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“No, I’m not bitter. I’ve accepted who I am. I’m just really frustrated. Lonely. I know my life is isolated and I know that needs to change, but it’s not a simple thing to reach out. I’ve trained myself to my insular life.”
“You haven’t mentioned your father.”
“He was never in the picture.”
He nodded, frowning. “Do you happen to know who he is?”
At that, her heart beat hard in her chest. “No, and the truth is I’m afraid to find out. I guess as long as I don’t know, I can pretend he never knew I existed.”
“Well, given your level of ability, he’s no doubt a leader in one of the realm brigades if not an alpha of one of the packs. I could ask around, if you like. What’s your mother’s name?”
At that, she grabbed his arm, panic setting in. She wasn’t sure why she was so distressed, except that she’d always understood that her father knew about the pregnancy but didn’t want to be involved. That left her with a solid reason not to want to know more about him. “No, please don’t. I’m not up for that. Maybe down the road. How about for now, we just focus on what’s happening between you and me. I think that’s enough for the present.”
“You’re right. Forget I mentioned it.”
She eased back to sit on the grass, her forearms on her knees. She drank her beer and her gaze fell to the dagger tattoo on his neck. She had a sudden image in her head of kissing him right there.
But she really didn’t think it would be a good idea to start fantasizing about Zane’s body. They’d already had sex. Twice. Though the shifter in her thought a third time would be just right, she ignored the impulse.
She turned to stare at the fire. “I’m glad you made it, Mastyr. I don’t think Swanicott would survive without you.”
“Thanks. Those are kind words. And please call me Zane.”
She smiled, speaking softly, “Zane.”
She rose to her feet and set her beer on the table. She was heading for the wood pile to retrieve a couple more logs, when all her senses suddenly came alive. The fur on her wrists and chest thickened and her lips drew back. If she’d been in her wolf form, she would have growled.
“What is it?” he asked.
Turning, she saw that he was already on his feet, his beer also on the table. He’d either sensed her concern or felt something himself.
She hurried to position herself close to him and immediately accessed her cloaking vibration, letting the frequency flow over him. She switched to telepathy. I’m not sure whether our conversations can be overheard or not, so let’s play it safe.
He slid his arm around her waist. She found it immensely comforting. Good idea, he said. But what’s going on?
I think the bitch is back.
A sudden wind rose, blowing in from the south, lifting fall leaves into the air. It had a sickly sweet smell and carried a red tinge, a sure sign the Invictus were in the area.
You’re right because the air has the taint of a chaos wind. Let’s move slowly to the front yard and have a look; it might be a trap.
She glanced at him. I’m right with you.
He took her hand and led the way around the side of the house, opening the gate then leaving it ajar as they passed through. She saw his thinking: If someone was watching the neighborhood, it would appear as though the wind blew the gate wide. No one would suspect there were two Realm-folk sneaking around beneath an invisibility cloak.
Once on the lawn, though well back from the street, Olivia sniffed the air once more. Definitely, Margetta. Can you smell that, Zane? She wasn’t sure if it was her acute shifter nose or if vampires could detect the same stench as well.
He nodded. Margetta’s here all right.
Olivia felt edgy and ready to hit something. And right now I feel incredibly irritable. That wind is bugging the shit out of me.
I’m pretty sure the purpose of the spell is to create exactly that kind of sensation. I’m expecting the bar to erupt any moment and for all hell to break loose. I’m going to get some of my Guardsmen over here, but I have to path Marian in order to do that, so hold on.
Got it. She took turns watching him, then glancing down the street in the direction of the familiar golden glow of light that indicated Margetta was nearby. Olivia kept her cloaking vibration tight to them both.
The next moment, the door to the bar opened and, just as Zane had predicted, several of the bikers poured out onto the street and started brawling, calling each other vile names and shouting. She’d never heard quite that many ‘f’ bombs in her life as the men, along with a couple of rough looking shifter women, lit into each other.
Zane tapped on her telepathic frequency. When she opened, he said, I’ll have Guardsmen coming in north of here about a mile up the road in just a few minutes. I want to head up there. But stay hidden. If Margetta discovers you’re the one who helped me, she’ll be after you.
