Kitani took pity on him. “Each triad sets its own rules. Some don’t even live together. Although most do.” She shook her head. “How did no one tell you all this?”
Zach tapped his fingers vigorously on his thigh. “We were kinda busy. Running. Fighting. Bleeding.” His mind finally registered what she’d said. “We don’t have to live together? I don’t know if Kade and I would survive in the same house.”
Kitani snorted. “Kade is miserable. What he wants doesn’t enter into it. Sometimes friends join a triad. Kade’s last bond brother was his best friend. But not always.”
Zach’s thoughts crashed around. One theme predominated. “We’ll kill each other.”
“A good fight solves many issues,” she said, as though quoting someone. “Ryan and Cody scrap all the time.”
“Ryan and Cody both have claws.”
“You don’t need them.” She waved her fingers in the air. “You have the power of your mind.” She spoke with a flourish, like a circus ringmaster.
“I might kill him.” Zach grimaced.
“Whatever. Just come up with something that works. And do it soon. I’m tired of pussyfooting around them. They’re pathetic.” She stripped off his shirt, and Zach averted his eyes. Kitani was a stunningly beautiful woman. And Cody would likely kill him for even thinking it.
Or try to, anyway.
“Think my job here is done.” Her face lengthened. In the grass, the babies reverted to fuzzy cubs, and cheerfully pounced on each other. When she turned to leave, they tumbled after her.
Zach watched them go. Both Buffy and Willow stared at him with their sparkling blue eyes.
“I suppose you knew all about this?”
Willow moved to drop her boot on his foot, and Storm snorted and shook her head.
Zach sighed. After their last exchange, Kade was more likely to slice Zach in two than talk to him.
If Fate was responsible for this mess, she certainly had a well-developed sense of humor.
* * *
Kade sat in his parked truck among a grove of trees. From here he observed, without being seen.
This latest gig was boring as hell. He already had images of the guy parading around doing yard work when he was supposed to be barely able to walk. He just wanted a few more good shots, and the case should be a wrap.
Sometimes it was hard to keep functioning on a normal plane of existence when there were other, more important, things going on. Like tracking the rogue Warlock who’d been involved in Braden’s mess. But the bastard had vanished, and for the moment, there wasn’t anything Kade could contribute to that search. It was in the hands of the Dragon shifters. He found the big scaley guys arrogant as hell. Jessie would likely say it took one to know one.
His entire body stiffened when the ID flashed on his phone. His first reaction did not bode well for a calm conversation.
Zach had a lot to atone for. Jessie had been a mess ever since Kitani’s delivery. She was too strong to let the world see it. But Kade lived in her head.
He hit the button. “What do you want?”
“Need to talk.”
“Thought you’d said your piece.”
Zach sighed. “Look, Kitani came to see me. She’sset me straight on a few things. Can we just talk?”
Kitani had gone to see him? Damn his sister. She never knew when to leave well enough alone. “I don’t want Jessie seeing you. She’s been hurt enough.”
Silence. Then, “That’s fine. I need to see you alone.”
Kade wasn’t sure this was a good idea. They’d likely end up killing each other.
“Please, Kade.”
