“Zach, don’t be so damned stupid.” Cara’s face reflected something he’d never seen before. Annoyance.
Stupid? Fine. He was so outta there. Zach launched himself off the bed and down the stairs.
Jessie followed him. “Zach, wait.”
He kept going. And ran smack into Millie at the bottom.
“Sounds like congratulations are in order.” Then she got a good look at Zach’s face, and her eyes widened.
The interruption gave Kade a chance to catch up. And get between Zach and the door.
“You need to talk to her,” Kade rumbled as Millie backed away. His eyes were pure cat.
“Get the hell out of my way,” Zach threatened with every syllable. He knew what he could do now.
“Dammit, Zach.” Jessie came up behind him. “Don’t you feel it?”
“Feel what?”
She tilted her head, but her brows drew down. “The link. At the valley. And here, today. Between me, and you, and Kade.”
Zach swallowed. “What about it?”
Jessie recoiled as if he’d struck her. “It means nothing to you?”
Zach’s voice rose. “I drop these walls, and I link to you. To him. To everyone within range. It’s my schtick. My bloody cross to bear. And if I could get rid of it, I would, in an instant.”
Jessie’s eyes narrowed. “This link is different, Zach. Can’t you feel it?”
“I feel too damned much.” He pulled away.
“Don’t you want to join us?”
Zach’s brows lowered as he looked from her to Kade. “We can’t always have what we want. And there is no way you want me in on this.”
Kade had gone completely rigid. “This is fated, Zach. I believe it.”
“That’s not a yes. And I don’t believe in Fate.” He shook his head. “I just want to be left alone.” He glared up at Kade. “You have three seconds to move.”
Kade’s eyes had gone molten, and they flickered, as though Jessie was talking to him in his head.
Zach let his talent loose. Just a tiny bit. Enoughangerto make Kade flinch.
“Get. Out. Of. My. Way.” The words were a rumble worthy of a Sabre.
“You are a fool, Zach Thomas.” Kade stepped aside.
Zach fled. Through the kitchen, out the back door, and past the garden. He shoved through the gate so hard it slammed against the fence.
Seconds later, he was in his truck. Staring out the window.
Well, that had gone about as well as he’d expected.
A meow from beside him. He looked at Buffy. “How the hell did you get in here? Get out.”
The cat made a point of sitting, folding her bushy tail around her forepaws. Her blue eyes never left his face.
Zach could throw the cat out. But none of this was Buffy’s fault. Or Cara’s. Or, if he were to be honest, Jessie’s. He’d love to blame Kade. Maybe the only true culprit here was Fate.
