Claimed

by Rebecca Zanetti

  “For shifters. Humans may be different.”

  Kane nodded. “Yes.”

  Dage stood and tossed his empty grape drink bottle into the trash. “I’ll awaken Emma as soon as the lab is ready.” He began to pace, an odd pit in his gut giving him pause. Fear? The realization sent fury bubbling to the surface.

  Kane cleared his throat. “Any headway on discovering how the Kurjans found you on the tarmac?”

  “No. Our soldiers killed the shooters before being able to interrogate them. We don’t know how they discovered our plan to leave.” The damn Kurjans could’ve been covering every airport just in case. Dage’s boots made a dull clomping noise on the industrial tiles.

  Kane straightened. “We’ll figure this out, Dage.”

  “Figure this out?” Dage rounded on his brother. “Are you fucking kidding me? They shot my mate.” His arm swept the table and papers spun toward the floor and cascaded across sparkling tile. A dark haze covered his vision with the need for violence, nearly blinding him. “And Janie. God, Janie ...” Shock filled him as he realized his hands trembled. Trembled. “They caused her to bleed. For that alone, they’ll all die.”

  Calm, serious, always thinking, Kane didn’t flinch. The man had taken a full grown grizzly down once while seriously wounded, but even then reason had directed his moves. “It’s time for science, not warfare, brother.”

  “Ah yes, science. Your god, right Kane?”

  Silver sparks shot through Kane’s violet eyes and his jaw snapped shut. “My god? They’re using science—my life, our future—to harm my family. You’re fucking crazy if you think I’ll allow this to continue.”

  Dage sighed. “I’m sorry.”

  “No. Get it out so you can think.” Kane rubbed a hand along a clean shaven jaw. Square and hard, just like their father’s had been. Though his clear, intellectual mind came from their brilliant mother.

  “You’re the thinker.” Dage dropped into a chair, his body weary, his soul pissed.

  Kane gave a slight tip of his lip in what amounted to a full grin for him. “No. You’re the thinker, Talen’s the planner, Conn’s the soldier, and I’m the scientist.”

  “And Jase?” Dage lifted an eyebrow. “What about our youngest brother?”

  Kane gave a half nod. “Well, that’s the question, now isn’t it? Jase has more power in his little finger than the rest of us put together. Maybe the time has come to use him.” Kane cleared his throat, his gaze firm. “Maybe it’s time to forgive yourself and stop protecting him.”

  Dage shot to his feet. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Kane sighed. “We’re at war. We need Jase to fight.”

  Son of a bitch. Kane spent a little time overseas and became a damn psychologist? “Jase will fight. I took him on the raid to rescue Katie and Maggie from the Kurjan facility a couple weeks ago.” The two shifters had been kidnapped by the Kurjans as experimental subjects for the Kurjan virus. While he was too late to protect Maggie, Dage had arrived in time to prevent Katie from being infected at that time.

  The room echoed with Kane’s low chuckle. “Don’t tell me. You positioned Jase behind Conn, the greatest soldier we’ve ever had? Wow. Dangerous, King.”

  “I turned Jase into a killer while he was still a child.” The weight of that failure, his first as king, still ripped holes in any soul he may own. Memories of seeing his youngest brother bloodied and bruised, charging forward to kill the enemy often plagued the king’s dreams. Nightmares based in a reality he’d created.

  Kane shook his head. “Jase was fifteen. The Kurjans had slaughtered our parents and we were at war.” A broad hand clasped Dage’s shoulder when Kane moved forward. “Letting Jase fight wounded you. If you’d denied him the right to avenge his parents, you would’ve destroyed him. You made the only possible decision.”

  Jase’s carefree attitude rarely dropped, but when it did the killer Dage had created showed its face. Cold and merciless, it shaped a teenager into a dangerous warrior. Not the fun-loving brother most of the Realm thought they knew. “Why hasn’t he said anything?”

  Kane shrugged. “We’ve been at peace for several centuries, and it’s not like you’ve kept him from training. And he’s Jase. You’re his brother and you’re still hurting about this. He won’t push it until he needs to.”

  Man, Dage had missed Kane. Talk about putting things into perspective. “Do you really think he’s that powerful? I mean, the whole little finger comment?”

  Kane grinned. “Yeah. But don’t tell him that.”

  “No way in hell.” A beep sounded in Dage’s communicator and he gave Kane a nod. “The lab is ready. Keep in mind I don’t want Emma anywhere near the basement level.”

  “No worries. I won’t tell her we’ve secured a werewolf if you don’t want her to know.”

  Dage nodded. “She can know, just not go near it. I’m assuming the Bane’s Council hasn’t been informed?”

  “No.” Kane sighed. “We captured the werewolf outside Paris without informing the council. Not knowing is probably safer for them at this time—no difficult moral choices to make.”

  “Terent won’t view the situation in such a way.”

  “No. Terent will want to draw blood.” Kane grinned. “Yours or mine.”

  Dage hoped his friendship with the wolf would survive the next few years. “True.” He stood. “Who captured the werewolf, Kane?”

  Kane raised an eyebrow. “I did.”

  Dage had already known the answer. “By yourself?”

  “Sure.”

  Most people believed royalty did nothing but attend parties and write laws. “How scientific is that, Kane?”

  His brother grinned. “Jase isn’t the only one you trained. The need to fight pumps through all our veins.”

  Not a sentiment Dage could fault. “I’ll go get Emma.”

  “Can’t wait to meet your mate, Dage.” Kane blinked twice and the scattered papers rose from the floor to settle into neat piles on the table. “I’ll see you at the lab.” He gave a curt nod and strode out of the room.

  On the other side of the large building, Janie clutched her stuffed bear in her arms and snuggled down under her new comforter with running unicorns chasing butterflies on it. She liked the residence place but not as much as her house on the lake. Talen’s house. Her new daddy. He was scared for Janie’s mama, and she didn’t know how to help. She counted lilies in her head until finally slipping into her favorest dream world.

  Trees made out of chocolate swayed in a breeze smelling of strawberries. She bit her lip. Even in her dream, her arm hurt. She’d told Mama it was okay, but the bullet burn really ached. She needed to be brave for when Zane arrived.

  She sensed him a couple seconds before he jogged out of the trees, his dark hair loose around his big shoulders. He’d just turned eleven and cool muscles had started showing up in his arms. Steeling her shoulders, she instantly burst into tears.

  Zane ran across the meadow in seconds, dropping to his knees next to her. “Janie Belle?” He’d given her the name the first time they met, declaring Janet Isabella too grown up for his new pal.

  Sobbing, she moved into him, her head resting under his chin. He let her cry it out, patting her back, making soothing sounds like a big bear. She gave a final hiccup. “I got shot.”

  Zane gently pulled back, his green eyes turning almost black. “Someone shot you?” His gaze flashed to the large bandage on her arm. “The king let you get hurt?” The bumpy muscles still holding her shook like they were chilly.

  “It wasn’t Uncle Dage’s fault.” Janie wiped her nose on her sleeve with its pretty pink butterflies. “The bullet just burned me.”

  A really cool vein popped out in Zane’s neck and began to pound. He was mad.

  “Don’t be mad. I’m okay, Zane.” She sniffed.

  The vein froze when Zane shifted his focus to the tree line. He released her and stood up. “Let him in.”

  “Who?” Janie opened her eyes
wide. Zane was getting better at feeling their visitor. For so long she had been the one to keep him out of her dreams. Kalin.

  “You know who. He’s trying to get in.” Zane put his hands on his hips. “Let him. Now.”

  Her lip trembled. “You’re only eleven, Zane. You’re not a grown-up.” He couldn’t boss her around, even if they were bestest of friends.

  “You’re only four. That makes me in charge.” He didn’t turn back to her.

  “I’ll be five next week.” She lifted her chin, pleased she’d been able to remind him of her birthday without just saying it. Six years difference wasn’t a whole lot.

  He looked down. “Please, Janie Belle? I need to see him.”

  The soft tone had her nodding, and the sweet nickname had her wanting to make him happy. “Okay. But I need help to get him out.”

  Zane nodded. “Stand behind me.”

  She stood, mentally opening a door on the other side of the forest, then held her breath. A teenager soon walked into the meadow. Well, kind of a teenager. He had pasty white skin, purple eyes, and black hair with pointy red tips opposite of the other Kurjans she’d dreamed about. “Wow.”

  He flashed sharp teeth in a smile. “You must be Janet.” The breeze lifted his thick hair when he bowed. “I’m Kalin.”

  She knew that was his name. So this is what the Kurjan people looked like up close. She wondered who cut his hair.

  Zane gave a low rumble. “Your people shot at her?”

  Kalin gave a heavy sigh. “A miscommunication, I believe.” Sharp green flecks swirled through his deep eyes. “I’ll deal with the person who gave the orders.” His gaze traveled over Zane’s form. “I’ve sensed you.”

  “I’ve sensed you, too.”

  The Kurjan sniffed the air, his gaze sharpening. “You know one of us will kill the other, right?”

  Zane gave a short nod. “Yes.”

  Janie stepped out from behind Zane. “Why? I mean, why does anybody have to die?”

  Zane grasped her good arm and tugged her behind him again.

  Kalin laughed, the low rumbling sound making birds take flight high above in a big flapping of wings. “Oh Janie. It’s going to be so difficult waiting until you’re of age.” He shifted his gaze to Zane. “I don’t suppose you and I could meet up before then?”

  Zane cocked his head to the side. “Name the time and place.”

  Janie took in the two boys. Kalin was obviously older, but Zane nearly stood head to head with him. An oiliness skirted around the Kurjan—they’d never be friends. She sighed. “We could fix things. The three of us.” Every window into the future that opened up in her head had different endings. They could make this right.

  Kalin made a fist and covered it with his other hand, sending a smacking sound across the distance. “I think we may have different ideas of what fixing this would mean, Janie.” His tone was matter of fact, almost like a grown-up’s.

  Next to her, Zane’s body began to vibrate. “I want to kill you, but Janie’s right. We could end the war. So many people are going to die. Is there any part of you that would like to do the right thing?”

  Kalin lifted his pale face to the dreamlike sun. “In the real world, I can’t feel this. No sun. I won’t give up the chance to walk outside in daylight.”

  Zane shook his head. “You wouldn’t have to. We could find a peace that would allow you to continue research to combat the sun.”

  “You know about our research?” Surprise made Kalin’s voice rise to a higher tone.

  “I know more about you than I’d ever want.” Zane widened his stance like a cowboy in a movie. “We could end this right now.”

  Swirling purple eyes glinted for a moment as Kalin glanced at Janie. “What about her? Our oracles have declared that one day she’ll align with my people.” He took a step toward Zane, his gaze slashing to the younger boy. “Is peace worth your people losing her? To save the world? Are you willing to make that sacrifice?”

  “No.” Zane took his own step forward.

  Janie peered around Zane’s much larger back. What was the creepy boy talking about?

  “Does she even know what you are?” Odd red glints began to spark through the weird colors in Kalin’s eyes.

  Zane made a low growling noise that reminded her of Talen. “No. Neither do you.”

  Kalin hissed out a breath. “Don’t I? Well. If the choice were actually hers, who do you think she’d pick? I mean, who’s the biggest monster here?”

  A sharp breeze shot through the meadow, making Janie shiver.

  Zane shook his head. “The choice has been made. It’s time for you to leave.”

  What the heck were they talking about? Janie shut her eyes and concentrated to push the wind away. Silence settled again and birds began to chirp.

  A flash of teeth in Kalin’s too pale face provided warning. “If I refuse?”

  Zane tensed and dropped into a fighting stance.

  Janie grabbed his arm, digging her feet into soft grass. “Now isn’t the time, Zane.” She wasn’t sure about the rules in the dream world. Could somebody get hurt? Maybe.

  Kalin threw back his head and laughed a chuckle much too deep for a teenage boy. “True. Now isn’t the time.” He began to back toward the tree line. “I may drop by a time or two to check in.” He winked.

  Zane tugged her fingers off his arm to hold her hand. “I hope you’ll come looking for me soon.”

  Kalin gave a salute like a soldier on television. “You can count on it.” Then he was gone.

  Zane turned and tugged her down to the ground until they both sat with their knees almost touching. “Teach me how to open and shut that door, Janie.”

  “No.” Zane would open it without her to fight Kalin. She just knew it. “What did he mean?”

  Zane shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Yes you do. What are you, Zane?”

  Dimples flashed when he smiled. “I’m your best friend, Janie. I thought you already knew that.”

  “That’s not what Kalin meant.” She studied her friend, his handsome face and pretty green eyes. “What are you?”

  Zane took her hands in his. “I’m just me, Janie. He was probably talking about the future, about the fighter I’m to become. It probably won’t be nice.” A shadow crossed Zane’s young face and Janie shivered. “Now please tell me how to control that door. I need to know.”

  She sighed. “All right.” Besides, she’d seen the future in her head. The fight didn’t occur in a dream. Unfortunately.

  Chapter 10

  Emma’s mind clicked plans into order as she followed Dage through the residence facility, passing wing upon wing set up for family, friends, and soldiers. First she’d review the new data and then begin experimenting with the isolated virus. She needed to cure Cara before heading home. Or rather, before finding a new home—though pure male temptation with a superb ass strode in front of her.

  The sun nearly blinded her as the door slid open and they walked into the warm day. She blinked against the dazzling light, wishing for sunglasses and the ability to control her libido. “I guess summer has arrived.”

  Dage slowed his steps on the new concrete and took her hand. “The lab is only a few yards from the residence facility, though I wanted it underground in our main headquarters, which is up in the mountains to the north of here.”

  “Underground?” She took in the surrounding trees, summer full and quiet in the nonexistent breeze, following him on the new path. His hand surrounded hers with warmth and a tempting offer of safety.

  “Yes. But Kane insisted on special return air vents, so ...”

  That made sense. They might end up working with some fairly interesting chemicals, so being underground wouldn’t work. “Yeah, he’s right.”

  Dage slowed. “Ah, I’d like you to wear my cuff, love. I’ll give it to you tonight.” He turned suddenly and she walked smack into his chest.

  Heat roared in her ears. Desire slid through her veins. Only the
most stubborn of souls could’ve stepped back. Good thing she was Irish.

  He mirrored her retreating step, and one broad hand slid to the small of her back to tug her farther into male hardness.

  She had to tilt her head back, way back, to meet his gaze. “What’s this? Your new approach to gaining my cooperation?”

  He raised one eyebrow. “Is it working?”

  Hell yes. She’d agree to almost anything if he’d quench this desperate fire he’d lit. “No. Of course not.”

  He breathed in deep and flashed a smile. “Liar.” His hand slid down to cup her buttocks.

  Her knees trembled. “I appreciate the jewelry gift, but I’m not ready for it.” Even if she decided to stay with him, she doubted wearing a large cuff would suit her style. Besides, her mind rebelled against his being able to find her at his whim.

  A dangerously warm mouth nipped her earlobe and tracked down to the pulse beating in her neck. She reached up and clutched both hands into his strong chest, tilting her head to grant him better access.

  His mouth enclosed part of her collarbone, then he released her, stepping back. “I don’t need the cuff to know where you are any time of night or day.”

  The damn marking. Probably better than any beacon. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists to keep from stepping into him again. It couldn’t be healthy to want this badly. “No cuff.” Desire limited her vocabulary to one syllable words.

  He sighed. “All right. For now.”

  Retaking her hand, he pivoted and tugged her down the path. They turned a corner. She nearly dropped to her knees. Fear hammered into her stomach. A loud gasp of air escaped her and she stopped dead in her tracks.

  Dage stilled. “What?”

  Emma gulped. “Ah, nothing.” The white building shimmering in the strong sun had starred in her greatest nightmares for over ten years. She looked around frantically—the forest looked different than it did in her nightmares. Angling her head, she took in the expanse of concrete on the other side of the building. That was where the king would slam to the ground in pain.

  “Emma.” Dage leaned down, his concerned gaze running over her face. “What’s wrong?”