He opened his mouth to deny it and then sighed. “Yes.”
“Part of that is because she’s your mate, at least that’s what Maria said while we were at breakfast,” said Poppy.
Jeffrey nodded. “I get that, but the rest is just me.”
“Good,” she said. “And thank you for refusing to sleep with her while she’s in a vulnerable position.”
“Yeah, don’t put me in for sainthood or anything. I really, really, really want to be with her that way,” he said in a hushed tone. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
Poppy laughed.
“I offered to feed her. When she was in the shower, I went to the kitchen to make her a sandwich and get her a glass of sweet tea. When I got back, she was already out of the shower, sitting on the edge of my bed, wearing nothing but a towel, barely able to keep her eyes open. She nearly tipped right over. That was hours ago. She’s been asleep ever since.”
“Want Marcy and me to come over and help get her up and dressed?” asked Poppy. “Word to the wise, she’s not very pleasant when she first gets up. Have coffee in hand if you dare approach her. Also, check her shoes for wildlife. Apparently, critters are drawn to her.”
“Thanks. I’ll remember that.” He laughed softly. “I’m outside, keeping my distance and giving her privacy. And I have things under control here. I promise I’m taking good care of her. I eased her back onto the bed, making sure her towel stayed up, and then I covered her with a blanket. No funny business.”
She scowled. “Jeffrey, I never thought for a minute you’d do anything that wasn’t on the level with her like that. I just…I feel like I should be there for her. So much has happened in two days and to top it off, everything with her father has come to light.”
He knew how close the women were. And he knew Poppy felt helpless. So did he at the moment. “I know. I promise that when she wakes up, I’ll get her to eat something and have her call you to set your mind at ease.”
“Do you love her?” she asked.
He was quiet for a moment before answering. “Yes. It’s illogical, I know. I’ve only just met her, but I’m pretty sure I’m in love with her.”
“Pretty sure?” asked Poppy, sounding as if she was amused.
He snorted. “Okay, really sure.”
“Good,” said Poppy. “Jeffrey?”
“Yes?”
“I’m glad you’re her mate,” she said before she disconnected the call.
He stood there, holding his phone in hand, still trying to get his scattered thoughts to align. It was hard considering the fact the smell of Dana was everywhere now. He wanted to crawl into the bed next to her and bask in the glory of her scent, covering himself in it as well as getting his own on her.
It was a shifter thing. One he’d heard his father and Brett’s dad discussing once long ago. Apparently, it was normal for a male shifter to want to have his scent on his mate and have hers surrounding him at all times. Jeffrey had always thought that was ridiculous and that something so insane could never happen to him—yet here he was, ready to roll in sheets just to smell like the woman he craved.
His wolf had been making itself known for the past hour of his pacing, wanting him to go back inside and claim his mate. Explaining to the beast that the woman could geld it wasn’t an option.
It didn’t care.
Clearly, it lacked a keen sense of self-preservation.
Dana really would can his balls if he tried claiming her at the moment.
Not the time, he thought as he continued to pace.
He needed to focus on Dragos. So far, he’d reached out to Brett four times only to be told no one had any information on the demon. At least none they were willing to share.
The slayers had closed ranks and weren’t talking to anyone.
The only good thing that had come out of his endless calls was that he learned the dead ghouls had been removed from the woods and disposed of properly.
He needed more information. It was the key to keeping his mate safe.
Jeffrey scrolled through his phone until he found Elis’s contact. It was labeled “Elis Van Douchebag.”
He cringed, realizing he’d need to edit that later to avoid issues with Dana.
His thumb hovered above the call option.
Elis hated him and wouldn’t answer his call.
The only reason Jeffrey even had the man’s number in his contacts was because Maria had insisted all the men in charge exchange information.
As Jeffrey stood there, debating on calling a man he despised, his thoughts ran to Jennifer.
Had he missed the signs of his sister finding her mate? Could it be that Chad Van Helsing, the guy she’d run off with, was the man who had been made for her?
Closing his eyes, Jeffrey did his best to stop the building pressure in his chest as guilt filled him. It was impossible to wrap his mind around someone telling him he couldn’t see Dana again—that he had to abandon the idea of more with her and let her go.
He’d only known the woman two days and already he was willing to sacrifice everything for her. If his sister had found her true mate, it would have explained why she ran away with him and didn’t look back. And it was high time Jeffrey thought about letting go of some of the anger he held toward Elis and the other slayers.
He stared down at his phone and gave in, pushing the call button. He assumed Elis would either ignore it or send it to voicemail.
When he answered, Jeffrey was so surprised that he didn’t speak.
Elis groaned. “Dickhead, I know it’s you. Crank calls are so thirty years ago.”
“Bite me,” snapped Jeffrey.
“That’s your department, wolf,” returned Elis. “What do you want?”
“Information on Dragos,” said Jeffrey, lowering his voice as if someone might overhear the conversation. “And details on Abraham Van Helsing.”
“Because you think it will give you the upper hand in the long-standing feud our kinds have had, or for another reason?” questioned Elis, his voice changing slightly—sounding less annoyed.
Sighing, Jeffrey let go of his hate of the man at least temporarily. “For Dana. I need to know how to keep her safe. That means I need to know exactly what I’m dealing with.”
“What’s your interest in her?” asked Elis. “Because if you think for one second Bram is going to let her be another notch on your bedpost—”
“She’s my mate, Elis,” said Jeffrey, waiting for a smart-ass remark.
None came.
“You’re sure?” asked Elis.
“Yes.”
Silence spread between them for a couple of minutes.
“Dragos is bad news, Jeffrey,” said Elis finally. “He’s old. Really old.”
“Is he a vampire?” questioned Jeffrey.
“Yes and no,” supplied Elis, his vagueness annoying. “He’s a lot like one but his extra gift is the ability to summon other demons—bottom-feeders.”
“Like ghouls?”
“Exactly like ghouls,” answered Elis. “He doesn’t like to get his hands dirty, but he will if he has to. He’s powerful and strong. We think he’s not a hundred percent just yet, but close. When he’s at full strength, I’m not sure we’ll be able to stop him.”
“We?”
Elis exhaled loudly. “The slayers. Bram, specifically. Am I to assume you know about his connection to your mate?”
“That he’s her father?” asked Jeffrey.
“Yes,” replied Elis, confirming the news.
“Why has he stayed hidden from all of us and her?” demanded Jeffrey.
“Because a lot of folks have a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact the head of the slayers is a creature of the night,” said Elis. “And he let Dana believe he was dead in hopes it would keep her safe.”
“Well, that went great, didn’t it?” asked Jeffrey coldly.
Elis grunted. “Listen, if you tell anyone else this, I’ll deny it, but I didn’t even kn
ow about her. Bram kept her existence a secret from nearly all of us. And if you think that in some way implies that he doesn’t love her or care about her, you’d be wrong. Dead wrong. I’ve fought by his side before and let me tell you, his response when he learned Dragos was going for Dana was like nothing I’ve seen from him before. He lost his shit, Jeffrey.”
“How did he find out about the attack?” asked Jeffrey.
Elis fell silent once more.
“Harker?” prompted Jeffrey. “Is he linked mentally with Bram?”
Jeffrey had never experienced anything like that but had heard tales of shifters who were bound to master vampires. They could link mentally, something vampires could do amongst themselves.
“Yes. All the Harker wolves are,” answered Elis.
“And Bram had Kellan watching over my mate?” asked Jeffrey, his anger rising.
“No,” said Elis, a certain level of exhaustion evident in his voice. “Bram didn’t know Dana was in Grimm Cove. His people in New York didn’t realize she’d come this way either. News of the succu-witch attack drew Bram’s attention. He’d been out of the country at the time. He just got back right before word of Dragos going after Dana reached him.”
“You expect me to believe Kellan just happened to be in the woods at the same time Dana was about to be attacked? I know they dated in high school. Is he wanting something more from her?” asked Jeffrey, not buying the story for a minute.
“I expect you to believe it, because it’s the truth,” said Elis. “He’s been having some issues with his wolf side. I told him to ask you about it, but he’d rather get a paw stuck in a hunting trap than admit to you he needs help. Can’t say I blame him. You’re a total dick.”
Jeffrey rubbed the bridge of his nose. As much as he disliked Kellan, he couldn’t turn his back on a fellow shifter in need. “What kind of trouble is he having with his wolf?”
“It’s been on edge for weeks,” confessed Elis. “I thought the succu-witch’s power might have been influencing him somehow, making his wolf cagey, but that would have ended with her death.”
Jeffrey’s posture went rigid. “Could Dragos’s presence be affecting Kellan’s wolf side? If his line of wolves is tied to vampires, it stands to reason that another master vampire could influence his wolf to some degree.”
“Shit,” breathed Elis. “Bram is an offshoot of Dragos’s line of vampires. That means Dragos’s dark power could be influencing Kellan in a negative way. It would explain why he’s been off his game lately. And why he’s been spending so much time patrolling the woods in wolf form. He must be sensing something out there—maybe even Dragos himself.”
“It really was blind luck that he was out there when my mate needed help, wasn’t it?” asked Jeffrey, already knowing the answer.
“Yes. You better pucker up and kiss Fate’s backside, Farkas,” said Elis. “You owe it one.”
“You might be right.”
Elis was quiet a moment. “Jeffrey, Kellan was hurt trying to protect Dana. He managed to link with Bram long enough to call for help, but then things got ugly for him.”
“How hurt is he?” asked Jeffrey, genuinely concerned. The man had done his part to keep Dana from being seriously injured or killed by Dragos and his minions. Jeffrey didn’t want to see him hurt.
“I just left the clinic,” returned Elis. “It’s not looking great.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Jeffrey before clearing his throat. “What can I do?”
“Can you spare some guys to guard the clinic? I don’t want Dragos getting any ideas in his head about using Kellan for anything,” added Elis. “And my slayers are spread thin, hunting for Dragos.”
“You got it,” said Jeffrey. “Is Austin all right?”
“He’s fine. He’ll be touched to know you asked,” said Elis in a teasing tone.
“Yeah, well, I put a lot of time and effort into training him to run the bar. Wouldn’t want to see that go to waste.” Jeffrey snorted. “And now that I know he’s kin to Dana, and not trying to put the moves on her, I find myself liking him more than I did.”
Elis chuckled but it sounded forced.
“What aren’t you telling me?” asked Jeffrey.
With a sigh, Elis said, “Dragos may win this one, Jeffrey. Bram is the only person I know who stands a chance against a demon as old as the one in Dragos. He could have wiped the floor with the rest of us. And the ghouls he summoned, they were organized and stronger than others I’ve run into in the past.”
“Great. He’s got them hopped up on Dragos-juice or something,” added Jeffrey. “The day keeps getting better and better.”
“Do you have eyes on Dana?” asked Elis.
“She’s here, at my cabin. I don’t plan to let her out of my sight. That going to be an issue with Bram?” questioned Jeffrey.
“From the little I was able to gather about Kellan and how it is he knew about Dana when I didn’t, he might. I guess Bram sent Kellan and his parents to New York years ago with the idea his parents would help watch over Dana, her mother, and another woman,” said Elis.
“Her grandmother, is my guess.” Jeffrey scratched the back of his neck. “Let me guess, Bram had Kellan enrolled at the same school as Dana so a slayer would be close to her at all times.”
“Sounds like it,” replied Elis. “A slayer who also shares his body with a wolf. That makes Kellan pretty damn powerful. But when Bram learned the pair were dating, it sounds like he didn’t take it well and yanked Kellan and his family out of New York faster than green grass through a goose.”
Jeffrey hated hearing about Kellan and Dana being a couple, but he needed all the facts. Knowledge was power. The more he was armed with, the better chance he’d have against the enemy.
“I got this information from Kellan’s mom. She’s at the clinic, waiting as they operate on him,” said Elis. “She told me that Bram didn’t even let Kellan say good-bye to Dana when he forced them to leave New York. He ordered them back to Grimm Cove and forbid Kellan from reaching out to contact Dana. That means she never got an explanation as to why he left—only the knowledge that he left. Also means I wouldn’t want to be you when he hears you’re his daughter’s mate. Nice knowing you, Farkas.”
Jeffrey worried his jaw. “Something is bothering me. How is it Dragos and Bram could be out in the daylight? I thought all vampires had to avoid it.”
“The really old ones can tolerate indirect light for certain lengths. And some, like Dragos and Bram, can create darkness,” answered Elis.
“So they could attack someone at any time, in any place?”
“Yes, in theory, if they really wanted to,” replied Elis. “I’ve told you more than Bram is going to be happy about, I’m sure. If I’m lucky, he won’t kill me for opening my big mouth.”
“Why are you helping me? You hate me,” asked Jeffrey.
“Because my gut says having you owe me one is worth its weight in gold and that I’ll need to cash in on that favor in the near future,” said Elis. With that, the man hung up.
Nineteen
Jeffrey
Feeling as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders, Jeffrey took a second to regroup and gather his thoughts before making any more calls. What he really wanted to do was hunt down Dragos and end him, eliminating the threat to Dana. But he couldn’t leave her unprotected.
He wouldn’t.
He swallowed down a lump in his throat and called Brett.
“Farkas, I have no more leads than the last time you called,” said Brett, obviously annoyed. “I’m following up on something right now. It’s more than likely nothing, but Stratton is coming with me just in case. Travis is back at the house with Poppy, Marcy, Pepper, and Tucker. I didn’t want to leave Travis with them, seeing as how last time I did, it went so great, but I trust him. Plus, my wife scares me and threatened to maim me if I didn’t give her some space, so I sort of got when the getting was good.”
“I have new information,” state
d Jeffrey.
“I’m all ears,” returned Brett.
Jeffrey filled him in on everything he’d learned from Elis.
“Not sure how I feel knowing ancient vamps can basically come and go as they please, to hell with daylight,” said Brett.
“Yeah, my thoughts exactly.”
Brett cleared his throat. “Elis really thinks Dragos could win this?”
“Yes.”
Elis was a tool, but he was battle-tested and had been in the game the same length of time as Jeffrey and Brett. If he was worried, there was a major cause for concern.
“Do you?”
“Over my dead body,” snarled Jeffrey.
“That’s precisely what I’m afraid of.”
Jeffrey rotated his shoulders, needing to work the stress and tension out of them. “Brett, if I fall in battle protecting the people we care about, I’m fine with that.”
“I’m not,” said Brett. “Who else will put up with me?”
“Good point. I’ll try to stay alive.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, send a detail to the clinic to watch over Kellan and his family,” added Jeffrey. “I promised Elis I’d see it was done.”
“I’ll handle it. You okay with this whole Kellan and Dana thing?” asked Brett.
“No, but I don’t want the guy dead over it,” returned Jeffrey.
“I’ll send men over that way. Do me a favor and don’t do anything stupid between now and when I see you again,” said Brett.
“No promises.” He snorted and hung up.
Jeffrey stared out at the water, wondering what kind of favor Elis might need from him. Whatever it was, he’d do it. Dana meant that much to him.
Tipping his head, Jeffrey tapped into his shifter hearing and listened for the sound of her breathing. He’d been doing as much every five to ten minutes since she’d fallen asleep. An irrational fear that she’d stop breathing in her sleep filled him.
He shoved his cell in his back jeans pocket and ran his hand through his hair.
“Think of something other than having her in your bed right now,” he said out loud.
Hexing with a Chance of Tornadoes: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Romance Novel (Grimm Cove Book 2) Page 17