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Levels of attacks, of fighting? Catching vampires? This isn’t where she belonged.
But out there wasn’t for her either, and going back to her old life, even if she could, didn’t seem real either.
She’d take shifters over vampires any day. She rubbed the mark. Hell. She hoped it wasn’t a way for the vampires to get in. What if this was all her fault? She was calling them and—
She made herself stop as orders rained down around her. Going wherever her thoughts were taking her wasn’t a help to anyone. Least of all herself.
The shifters knew what the mark was.
And Kodiak would never have brought her here if he thought she’d put the others in danger because of it.
Olcan clearly would have thrown her out.
She’d be far away by now, with Kodiak, leading the vampires away, and to think otherwise was only going to needlessly distract Kodiak from the job he had at hand.
Tamaska had to stay strong for everyone. Herself and Kodiak and his clan. But especially for Kodiak. She wanted to show him that she was worthy of all the risks he and his pack had taken to protect her.
She scanned the room, meeting the looks of disdain with a raised chin and a cool exterior that wasn’t at all revealing the turmoil within. She was acutely aware of her outsider status, but she couldn’t let that get in her way. And it would never change if she continued to stand there, doing nothing.
At the very least, she wanted to prove herself worthy of their protection. The only way she knew how to do that was to bury any fears and get ready to fight.
“What can I do to help?” she asked.
“Stay out of our way, or you’ll end up dead,” Shota said, his expression as harsh as his words. They landed like barbs in her chest.
“She’ll stay here, in the cellar,” Olcan said.
“I’m not babysitting her,” said Shota.
Olcan’s voice hardened. “You won’t have to.”
She leveled her gaze on Shota. “I’m here, so you don’t need to talk about me like some kind of object. I’m also not fragile. I’m not you, I don’t have your skills or power, but I can hold my own. I’ve fought off a vampire before. So I can help as long as I know what to do.”
Shota laughed hard. “Yeah, as if.”
Tamaska wished she could wipe the smile off his face. “You don’t need to believe me, but I fought off a vampire.”
“She did,” Kodiak said. “But you know her limits as a human. She might not be so lucky the next time.”
“See they’re weak,” said Shota.
“It wasn’t luck.” She glared at Kodiak, and she fought to breathe. It was like he’d punched her in the solar plexus. “It was for my life, and I’ll do it again.”
“Tamaska, do what you’re told.” Kodiak’s energy changed. It fizzed and crackled around her. “We can’t walk out right now, so you have to help me.”
“Walk…?” Their conversation was low pitched to be private, though he’d told her about shifter hearing, so she didn’t finish the sentence.
Did he still plan on just leaving with her, dumping his pack? These people he clearly belonged with? For her? She shifted uncomfortably at the thought.
“Enough schoolyard bickering. Shota, make sure you keep communicating with the pack. Take three others and go to the west side. Fight to kill.” Olcan nodded towards the door. “And stick to level four.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll give my wolf the freedom he wants and rid us of the enemy,” said Shota. He pointed to three others at the back of the room, and they left quickly.
Tamaska swallowed hard as her mouth dried.
More headed out as Olcan and Kodiak talked in low voices.
Her mind dizzied with the enormity of what was unfolding. She looked about. Maybe she’d need a weapon. Maybe—
