Her eyes opened. “Go ahead.”
“If I took the Sabre blood, would it turn me into a Sabre?”
He read the answer in her eyes. “I’m afraid that it wouldn’t be strong enough. My experiments with the women haven’t turned out as I’d hoped.”
Zach’s heart hit bottom. She confirmed his worst fears, and the blood working on him had also been an outside chance.
“I’d hoped the blood would work,” Cara whispered. And Zach was once again reminded that there was far more than his possible future with Jessie at stake. That the Sabres needed something to work, or they would no longer walk the Earth.
“I’m sorry, Zach. I wish I had answers for you. But I don’t.”
None of this was Cara’s fault. She was trying to help everyone. The anger he’d locked inside threatened to burst free. Before it did so, he nodded and left. Spike, still waving his tail at Cara, followed him into the kitchen and out the door.
The sky had lightened, but the heavy clouds promised rain. For once, the weather mirrored Zach’s mood. He hauled a bale out from the hay shed and carried it to the corral. The bale had weight to it today. He was tired.
Tucker nickered appreciatively at the food and buried his nose in deep. But Storm came over to stand with him. She whiffled his face. Her breath was warm and smelled of hay. Slightly sweet. Earthy.
He reached out and scratched her, finding a spot he’d missed with the brush. She leaned into it. Was this the same mare who’d tried to kill him?
Jessie. Jessie had opened a door in Storm’s heart too.
Zach shoved the thought aside. Storm snorted at him and poked him with her nose. Despite the emotions that spiked and jagged from him, she stayed. Meanwhile, Tucker shook his head and moved to the far side of the hay pile.
She was a boss mare. Part of her responsibility was to keep every member of her herd balanced and stable. Zach was fortunate she wasn’t trying to do it with a stern nip. Although, if he didn’t shape up, it might come to that.
Storm was the strongest horse personality he’d ever worked with. It had nearly been her downfall. Through the long list of humans striving to bend her to their will, had anyone paused to listen? That Jessie had managed to get through to her said that someone had. Likely a woman. Yet somehow, the mare had ended up one step away from becoming pet food.
Zach shook his head. What a waste. Storm had so much to teach a person. Right now, she was reminding Zach that life would go on. That all this would be over, and the sun would still shine.
Or not. The first raindrops heralded a storm. Zach sighed and turned back toward the house. His ordeal wasn’t yet over. But it would be. Soon.
He’d almost reached the porch when all hell broke loose.
* * *
This time, the forest held no joy.
The fact Jessie was here at all meant Braden was too. Cara’s protections weren’t enough.
Howls surrounded her. Shadows flitted through the forest. Panting, snarling. Jessie’s heart threatened to pound straight out of her chest. She ran, her legs a blur against the dappled ground, her tongue hanging from her jaws.
With a crash, a huge form appeared beside her. Massive, much bigger than Braden.
Kade.
Like before, his form wasn’t solid. The moonlight shone straight through him as they ran. But he moved closer, and his craggy beast’s head snapped at the air.
The shadows darted through the underbrush. Braden wasn’t alone this time. And the howls—panting, hoarse. Almost obscene in their eagerness. Was this what awaited her if Braden claimed her? Did he, as Laura had hinted, plan to share her among his pack? The thought turned Jessie’s heart to ice.
Something blocked their path. Glowing gold eyes, the twisted, panting grin.
Braden.
Kade lunged at him. For just a second, his big form solidified, and he crashed into Braden, driving him back.
Something nipped at Jessie from behind, and then from the side. She slid to a halt and spun. Shadows. They were only shadows, rough outlines of the Dires’ forms, with moonlit reflection for eyes. But their teeth felt real enough. Another nip, along her flank, had her spinning and snapping at air.
They all smelled like Braden. His scent permeated everything. She had no doubt the shadows were a promise of what was to come.
