by E G Bateman
“I’m worried about Kate…and Dolores, and Scott,”
“Edward has put some of his boys onto protecting Kate. I’ve tried Dolores a dozen times, so I’m concerned too. And Scott—I know what you mean. He’s barely spoken since the motel. You suspect he’s not ready for all this?”
“I more than suspect it. I can sense his feelings through our bond. I don’t know how to help him.”
“I think I do.” He put the shirts down.
“Is everything okay in here?” Edward asked and popped his head around the door.
“Edward,” the vampire said seriously, “we need to get Scott drunk.”
Lexi rolled her eyes.
Later, she lay in bed, thinking back to her life with Kindred. She remembered the lessons about werewolves and other shifters. They were dangerous, they weren’t to be trusted, and they only looked after their own pack. Nowhere in her studies did it say they were big fans of karaoke. Yet there she was, listening to a werewolf, a vampire, and a mage drunkenly belting out “Delilah.” It was a good sign that Scott was singing along. She smiled.
Annoying, but good.
Chapter Nine
Lexi wandered through the house in search of coffee.
She found Scott unconscious on the sofa with a throw covering him. He hadn’t even made it to bed.
Still yawning, she entered the kitchen and set about making coffee. As she sat at the old wooden table, she watched the beverage drip into the pot.
I wonder if I could magic it to go faster?
Looking at the almost empty scar, she decided it was still worth a try and was about to attempt it when Edward walked in, wearing tight hipster jeans and no shirt.
“Morning,” he whispered.
After a moment, she shook her head and realized that she’d stared at his abs. “Good morning-almost-afternoon. How’s your head?”
He raised his eyebrows. “It’s been better.”
In silence, he made his way around the kitchen and dropped suspicious leafy green items into a plastic beaker. She watched as he went through the process.
Outstanding pecs, and you could bounce a quarter off those abs.
When he’d finally blended his green concoction, he stood and drank it with his back to her. She took the opportunity to stare openly at the well-defined lats on his back and almost called Scott in to point the muscle groups out to him. The dedication it took to gain that level of physical fitness was itself impressive, and she couldn’t fault Dick’s taste in men, not at all.
Lexi’s gaze wandered around the room and stopped on the refrigerator. There were kids’ drawings on it. “You have kids?”
“These were painted by my granddaughter. They visit over the holidays.” He opened the refrigerator and removed eggs, bacon, and steaks.
“Oh, I see. You don’t look old enough to have a grandchild.” She tried not to sound too appraising.
“She’s five. I’m forty-five. They live in Monterey with my ex-wife.”
“Nice part of the world.” She watched as he took bowls and knives from cupboards. “Can I help?”
“Sure. Crack and whisk?” He handed her a carton of eggs, a bowl, and a whisk. “How’s Scott looking?”
“He’s on the sofa, dead to the world, figuratively speaking. Where’s Dick?” She cracked eggs into the bowl and looked around the kitchen for condiments.
“In the basement, dead to the world. Literally speaking.” He smiled, opened a cupboard, and passed her the salt and pepper.
After a few minutes, he placed a mug of coffee on the table in front of her and removed the bowl of whisked eggs.
“Thanks.” She stretched for the sugar.
“Scott talked some last night. He’s embarrassed about what happened.” He took a frying pan out.
“I know. I feel it through the empathic link. I felt what he was going through at the motel last night too. He was paralyzed by fear, and it’s possible that when I was knocked unconscious, part of his mind lost consciousness too. He has so much to learn but not much time to learn it in. I think he’s done well until now.” She stood and took her coffee to the counter. He passed her a chopping board and a large steak. When he began to dice small cubes of potato, she realized he was making hash. She chopped the steak into small pieces, followed by the bacon.
“How do you know he won’t freeze up like that again?” Edward asked as he scraped the potatoes into the pan to sauté them.
“He won’t. It was my fault. I’ve been a little off my game lately.” She stopped speaking when she heard Scott walking up the hallway. “Afternoon, sleepyhead. Edward’s frying up something good and greasy.” She took a mug down.
“Ugh! Don’t.” He groaned, flopped into a chair, and buried his face in his arms on the table.
“Tell me about it,” the shifter agreed with a sigh.
“Not hungry?” Lexi passed the coffee to him.
“I want food but I don’t think I can talk about it.”
The other man’s cell rang. “Yeah? Just, erm…” He started to walk out of the room, then looked at the pan. Lexi took the spatula out of his hand and he continued down the hall.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.” Scott’s voice was muffled, given that his face was still hidden by his arms.
“You don’t have to explain anything to me. I know, remember?” She pointed to her scar even though his face remained hidden.
“I know too. I felt your disappointment when you woke up on the floor. I couldn’t think or move.” He sounded choked.
“I was disappointed in myself. Let’s go for a walk after breakfast.” She moved the pan from the heat and put the food onto plates. “Food’s up,” she called.
Scott raised his head as Edward walked in. She was disappointed to note he now wore a t-shirt.
“So, how do you feel about tequila this afternoon?” The shifter grinned. Lexi assumed this was an inside joke.
“I never want to look at it, hear about it, taste it, and most definitely, smell it again.” The young man dropped his head again, and Edward chuckled.
“Did you want this food on the back of your head?” She stood over him with a plate.
After a few moments, he raised his head. He accepted the plate and attempted a smile, although he was wan and bleary-eyed.
The shifter took a seat at the table. “That was my beta. I’ve asked her to come over.”
“Her? How progressive of you,” Scott said.
“That position wasn’t given. It was earned. She’s strong enough to go for Alpha. I don’t think she will yet, but that’s not a fight I look forward to.”
Edward talked about his pack as they ate.
“I’m worried about a friend of ours,” Lexi began after they had finished.
“Dolores, I know. Will gave me the number last night. I’ve tried it a few times this morning, but it goes straight to voicemail. Can you track her?” the shifter asked Scott.
“I’ll give it a try but I can’t do it with this hangover.” He pushed his half-eaten breakfast away and leaned back.
“I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have let you drink so much last night. When do you think you’ll feel well enough?” The older man stood and took his and Lexi’s empty plates to the sink.
Scott sat with his eyes closed and breathed deeply. She felt the surge of magic and he opened his eyes. They were bright and clear. “I’ll finish this and get started.” He pulled the plate closer and snarfed the rest of his breakfast.
Edward looked from one to the other and shook his head. “Well, that’s not fair.”
“Do you have a map of Colorado? Her office is in Denver. That’s where she was yesterday,” Scott told him.
“I have Satnav or a tablet with Google maps on it.”
“I’ve tried that before. It doesn’t work.” He stood quickly. “Where can I buy a map around here?”
“We’re a ways out. Any nearby place would only sell local maps. I’ll ask Jess to pick one up.” The shifter ret
rieved his cell and texted.
Lexi waited for him to finish. “How are things with Kate?”
“All quiet. She’s at the bar, and the Palm Springs pack is keeping an eye on her too. At least, I assume that’s why Tommy’s there again. She’s concerned about her friend—the girl from the flower shop, Daisy. Kate called another friend from the coven, and she hasn’t been with them.”
“Is Kate safe with Tommy? If he’s under Caleb’s influence too, could he harm her and be completely unaware of it?”
“We have someone in there too. She’s safe.”
“In the bar? Who?”
“Her mother. She could rip Tommy to pieces. He’s a little soft around the middle.”
“Must be all those McRibs.” Scott smiled.
“Right. Jess will be here after work, and speaking of that, I’ll wash the dishes, then I need to get some work done.” Edward picked up a briefcase from the hallway.
“What do you do?” the other man asked.
“I’m a financial auditor. You can hate me now.” He grinned.
“We’ll get the dishes. You do whatever you need to do.” The young man stood from the table and carried his empty plate to the sink.
“Are we okay to go for a walk, Edward?”
“Sure. I have a few acres of woods and chaparral here. It’s relatively safe. I don’t get bears or cougars anymore. They know better.” He disappeared into his study.
Scott washed a plate and passed it to Lexi. “What are you thinking?”
“He does not look like an auditor.” She dried the plate and put it on the shelf.
“No. I suppose he doesn’t.”
They finished the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.
She knew he wanted to talk so the moment they were done, she turned to him. “Do you want to go for that walk now?”
They headed past the stairs to the basement where Dick was passing the daytime hours and left through the back door. Within a few minutes, they could no longer see the house.
“I feel sick waiting like this. We should be out there looking for Dolores,” Scott said as he scanned the ground ahead of them.
“It’s two-thirty now. The maps will be here soon. We also need to work out what we’ll do about Kate and Caleb. He needs to pay for what he did to Leonard.”
Her companion stopped and she didn’t notice until she’d taken a couple more steps. When she turned to face him, it was obvious he was ready to talk.
He looked down but after a moment, looked her in the eyes. “There’s something you need to know. When—God, if we find Dolores, I’ll ask her to get you another partner. Someone more reliable than me.”
‘What? But that’s—”
“The right thing to do. We’re not safe out there if I can’t be relied upon. We’ll still be matched and soon, you won’t need to have a physical connection with me for the energy transfer. It means you’ll be able to draw on my magic when you need it without me being a liability at your side.”
Lexi picked a stick up and began to strip the bark from it. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”
“Yes, and you can’t talk me out of it, although I don’t see why you’d want to. I almost got us killed last night.”
“There’s something I need to tell you that might change your perspective.” She walked to a fallen tree and sat. “You didn’t put us in that situation. I did. When we got into that room, there were two guys inside. I know, because it was the last thing I registered before I had my lights punched out. That means the third guy was out there watching us, and I didn’t have a clue.”
“He could have been—”
“I wasn’t prepared for what might have been behind the door when we entered. I’ve been off my game and making excuses. I even struggled to catch that thief. I should have been able to react faster rather than leaving you to save my ass by using magic on him, and Dick had to rescue me when we were attacked. The fact is, I can’t even rely on myself anymore.”
“But you’re the most lethal human I’ve ever met, and—”
“We both know that’s not true.”
“But your skills—”
“Don’t make me as fast as a vamp or as strong as a shifter. I’ve never displayed fae or witch abilities or any other kind of supe.”
Scott attempted to interrupt again but she silenced him. “Let me say this or I’ll never get it out. I’ve been using vamp blood.” She said it fast because admitting it to him was the single most humiliating thing she’d ever done. Her face flushed.
“I know. It helped you get your memories back. You’ve done it three times—you already told me that.”
“It’s been much more than three times. At first, it was about the memories. Then, it was because my speed and strength increased and it made me feel more like I’m supposed to be. Like I could be effective in my work like the others are.” She stared at the ground. “I can barely function without it now and even with it, something’s not right. I don’t know what to do, and I honestly don’t think I can deal with this without you.” The last word was a whisper.
Scott joined her on the tree trunk. “I thought you might be happier working with someone else. Maybe Edward. Your heart rate elevates when you look at him.”
Lexi looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language. “I’m jealous of his muscles. His lats are really well defined. I was going to ask him how he isolates them.”
He laughed. “Oh, I can tell you that. It’s the shifting. It impacts muscle groups other exercises can’t touch.”
She sighed. “Well, shit!”
As he slid his arm around her, he chuckled. “What a fucking pair we are—an incompetent and a junkie. I guess we’re stuck with each other.”
Lexi snorted a laugh.
“There’s something else.” She stood, walked a few steps away, and held her arm out. They both watched as the white energy filled the scar. “I’ve been able to do this without physical contact for a few weeks. I liked the hand-holding part. It’s kind of comforting. Of course, I still can’t keep the magic from dissipating.” She opened her hand and stepped closer. He took it and stood.
Scott picked a long stick up and glamored it to look like a wizard’s staff with a crystal ball at the top. He passed it to her. “I’ll help you with the vamp blood issue.”
“I won’t need help. I can do this. I won’t use it anymore and I’ll flush it when we get back.” Lexi was determined. She made sure he recognized the strength in her voice, and he nodded.
They continued to walk and talk for another few hours. When they returned, Edward was seated in the kitchen with an attractive woman who looked to be in her thirties. She glanced from Scott to Lexi, to her scar and back to Scott, then studied the young man from head to toe. He swallowed and Lexi wasn’t surprised. She’d seen women stare at him like that before. Surprisingly, the woman then proceeded to examine her from her feet upward.
Okay, that’s new.
Edward opened the map, a pair of glasses balanced on his head. He glanced up and said, “Jess, Lexi, Scott,” by way of introduction, then lowered the glasses onto his nose.
“Hi.” Scott proffered his hand and Jess looked at it with an eyebrow raised. Lexi thought she might turn away, but she tilted her head, grinned, and took it. After a moment’s shaking, it became apparent that she had turned Scott’s friendly gesture into a pissing contest and grasped his hand tightly.
He smiled, and Lexi felt the familiar surge of his magic.
The grin faded from the woman’s lips, the first indication that she knew something was wrong. She looked down to see that rather than a hand, she now shook the head of an octopus and its tentacles had wound themselves around her arm.
With a scream, she yanked her arm back, ran behind Edward, shook her hand as though it were covered in slime.
The shifter looked over his glasses at her. “I think you might have deserved that. What do you think?”
“He did that to me the day we met.
He thinks it’s funny.” Lexi fixed her gaze on the back of Scott’s head.
“He’s lucky I didn’t shift and rip his head off.”
“I don’t think that would have ended well for anyone.” She made eye contact with Jess to ensure that the threat had been received and understood.
Edward ignored the women. “Do you need anything else to do this, Scott?”
“I need something that belongs to Dolores. I have something in my bag.” Scott headed to his room.
“How’s Kate?” Lexi retrieved a mug and filled it from the coffee pot. “Anyone?”
“No, thanks.” Jess shook her head.
“I’m good.” Edward pointed to his full cup.
She pulled a second mug from the shelf for Scott. When she held the pot close to the mug, it made a rat-tat-tat noise as they jostled together. She didn’t look up and merely drew them apart and poured.
Shit. I have the shakes. I’ve only been off the stuff for a day.
“Stanley called the pack in, so Tommy had to leave.” Edward took a gulp of his drink.
“Isn’t that Kate’s pack too?” Scott entered the room.
“Not until they marry and something’s come up about that too.” Jess looked at Edward. She hadn’t told him this yet.
Lexi made her way around the table and sat.
“Stanley insists the two of them get married, like, now.” Her eyebrows had raised.
“That’s unconventional, but as pack leader, he has the right to insist. But why?”
“I might know the answer to that.” Scott took the coffee Lexi proffered. “We know Caleb’s a sorcerer. If he has Stanley enthralled, that could extend to the whole pack. He wouldn’t need to control them individually.”
“So, once they’re married, Kate will be in the pack and Caleb only has to say, ‘Give me your land,’ and she’ll hand it over. We need to get her away from him.” Lexi was outraged.
“Her mom’s bringing her home for now, but this could cause a great deal of trouble between the packs.” Jess looked deeply concerned.
“Perhaps they should come here,” Edward suggested.
“We don’t know if they’re being followed or tracked. I don’t think you want to lead them to your friends. Let’s send them to Carl’s place.”
