by Vella Day
If she hadn’t just swallowed her beer, he might be wearing it. Elana’s brother was not supposed to be a Were, and yet here he was in all his shifter glory. It wasn’t her place to break the news to her new friend however. Elana would be devastated to find out they weren’t true siblings—but how had she not known Brian was a shifter?
“How long have you been in Silver Lake?” Jillian asked. It was a blatant excuse to get him to talk. Brian kept glancing around the room, acting as if he didn’t want to be near her.
Mate, her tiger said once more.
He is not my mate. Sheesh. He was cute enough, and her body right now was pulsing and acting as if she’d just skipped through a field of flowers on a summer day, but the euphoria had to be from the collective group of shifters charging the area with their combined scents.
“A few months. Hey, I gotta go. Nice talking with you.”
Brian set down his mangled beer bottle, stepped behind her, and then disappeared around the corner. What the hell? No man had ever had a ten-word conversation with her and then walked off. The scariest part came when the front door closed. The air in the room nearly smothered her and her blue sparks went into hibernation.
Told ya, the sassy shifter said. He is your mate.
Jillian wouldn’t even answer that comment. Her tiger was dead wrong.
*
Brian couldn’t breathe. His heart was pounding, and his blood pressure was rising. He’d been relatively calm when Sam was performing his act, and from what he’d overheard, the guest of honor was some kind of magician. Apparently, he could send thoughts into other people’s minds and make them think they were seeing one thing, when in reality nothing was there. Of course, Brian didn’t buy it, but it was a good parlor trick. Whoever that girl was doing the trick with him must have been in on it. It didn’t matter she looked genuinely surprised when he clapped his hands.
Once Brian jumped in his truck, he had to do some tricky maneuvering to get out of his spot. Stupid people had parked too close. After a minute of easing in and out, he finally pulled out on the road. Christ. He never should have come here. His hands had started to shake and the pounding in his head had intensified the moment that woman walked into the party—Jillian something.
Sticking his hand in his pocket, he withdrew one of his anxiety pills and downed it without water since he couldn’t wait until he arrived home.
He blamed this jittery feeling and tightening in his chest on the girl with the golden hair and luscious body. While he’d had some brief relationships, his body had never betrayed him like that before. Shit, she was probably laughing at him now—the man who could barely keep his erection in check. Good thing he’d had the good sense to leave. No telling what he’d be tempted to do with her if he’d spent more time in her presence.
I know. He’d want to kiss her, touch her tits, and then taste every inch of her.
Stop it! His body was out of control and that scared him. Even in one of his manic moods, it wasn’t this bad.
Jillian’s perfume had invaded his body and was trying to twist his insides into a Celtic knot. He sniffed the air and damned if he couldn’t still smell her. She must have rubbed against him and left a trace. While he couldn’t name the scent, it reminded him of spring flowers. Not a rose. More like honeysuckle.
A horn honked, and he returned his focus to the road. With quick reflexes, he swerved to avoid the car aimed straight at him. Fuck me. Somehow he’d drifted into the oncoming lane. That was it. He’d never accept an invitation to another party again. His sister’s friends had the ability to do mind control—and they’d used him as the guinea pig.
Chapter Five
‡
Jillian had no idea what had caused Brian to rush out of the party. It wasn’t as if she’d asked him some sensitive question about why his sister didn’t know he was a shifter. Hell, Elana should have been able to sense he was one. It was possible she’d dismissed it because she didn’t want to face what that meant—that Brian was only a half-brother or possibly a stepbrother. She’d be in for a rude awakening when she learned of it.
It was bad enough that Brian hadn’t even told Elana that he was leaving the party. Elana was so open and sweet, yet Brian appeared rather distant. It always amazed her when siblings turned out so differently, though in Brian’s case, she could see why he acted the way he did. While Elana hadn’t filled her in on everything that had gone on when Brian was growing up, Jillian understood the gist. Certainly, if her mother had shoved her in a mental institution at a young age, she’d be distant too.
She thanked her lucky stars that Dalton and she had a lot in common and were rather close. It might be because their mother had to raised them alone.
“Where did Brian go?” Kalan asked, jerking her back to the present.
Crap. She hadn’t even noticed he’d walked up to her. “Ah, he left.”
Kalan glanced back at his mate. “Did he say why?”
She shook her head. “One minute we were talking—or rather I was talking—and the next he excused himself and rushed out.”
Before Kalan could ask any more questions, Elana let out a shriek, and Kalan’s eyes widened. His chest caved, as if he felt his mate’s pain. “Excuse me,” Kalan said.
Face pale, he rushed to his mate’s side. Before anyone could move, he scooped her up in his arms.
“Take her into the bedroom,” a man with a beard and his hair pulled back said.
Both of them seemed to know what had happened. Rye, Izzy, and Izzy’s sister followed. The party roar immediately quieted as the six of them disappeared down the hallway.
A pretty blonde woman sidled up next to her. “Hi, I’m Teagan. I don’t think we’ve met. If you’re wondering, the man who made that command was my fiancé, Kip.”
Jillian should have guessed since this was his house. Teagan was Wendayan and wanted to ask her a lot of questions, but right now all Jillian could focus on was Elana’s well-being. “Jillian Garner.”
Teagan smiled. “You’re Dalton’s sister.”
“Yes.” Jillian wasn’t in the mood for small talk right now. “Do you think Elana will really be okay?”
“I hope so. She had a midwife, but the woman was called out of town on an emergency. Elana didn’t seem concerned as she wasn’t due for another ten days.”
Jillian nodded. Before she could discuss how the Wendayans were organized in this town, Kip rushed back out, and everyone faced him.
“Listen up. Elana’s water broke, but don’t worry, Missy is there to help. Elana has time to get to the hospital. She’ll be fine, but just in case, we’ve called an ambulance.”
From the tight lines around his eyes and mouth, he was just saying that so no one would panic. Poor Elana. Jillian wished there was something she could do.
Kip returned to the room, but it was a good minute before the buzz in the room slowly increased. All went silent again when Kalan rushed out. “Is the ambulance here yet? The baby’s breech, and the umbilical cord appears to be wrapped around his neck.” He darted over to the window and peered into the black of night.
Panic gripped her. A friend of hers had the same issue. If she hadn’t lived so close to the hospital, the baby would have died.
Kip rushed from down the hallway and grabbed Kalan’s arm. “Elana’s not breathing.”
While he spoke softly, Jillian heard what he’d said. She strained her ears for the sirens, but the ambulance must be far away. She excused herself from Teagan and stepped over to Kip and Kalan. “I’ll take her to the hospital,” she volunteered.
Without waiting for anyone to answer, she sped passed both of them and shot into the room where Elana was lying on the bed. Izzy and Missy were huddled around her. Rye was taking her pulse as Missy placed something under her head. Elana’s eyes finally opened. “Is the baby—?”
Izzy grabbed her hand. “The baby is going to be fine.”
Whatever it was that Missy put under Elana’s head must have helped. The baby, howev
er, might still be in jeopardy. “I can take her to the hospital if you tell me where it is.” Both women looked at her, probably wondering who she was. “There’s no time to explain. I move really fast.”
Elana reached out. “Bullet fast.” Then her eyes closed.
Those few words of support seemed to jumpstart them. Kalan rushed in. “I can’t wait for the ambulance. I need to drive her myself.”
“That’ll take too long,” Jillian said. “Where is the hospital?”
“It’s north on Robin’s Ridge and then left on Oak Avenue.”
“Open the front door for me and then call the hospital to say we’re on our way. The meet me there.” She used her most authoritative tone with Kalan, though she’d be there before he’d taken his cell out of his pocket.
Izzy rushed out to hopefully open the door. No one had any idea just how fast she was capable of moving, and there wasn’t time to explain. Not waiting one more minute, she scooped up Elana. Because the pregnant woman was totally dead weight, Jillian had to beg her tiger to help her hold on.
With the precious cargo in her arms, Jillian repeated the directions. Then she took off, but she doubted anyone saw her leave. Less than thirty seconds later, she arrived at the hospital. A row of hedges lined one side of the parking lot. Jillian slowed her speed then lumbered the last few feet to the Emergency Room door, trying to act as if she’d carried her friend from the car.
Once inside, she spotted a gurney by the front desk and placed Elana on it. “Can you help me?” she asked the admitting nurse. “Her water broke, and the baby’s breech. She’s really weak.” Jillian’s words rushed out.
Without saying a word, the nurse glanced at the very pregnant Elana and picked up a small radio. “Emergency at the front desk.” Her voice boomed over the intercom.
As much as Jillian wanted to comment that Elana had briefly stopped breathing, possibly as a result of being connected with her unborn child, she didn’t need her new friend to be subjected to a lot of tests. They’d never figure out the reason if it happened to be shifter related.
Two men in blue scrubs rushed out and went right to work, asking the duty nurse questions. Elana partially opened her eyes and reached out her hand. When Jillian clasped it, Elana gave it a squeeze. “Make sure Kalan finds me,” she said, her voice weak and her skin pale.
“Don’t worry. I will. You just relax. You’re in good hands now.”
Elana looked up at the doctors. “Can she come with me?”
They faced Jillian. “Are you a relative or her birth coach?”
As much as she wanted to be there for Elana, she’d never lie. “No.”
“We’ll let you know when the baby’s born.”
That was all she could ask for. She supposed she could race back to the party, but Kalan would be at the hospital soon, and he’d need support and probably some answers.
No sooner had they wheeled Elana away than she sensed several shifter signatures arriving. Jillian rushed up to them. Kalan had arrived with Izzy, Rye, and Missy. No doubt a lot more had wanted to come for support, but he’d probably explained that the waiting room would only hold so many.
Kalan looked around. “Where’s Elana?”
“The doctors just took her. They said you can be with her, but the rest of us can’t.”
“Thank you. When this is over, I want to learn how you moved so fast.”
“The same way I’ve heard Izzy can part water.”
He huffed out a small laugh. “Wendayan power. Got it.” He then rushed off.
Izzy held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Izzy by the way—the infamous parter of water.”
Jillian’s shoulders relaxed for the first time in minutes. Being around a Wendayan helped center her. “Nice to meet you.”
*
The next hour was tense. The four of them chatted, but because clusters of people would come and go, they really couldn’t discuss much. In one of the lulls, she explained that her mom was a Wendayan, and that Jillian had inherited her ability to move in the blink of an eye.
Rye shook his head. “Before I could even register how you were able to lift a pregnant woman, let alone carry her, you were gone.”
“I wanted to explain, but there wasn’t time.”
“I understand.”
Because they were the only four in the waiting room at the moment, she could tell them. “Both Dalton and I have always been super fast, but my mom cautioned us against using our talent except in emergencies. When I saw that Elana wasn’t breathing and the baby might die, I didn’t have a choice.”
Rye nodded. “Did anyone see you?”
“Did you?”
“Good point.”
She held up a hand. “Don’t worry. I slowed down before I entered the Emergency Room. If anyone was watching, they would have seen a strong woman carrying a pregnant woman. Adrenaline can do amazing things.”
Rushed footsteps sounded. It was Kalan, and the smile told it all. “Elana is doing well, and Aiden is fine, thanks to Jillian.”
She blushed as the knots in her stomach loosened. “I did what I could. When can we see her?”
“Maybe in an hour, but I’d like to request each of you only stay a few minutes. She’s really exhausted.”
They chatted a bit about the baby, but it was clear Kalan was anxious to get back to his mate. “Thanks for everyone’s help.”
Kalan hadn’t even reached the elevators when her body vibrated. The antiseptic smell of the hospital disappeared and was replaced with a strong sensual scent that reminded her of mountain streams. What was going on?
“How is she?” said a voice Jillian instantly recognized.
Her human half groaned, still stinging from the rebuff of earlier tonight while her inner animal was panting and making Jillian’s heart beat way too fast.
She whipped around. “Brian. You’re here.” She shouldn’t have had so much surprise in her voice, but he had ditched the party scene without having the courtesy of letting his sister know.
He was scared, her tiger rebutted.
What was she talking about? Scared of what?
“No sooner had I made it home than Kalan called and said Elana had gone into labor.” He hugged the large teddy bear he’d carried in, acting as if he was the one who needed its comfort.
“She did. Congratulations, you have a healthy nephew.”
His smile altered something inside her. “Really? The baby’s okay? And Elana?”
“Both are doing just fine.”
Rye clasped Brian’s shoulder. “Since you’re her brother, you can go up and see her. Kalan suggested we let her rest a bit before the we barge in, but you can go first.”
“That’s all right.” He shoved the bear into Jillian’s hands. “Can you give this to her?”
Was he kidding? Sure he’d only met his sister a few months ago, but that was no excuse not to visit. “I bet she’d like to see you herself.” Hell, Elana would be upset if Brian didn’t show up.
“She’s tired, and I don’t want to make things worse.”
“Not seeing her will make things worse. Your visit will perk her up.”
“You think?”
From the way Elana spoke about Brian, she was thrilled he was back in her life. Jillian returned the soft bear with the black eyes and light brown fur to him. The red heart attached to its chest was totally sweet. “Now go. You can ask at the desk what her room number is.”
“Okay.” Just like at the party, Brian took off. A woman could get a complex being around him.
When he disappeared, she turned to the remaining group. “When do you think he’ll tell Elana that he’s one of us?”
Rye’s mouth turned downward. “What do you mean by one of us?”
Jillian glanced behind her. “Brian’s a shifter of some sort.”
He shook his head. “I never detected anything.”
You know because he’s your mate. He’s so repressed, no one else can tell. Her tiger’s voice held way too much glee.
Well damn. “Maybe I was mistaken.”
*
Given it was already past midnight, Jillian decided it would be best if she came back the next day to speak with Elana. Visiting hours were definitely over. After Brian’s visit, she had a lot of thinking to do. Had she been wrong about him? She’d never mistaken a human for a shifter before. Why now?
What have I been telling you? You need to do a better job of listening to me.
Shut up. Her animal was driving her crazy. Maybe she should go for a run to tire her out. The problem was finding a location where no one would see her. If anyone spotted a white tiger, it would be plastered all over the news. She knew all about that. It had happened about five years ago. Since then, she’d been cautious.
After saying her goodbyes, she headed to Dalton’s house, hoping no one caught sight of her blur as she raced back. A wave of safety washed over her when she spotted her brother’s vehicle in the drive. With the key he’d given her, she let herself in.
“Hey,” she said.
Dalton was in the kitchen making eggs. “How was the party?”
“Bizarre, scary, and then wonderful.” She slipped off her jacket and placed her purse on the arm of the sofa.
“Sounds interesting,” he said as he transferred the eggs from the pan to his plate. “You hungry?”
“Actually, I’m starving. I had to use my magic to speed from the party to the hospital.”
He froze then set down the spatula he’d been using to remove the eggs. “What? Start from the beginning.”
“When I first arrived at the party, Teagan’s brother Sam was doing some kind of mind control act with a woman named Missy.”
He smiled. “He’s quite the powerful Wendayan. From what bits and pieces Kalan told me, Sam can make people believe something is in front of them when it’s not. He was instrumental in helping Kip and some others from McKinnon and Associates retrieve stolen Wendayan magic.”
He’d written her about the theft. “I can see why. He’s very impressive.”
“What was the bizarre part?”
This would be hard to explain, but she needed a sounding board. “You’re aware that Elana was human until she mated with Kalan, right?”