard time dealing with all of this. “I had them run some tests to see if he has any conditions that could cause him to
become a born vampire if he’s infected, but the results won’t be back for a few more days.”
“Please, tell me you aren’t considering intentionally infecting him,” Simon practically gasped as he stared at Connor like he’d grown a second head.
“The new virus can be used on people who’ve been vaccinated,” Connor reminded him, even knowing he was starting to sound like a lunatic. “Then we wouldn’t even have to worry about how his health would impact the change. We’d just need to make sure he gets enough blood.”
“That virus is a pain in the ass,” Simon stated simply. “Just ask Mitchell or Danny.”
“It’s better than being dead,” Connor snapped before realizing how far off the deep end he’d truly gone with this line of thinking. “What the hell am I saying?”
“When Raven first brought her humans here, I tried really hard to avoid getting attached to any of them, especially Layla,” Simon began. “I tried to tell myself it was because of my past with humans, but it was more than that. From almost the beginning, I loved Layla, but I was terrified of her dying, and even more terrified of how I’d handle it if I let her get too close to me.”
“I get what you’re saying.” Connor sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “There are days, like today, when I really wish I’d kept my distance from all of Raven’s humans.”
“Yeah, it sucks that someday we’re going to have to watch them die,” Simon agreed. “Any of us could be killed today, but the humans are more fragile with shorter lives. Getting attached to them means we’ll be hurt.”
“But I can’t take their freedom away from them by turning them all into vampires,” Connor finished for his friend.
“Exactly,” Simon agreed with a nod. “Listen, Mark’s heart would have stopped by now if he was going to turn.”
Mark walked out the room with Danny and Raven behind him. Danny looked pissed, and Raven looked worried. “I’m going home,” Mark insisted. “I’m fine and past the time I’d need to worry about becoming a turned vampire.”
“You have a huge gash on your throat, and you’ve been through a terrible ordeal,” Raven said sternly.
Connor almost laughed at Mark’s expression over Raven’s assessment. Calling Mark’s injury a ‘huge gash’ was a really big exaggeration. He had a tiny bandage that he probably didn’t even need.
“Still going home alone,” Mark told them. “This hospital makes my skin crawl, and I’m not staying here a second longer than I have to.”
“Stubborn ass,” Danny muttered.
Connor studied Mark, and despite his fears, Mark appeared to be fine.
“Let’s get you home,” Connor finally said. “You’re off patrol for the next week. I want that throat wound closed up more before you head out. Yes, it’s not much of a wound, but Raven will be pissed if I don’t make you take some time off.”
“You mean all I have to do to get a vacation is let a vampire try to tear my throat out?” Mark teased with a grin.
Connor had to assume his friend was going to be okay if he was up to being a smart ass.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Claire came awake with a start when she heard the gates at the front of the settlement open.
“How long have I been asleep?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.
“Six hours,” Kyleigh replied from the front seat. “You’ll need blood right away. Someone will meet us with a bag for you.”
That’s when Claire looked to her side. She’d already known he was gone. Some part of her had felt the aching sense of loss as soon as she’d woken up. All that remained of Cam were the lingering remnants of his scent and the pile of clothes on the seat beside her. It wasn’t easy to resist the temptation to pick up those clothes and bury her face in them.
“Where is he?” she asked.
“He took off about two hours ago,” Ian replied, sounding annoyed. “I’m assuming he went back to his home, but he didn’t say.”
Claire simply nodded.
“Listen, Claire,” Ian began, sounding uncomfortable getting involved. “Cam cares a lot about you.”
“Yet he left,” she spat out.
“After you’ve pushed him away over and over again,” Ian replied bluntly.
“Ian,” Kyleigh began, but Claire stopped her.
“No, he’s right,” she admitted. “I’ve been telling Cam to leave from the beginning. Letting him get closer during this trip was almost cruel. I honestly didn’t mean it to be that way, but I just can’t seem to say no to him.”
“You love him.” Kyleigh’s statement was met by a snort from Ian who had obviously taken Cam’s side, which was funny since Claire got the impression Cam usually annoyed Ian.
“Ian!” Connor called out as soon as they stepped out of the jeep, saving them from further discussion of Cam.
Connor’s expression made it obvious things had not been going well since they’d left. That meant the issues with the potential uprising in Fangri La might already be affecting this area.
“Hey, Con,” Ian greeted him. “Glad you decided to meet us so I don’t have to track you down. I need to tell you all the shit we heard from Marie Therese and Dalton during this trip. There are some serious problems coming our way.”
“Why didn’t you just call me?” Connor asked.
“Marie Therese said she’s sure calls are being monitored in several territories down there. Dalton confirmed what she told me.”
“We’ll talk after you get Kyleigh settled in and Claire gets some blood. I need to fill you in on the recent attacks. I’m planning to have a little chat with Abram tomorrow. It was my hope to handle this over the phone, but he’s ignoring my messages.”
“If Abram is causing problems, we should just kill the little bastard,” Claire practically growled as she took the cup of blood being offered to her by a vampire she’d never met. Based on her slurred speech, she really needed it.
“While we all agree Abram’s an asshole who we’ll probably need to put down at some point, he’s not the only one who’ll suffer if we do that,” Connor pointed out.
Claire knew he was right, but she still hated Abram and wished him dead. That probably had something to do with him trying to kill her. She figured she had a right to hold a grudge.
“Where are we meeting to discuss Abram?” Claire asked.
“You aren’t going to be involved in this,” Connor told her. “Drink your blood, and then get your ass back over to the island settlement. I’m bringing Nate with me, and I need you over there to keep things under control while he’s gone.”
Claire opened her mouth to argue, but quickly closed it. “You’re right,” she relented. “I’m not the best choice to confront Abram.”
“If we decide to kill him, I’ll bring you with us,” Connor assured her, and even that wasn’t enough to bring a smile to Claire’s face.
As she drank her blood and prepared to return home, she was left wondering how long it would take for the crushing emptiness caused by Cam’s absence to fade.
Chapter Fifty
“What are you doing here?” Jase asked as soon as Cam shifted back to human form.
“This is where I live,” he reminded his brother irritably. His foul mood wasn’t likely to change anytime soon, so Jase might as well get used to it now.
Jase crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Fine, let’s try this again. Why are you back here without Claire? You left to convince her to be with you.”
Cam wanted to lash out at Jase for asking him about Claire, even though that wouldn’t be fair. This wasn’t Jase’s fault. It wasn’t really anyone’s fault, but that didn’t lessen Cam’s frustration and anger.
“Leave him alone,” his father barked out, much to Cam’s surprise.
“I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on,” Jase argued. “I’m worried about my brother.”
“I left her,” Cam said quietly, and then looked into the stunned faces of his father and brother. “The entire trip, I tried to convince
her we were good for each other. I figured, if she spent enough time with me, she’d come around, but I’ve been a fool.”
“She’s your mate,” Jase argued.
“And this is why it’s stupid to get involved with non-shifters,” Cam spat out bitterly. “It doesn’t matter how much I want her, or how much I feel the bond with her. Claire doesn’t feel the same. Sure, she wants me, but that’s just sex.”
“You’re wrong,” Jase insisted.
Cam snorted. “I told her I love her, and she looked at me like I’d said the worst thing in the world.”
“I’d like a word with you, alone,” his father commanded before walking off toward his house.
As much as Cam wanted to refuse and go home to wallow in self-pity, his father wasn’t going to allow it, so he figured he might as well listen to what his father had to say.
Jase caught his arm before he walked off. “Did you see Zane?”
Cam shook his head. “I took off before they got back to the born vampire settlement. Haven’t you checked on him since I’ve been gone?”
It wasn’t like his father to leave Zane there with some strange female and not check on him. Cam was actually surprised his father hadn’t insisted Zane come home to impregnate the lynx female like he’d agreed to.
“In a surprising move none of us saw coming, our father has decided to let Zane deal with his mysterious mate on his own,” Jase explained.
“Wait!” Cam must have misheard his brother. “Are you saying he accepts that the female Zane pulled out of the creek is Zane’s mate?”
“It would seem so,” Jase said. “I’m kind of worried about what’s going on with Zane, so I’m going to take a quick run over there to check on him while our father is distracted with you.”
“Make it real quick,” Cam grumbled. “If I have my way, I won’t be with him long.”
“I just need to check on something before I go,” Jase explained before walking off.
Cam practically dragged his feet the entire way to his father’s home, not caring if his behavior seemed childish. He had no idea what his father wanted to talk about, but he was sure he wouldn’t like it.
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