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Walking down the halls in a bit of a daze, little aches shooting through my legs where my wounds weren’t quite healed, it took me a minute before the change in atmosphere registered. There was a bustling sort of energy moving through the estate. And more kin than I remembered seeing before. A lotmore.
When I emerged from the halls into the central common rooms, unfamiliar figures were scattered all over, filling the chairs and sofas, clustered around the tables and doorways. A hum of nervous chatter and a cacophony of shifter scents surroundedme.
Not all of those scents were canine. A group of avian shifters had collected in one corner. A haggard but alive Leonard had been joined by several other feline shifters where he sprawled in an armchair at the other side of theroom.
I spotted West coming in from the front yard as I passed the main door. He was talking with Bertrand. I waited until he’d dismissed his lieutenant to goover.
“What’s going on?” I asked, motioning to the crowdedrooms.
He gave me a tight smile. “We’re evacuating the shifter settlements closest to the main vampire hubs. As many as we can reasonably house on the estates. There’ll be a lot of bed sharing and sleeping on the floor, but the fewer boundaries we have to defend, the better we can defend those thatmatter.”
That made sense. And it made sense that the evacuated shifters would come to the estate closest to them, even if it wasn’t the main center for their kin. I let out my breath. “And everything’s ready around the estate? If we need more firehere?”
He nodded. “We’ve been ready since yesterday evening, but I had my people expand the barrier.” His gaze slid down my body. I’d thrown on a simple shirt dress without much thought. The thin cotton only hung to my knees, exposing the scars below. The sting of last night’s wounds prickled at meagain.
“You should be resting, not walking around,” West said. “You were hit pretty bad lastnight.”
“Natewas hit bad,” I said, with a sudden wrench of my heart. A fresh wave of anxiety passed through me, the image of his slumped body and slack face rising in the back of my mind. “Is there anything else your people can do to help him? They had Kylie up and walking around after she was torn up so bad before, and she’s not even ashifter.”
West’s stance stiffened. “My kin have done everything they can,” he said sharply. “He’d be dead if they hadn’t. I look after my people, and that includes everyone under the protection of myestate.”
I blinked at him, thrown by the sudden change in his temper. “I didn’tmean—”
West was already shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter, Sparks. You just get on with whatever you feel you need to bedoing.”
He stalked off before I could say anything else, leaving me feeling strangely adrift. What had just happened there? Had we even been having the sameconversation?
“Still not getting along so well with Mr. Wolf?” Kylie said, tucking her hand around my elbow as she came up besideme.
“Apparently,” I said. “I’m not even sure what was bothering him thistime.”
“Well, it’s not exactly the most relaxing of days, is it?” My best friend tipped her head against my shoulder. “I heard about Nate. And about how the whole vampire thing went down. Seems like I made a very wise decision sitting that one out. Is he going to beokay?”
“No one’s sure yet,” I said, swallowing hard. “He looks like he’s healing. But it’s not like anyone’s made me any promises, so I guess that’s not a guarantee.” And how long could healing from that many bullets take? One of them had only barely missed his heart. What if hecouldn’thealcompletely?
“He’s a tough guy,” Kylie said. She squeezed my arm. “I’m sure if he’s made it this far, he’ll pullthrough.”
“That’s what I want tothink.”
A slim figure with tawny hair emerged from the bustle—Felix. He was carrying a plate with a few sandwiches and some sliced veggies. “Dragon shifter,” he said with a bob of his head. “I wanted to thank you for having our backs last night. Those bloodsuckers got what they deserved. And also, have you had anything to eat? I know you’ve been with the bear alpha since we gotback.”
He hesitated, looking suddenly uncertain. “He fought well for us, too. I’m sorry I couldn’t take down the vamp that got to himfirst.”
My chin wobbled, but I managed to smile. “Me too. Thank you. I can’t say I’m hungry, but it’d probably be better if I got some food inme.”
I accepted the plate, picking up one of the sandwiches and then offering the spread to Kylie. She raised an eyebrow at Felix. “Is this for the dragon shifter only, or is her human friend allowed to chow downtoo?”
He made a face, but the lowering of his eyes was embarrassed rather than annoyed. “I saw the supplies you were able to arrange to have brought in. Pretty impressive. I think you’ve earned at least asandwich.”
“Hmm,” Kylie said, grinning. “I wonder what I’d have to do to earn a prime steak. Or a nice big slice of chocolatecake.”
Felix’s eyes widened. “I don’t think we have any cake at themoment.”
Kylie laughed. “I’m kidding. It’s okay. Thank you for the sandwich. And no hard feelings. I’m used to beingunderestimated.”
Felix looked a bit confused. Then he smiled back. “I’ll make sure not to do itagain.”
Marco had slipped into the hall. Timothy, the lieutenant the vampires had roughed up before sending him to us with their message, was walking carefully but steadily beside him, nodding at something his alpha had said. This was the first time I’d seen him up and around since he’d staggered in hereyesterday.
