Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series

by Gayle Parness

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Rob and Garrett had decided the team should meet to discuss our next move, so Garrett and I pulled up in front of Kyle and Peter’s house ten minutes later. Everyone was there, and since Peter had barbequed enough ribs to feed a pride of lions, we sat around in their backyard sucking on rib bones and licking our fingers while we talked. I’d noticed Kyle was in a snit for most of the evening. He’d glare at Garrett, then look away when he saw me watching him. Ethan had volunteered to load the dishwasher and Sinc was clearing the table when Kyle started in on me.

  “Did Maya tell you about her and Garrett? From what I heard they had some wild affair. Half the town could hear them….”

  “Shut the hell up,” growled Sinc. Everyone was looking from me to Garrett to Kyle and then back to me again.

  Oh boy.

  “I was gonna say fighting.” Kyle scowled at Sinc.

  Garrett unfurled his body from the chair next to mine. He stood directly in front of Kyle’s chair, seeming even larger than his usual 6’. “What is between us, should not affect how you treat Jackie. I expect you to apologize.” His voice was cold, his eyes darkening. Rob was also glaring at Kyle, although he didn’t speak.

  Peter came out carrying a tray of assorted desserts and coffee. After glancing around at everyone’s serious expressions, he put the tray down and walked to Kyle, appearing extremely annoyed with his mate. “You need to let Lily go. Garrett can’t help her and you’re giving Eleanor the power to fuck up your life and your relationships.” His meaning was crystal clear.

  Kyle winced at Peter’s words. This might be a bone of contention between them. I decided it was time to have a little discussion with a particularly annoying leopard. Standing up suddenly, I snatched at Kyle’s hand and said, “Is there someplace we can talk privately?”

  He glared defiantly at first, then shrugged, “Sure, sure … c’mon.” He led me into the woods behind his house. We walked in silence for a few minutes until we reached a small clearing. I sat on a downed tree branch and he sat across from me on a large rock, our knees almost touching.

  “So what’s really going on here? Why are you so angry at Garrett and why are you freaking out at me?”

  “I’m sorry, but shit, Jackie. He’s a low-life bloodsucker. How can you stand to let him touch you?” He shook his head. “I don’t want you to get hurt. What if he turns you?”

  I ignored him, sensing there was much more he wasn’t saying. “Do you hate all vampires or just Garrett?”

  “Mostly Garrett and Eleanor.” He didn’t hesitate at all, which surprised me. So this was personal.

  “What happened?” I touched his knee without thinking, sending a gentle probe into his mind. He looked at me, shocked at first, but when our gazes locked, his expression changed. I felt the exact moment he began to trust me.

  Heartbreak vibrated off of him in painful waves.

  “Eleanor took my adopted sister, Lily, and turned her. She wasn’t a shifter. She was human—the sweetest kid in town.” He smiled sadly, lost in memories. A moment later, his expression grew grim. “The last time I saw her she almost killed Peter. Eleanor thinks it’s funny to watch me suffer.”

  He rubbed his face in frustration. “It’s my fault. I helped kill one of Eleanor’s nest four years ago. He’d been hunting and killing shifters in our territory. That’s why Eleanor keeps trying to hurt me. It’s a game she plays.”

  Kyle eyes were pleading. “I want Garrett to get her away from Eleanor and kill her, for real. I’m sure she doesn’t want to be like this. He says he won’t do it ’cause he thinks Eleanor will kill Peter or me in retaliation. Can you talk to him, Jackie? I can’t … I can’t bring myself to kill her.”

  His emotional turmoil had turned his healthy red aura into a muddy swirl. I wanted to help him but wasn’t sure how, so I tried to do what Maya had suggested; to synchronize our energies. I was supposed to be a healer and now was the time to prove it. Keeping my hand on his knee, I worked to make my emerald waves move to his red tempo. When I felt them sync, I gave a gentle push in his direction.

  His eyes widened, but he didn’t pull away. “What’s that feeling?”

  I ignored the question and started speaking in a soothing tone. “Maybe Eleanor would release Lily and you could reconcile. It must be hard for you to see her as a vampire.” While I was speaking I was sending him strong waves of my energy, tuned perfectly to his. Slowly his aura brightened and began to clear. “The team is here for you; you’re not alone. You can talk to us.”

  He lifted his chin, “I failed her.”

  As the anger he’d hidden behind slowly left him, Kyle’s lip trembled and his eyes glistened. I sent to Garrett, “Please send Peter,” keeping my energy flowing into him. In less than a minute Peter was there, holding Kyle as he cried softly. I left them alone and walked back to the others. Garrett put his arms around me and pulled me into his lap.

  “Liam said her aura is green. She’s a healer, isn’t she?” asked Rob. Garrett nodded and hugged me closer. “This is great news,” Rob continued. “The council will never banish a healer.”

  “A powerful healer can destroy with the same intensity they use to heal. Maya may try to force her in that direction. It’s not an easy path.”

  He kissed my head and I sighed. “Mmm.”

  I closed my eyes and nestled more deeply against his chest, not really paying attention to the conversation. I was sleepy, even though it was only around nine. Garrett stroked my hair. “How’s Kyle?”

  “I think he’ll be okay. Don’t be mad at him. He’s grieving for Lily.” I breathed in a lungful of Garrett’s scent and smiled when he buried his face in my hair. We both found comfort there.

  “Lily is lost. She’s Eleanor’s new pet. She tortures and kills as often as her maker, and she enjoys those sessions just as much. There’s none of the innocent girl left in Lily.” He sighed and I heard great pain in the soft sound. “Maybe if we’d taken her when she was first turned, she might have been able to join another nest. Kyle wants me to kill her, but I won’t endanger us all by attacking one of Eleanor’s progeny, unless they attack us first.”

  Kyle and Peter reappeared and Kyle walked directly over to Garrett and me. He looked at Garrett. “Hey man, I was a jerk. I can’t keep blaming you for what Eleanor did. I’m sorry.” He stuck out his hand and Garrett shook it solemnly.

  “It’s behind us now.” Garrett seemed genuinely relieved.

  Kyle turned to me next. “Thanks, Witchy Woman. I feel much better.” He kissed my forehead, a sweet gesture from someone who wasn’t particularly touchy-feely. His shining dark gaze and clear red aura had me feeling pretty damn proud.

  “Anytime you want to talk….” I offered. He nodded, gasping when Sinc grabbed him from behind and hugged him tightly. Despite their constant bickering, we all knew they cared about each other.

  “Thank you.” Peter spoke quietly over the sound of Kyle’s laughter as he took my hand and squeezed it. How wonderful it was for Kyle, who always seemed to be at a high or a low, to have steady Peter in his life. Peter’s aura was a clear, rich violet. I’d have to make a note to ask Maya about that particular color.

  I rested in the hollow of Garrett’s shoulder and yawned again.

  “I’m taking you home, chatonne.” Garrett unfolded himself gracefully from the chair with me still in his arms, and set my feet back on the ground. “We’ll see you all tomorrow. Jackie needs to rest.” They said good night. Sinc took a look at Garrett’s show of affection and gave me a discreet wink before she parked herself in Ethan’s lap. In her mind, Garrett and I had become more than roommates. I sighed and indulged in a short little fantasy concerning the rest of the night. Unfortunately, once in the car, I only had enough energy left to lean against him as he drove.

  An hour later I was lying on my bed with Garrett propped up next to me, typing away on his laptop. I’d managed to stumble through a shower, dress my exhausted body in PJs, and drag my sleepy ass in
to the bed without doing a face plant, a great accomplishment, I’d decided. I turned onto my side, leaning on my bent elbow to face Garrett, and noticed a curious combination of emotions rolling around in his aura.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking back to when I first saw you running down a dark deserted road at one in the morning; a fourteen-year-old girl out by herself, but not afraid. When I saw your speed I suspected you were a cheetah. When your permanent aura formed eighteen months ago I was concerned, because healers can easily turn into killers if they’re twisted by circumstances. You’ve had more than your share of rough times.”

  “I thought about killing my foster brother.” This was something I’d never told anyone else. “I might have tried if he hadn’t been convicted and sent to jail, just to keep him from doing the same thing to another girl.” I looked at my hands, the knuckles turning white.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t always with you when you needed me.” He stroked my hair and kissed my cheek, putting aside his laptop.

  “You saved my life, Garrett. Those men would have killed me.” I reached for his hand. “Stay with me Garrett.” He started to say something, but I put my finger over his lips.

  “Just till I fall asleep. Curl up with me like shifters do.”

  He kissed my finger and whispered. “Roll over and face the other way.” I did and he scooted next to me in the perfect spoon position, his arm wrapping over my waist, our knees bent and nestled together. His skin felt cool again. “Did you feed tonight?”

  “When you fall asleep I’ll go out. I have plenty of time.” He kissed my hair and my ear, sending serious shivers down my body. “I’ll ask Liam to guard you.”

  “He’s gone home hasn’t he?”

  “Liam travels the ley lines. He can be here in two seconds.” He kissed my throat.

  His kisses were warming my body low in my belly. “The bed is going to burst into flames in a minute.”

  “Sorry,” he chuckled. Only he wasn’t sorry at all.

  “What’s a chatonne?”

  “A kitten.”

  “Very funny.” I closed my eyes, purring contentedly.