Stalked (Rogues Shifter #2) (28 page)

He turned to look out at the garden that he
always tended with such care. It was raining and the sound of the rain hitting the stone walkway was soothing for both of us
. “I spared four of the Brownlow Pack weres. I could see in their minds that they did not know about the imprisonments. I probably wouldn’t have done that if not for you standing up to me. You reminded me that change for good is possible.”

“I think you’re giving me too much credit. I couldn’t let go because she’s mine: my sister, my blood, and because she’s never really had a chance to make the
right choices. I was being selfish, but I’d do it again in those circumstances.”
His eyebrow arched
. “We agreed to tell the truth.”

“And I would react the same way again as well.”
  He smiled at me, reminding me of his father. I thought about my dream and shuddered.

“Will you show me your dream?”
I nodded and played it all out again in my head and then showed him what happened afterward.

“I will kill him for you.” He spoke this pledge out loud: gold flashing in his eyes and his mouth turned down in a frown.

“Thank you, but I’m going to kill this particular asshole myself.” He looked at me with the strangest expression and then burst out laughing, making me happy enough to join him. Although his mood had lightened, I could still see the exhaustion in his face, so I rose up from the chair and offered him my hand once more. “Come with me Liam.”

He stood and followed me inside my bedroom. My bed was a rumpled mess, but it seemed silly to straighten it now. “I want you to crawl into bed and sleep. Sleep for as long as you need to sleep. If you’re not comfortable here, I can get one of the guest rooms upstairs ready for you. You’re welcome to stay with us until you want to leave agai
n. However long that takes.”

“Thank you
.”
I saw him looking at the bed with longing. It was easy to forget sometimes that Liam was half human, especially after I’d seen him with his father in Faerie and seen the power surrounding him as he killed and tortured Kent. But this afternoon it was his humanity that needed tending.

As I left him there, I checked his aura again. It was much healthier
, so I smiled smugly, feeling like I’d accomplished something important today. I went to the kitchen and got a piece of oak tag, a marker and a scissor. I made Liam a bootleg ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and hung it on my bedroom’s doorknob, then laughed when I thought of Garrett’s face when he saw it there.

I decided to make some phone calls. Maya was first on my list.
As soon as Maya picked up I asked, "How is she doing?”

“She was up all night, crying. She finally fell asleep ar
ound dawn. I did my best to comfort her, but, well, I’m not really the motherly type. We’re going to pick up some of her things at her house later today and then I’m sending in a cleaning service to clean up the house and the club. I’ve spoken to her lawyer and she’s inherited everything, of course. She won’t lack for money, but she needs quite a bit of training. I’d like to keep her with me for awhile.”

“Thank you
. Tell her I was asking about her and that she can call me tonight if she wants to talk.”

“I will.” We said our goodbyes and I felt better when I hung up.
Ethan was next.

“You had
more trouble with Kennet.” Ethan’s voice was tight with rage, although I was shocked that he'd heard about it so quickly. I replayed the whole story from start to finish, including the confrontation with the weres, the rescue of the fae, my taking in Bridgett then handing her off to Maya, and finally my dream and my quick recovery, thanks to Lord Caelen.

“Maya will take good care of her. Look, Sinc, Kyle and I think that we should be there to protect you when Garrett’s not up, so we’re coming over to stay until this whole business is over with Kennet. Don’t argue, we’ll be there in two hours. We’re stopping first to get groceries. Sinc and I will do all the cooking and Kyle will do the laundry.”

“Ethan, I appreciate your offer, but I have three vampires living in my basement. I have Liam staying overnight and Garrett’s with me most of the time. You're very sweet, but I don’t need any more protection.”

“We’re coming, even if we have to sleep on your front lawn. If you have to go out, a couple of us will always be with you. It’ll be better all around, Jackie.”

They wanted to help in the worst way and they’d probably felt left out of all the excitement lately. It would be good to have them here where I could keep an eye on them, safe from Kennet’s grasp. And maybe I did need them. I felt like I was walking on the edge these days, flipping end over end down a long hill, praying that I wouldn’t crash when I reached the bottom. With my team here, I’d be able to relax and maybe even have some fun.

“Ok
ay, we’ll try it. But I’m going to send you home if you make my life any crazier than it is already."

Ethan laughed. "We're low maintenance."

"
You
are, but Sinc and Kyle?"

"Will be on their best behavior."

"I'm holding you responsible."

"Deal."

"I’ll get the upstairs bedrooms ready for you.”

“See you in two hours.”
He sounded so excited.

“And who are we getting the upstairs ready for?” Garrett was leaning against the doorway, looking scrumptious in jeans and no shirt. “And why is there a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on your door when you’re out here?”

I smiled. “To answer the second question, Liam is sleeping in my room and I told him he could stay as long as he wants. He’s really out of whack from the last twenty-four hours.”

He swayed gracefully toward me and took me in his arms. “I’m very glad you worked things out with him.” He kissed me gently. “But where are
you
sleeping if he’s in your room?” he teased.

“In your room,
which is really
our
room isn’t it?” I kissed him back a little harder and felt his fangs lower, so I stuck my tongue in his mouth and pierced it on the sharp point. I heard him hiss and begin to suck until he’d swallowed several drops. There were tiny silver dots dancing in his beautiful eyes as he kissed me again. I melted against his firm body and sighed.

Stroking my hair, he grinned at me playfully. “Well that was wonderful,
angel, but I believe I never got an answer to my first question.”

“Ethan, Sinc and Kyle.”  I started to kiss his bare shoulder, but he
pushed me gently away and held me at arm's length.

“Did you just say, Ethan, Sinc and Kyle?” I nodded. “Are we having a party? Do they not want to drive home after the festivities so they’re staying just the one night?”

“They’re staying until Kennet isn’t a threat anymore.”

“Do you feel that this is wise considering that our guests in the basement are very fond of shifter blood?” He was smiling, but I could tell he was a little stunned that I’d agreed to this.

I smiled and ran my hand down his chest and over his stomach.  “You can control your nest, Garrett.”

He closed his eyes, definitely enjoying t
he caress. “Can you control the team, Jackie?”

“Theoretically, it’s Ethan who’s supposed to control the team, but I’ll lay down some rules when they get here and you c
an do the same with your nest. It'll be fine.” I looked up into his eyes with a touch of longing. “I’ll be glad to have them around.”

He smiled at my honesty. “And
that’s
the reason we’re going upstairs together to get everything ready for them.” He lifted my chin to look closely at my face. “But are you sure you’re feeling well enough?”

“I’m perfect. All I needed was a dose of gooey green medicine and a heart to heart with our sleepy fae friend.” He grinned as he took my hand and we started toward the stairs.

“What’s up?” Sasha was standing in the doorway that Garrett had vacated thirty seconds ago.

“You get up early too?
” I asked, feeling a little put-out.

“Garrett and I were turned the same year. I’ve been a vampire two months longer than him, so
yeah, pretty much. Of course Garrett was a hundred year old cheetah shifter when he was turned and I was only a 25 year old human, so magically he's stronger. I can’t stay out in the late afternoon sunlight like he can. A quick dash is all I can manage. And I need blood…I can’t do that energy drain thing.”

“Please tell me that Heinrich and William sleep until sundown.”

“Well usually they’re up around five.” He smiled at my obvious irritation. “Do you want me to stay downstairs for awhile?”

I had an idea. “Actually, you can help. We have more guests comi
ng. How are you with a vacuum?”

“I guess we’ll find out today.” Sasha grinned and seemed happy to be asked to join us. That s
mile might disappear when I tell him to clean the bathroom. I snickered and directed him to the broom closet.

“It should be another entertaining evening,” said Garrett
mischievously nuzzling my ear.

I narrowed my eyes and put my fists on my hips in mock annoyance. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Would you rather dust or make up beds?”

Chapter Twenty-four

We finished in about fifteen minutes due to mind boggling vampire speed and the fact that Liam had managed to keep the upstairs fully stocked and sparkling clean. The three bedrooms were lovely and there were two full bathrooms and a common room with a large flat screen TV and comfy couches and chairs. There was a balcony which overlooked the woods off the common room and a small fridge which we stocked with water bottles, beer and soda. There was also a piano.

“Why don’t we move it downstairs near your violin and guitar? There’s plenty of room. Aaron can come over and the two of you can entertain us.” I thought that this was one of my best ideas ever. I’d loved it when he’d played for me an
d he seemed to have enjoyed it so much himself.

“How do you propose we get it down there?” Garrett was smiling.

“What does it take for four strong vampires to move a piano down a flight of stairs?”

Sasha chuckled. “That sounds like the opening line to a joke. Hmmm, let
's see. How about this for the punch line: the blood of three shifters?”  His fangs were poking out.

“I think a better punch line would be ‘The threat of being staked outside in th
e sun’.” He shrugged sheepishly.

Garrett was laughing. “How about we leave the piano up here and I walk upstairs carrying the violin
or guitar?” We all laughed, agreeing that was the best idea.

At 5
:00 PM we heard the two cars pull up.  I opened the door and got lifted into Ethan’s arms and kissed enthusiastically on the forehead. “I was worried about you. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

I kissed him back on the cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m as good as new.”

“Better.” Sinc said as she waltzed into the room. “How are you
, Jackie? “ She hugged me and then looked me over. “You seem a little tired. Are you sleeping okay? I have some great bath salts that you can put in the tub to relax you. Works wonders.”

“Hey Ethan, can you give me some help out here?” Kyle was trying t
o carry in as much of the luggage as he could.

Sasha was a blur as he moved through the door and then back into the foyer carrying four suitcases. Kyle followed behind with the rest of the bags. “Thanks.” He put down the luggage and st
uck out his hand toward Sasha. ”I’m Kyle.”

“Sasha,” he said as he shook Kyle’s hand and smiled, taking in a slow deep breath and licking his bottom lip. Kyle laughed a
t Sasha’s blatant come-on, taking back his hand and shaking his head. “Sorry, man. I’m mated and I’m definitely not a donor.”

Ethan walked over and extended his hand, all the while keeping an ar
m wrapped tightly around Sinc. “I’m Ethan and I think you've met Sinc. We’re together.” Ethan wasn’t going to put up with any of Sasha’s shit either.

Taking the hint, Sasha
shook Ethan’s hand firmly and then bowed slightly to Sinc. “Hello Ethan. Sinc, it’s nice to see you again.” He looked from one to the other breathing in deeply, and then sighed, a little disappointed.

Garre
tt snapped him out of it. “Sash, downstairs please, now. I'll be down in a few minutes. When the others get up you can all go out to feed.” Sasha nodded, grinning again, and headed for the stairs. Garrett winked at me and then left to make some calls from his office.

“
He’s
living in your basement?” Sinc asked, ignoring Ethan's scowl. She was staring after Sash, who'd taken his time leaving the room. Definite eye candy.

Okay, s
o this was a good time for a talk. “Could you put everything down and sit for a minute?” They made themselves comfortable, looking at me curiously.

“
Garrett has full control over his nest, but you need to use your heads when you’re around them, especially that one. Francois, Eleanor’s maker, has a very powerful seductive charisma. Eleanor inherited it from him and she passed on that power to Garrett and Sasha, The other two vamps didn't inherit that particular gift, but they're all fond of shifter blood. Heinrich is enormous but very polite and respectful. William seems nerdy and sweet, but you can never underestimate any of them. They can rip out your heart in a flash. Garrett will kill them for it, but you’d already be dead."