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Shit. I must look something fierce for him to react like that. I willed my expression as calm as I could manage—which probably wasn’t all that much, consider the amount of the frustration churning inside me. “It’s all right,” I said. “I bumped intoyou. No offensetaken.”
He didn’t look completely convinced. As he darted off, I forced myself to stay in place, leaning back against the wall. I swiped my hand over my face as if I could rub the tension out ofit.
I’d been prowling the estate for the better part of an hour, and I didn’t think I’d burnt off any of that frustrated energy. I’d already made all the calls I could to my lieutenants and other kin. Every settlement within half a night’s drive of any vampire stronghold was already making preparations to fend off their gunfire with fire of ourown.
Normally I’d have been flying out there to join them, to stand on the front lines. But Ren needed me. Our bond was only just solidified. She was still so new to her role as dragonshifter.
And even if she could have spared me for the night, we were meant to parlay with the vampire king just after nightfall not far fromhere.
Maybe this whole mess would be settled then. But after hearing about the mass murders the vamps had already committed against my kin and the other alphas’… I wasn’t counting on it. I sure as hell wasn’t in a compromisingmood.
But lumbering around the house like a rampaging grizzly in a man’s body obviously wasn’t helping anything. I dragged in a breath and pushed myself off the wall. I should probably try to get in some sleep before it was time to head out. We might have a very long night ahead ofus.
I headed toward the south end of the third floor, where the main bedrooms were, but my restless feet took me right past the door to my own suite. I stopped in front of Ren’s. She’d gone up here after lunch to prepare herself for the night ahead. Maybe she’d appreciate thecompany.
I eased open the door and found myself looking at my mate’s back where she was poised on the sitting room floor. She had her legs crossed and her hands resting on her knees, her head tipped slightly back, her dark brown hair cascading past her shoulders. I loomed high enough over her to see her eyes wereclosed.
Whatever zone she was trying to get into, I didn’t want to disturb her. I stepped backward, but the door hinges squeaked at my tug. Ren’s eyes popped open with a jump of hershoulders.
“Sorry,” I said, holding up my hands. “I didn’t mean tointerrupt.”
She groaned and flopped down on her back. “It’s okay. I’m not sure I was getting much of anywhereanyway.”
She seemed to mean that as an invitation. I hunkered down on the floor beside my mate. “Where were you trying toget?”
Ren squirmed a little closer to me, and I was more than happy to loop my arm across her waist as she rested her head against my leg. Just that simple touch eased the tension in me so much more than anything else I’d tried. Maybe I hadn’t come in here just for her comfort but for my own aswell.
“I was hoping practicing some meditation might help me extend my shifting ability,” she said. “I want to be able to hold the shift longer. Long enough to deal with every single vampire we need tofight.”
“Hopefully we won’t be fighting any of them, if we can settle things with theparlay.”
She gave a dismissive-sounding snort, which was about the way I felt about that possibility too. “I have to beready.”
“You’ve been picking up the skill really quickly, you know,” I said, stroking my thumb over her side. She was wearing the same T-shirt she’d had on this morning, but the warmth of her skin radiated through the soft fabric. “It’s not exactly the same situation, but for kids, when they’re first learning, it usually takes them a few years from when they can manage their first partial shift to reach a full shift. And then it’s several more years before any of us gets to the point that we can hold our animal form nearly indefinitely. You got through the first stage in just a fewdays.”
“Because I’m not a kid,” Ren said. “Because I should have been doing it all along. But the endurance part is taking a lot longer. I don’t have several years. I don’t even have several days. The vampires have already hurt us so much more than the rogues managedto.”
“They’re nasty, but they’re smart,” I said. “And organized, and disciplined. Things the rogues definitely weren’t, or they wouldn’t have rejected the kin groups in the first place. But we can still beat the bloodsuckers. You’re doing everything you can. The vampires areafraidof you, you know. That’s why they’re attacking now. They know that with every day you’re making the entire shifter community stronger andstronger.”
“And I’m going to keep doing that,” Ren said. I loved seeing that fiery determination light in her ambereyes.
Then she yawned, covering her face with her arm to try to hideit.
“Okay,” I said. “I think both of us need some rest to be ready for tonight. You can meditate more in yoursleep.”
“I don’t think it works like that,” Ren muttered. I got up, sweeping her into my arms, and a squeak of protest slipped from her lips. “Nate! I can make it from here to thebed.”
“But this is more fun,” Isaid.
She muttered a little more, but she also nestled her head against my shoulder. I tucked my chin over her hair as I carried her to the bed. My mate was strong, yes, but it didn’t hurt her to let the rest of us be strong for her every now andthen.
I climbed onto the bed and lay down with her, sharing a pillow. Ren ruffled my hair. “My big strong bear,” she said as if she’d read my thoughts, with so much affection my heart thumped happily. I bent my head to kiss her. She slid her arm behind my neck as she kissed me back, pulling me even closer against her, and suddenly sleep was the last thing on mymind.
My hand skimmed down her side to her hip and back up to cup her breast. Ren’s breath stuttered against my mouth. She kissed me harder as I drew her nipple to a stiff peak, a whimper working its way from her throat. When she drew back, her cheeks were flushed and her eyessparkling.
“We should get that rest,” she said. “But maybe if we’rereallyquick, there’s room for a little more funfirst?”
I laughed. “I can’t say no to that.” Then I rolled right onto her, intent on turning that whimper into amoan.
