Saving the Beast (17 page)

Diane was worried about Kenzie. The other woman hadn’t said a word since she’d woken this morning, but her eyes spoke volumes. Diane had been sitting with Zane at the table when Kenzie had finally moaned and sat up, thankfully pulling the cover with her. She’d glanced around the cabin, looking past Zane and Diane as if she were searching for someone else. Her hand had crept up to touch the mark Angel had left on her. Then she’d slowly lain back down.

Diane had gone over to see if Kenzie needed anything but the only reply she’d gotten was a nod or shake of Kenzie’s head. She’d refused food or water. She’d refused to let Diane look at her. Diane’s heart was breaking for the other woman, and Zane was no help the way he sat and brooded at the table.

“I need to get dressed so we can leave.” Kenzie’s quiet voice interrupted Diane’s thoughts.

“I’ll be outside waiting,” Zane said and, after dropping a swift kiss on Diane’s lips, made his exit.

“Zane brought your bag in,” Diane said, grabbing it and carrying it over to the bed. “I…I don’t know what happened to the clothes you were wearing when they caught you.”

Kenzie shrugged, sitting up and letting the covers fall this time as she reached for the backpack Diane held.

“How did they find you?” Diane asked.

Kenzie’s hands stilled for a moment then began pulling fresh clothing out. “I wasn’t paying attention like I should have. They got me with a dart, knocked me out almost instantly. I woke up here.” Kenzie glanced over at the wall then shook her head as if dislodging something from her memory.

“Are you okay?” Diane asked softly, sitting on the bed beside her.

Kenzie reached up and placed her hand over the mark on her skin. “Was he really here?”

“Yes,” Diane nodded.

“And he left,” Kenzie stated.

All Diane could do was nod, biting her lips to keep herself from crying for Kenzie. Diane sat quietly while Kenzie stood up to dress then sat back down to pull on socks and shoes. When she spoke again, there was a world of hurt in her voice.

“He’s not coming back for me.” Kenzie’s voice was so soft Diane almost didn’t hear it.

The look of devastation and longing on the other woman’s face had Diane reaching out and hugging Kenzie to her. Kenzie shuddered, and it was as if a dam broke free inside her at Diane’s touch. Tears spilled out and the other woman fisted a hand at Diane’s shoulder to hold in the sobs. Diane held her, shedding tears with her as they both clung to one another. It was a long moment before Kenzie sat up, wiping her cheeks with her fingers and brushing them on her jeans.

“Thank you for being here for me,” Kenzie said.

“You’re my friend,” Diane told her. “I’m here anytime you need me.”

Kenzie nodded. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about this.”

“The crying or everything?” Diane asked.

“I’d say everything,” Kenzie said. “But I know that’s not likely.”

Diane shook her head. There was no way they could keep the fact Kenzie was mated secret from everyone.

Kenzie smiled sadly. “I’m not expecting anyone not to talk about the man they call Angel. They need to know he was here and that he took the hunters out. Word will travel, and his legend will grow bigger. Shifters need that, and hunters need to fear that. But I wish no one would know that for a very brief moment, I had a mate named Gabriel. And he left me.”

“Kenzie…” Diane began but stopped when Kenzie turned to her with deep-brown pools, imploring her.

Kenzie looked at her with pain reflected in her gaze. “I don’t want anyone to know he rejected me.”

“He didn’t reject you,” Diane said. “Don’t think that. From what Zane said, it took all Angel had to walk away. He was hurting, too.”

If anything that made Kenzie look sadder.

“He was heading to talk to Tah when he left yesterday. I’m… He probably let Tah know,” Diane said.

Kenzie just nodded again and looked away. After a moment, she stood up and began gathering her gear. “I’d like to leave. Too many memories here.”

“Okay,” Diane said and went to the door to call for Zane.

He was there immediately. He searched Diane’s face before glancing toward Kenzie.

“Everything okay?” he asked them.

“We’re ready to leave,” Diane said when Kenzie remained silent.

He nodded, giving Diane’s shoulder a squeeze before walking over to Kenzie. He bent low and whispered something to her. Diane saw her blink more tears back before giving Zane a watery smile and hugging him.

“Ready?” he asked when he walked back to Diane.

She smiled at him and, bracing one hand on his chest, leaned up. He met her halfway, welcoming her kiss.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you,” he whispered back and pulled her closer for a more thorough kiss.

When they came up for air, she looked around with embarrassment for Kenzie. The last thing the other woman needed was to see Diane so happy with her mate. But Kenzie wasn’t there.

“Did she go outside?” Diane asked.

“She went ahead,” Zane said.

“What? Is that safe?” Diane demanded.

“She’ll be fine on the way back,” Zane said. “Angel was certain there were no other hunting parties around. I trust him. And Kenzie needs some time alone to come to grips with everything that happened here.”

Diane looked at him and knew from his expression he saw the concern in her eyes.

“She’ll be okay,” Zane said. “We’ll make sure of that. Right now, she needs time.”

“I hope so,” Diane said. “She didn’t grin once,” she stated quietly.

Kenzie grinned a lot. She had a way of smiling and making you smile, too. Diane hoped that didn’t change.

“Hard to smile when you’re heart’s breaking,” Zane said.

“Tah’s going to be angry with her,” Diane told him.

Zane shook his head. “No. One look at her face, and his heart will break for her. When he finds out what happened here, he’ll smother her with love and affection like the kid sister he sees her as. Abby will do the same. Hell, everyone will rally around her, whether they know what happened or not. Her pain will become theirs.”

“She has a bigger family than she ever imagined,” Diane said. She just hoped the other woman realized it.

“We all do, and it will only keep growing. Ready?” Zane asked and held out his hand to her.

“Yes,” Diane said. “God, I can’t wait to get back and have a hot shower and food. Mhmm,” she moaned just thinking about it. “Something hot to eat. And a bed.” Her gaze flew to Zane’s, and her heart rate kicked up at the seductive look on his face.

“I’m anticipating a bed myself,” he purred at her. “Let’s go.”

She took his hand and headed out the door more than ready to be home.

“If I’m lucky, maybe Abby hasn’t had the baby, yet.”

“Probably best if you’re there instead of the Professor and Tah trying to deliver,” Zane said.

“Oh, she has Orsai.” Her eyes widened. “Oh, my God! I’m so sorry, Zane. I didn’t think.”

“My uncle’s there?”

She nodded. “He arrived right after you took off. He’s been staying, said he was going to be there when the baby was born because Abby would need him.”

Zane smiled. “It’ll be good to see him. So tell me, what do you think of him?”

“I like him,” Diane said. “He’s a fountain of wisdom. He and the Professor have become as thick as thieves.”

“Whoa,” Zane said. “Why the surge of anger there?”

“I just remembered how angry I am with the Professor,” Diane admitted.

“What did he do?” Zane asked, and he sounded angry.

“He’s the one who gave me a shot before I left,” she told him. “Only, instead of the tetanus booster he said he was giving me, it was a drug guaranteed to make you find me,” she said.

“He forced ovulation?” Zane asked with a growl. “Knowing I was already primal?”

Diane nodded.

“I’ll rip him apart for doing that to you,” Zane assured her.

But Diane was remembering the Professor telling her he was only doing what he thought was best. He might make crappy decisions sometimes, but they were made with love. And it had worked. Zane had found her, and she was happy—incredibly happy.

“He meant well,” she said out loud.

“Meant well, my ass,” Zane muttered, then stopped. “Fuck! Thick as thieves with my uncle! This might not have been the Professor’s idea, or at least not only his idea.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that,” Diane admitted. “But either way, it worked out okay.”

“But it might not have.” Zane grunted as they started walking again.

She stopped him this time. “I can’t stay mad at them for helping me find you, or helping you to find me. For helping us find each other.”

“What if you’re pregnant?” Zane questioned, and Diane took a step back, dropping her hands to her belly. “Yeah, you didn’t think about that, did you?”

“No, I didn’t,” Diane admitted. “Would you be that upset?”

“God, no.” Zane cradled her face with his hands. “The thought of you round with my child does things to me. Here.” He touched his chest just over his heart.

Diane smiled. “I think I like the idea of having your baby.”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she agreed.

“Well, if we didn’t this time, I’m all for trying until we do,” he whispered huskily.

“Mhmm,” she moaned as he ran his lips and teeth along her jaw up toward her ear. “I like the sound of that, too.”

He swatted her sharply on the ass, making her jump.

“Good, then let’s get going so we can find that bed,” he told her.

“Oh, yeah,” she agreed, and they set off again.

They hadn’t gone far when Zane stopped, cocked his head and reached over to push her behind him. She pressed her lips tight in a bid to remain as silent as possible and huddled behind the safety of his back. Shit! Were there more hunters in the area after all? Double shit! Was Kenzie okay? Diane prayed nothing else would happen to the other woman. Kenzie had been through enough in the last twenty-four hours. Diane suspected even more had happened than what Kenzie had stated.

“I want you to stay low,” Zane murmured so softly she had to strain to hear him. “Don’t leave my side.”

“Hunters?” she asked, wishing Angel had stuck around and traveled with them instead.

Zane shook his head and gave her a perplexed look. “Shifters, but not any of our group. And I smell blood.”

So not Kenzie. Diane felt a rush of relief course through her then felt guilty for it. Blood could mean one of the shifters Zane was scenting was hurt. Maybe more? How many shifters did he scent?

“That’s close enough,” Zane said, startling Diane out of her thoughts. “Who are you? And what are you doing?”

Diane glanced around Zane and took in the small group that stood a short distance away, two men and a woman. As she watched, the biggest of the three stepped forward, as if he’d protect the others if needed. He held up one arm to warn the two with him to stay back. The other hung loosely at his side.

“You must be Orsai’s nephew,” he said to Zane. The man appeared to be a couple of inches shorter than Zane but just as muscular. His hair was long, falling in thick black waves just past his shoulders, and he had piercing green eyes.

She’d only managed a brief look at the other two before they were placed firmly at the guy’s back. The girl looked petite. Diane thought she appeared closer to Abby and Clara’s five foot five height with a short shock of blonde hair. The other man didn’t seem as if he was much over six foot, maybe six one, but that was just judging him against her six foot six mate. Guy number two had short brown hair.

Zane didn’t reply to the other man, just widened his stance in front of her and watched.

The man sighed, and he sounded weary. “We’re here searching for a lioness named Clara.”

Again, Zane said nothing. Diane had no idea how he managed it as she was bursting with questions but did her best to keep her lips firmly shut. Was this Clara’s Uncle Thomas she’d been wanting? Diane glanced around Zane again. The man didn’t look much like Clara at all, which could mean nothing.

“I know Clara’s here,” the man said again. “And we’re not leaving without seeing her. So make sure she knows that.”

“Who are you?” Diane asked when Zane still remained silent.

Her mate glanced down at her where she’d inched her way out beside him and glared. His eyes were neon. Was his fever back? She moved closer to his side and tucked herself into him, which seemed to appease him a little. A rumbled of displeasure left his chest as he pulled her even closer. She automatically reached out to touch his chest with her palm, attempting to soothe him.

“We’re not going to touch your mate,” the other guy assured them and inhaled. His gaze sharpened, and he nodded slowly.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Zane grunted but didn’t elucidate on what the congratulations was for. Could the other shifters smell she and Zane were newly mated? Good grief!

“You’ve been hit with fever,” the man said. “I can smell it on you.” He glanced back at the other two for a long moment in some type of silent exchange before giving another sigh and facing Zane again. “I’m going to guess you were paid a visit by a human woman and her shifter sidekick,” he mused. “How much were you hit with?”

Diane spoke up again. “We don’t know. Whatever—”

“Enough,” Zane interrupted her. “Who are you?”

The guy blinked. “I’m Gideon, a friend of Clara’s.”

“Gideon,” Diane said and glanced at him again, remembering what Clara had shared about him. A loner, who was fierce in his need to protect. And Clara thought he might be able to help them with information.

“What do you know about the fever?” Diane demanded.

“Enough,” Gideon replied, throwing Zane’s word right back at him. “Clara?”

“Where’s Thomas?” Zane asked.

Gideon shook his head. “I don’t know. I was hunting for him when I got word about Clara being here. I take it she doesn’t know where he is, either?”

“Who’s hurt?” Zane asked, ignoring Gideon’s question. Why was he so reluctant to speak with them? Did he sense something he wasn’t sharing?

“It’s just a flesh wound,” Gideon said.

“No,” the woman said, stepping forward. “Gideon took two arrows to the torso a couple days ago. His arm’s injured.”