Well, he’s avoiding us now. So we’ll have to do something.
Kade was right. Since their experience sharing a dream as a triad, Zach had only slept within the shields of the glade. She wanted so badly to talk to him. In person.
Kade sighed in her head.You’re not going to accept this, until you do, are you?
How can I?she replied, as she climbed the back steps and entered the kitchen.You feel it too. I know it. There’s a hole. Without him, something is missing.
He was waiting for her inside the kitchen door. Folded her in his strong arms. Engulfed her in his love. His desire to help.
He also smelled like garlic. Her stomach growled. It had been a long shift.
Kade released her. “Wash up, babe. It’s almost ready.”
“Kade... If Zach is right, and it’s only his ability that’s hooking into the bond, would it matter? Couldn’t he still be part of us?”
He peered into the oven. “I don’t know. Wish I did.”
“If he were Sabre...”
“Cara said she senses an energy between the three of us.” Kade straightened and turned back to her. “It should indicate that if he were Sabre, he would fit as the third part of the triad.” He shook his head. “But could he join us as he is? I don’t know. Doesn’t look like Cara’s books are going to give us that answer, either. And he may not want to become a Sabre.”
But Jessie was already expounding on the idea. “Perhaps injected blood would work if it were fresh.” Her eyes met his. “Not as good as a bite, though. I could do it.”
His eyes lit gold. “Yes. Although, your virus is a mix of Dire and Sabre. Who knows what he’d end up as.”
“Does it matter?”
He cocked his head. “Don’t know.”
“You have the solution to that.” She raised an eyebrow.
Kade’s mouth pulled into a straight line. “That isn’t a light request, and you know it.”
Her gaze didn’t waver.
He sighed. “You’d owe me, big time. And I would need a gallon of mouthwash, afterward.”
Jessie’s eyes lit up. “We could tell Zach that. Maybe he’d decide to go for it.”
Kade rubbed a big hand over his face. “We’ll go this weekend.” His eyes flared gold, briefly. “But he is more stubborn than a Were. It may not change anything. I don’t want you to get your hopes up.”
Kade’s phone vibrated away on the counter.
“Millie needs something.” Jessie rolled her eyes as Kade reached for it. Millie was Kade’s receptionist at the Detective Agency.
Jessie had reached the bottom of the stairs when Kade came flying after her.
Millie—she started.
Wasn’t Millie.He grabbed his truck keys off the table.
Neil?The Sabre was up to his eyeballs in tracking the Dires that had escaped them at the farm, as well as protecting the other female survivor.
Not Neil. It was Cody. Kitani’s gone into labor.
They’d been both anticipating and dreading this for the last couple of weeks. Kitani was overdue. She was staying with Cara until the babies were born. Jessie sensed Kade’s deep-seated fear. She folded her hand into his before following him out the door.
* * *
