by Kate Wendley
This was the weirdest thing she’d ever seen. Why was he struggling so hard? He was a cat. He should be oozing gracefulness, not have two left hands.
She wanted to go talk to him again, but her heart raced at the thought. He was sexy and sweet, and she didn’t know how to talk to sexy, sweet guys. She always ended up making them mad at her… just like Vince was now.
She decided to suck it up and try her best to make friends.
“Hi.”
Vince looked up, not entirely happy to see her. “Hi.” At least he was still speaking to her.
She looked away, then down at his hands and blushed at some really naughty thoughts. She pulled her phone out of her bag and said, “There’s a show at the club tomorrow night. It’s a couple punkish type bands. If you’re not free, maybe you can text me when you are and we can do something sometime.”
She flicked a casual look into his eyes, hoping he wasn’t going to laugh in her face and tell her off. His drawn out silence was unnerving, and she almost walked away before he finally said, “Ok.”
She smiled, or tried to, but she felt so awkward she wasn’t sure it came out. It must not have because he didn’t smile back. “Um, do you want my number?”
He hesitated again, but finally stood up and said, “Yeah. Sure.”
They exchanged numbers, and after she put her phone back in her bag, she touched his arm and said, “Thanks for helping me find presents. I’ll see you around. And, uh, sorry for yelling at you this morning. Janessa, my sister, she says I’m not good with people and that I should stick with talking to my computers. She’s probably right.”
A second ticked by before he gave her a tired smile. “See you later Penny. I’ll text you.”
**
After she paid for the books Vince helped her pick out, plus the cookbook she found for her mom, Zach drove her back to Brookhaven.
“You invited Vince to hang out?”
She groaned. “You don’t have to eavesdrop on all my conversations.”
“I’m just keeping tabs on the new guy. He’s never hung out with other shifters before. He and his mom always kept to themselves. That’s good that you invited him back to the club. I want him to get used to the family.”
She frowned in irritation. “So you used me tonight. Am I part of some secret plan to brainwash him or something?”
Zach rolled his eyes. “Obviously. Didn’t you get the classified memo I sent you? Text me Vince’s number. I know you got it.”
She stubbornly said, “You used me.”
He smirked in his usual, over confident way that really got on her nerves. “If it bothers you, I’ll bring a different girl next time.”
She glared at him. “You’re such a jerk.”
“Yeah, I know. Now text me Vince’s number.”
She pulled her phone out. “You don’t have it?”
“No. Send it to me.” He gave her a cheesy grin and more nicely said, “Please?”
“You’re such a dork. Hey, what about those speakers?”
“Isaiah’s already got some.”
“You totally effin lied to me tonight!”
“Yeah. Forgive me?”
She rolled her eyes and reluctantly smiled.
“Hey, why did you let me leave the house in this ratty shirt if you knew we were coming here to talk to Vince? I could’ve put on something nicer.”
Zach smirked. “I wouldn’t worry about. He seems to like your scrappiness.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The jerk just smiled and kept driving.
**
Vince’s tension didn’t ease out of his shoulders until Zach and Penny were finally gone. It was so hard to try to be coordinated all the time, but that girl was seriously sexy, and funny, and quirky, and sexy…
Once she finally disappeared out of his line of vision, his earlier confusion over the last couple day’s events stormed back into his head.
He had no idea who he was anymore. Before he’d been a guy just trying to get by. He took care of all the finances for him and his mom while she helped him when he had his worst days of shakiness and all around feeling like hell. He was more than human but less than a shapeshifter, and he lived with it. He was the odd man out in every way and was usually too busy or tired to worry about it.
Now… now he had no idea who he was. His mom was a full blooded shapeshifter, and apparently his father was a powerful shifter as well. That meant Vince was the loser, misfit son. Penny, with her sexy, snug t-shirts and punk rock attitude, wouldn’t find that very cool.
A fantasy of her in one of her tight little, too short shirts, and a sexy pair of lace panties that didn’t come anywhere close to covering her sexy ass stormed into his mind and wouldn’t leave…
He looked down so no one would see his eyes glowing while he calmed his thoughts and noticed he was wearing a Ramones t-shirt. Sweet Jesus he was going to be imagining her every time he put one of these band shirts on now.
A bittersweet feeling swept through him and his good mood disappeared. Calling him butterfingers earlier infuriated him because he thought she knew about him being handicapped, but maybe she didn’t. And if she didn’t, he didn’t want her to find out. Not yet. He wasn’t ready for the only people he’d ever been able to be himself around to look at him like something was wrong with him, and especially not her. He liked her and didn’t want to feel like a freak around her, or worse, like she pitied him.
“Excuse me. Do you have that new book about…” The rest of his night flew by. With less than a week until Christmas, people were becoming frantic to find all those perfect, last minute gifts. It was a great distraction to his crappy day.
Chapter 9
Anthony floated on the cool night breeze in his mist form as he waited for Charlotte to finish her work for the night. He didn’t usually interact directly with shifters in the family, at least not any more than necessary, but he’d do worse things to make sure this jaguar situation didn’t ruin his relationship with Zach. He had few friends, so the ones he had he’d damn well do whatever it took to make sure they remained. It didn’t hurt that being here tonight might also benefit Kaia, though he felt guilty that her needs seemed equally, if not more important to him right now.
His thoughts wandered to the gift he bought her for Christmas. It was a white gold necklace with a deep blue sapphire pendant in the shape of a crescent moon. He hoped she liked it because if not, he wasn’t sure what else to get her. He wasn’t good at buying gifts, he was good at providing the finances so other people could buy things for each other. Sometimes he’d send something appropriate to a business associate to keep goodwill between them, but buying a personal gift, something he picked out himself felt strange. Many things felt strange about being in a serious relationship for the first time in his life, but they were good things. He knew they were. Kaia kept him focused on people, on her, and on making sure he wasn’t letting himself get too far gone in his own head, to the draw of the immense power inside himself.
He was changing. He could feel it, and not just because of his relationship with Kaia. He was getting more powerful, more in control over things he’d never realized he didn’t have control over. Things he didn’t know he could have control over. The Vampire Mother’s gift to him, no doubt. It remained to be seen if this was a gift or a curse, though.
He materialized and looked at his hand. He slowly made a fist, then opened it wide again. He stared at his palm while he focused on the energy of the night around him, only mildly surprised when static electricity sparked from his fingertips. Another new ability.
The heavy thud of a shifter heartbeat and the scent of a jaguar who’d worked up a sweat at some point today drifted to him on a breeze, so he turned his attention to the back doors of the Peachtree Investment Company.
A slim, petite woman peeked out the door, her breath fogging in the crisp air around her. She looked worriedly down at her phone for a short time, then stepped out into the night as the
heavy steel door closed and latched behind her. Anthony started closer, Charlotte tensing as soon as she sensed his movements. There weren’t many lights back here, but she was shifter. She could see him.
Her heart thumped harder by the time he stopped in front of her, so he kept his distance to try not to spook her. It was doubtful it did any good since most supernaturals in Atlanta were spooked by him no matter what he did.
“Miss LaRue? Forgive me for startling you. I’m Anthony Foster. I−”
Her chin jutted out and she shakily snapped, “I know who you are.”
He sighed inwardly and clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m aggrieved to learn that you came to the family for help more than once over the years and that you were turned away by one of my vampires. She’s been punished for her actions.”
Charlotte scoffed and rolled her eyes. Under her breath she mockingly said, “I’ll just bet she was.”
If not for the severity of the situation, Anthony might be amused at her standing so stoically in front of him and actually mocking his words. Not many would dare do that.
“I’d be happy to let you see her, if it would help you trust me and the family. I took about half of her life force from her. She won’t be rising, or making any movements on her own until she’s able to heal from that, which, without my consent to let her feed, will be quite some time. Months, perhaps a year.”
Her eyes went wide. “You’re being serious with me, aren’t you?”
He inclined his head.
She let out a little squeak that might have been surprise, disbelief, or perhaps fear. Her posture changed, looking like she was preparing to run, her animal now very near the surface. She was scared.
“What do you want from me?”
“Peace between the jaguars and vampires in my family.”
It didn’t look like she’d been expecting that answer. “How am I supposed to help with that?”
“By accepting my apology for Bethany’s lies, and by accepting my help. My family is for any supernatural that seeks refuge. I welcome you and yours.”
A tremble passed through her, tears welling in her eyes. “Please just help my baby. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I messed him up somehow and don’t know how to fix him.”
“I assure you he’ll get the best care we can provide. Dr. Williams is already doing research to see if he can come up with anything similar in human afflictions that might point him towards what would be best to help Vince.”
She more desperately said, “Can’t you heal him? You’re powerful, right?”
Anthony had healed a couple shifters in the recent past, kept them from dying after being shot, but the entire next night was still a worrisome blank for him. Apparently while trying to heal himself after giving so much of his own life energy to the wolves, he’d nearly killed anyone who came near him. It was only by Sebastian and Zach keeping everyone a safe distance away that no one was seriously injured. People had gotten hurt, even Sebastian and Zach, especially Sebastian, but no one died. Even so, he refused to attempt something like that again, not when he had no idea how to control it.
He frowned and took a half step back from Vince’s mother. “No. Healing’s not my natural ability. It’s far too dangerous for me to attempt something like that when I have no knowledge or natural inclination to safely accomplish it, besides that I don’t know what’s wrong with Vince. It would be best for the doctor to do all he can before we attempt anything more… exotic.”
With the brief light of hope in Charlotte’s eyes effectively dashed, the dull look of weariness washed over her again. It made Anthony feel like he’d already failed her. Again.
He uncomfortably said, “I’ll provide any resources needed for his care. And yours as well.”
She sighed. “I don’t need help. My son does.”
“You don’t suffer the same affliction as your son, but you do need help. Your spirit’s tired, and I don’t mean from working too much. You’re a supernatural creature so your spirit is tied to your magic. If you aren’t already feeling some aches and pains when you shift into your cat, more than the usual anyway, then you will soon. You need a rest. The family will see to your needs.”
She frowned in confusion, then snapped, “You mean you’ll see to my needs. Why?”
“The family will see to your needs. I provide the resources, the finances, if you must, but I’m vampire and I have far too many responsibilities to be involved in the specifics of what shifters need on a daily basis. However, one of my vampires is directly responsible for your situation, so I’m already more involved than I’d normally be.”
He stepped cautiously closer. “And, if you must know, I consider Zach a close friend and I don’t want him to be upset with me over what Bethany did, so I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right for you.” He extended his hand. “I offer peace between us. I beg that you accept.”
She watched him for a moment before silently nodding. She closed her eyes, rubbed wearily at them, then said, “You’ll try to help Vince?”
“I’ll do whatever I can, but only what I feel is safe. I won’t put anyone’s life in jeopardy in the search for a cure. However, if you weren’t already aware, I’m equally determined to help your son heal because he happens to be my future bride’s friend. It would be nice for her to have as many friends as possible in her new home, especially once I turn her vampire.”
The immediate horror on Charlotte’s face made him angry. “If you’re asking Vince to let her feed on him−”
“That’s not necessary. The family has ample volunteers.”
She went quiet as she scowled at him for a time, the sound of a car approaching finally breaking the silence. His hand remained outstretched as she looked suspiciously at it, but she finally blew out a breath and shook it.
She was overly warm, as all shifters are, but he didn’t think much about it until she jerked at his touch. Was he too cold to her? Or did it bother her that his hand was so firm? Every single muscle in his body transformed and became tougher, more powerful in his first several years of being vampire. He suspected all vampires experienced that on some level because on the rare occasion that he had to touch one of them, they all felt firmer than a shifter, and definitely more so than a human.
Which made him wonder if Kaia ever secretly cringed at his cold, hard touch.
He waited until Ed pulled up near them before he left Charlotte’s side, letting his body turn to mist before making his way back home through the night sky.
Chapter 10
Vince couldn’t sleep, but he didn’t want to be in the living room when his mom came home, either, so he lay in bed staring at the dark wall in front of him. He tried not to think about how mad he was at her and instead thought about Penny. He hadn’t gone on a date with a woman in a while, and even if he wanted to with Penny, he knew it wouldn’t go anywhere. Not unless she could accept the fact that he was only part shifter. Scratch that, he was full shifter, just handicapped.
He fumed as he tried to stop thinking about anything at all.
It was after ten before he heard the front door open and the sounds of keys and other things being set down. Eventually there was a soft knock on his door before it slowly creaked open.
“Are you asleep honey?”
He growled out, “Yes.”
His mom sighed and the bed moved as she sat down and reached over to turn on the lamp.
“I’m sorry I kept things from you.”
He turned his head and glared over his shoulder at her. She spared him a glance and kept right on talking.
“Your father is one of four brothers in Savannah. They’re the sons of the Alpha, Yi Min-kyung. Min-chul is the youngest, and was always the quiet, mysterious one.” She sighed and looked at her clasped hands for a time. “Turned out he wasn’t all that mysterious. Just mean. He didn’t like women except to sleep with them.”
He turned back to face the wall again and squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to hear
this or have any mental pictures in his head.
“Yi Min-kyung arranged for who he wanted his sons to marry and have children with, but the brothers weren’t exactly the settling down type. At least the youngest three weren’t. I… I had a secret affair with Min-chul, but when I realized I was pregnant, I stupidly thought he’d be happy. After all, he’d rather spend time with me than the woman he was supposed to marry.”
She took a heavy breath and Vince wished she’d leave. He was too mad to listen to this right now.
Her voice grew softer when she said, “He insisted I have an abortion, and when I refused, he beat me bloody. I left soon after and never looked back. I just couldn’t… You were my baby, my child. I’m sorry…” A sob escaped her and Vince had a hard time holding on to his anger.
Her voice quivered. “I’m sorry you have the problems you have, honey, because I’m sure it’s from him hurting me that night. I just couldn’t lose you, Vince. You were my baby. You were mine.”
For a split second he didn’t understand what she was saying. When it finally seeped into his thick skull that she thought the reason for his health problems were because his own father beat the hell out of her while she was pregnant with him, his mind swam with conflicting thoughts. He wanted to comfort her and tell her it was all right, and he wanted to go find his father and beat the hell out of him for hurting her and him. But he was also furious again.
“Did you tell the doctor all this today?”
When she didn’t answer him, he sat up and faced her. “Did you?”
If it was possible, she looked even guiltier than she had this morning, then finally nodded.
His temper rose, but her tears and delicate, shaking body as she quietly sobbed made his heart hurt. He more quietly said, “Why didn’t you tell me so I at least knew to look out for him?”
