The Sabre sat with his elbows on his knees. His eyes were locked with Storm’s while Tucker paced the fence as far away as possible. But Storm was close to him. Standing four square, ears flat to her head, glaring.
The Were didn’t look up as she approached, although Jessie knew he was aware of her. Instead, he gestured with his chin toward the mare.
“She’s brave,” he grated. His voice was unusually hoarse.
It gave Jessie pause. If there was one thing she’d gleaned from all this, it was that the mate bond was a big deal for Weres. It wasn’t like a marriage, where both parties could walk away. It was for life. Her stomach knotted.
Jessie looked away from him, to where Storm stood. “Cara says she’s a warrior.”
He nodded. “She’s right.” He moved over to make room for her. “Thought I’d see if I can get them used to me. Don’t know about the big guy. She’s afraid too. I can smell it. But be damned if she’s going to show it.” The pale eyes moved to hers. “Kinda reminds me of you.”
The remark shocked her. “I’m not brave,” she said. “I’m afraid a lot, lately.”
“Yet you haven’t bolted. You stand your ground. How is that not brave?” His eyes flared gold as he spoke. Intense.
“It isn’t brave to want to survive,” she pointed out.
“Survival is fight or flight,” he rumbled. “And most flee. But not you.”
“Trust me, if I thought it would work, I’d be running like the wind.”
His face spasmed. “I don’t believe it. It isn’t in you. That day in the house, you came at me with that tiny knife. Bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”
She snorted. “I was shaking all over. Hardly brave.”
You can’t be brave without first being terrified. The two go hand in hand.” He patted the bench beside him. “Sit a spell.”
She sat. Even with him moved to the edge, there wasn’t a lot of room. He was big, even as a human.
“Cara talked to you?”
Jessie nodded. Her gaze returned to Storm. One blue eye. One brown. Both fastened on Kade. The mare shook her head and snorted at Jessie. She almost read the horse’s mind.Avoid-big-bad-meat-eater.
Hewasa predator. All the Sabres were.
“I hate that you’re being forced into this.” Kade rubbed his face. “For the record, I am sorry about Zach. I know you two share a connection.” His voice was as low as she’d ever heard it. It vibrated through her, and something deep inside responded.
Was it the blood? Was it making her resonate to him? Or was she really attracted to him? She’d always thought he was sexy. Just never expected that it would matter. Not like this.
Jessie sighed. “I’m sorry too,” she whispered. “I wish there was a way—”
“There might be, in the future,” Kade said. “But that will be up to him.”
“You’d accept him as part of a triad?” She searched his face, her heart suddenly racing. She’d revealed her decision, even before she’d committed to it herself.
Kade hesitated. “What I accept may not matter. Triads are mysterious things. Wishes are not always granted.”
Jessie nodded. There was a lot of uncertainty about it, no doubt. And she didn’t know if she would become a beast, to share someone with another woman. Zach seemed like a traditional kind of guy. Like Jessie, he was raised human. Humans didn’t normally mate in threes.
“It’s your choice, Jessie,” Kade rumbled softly. “If you’d rather pick another Sabre, I understand.”
Jessie strove for calm, as though she were discussing paint colors and not something that would affect the remainder of her life. “I guess Neil might be interested, since Laura turned him down.”
“Neil’s wrapped up in tracking the other female victim, but I can put someone else on that, if you decide on him.” The tips of Kade’s fangs were showing, and his voice had an edge to it.
“What if I pick Braden?” she asked.
Kade stiffened beside her. He took a moment to answer. “Are you seriously considering him?”
