Jordan hid a smile. The nicknames fit, unfortunately. He winked at his mate, pleased when a pink flush wandered over her high cheekbones. The woman had tried to pin up her blond hair, but the tendrils escaped in wild disarray. In her faded jeans and old T-shirt, she was truly the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
She gave him the look that told him to knock it off.
He winked again.
With an eye roll, she glided forward to hug Janie. “Happy birthday, sweetheart. Well, happy birthday last week.”
Janie smiled even white teeth. During the last two years, her face had narrowed, her cheekbones becoming more prominent, just like her mama’s. “Thanks for the bracelet you sent—I love silver.”
The twins abandoned Kane to get hugs and kisses from Janie. With a mischievous glance at each other, they leapt back for the vampire. For some reason, the stoic scientist was an absolute favorite with the imps.
Jordan chucked Janie on the chin. “How in the world did you escape Realm Headquarters?” Although the girl was eighteen, Talen kept her under wraps. Which made sense, considering the Kurjans had stepped up their plans to get ahold of her. It was dangerous for her to leave Oregon and showed incredible trust in Jordan and his people to keep the girl safe.
Janie chuckled. “I asked to visit you for my birthday present.” She grimaced. “Though we brought enough guards to start our own army. They’re around the perimeter with your guys.”
Jordan nodded. “Yeah. I know Noah was looking forward to arm wrestling Max again.”
“Dorks.” Janie grinned.
Kane cleared his throat, gracefully sitting on the sofa, a giggling blonde in each arm. “Samantha, Sidney, stop pulling my hair.”
The giggles deepened as the girls tugged on his ears. The vampire rolled his eyes. “I’m here with good news.”
Katie stilled, her gaze cutting to Jordan and back.
Jordan shook his head. Hope slammed into his gut. He and Katie had allowed Kane to poke and prod them for two years ... trying to figure out how they were both healthy, purebred shifters again lacking any results from the virus. Other male shifters had tried to mate infected females to heal them, and it hadn’t worked. Only Jordan’s blood, right after being infected but before turning into a werewolf, had worked in fixing Katie. Then her bite had somehow cured him. The scientists had been unable to duplicate the exact interaction. Yet. He sighed. “I don’t know what it is.”
Janie maneuvered around stuffed animals and tossed pillows to sit on the couch. “Good news, for sure.”
Kane cleared his throat. “The cure works and we’ve created an inoculation for shifters. Virus-27 will never harm your people again.”
Katie dropped into the chair Jordan had vacated. “Are you sure?” Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes.” Kane smiled, his eyes remaining serious. “Whatever happened with the two of you, when you were both infected but Jordan hadn’t turned into a werewolf yet ... created antibodies for shifters. Emma and I just finished formulating the inoculation. We’ll give shots to all shifters.”
Jordan struggled to keep from shouting out loud. Finally. A cure for their people ... a way to balance the forces in the war destroying the world.
Then he frowned as Kane’s words sunk home. “Only shifters? What about vampire mates and witches?”
Kane rubbed his chin. “The inoculation only works on shifters. But it’s one more step toward curing mates and witches. We’re incredibly hopeful at this point.”
Jordan lifted Katie from the chair and sat down, repositioning her on his lap. She curled in to him. “Well, this is good news.” No more shifters becoming werewolves. The Kurjan fighting forces just decreased. But the first step wasn’t enough. Sure, the Realm was on the right path, but everyone needed to be free of the virus.
Katie took a deep breath. “What about people already infected?”
“No help for males already turned into werewolves.” Kane’s face remained placid, while regret flashed in his eyes. “We think the inoculation will cure infected females as well as any males infected who haven’t turned into werewolves yet. Of course, we don’t know of any infected males who haven’t turned.”
“Most werewolves have been finished off by the Bane’s Council,” Katie murmured. “Keeping Terrent busy the last two years has been ... beneficial to Maggie. At some point, he’s going to request her presence again. And we still haven’t figured out what the demons want with her.”
Jordan shrugged. “We’ll worry about that when it happens.” Frankly, he thought Maggie might like to visit a wolf pack and be among her own people. But the woman staunchly refused to meet with Terrent. Wolves were well known for carrying a grudge, and the Alpha wolf was probably no exception.
He snuggled his woman closer. They’d led well together the last two years—her time living with humans had taught her empathy and a way of communicating that’d he lacked. Of course, when it came to blood and fighting, he took the lead, whether his fierce lioness liked it or not. She was the mother of his cubs, after all.
Another change involved his delegating more to the Chance brothers—to trust and not lead alone. So far, the new methods were really working.
He cleared his throat. “Any word on Jase?”
Kane stiffened, shaking his head. “No. Dage gets visions once in a while, and we believe Jase is still alive. In fact, sources in the southwest have reported murmurings of a vampire being brought to the states by the demons. So we think we’re getting close to getting him back.”
Jordan nodded. “When it’s time to go, I want in.”
“Of course.” Kane gave a short nod. “But for tonight, I think we should celebrate the end of the virus for your people. It’s the beginning of the end to the war.”
Janie tugged Sidney’s braid, turning a sweet smile on them. “What you did, risking your lives, you created a cure for all shifters. A cure that will someday work on mates and save my mother. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Katie placed her hand over Jordan’s heart. “Every risk we took was the right choice.”
Jordan covered her hand, kissing her nose. “You were the right choice. Always.”
After a commotion-filled dinner with Jordan’s family, they’d watched a movie about ponies, and then Janie had headed off to bed. Two years had passed since she’d been in a coma, and her energy had finally returned. But flying all day had tired her out.
She dropped into the dream as she’d planned, wandering down the sandy beach and enjoying the soft spray of waves. With a shrug, she continued down the sand, committing to the path she’d come up with months ago. Her birthday wish held more than a desire to visit Katie and the twins. Leaving home, getting away from the mental power of the vampires and mates surrounding her, allowed her some space to explore. To create a dream and hopefully have enough power to find Zane.
She purposefully created the same ocean scene from when she’d been in the coma. Hopefully the plan would work.
A new fire had lit her veins after waking from the coma, a power she hadn’t figured out how to tap. Yet.
Aunt Emma had taken blood, assuring her everything was normal. No extra vampire remnants, either from Garrett or Zane, remained in her human blood.
Emma was wrong.
Janie had tried bending spoons with her mind, punching a bag, imagining the future on demand. So far, whatever new bubbled inside her, hadn’t changed her a bit. But she could feel something. . . or rather someone.
Zane lived in her pores more than ever before. Sure, he didn’t want to. Whatever or whoever he was, he held serious power. Nobody else in the world could’ve saved her by giving her blood in a dream. That much she knew.
Either that, or she had a serious crush.
The sand warmed her bare feet. She hadn’t meant to be barefoot in the dream, but suddenly, the feeling calmed her. Continuing down the beach, she kept her gaze on the rock outcroppings from last time. The sun shone down, not too hot, just right to enha
nce the soft breeze.
Zane sat on a rock a few feet up, long legs dangling. The sun glinted off his short black hair that was a couple inches longer than last time she’d seen him. No more buzz cut. Even with the dangerous scar lining his face, his features were beautiful. Masculine, tough, yet symmetrical to the point of perfection.
Yeah. She probably had a crush.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Happy birthday.”
Joy filled her so fast she bit her lip to keep from exploding in a smile. “Thanks.”
“Did you do anything big?”
She shrugged, going for casual. The six-year difference in their ages didn’t seem like such a big deal since she’d turned eighteen. “Party. Like usual.” Her hands slid into the pockets of her shorts. “I’ve tried to seek you out in dreams so many times, but you’ve been blocking me. So, ah, thanks for saving my life two years ago. Forgiving me blood.”
He rubbed both large hands down the front of his dark jeans. “Sure. I couldn’t let you die.” The smile was one she remembered from childhood. “Though, well, I don’t understand how it worked.”
“Yeah.” No logic could explain their connection in dreams. She crinked her neck to peer up at him. “I’m surprised to see you here.” Sure, she’d hoped. But he’d gotten so good at blocking.
He rubbed his chin. “I’m surprised to be here. Every time I go to sleep, I put mental blocks in place. Yet, I’m here.” Curiosity and caution lit his green eyes.
Satisfaction heated her abdomen. “I’m not at home. I’m away from my uncle’s psychic powers, away from the powers of all the people surrounding me.” She took another couple steps toward the future. “I thought maybe I could send out a clearer signal ... maybe yank you here even if you didn’t want to come.” Of course, since she’d taken his blood, as her powers increased, she might be able to seek him out even at home. She lifted her chin, trying so hard not to be mad he’d ignored her for two more years.
One dark eyebrow lifted. As graceful as any panther, he jumped from the rock. Sand sprayed when his thick boots landed.
Janie took a step back. Man, he’d gotten tall. As tall as Dage.
Both of Zane’s eyebrows lifted. “So, let me get this straight. You left the safety of the king’s headquarters to enable yourself to become more powerful and force me, willing or not, into this dream?”
Well, since he put her idea like that. She shuffled her feet in the sand. “Pretty much.”
“Why?” The sun came from behind him now, leaving his eyes in shadow.
Because she’d missed him. Because she needed him. “I think it’s time we begin planning to end this war.”
He choked on a laugh. “Just like that, huh, Belle? Let’s just end this fucking war.”
Irritation began to crawl up her neck. “Yeah. Just fucking like that. We’ve always known this war will come down to you, me, and Kalin. I’m grown up now ... it’s time.”
“Grown up?” Zane breathed out, turning just enough for the sun to highlight high cheekbones. Incredulousness melded with anger on his strong face. “You’re not even close. You have no idea what war is like. No clue.” He scrubbed a hand across his mouth. “Let’s just end this war.” He shook his head.
So she hadn’t fought on the front lines. She’d lost people. A monstrous vampire race had hunted her since childhood. “I know exactly what war is like.”
“No, you don’t. God, I hope you never do.” He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. “Everything is so clear to you. Right, wrong ... good, bad ... friend, enemy. You have no conception of true war.”
The day he’d lost his father, his world had crashed. She knew that and had been there for him as much as he’d let her. Reality wasn’t foreign to her, either. She knew the risks they might face. If he lived with a shifter clan off the grid, he could be fighting against her people. Against her family. “I know your father wasn’t part of the Realm, but he was an ally. But where you’ve gone, the people you fight for now ... I don’t know. Are we still allies?”
Zane wet his lips, his gaze cutting to the ocean. His impressive chest shifted as he exhaled and yanked his hands free. Focusing back on her, he took one step forward. Light as any breeze, he ran one knuckle down her cheek. Sadness and an odd longing swirled in his eyes. “Janie Belle Kayrs.”
Warmth and something new flared to life in her abdomen. Intrigue had her stilling. “Zane?”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. His thumb followed suit, tracing her bottom lip. “All grown up and in more danger than ever.” Dropping his hand, he sighed. “There are no allies right now, Belle. Get that through your head ... and don’t trust anybody.”
She lifted her chin, ignoring the sudden want of her lips. For the briefest of seconds, she thought he was going to kiss her. A real kiss. From Zane. “You said we were going to fix the world. That everything was going to be all right.”
“I was twelve, and I figured we had the same goals for the world.” His jaw firmed. “We probably did. But when my father died—”
“Where are you?” She had to know. If she had all the facts, she could fix this.
“Doesn’t matter. What does matter”—he grabbed her biceps, leaning down, his face intense and two inches from hers—“is that I don’t know where you are. Ever.”
“Everybody knows where headquarters is.” Her uncle and father had made it the safest place in the world for her. They’d discussed moving, but at some point, staying in place and defending made more sense.
“You’re not at headquarters right now.” Zane gave her a quick shake. The scar along his jaw seemed to deepen. “If I were an enemy, you just gave away too much information.”
“Are you?” She met his gaze squarely and without fear. Nothing would ever convince her Zane would harm her. Nothing. “Are you my enemy?”
His nostrils flared. “No, which is why I’m telling you no more. We don’t meet. You don’t tell me where you are. You take that fantastic brain and do something really great with it. Study, learn ... do not fight. Get the hell out of the war, as much as you can, for as long as you can.”
His hands enclosed her upper arms, so strong, so warm. A step forward and she’d be pressed along his length. Surprise filled her at how much she wanted to take that step. She shook her head. “This war is about me, Zane.” Unfortunately, the Kurjans would stop at nothing to get her. “You’ve known that from day o ne.”
“I know.” He blinked twice, his eyes filling with determination when he focused back on her. “But I need you to stay out of it until I can end it.”
“But we’re supposed to end the war together.” In every vision she’d had, while different results were reached, she had always been a player. She, Zane, and Kalin all participated in whatever final act found peace. Unfortunately, she never saw who won.
Zane’s hold tightened. “You stay in this war, and you won’t like how it ends. I promise, Belle.” Drawing back, he released her. “Good-bye.”
The dream disappeared. Janie awoke, sitting up in bed. She hadn’t gotten the answers she wanted, but she had a lot more information than she’d hoped. Zane wasn’t working for the Realm, but he seemed determined to save her. Somehow, she had to figure out a way to get them working together again. In all the visions, in all the endings, if they weren’t on the same side, then everything ended.
Everything.
Did you miss the other books in Rebecca’s DARK PROTECTORS series?
Fated
Marry Me ...
Cara Paulsen does not give up easily. A scientist and a single mother, she’s used to fighting for what she wants, keeping a cool head, and doing whatever it takes to protect her daughter, Janie. But “whatever it takes” has never before included a shotgun wedding to a dangerous-looking stranger with an attitude problem.. . .
... Or Else
Sure, the mysterious Talen says that he’s there to protect Cara and Janie. He also says that he’s a three-hundred-year-old vampire. Of course, the way he touches her, Cara m
ight actually believe he’s had that long to practice....
Claimed
A Daring Rescue
Emma Paulsen is a geneticist driven by science. But she’s also a psychic, so when a dark, good-hearted vampire frees her from the clutches of the evil Kurjans, she realizes he must be the man who’s been haunting her dreams. But with a virus threatening vampires’ mates, Emma may discover a whole new meaning of “lovesick.” ...
A Deadly Decision
As King of the Realm, Dage Kayrs has learned to practice diplomacy. Still, it’s taken three hundred years to find his mate, so he’ll stop at nothing to protect her—even if it means turning his back on his own kind....
Hunted
Ready or Not
Moira Dunne is a witch—the quantum physics kind. Time and space are her playthings. Which might explain why her one-night stand from a hundred years ago has turned up to “claim” her—and request her family’s assistance with the war he’s brewing. But the more she learns about Connlan Kayrs, the more she comes to think this is normal behavior for him... .
There’s Nowhere to Hide
When Conn and Moira tumbled on the moonlit grass, Conn hadn’t meant to mark her as his mate for all time. She was only twenty! But it wasn’t easy to wait for her. It was even harder to forget her. So when he finally returns for his wicked-hot witch, he’s ready to set the sparks flying. Even if he burns up in flames... .
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Copyright © 2012 Rebecca Zanetti
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