Empath (Book 1 of The Empath Trilogy)

  ****

  Later that night, lying in bed with my bruised face resting on James’ cool chest, using it as an ice pack, and my head somewhat cleared of drugs, I could finally ask something that didn’t make sense to me.

  “James, it seems like the war and Bradley are a vampire problem, yet the Andrews are putting in a lot of effort to help. Why is that?” I strained to see his face, barely able to make out the pale outline of his face against the dark of the sheets. He had blocked his emotions from me so I couldn’t readily guess.

  “Have you heard of witches’ familiars?” He replied hesitantly.

  “You mean like the black cat thing?”

  “Right, well some vampires have something like that. It is referred to as having an animal to call.”

  “The mountain lions are Henry’s animal?”

  “Yes, specifically, the head of the Andrews clan. He imprinted on Henry a long time ago. I am not sure of all of the details, but I know Troy was at one point bound to another vampire. He was a cruel master and demanded the cats hunt for him. Henry helped to free them from their bond and it transferred to him. Now they are bound to each other in a sort of symbiotic relationship. The Andrews clan now has free will and can live autonomously with one exception. Just as they cannot refuse Henry’s request for help now, he could not refuse them if they asked.”

  “What is your involvement in all of this? Are you helping because you want to or do you have to?” The compulsion Henry had mentioned that James had to help people would explain his cooperation easily enough, though hearing about all of these bonds, I couldn’t help myself from worrying that James was bound to his mentor by more than mere friendship.

  James frowned at me. “Henry was a good friend to me when I had no one. He helped me when I was having difficulty with some complications after being turned. I agree with Henry’s efforts on behalf of humans and choose to help him.” His features softened as he gently kissed my nose. “It is an alliance that works for us and it has been good to have a friend these many years.”

  “What were the complications?”

  “Always the curious one,” he teased. “Sleep now, we will have plenty of time for that. Besides, you have school tomorrow, young lady.”

  Too tired to disagree, I closed my eyes and drifted off while he kept watch for the boogeymen.