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She came closer. “What do you mean?”
He managed to keep his laughter at bay, but only just. “That thing I told you about no knickers making a difference when it came to luring vampires…well…I might have stretched the truth a bit.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?”
“Madre de Dios,” Juan breathed, staring at Bones as if he’d just produced gold from straw. “You talked a woman into going without panties for years? I could learn a great deal from you.”
“Youliedto me?” Cat’s face went florid, and she stabbed a finger into Bones’s chest as if it were a silver stake.
“Now, Kitten, it wasn’t exactly a lie,” he said, still fighting his laughter. “I told you some vampires find that irresistible, and that’s true. I certainly do whenever I’m around you, and besides, do you remember how you were back then? So uptight, prissy, and prejudiced. I couldn’t resist needling you. In all fairness, I never intended it to go on this long-”
“You perverted bastard!” she interrupted.
“What a mean trick,” Tate said while Cooper stared at the wall as if he could learn the secrets of the universe from it.
Bones’s laughter finally burst free. It only made Cat angrier. Bones reached for her, but she slapped his hand.
“Don’t touch me. You’re a dead man.”
“Since before we met,” he agreed, still chuckling, “But I love you anyway, Kitten.”
She huffed. “Don’t try to get out of this. We’ll see if you love me when I pay you back, and Iwill.”
“Even then I’ll love you,” Bones promised as she strode out of the room. “Even then.”
* * *
Cat didn’t remain gonefor long. Don drained nearly two pints from Bones, and then portioned it out in thirds into paper cups. Tate would be the first to sample it, and angry or no, Cat wasn’t about to let him do that without her being present.
“Stay back, luv,” Bones said, all his laughter gone. Sometimes, humans went briefly feral at the rush of power, and Tate was a strong man with quick reflexes as it was. Worse, Cat would rushtoTate if he reacted poorly. Not away from him.
“I would never hurt her, deadhead,” Tate muttered.
Bones gave him a level look. “In your right mind, I believe that. But you might not be in your right mind for the first few minutes, so she stays away, and I stay close.”
Tate didn’t argue. He even backed away from Cat and came nearer to Bones despite his lip curling in distaste. Then, he hoisted the paper cup and downed it as if he were a contestant in a local pub’s drinking contest.
The shudders hit Tate almost instantly. His pupils narrowed, dilated, and narrowed again while his heart rate skyrocketed and he began hyperventilating. Bones grabbed his shoulders, ready to take him to the ground if need be, but Tate didn’t bolt toward Cat or anyone else. Instead, he clenched his fists until cartilage snapped, healed, and snapped again, all while looking around with the wild gaze of a spooked racehorse.
Two minutes later, Tate was breathing less frantically, and his body was no longer wracked with tremors. Bones said nothing, but it appeared the lovesick sod had admirable fortitude.
“Let go of me,” Tate rasped, shoving at Bones.
Bones did, but he still stayed close. Tate didn’t seem to notice. He was looking at Cat, who stared back with sympathy pinching her lovely features.
“Jesus, Cat,” Tate muttered. “This isn’t like before at that cave. What the hell is in that guy’s blood?”
“Power,” Cat said simply. “The blood you had before was from a weaker, shriveling vampire, so it doesn’t compare.”
Tate shook his head. “Your voice is so loud. Everything is, and the smells! Damn, Juan, youstink. Didn’t you shower today?”
Juan’s color heightened. “Fuck off. I showered, but I ran out of soap. Didn’t know we’d get sniff tested.”
Cat sighed. “You’ll get a chance to pay him back for that comment, Juan, because if you still want this, you’re next.”
Juan did. Bones repeated the process of holding him until he recovered, noting that Juan took an additional ninety-eight seconds to recover. Cooper took an additional ninety-two, so Tate was the strongest of the bunch.
“Ready to be first again?” Bones said with an arch smile at Tate. The training room was next, and Bones had every intention of fulfilling his earlier threat.
