“I know.” Tymber set lunchmeat, cheese, mayo, and bread from the fridge on the counter. “I’m supposed to make sure you tell them you were with Gerri.”
“Fuck. They won’t take that well.” Wen poured juice into two glasses.
Tymber met his gaze. “How is she? Did she ever get any bigger?”
Pain squeezed Wen’s chest. “Not by much.” Anger came next. “She lives in a shit apartment in a neighborhood that reeks of Vamps.”
“She doesn’t know?”
“She thinks brick walls and bars on the windows will protect her, even if they really want in. Sure, she made it harder for them, but they could still reach her.”
Tymber dropped his gaze, putting together six sandwiches on the countertop. Wen got out two plates, then grabbed an unopened bag of chips from his pantry. They sat at the bar to eat a few minutes later.
Tymber was the first to speak. “I know there’s going to be hell to pay but it’s time you stood up to your parents. You’ve denied what you know is true long enough out of guilt and duty. You’ve finally sought out your little golden locks. She’s your one, isn’t she? Not just some crush you’ve had from boyhood.”
Wen stared at the sandwiches on his plate. “Father is going to make me kill him. Mother will die too. What kind of fucking choice is that to make? They’re my parents. Father’s an elder. Trayis will have no choice but to punish or ban me from the clan.”
Tymber didn’t say a word, so Wen finally looked at him. He saw sadness in his eyes.
“I don’t envy the situation you’re in, Wen. But you’re not the one who’s done anything wrong, so there will be no repercussions from Trayis. Mandro and Elna had no right to do this to you. You are not your brother. It’s cruel, what they’ve done. You’re a good son. Everyone in this damn clan could see how much Gerri meant to you. You were her protector. We all figured you’d go after her the day she hit mating age and bring her back to the clan. Did you know Trayis kept track of her and Carol those first few years, so he could tell you exactly where she was?”
Wen didn’t hide his surprise. “No.”
Tymber nodded. “And were you aware that Klentz had spoken to Trayis about you mating his daughter?”
Wen tensed. “No.”
His friend smiled. “Klentz knew Mandro was set against it, and he worried your father would ask Trayis to pull rank by ordering you away from Gerri. You never listened to your father back then, but you were in training to become an enforcer. It was right after that bear attack, when your father punished you for saving her life. Klentz asked Trayis to never ban you from seeing Gerri. He knew how deep your feelings ran for her, and that they would only grow stronger as the two of you aged.”
Wen closed his eyes. “He never said a word. Either of them.”
“I overheard Klentz pleading with Trayis to never do that to you or her.”
Wen opened his eyes. “What was Trayis’s answer?”
“He said he’d never ask one of his clan to deny a mate, regardless of bloodlines or if it pissed off an elder.”
Wen let that sink in.
“Klentz also brought up the possible consequences of you breeding children with a human. He knew Mandro would assume your children would be weak if they took after their mother, and he’d use that excuse to get our clan leader to side with him.” Tymber grinned. “Want to know how Trayis responded to that?”
Wen nodded. It was a valid reason not to mate a human. The clan depended on him to breed strong youth for the next generation of enforcers.
“Trayis said it’s not strength that makes a good VampLycan, but what is in their hearts. Any child born out of love as pure as what he saw in the two of you could only be destined for greatness. The ability to shift or not wasn’t a concern for Trayis.”
Wen felt tears fill his eyes. He looked away. “I’ll speak to my parents. It’s time I step out of Gerbin’s shadow.”
“Yes. It’s about fucking time.”
Chapter Fifteen
Gerri jerked awake. The room was still dark—and she sensed danger. A chill ran down her spine. She wanted to reach for the light on the bedside table but pure fear kept her frozen.
It only lasted a few heartbeats. She shoved at the covers, rolled out of bed, and launched herself into the nearest corner. Her fists came up as she spun around, prepared to fight whatever it was that woke her. It was so dark in the room that she couldn’t make out much.
“Easy,” a deep voice rumbled. “I’m not here to hurt you.”
He was male. She didn’t know who or what he was, but she guessed not human. She did adjust her head a little to track where his voice had come from. He was somewhere near the end of the bed, if she had to guess.
“You have good instincts, and I like that you were aware when I came in then protected your back. That’s a great defensive spot. I can only come at you from the front.”
Her mind went over possibilities. “I have permission to be here. You really don’t want to mess with me.” She swallowed, hoping Micah would realize she was in trouble and rush to her defense. It was tempting to scream, but the man in her room hadn’t attacked her so far. He might if she called for help. “What do you want?”
“I was curious about you.”
She went over what she knew so far. He’d said he wasn’t there to hurt her. He could also see in the dark, since he knew she’d gone to a corner. “You’re smelling a VampLycan. I’m guessing that you belong to this pack, picked up my scent, and came to investigate what the hell it was that caught your nose? Now you know. I’d like to point out that it’s really rude, no matter what race you are, to sneak into a woman’s bedroom in the middle of the night. Rethink it if you believe that just because I smell like one guy, I’m open to sex. You’d have to kill me, because I’ll fight you—and then you’d die next. I’m protected.”
He chuckled.
“I’m not joking.”
“I know you aren’t. You amuse me, is all. Forgive my response.”
She relaxed a little since he stayed near the end of the bed, but didn’t she unclench her hands. He was in for a fight if he did try to touch her. It wasn’t one she could win, but she might manage to stay alive long enough for Micah or his parents to be alerted that they had someone else in their home. Hopefully they’d come.
She wished she could see. “You know I’m human. Will you turn on a light? I’m blind without one; you know that.”
“I’ll turn on the light. Ready?”
She nodded. Part of the darkness moved and came closer. He turned on the lamp next to the bed.
Gerri blinked, adjusting to the sudden brightness, then gawked as she stared at the nighttime intruder.
He hadn’t changed all that much since the last time she’d seen him.
Shock held her still for a moment, but then she dropped her chin, her gaze lowering to the carpet between them, and she put her hands to her sides. She stepped away from the wall and bowed slightly, staying in that position.
He came toward her and she noticed the black boots he wore, with black cargo pants. “Look at me, Gerri,” he said.
She straightened and raised her chin. He wasn’t as tall as Wen, but no one would ever call him short either. Trayis was about six feet four. She couldn’t believe he was in Colorado.
He smiled. “Do you still paint on canvas?”
It wasn’t a question she’d expected. “No.”
“A shame. You had real talent as a child.” He reached out and touched her hair. His smile widened. “It’s as wild as ever. Your mother used to try so hard to restrain those curls, but they always burst out of the braids she wove.”
Fear came next. “Is Wen okay?” What if he’d come to tell her something horrible? She couldn’t understand why else the clan leader would be there.
“He’s fine. I ordered him back to Alaska. Tymber sent me a text when Wen arrived home.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief. Then the next guess on why Trayis would come to see her
struck—and she took a step back, bumping the wall. “You’re angry that I went on that mission with Wen, right?”
His mouth firmed into a grim line for long seconds. “Furious,” he finally sighed. “He put you in danger.”
“He didn’t force me to go.”
Trayis reached out his hand. Gerri hesitated then clasped it. He backed up, leading her toward the table and chairs by the windows. Memories from her childhood returned. Trayis used to take her on walks sometimes, asking her how the other children treated her. He’d always been kind to her, like some kind of uncle.
“Sit.” He let her go.
Gerri took a seat across from him. Trayis put his hands on the table and leaned forward a little. “How is human life?”
She debated on how to answer, then decided to be honest. “Not that great.”
“Is your mother well?”
“I don’t know. We parted ways.”
Trayis’s shock showed on his face.
“She hooked up with a pack. Long story I don’t want to go into, but I wasn’t staying. She wasn’t leaving.”
“Do you have any children? I know you don’t have a human man in your life, at least not anymore, judging by Wen’s scent on you.”
“It’s just me.”
“That will make things easier.”
She leaned forward and crossed her arms on the edge of the table, staring at him. “Did you come to try to wipe my memories? It won’t work long term. Klentz tested me.”
“I remember that you inherited your mother’s immunity to mind control, although you’re not as strong as she was. The truth is lost to you, but you dream about it until you remember it’s an actual memory. No, Gerri. I’m only here to talk to you.”
She inwardly winced. “Did Wen break the rules by getting me involved in VampLycan politics? I’ve always kept clan secrets, lived under the radar, and never caused trouble. I’m not about to change any of that now. I give you my word, for what that’s worth.”
“Wen shouldn’t have involved you. I’m angry with him about that, but I’ve never questioned your honor. You swore to keep quiet about everything you’d learned growing up. I never would have allowed you to leave home if I had doubts. You have a good heart, Gerri. I tried to talk your mother into staying, but she had her mind set. It’s not my way to force people to live with us.”
She breathed easier, relaxing. “I promise that I’ll never talk about Washington. Is that why you came? To make sure I wouldn’t say anything?”
“I’m here to offer you a choice.”
That confused her. “What kind?”
“You were a child under your mother’s care when you left the clan. She made decisions for you that I had no right to interfere with. You’re an adult now. Would you like to rejoin the clan?”
His words nearly floored her. She hadn’t expected him to make that offer in a million years.
“You can return to Alaska with me or go back to the life you built with humans.”
“I don’t understand. I’m human. I mean, I was only allowed to live with the clan because of Klentz.”
“Bloodlines don’t matter to me. I accepted you into our clan, Gerri. You never asked to leave, your mother did.” He smiled. “I still consider you one of mine. You can come home if you want to. The house your parents raised you in still stands. We maintain it. The interior isn’t quite the same, since we’ve had people stay there from time to time, but you could move right back in. I even have a job to offer you. It will involve human relations, since you have more experience dealing with them than anyone else in the clan. You’ve lived amongst them for fifteen years. I’ll have you handle phone calls and such, but you won’t be going on more dangerous missions if you accept. I want you safe inside our territory.”
Tears filled her eyes. There had been so many times when she’d wished more than anything that she could go back to the life she’d once had. It wouldn’t be the same though, since she no longer had family there.
Then there was Wen. His parents would flip. Fear filled her—they wanted her dead.
Trayis seemed to guess her thoughts, or maybe he picked up her scent changing with her emotions. “There will be difficult things to deal with, but you’ll be under my protection. No one would dare harm you. It will also keep you close to Wen.”
She noticed that the brown in Trayis’s irises had turned more golden, but then some black bled through. Whatever he was thinking, he was feeling various emotions too. She couldn’t smell them the way he could but VampLycans showed them in their eyes. He wasn’t trying to mask them.
“That’s complicated,” she finally whispered.
“I’m more than aware, Gerri. I don’t get involved between parents and their children, but Wen is also my enforcer and friend.” His eyes turned totally black.
“You’re angry with his parents,” she guessed.
“Furious. It’s fucked up to expect a son to replace the one they lost. They’ve done their best to mold Wen into a version of Gerbin. I’ve talked to Mandro and Elna many times, but they refuse to hear me. Mandro is arrogant. Elna is insane. Neither of them seem to be able to see or care what they’re doing to their son. And Wen was always eager to please, since they made it clear who their favorite child was. It did a number on him. I may not have young of my own, but I’d never make them feel as if they were worth less than a sibling. I’d hoped he’d defy them and come after you one day. It finally happened.”
“He’s not going to mate me, Trayis. He just wanted to spend time with me. We were kids when we parted and there was so much left unsaid.”
“Is the bond still there between the two of you? Be honest with me.”
She nodded. “He fought not to bite me. He said his parents would kill me.”
“What do you feel toward him?”
“I love him. I always have, and I always will.” There was no reason to lie to Trayis.
“Is he your mate in your heart, Gerri?”
She nodded again.
“Then the choice has been made. We leave first thing in the morning. I’ll ask my brother to send Micah to pack the human possessions you left behind in whatever dwelling you had and fly them to you later.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“What’s the problem?”
“I called to check on him and Sherry answered the phone. They were lovers. He was with her but sent me away with Micah.” It still hurt.
“I sent Sherry to Wen, Gerri, because I didn’t know he had his cousins nearby. I couldn’t send a VampLycan into that city to back him up. Fucking security cameras and cell phones are going to be the death of us. Are you aware that Wen’s been arrested twice in the past?” Trayis sighed. “Wen couldn’t control multiple minds at once so he had to allow himself to be taken into custody. The police have to turn off the cameras in their interview rooms when an attorney consults with her client. It meant Wen could mind control the officers without it being recorded when she’d have them escort her in, spin a story, and order them to destroy any evidence they had. Sherry works in that capacity for me.”
“I knew that.”
“Wen had no idea that I’d sent her. He didn’t ask her to be there. I can also assure you that he has no feelings for her.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. I’ve read his mission reports and talked to him at length when he’s had dealings with her. It was just sex and nothing more to him. You’re his heart, Gerri. Come home.”
She reached across the table but hesitated before touching him, remembering that VampLycans didn’t just do that.
Trayis lifted his hand and took hers, clasping it. “You always have permission from this moment on. Consider me your family now, Gerri. I will take the place of Klentz as your father figure and protector in the clan.”
Trayis was full of surprises. He was pretty much stating he’d just adopted her. “Thank you. I’m honored.”
He grinned, his eyes turning golden, reminding her of an
amused cat. “But?”
“I don’t know if I can go back. Wen won’t be happy if I return to live with the clan because his parents are probably going to try to kill me.”
“It’s time to shake things up, Gerri.” He winked. “You always had courage. Let me help you claim your mate. It’s time for you to come home.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “I want to so much. Thank you.”
He squeezed her hand. “You and Wen deserve to be happy. I couldn’t do anything in the past to stop you from being separated, but that time is gone. Now it’s about building the future you two were meant to have together.” He leaned in. “And I don’t give a damn if your children can shift or not. We have way too many boys being born. I’ll be thrilled if you birth some girls. If mind over matter exists, give it a shot. Think ‘girl’ when you and Wen try to get pregnant. That’s all I ask.”
Gerri recovered from the astonishment fast. “I’ll try my best.”
“Raise them just like you were. Did I ever tell you that you’re the only girl child who never gave me headaches?” He let her hand go and rose to his feet. “Try to get some sleep. Things will work out. Wen won’t be able to deny his instincts once he’s around you day after day. He’s in deep shit for putting you in danger, so I’ve decided to punish him by making him work with me in my office.” A slow grin spread across his face. “He’ll get the desk right next to yours. Sweet dreams. I’ll see you early in the morning.”
He crossed the room, but paused by the door, glancing at her over his shoulder. “Worst case scenario, if he’s really stubborn, he’ll break when he goes into heat.”
Trayis seemed to be waiting for a response.
“Um, okay.”
He turned to her fully and leaned against the door, a grin on his face. “Klentz never told you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“You had barely turned fifteen when he was killed. I guess he wouldn’t have had that talk with you yet, and your mother always tried to shield you too much. VampLycans go into heat once a year. Wen is just a little older than you are. He started feeling the heat when he turned fifteen.” His grin widened. “Klentz caught Wen with his claws embedded into a tree, staring at your bedroom window one night. You were too young for Wen to touch, but his instincts demanded he remain close to you. He’d damn near destroyed that tree, clinging to it for three days until the heat let up. As an adult, it lasts longer—and you’re not too young to stay away from this time. He’ll go into heat and nothing will stop him from going to you.”