“So you think this might help me survive the change to... whatever you call yourselves?”
“Braden is a Dire Were,” Kade said. “So you will be too.”
“We don’t know if being Cryptid will help for sure, but it can’t hurt,” Cara interjected. “Although there is another minor problem.”
“Great. Like we’ve had a shortage.” Jessie rubbed at her face. Exhaustion was making her punchy. “All right, hit me.”
“Braden has claimed you.” Kade peeled his lips back from his teeth.
“Yeah, you said that. He bit me.”
“No, heclaimedyou,” Kade spat the words through a clenched jaw. “When a Were bites a human, they are bonded to that Were.”
The big guy seemed agitated. “Bonded?” Jessie had a sinking feeling. “What does that mean?”
Cara peered into her cup. “Individual variations in the virus bonds the human to the Were that bit them. It means they will be attracted. Strongly.”
“Oh, effing hell.” Part of Jessie was horrified. The other part of her was relieved to have her reaction explained. She looked at Kade. It only explainedsomeof her Were fascination. “Is there any way around it? I don’t want to be attracted to that bastard.” The thought made her blood run cold.
At least, she hoped it did.
“He has to die,” Kade growled, his eyes flashing gold. His canines dropped.
The glimpse of his predator sent a chill racing down Jessie’s spine. Or a thrill. She wasn’t sure which.
“Get a grip, Kade,” Cara admonished. “You shift here, and you’ll upset the cats and bust up the place. Use yourinsidebody.”
The little grandmotherly type had more power than Jessie assumed. Big-bad-growly guy grimaced, but he closed his eyes and made the effort to put his beast back in the box. Jessie stared at Cara in astonishment.
The woman seemed so ageless. What kind of monster was she?
Something rang in the silence. Cara fumbled at one of her pockets and pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened as she noted the number and pushed the button.
“Zach?” She frowned at the silence that followed his acknowledgment, her eyes going distant. It took her a moment to add, “Where are you?”
Jessie heard the person on the other end. Which was strange because it wasn’t set on speaker phone. It startled her to recognize the voice, although it was higher pitched than she remembered, and it broke after the first few words. “I’m at the police station. They found Jessie’s car at my place. I don’t know how it got there. But they’re putting me into a lineup.”
Zach? Was thatherZach? Her gut twisted. How did Zach know Cara? The police thought he was in the middle of all this...
Zach continued. “This might take some time. I hate to ask this, but can you check on the farm? The horses need feeding, and their water should be topped up. Willow’s loose. Spike is shut in the barn.” The sentences were rapid-fire. “I don’t know how long the police will be there—”
“Lineup? What kind of lineup?” Cara seemed surprised.
“They want to see if those women recognize me. They think I had something to do with the kidnapping.” His voice broke.
Jessie swallowed. If it was an act, it was a damned good one.
Kade rumbled a growl from the chair. He must be listening in as well.
Zach continued. “They can’t find Jessie or Sarah. Neither are answering their phones. I hope they’re okay.”
Kade stiffened. He rose and strode into the other room.
Cara was quick to reassure, at least as far as she was able. “Jessie’s fine, Zach. She’s with me.”
Silence. “She’s with you?” His confusion was obvious.
“I’ll explain later.” Cara hesitated a moment, as though thinking, her gaze once again going distant.
