One in three. “Bloody effing hell.” He’d picked the extra addition up from a certain redhead.
“Yeah,” Kade agreed. “But she’s not human. Cryptids are tough. It’ll help.”
“If she makes it, Braden wants to have children with her? But Cara said that Weres often die in childbirth.”
The huge form behind the wheel rumbled. It came from somewhere deep inside, and when Kade pulled his lips back from his teeth, his canines lengthened. Theangerandpainspiking off the big Were made Zach’s heart accelerate.
“Yeah. They do. Now, shut the eff up for a bit. I need to think.”
Buffy had gone rigid in his lap, blue eyes wide as she stared at Kade. Talk about pushing buttons that could get him killed... Zach’s fingers curled deep into the cat’s fur. He turned his head away to watch the houses scroll past the windows. To push the Were’s emotions out of his head, he reached for those of strangers instead.
The surge ofloveas a new baby was being held in the arms of its mother. Another motherexasperatedthat her child wouldn’t go to bed. A man wrestling with hisdepressionas he returned home to an empty house.
Buffy had relaxed again and started to purr. The human lives rolled through Zach’s brain as he rested his forehead against the window and closed his eyes.
* * *
Kade pulled Neil’s truck up in the farmyard and looked around.
Horses, in a corral. They were already staring at him, sensing the predator in the vehicle. Equines were especially sensitive to Were energy. A small, shaggy donkey stood near them, regarding him with big blue eyes.
Another of Cara’s. What was its name? Then it came to him. Willow. Another vampire slayer character, although much less dramatic than Buffy. He’d almost choked when Cara had given the cat’s name to Zach—Buffy. As if a little ball of fluff deserved that name. Isa had also loved that show. She’d thought that Sarah Michelle Geller’s character kicked serious ass.
A deep bark drew his attention to the large dog running toward the truck. It got to within twenty feet and stopped dead. Stared at him. Its lips curled into a snarl.
Kade couldn’t help himself. He snarled back.
The dog’s tail lowered, and it backed away, its hackles standing on end.
“Hey. Leave my dog alone.”
Kade turned toward his passenger, aware that his eyes were likely glowing. Zach didn’t even flinch. Instead he glared back at him. A glimmer of respect germinated. Most would have exited the truck in a hurry. Maybe the guy had a backbone after all.
That did not make him worthy of Jessie.
The thought popped up unbidden, and Kade brutally squelched it. He sensed eyes on him, and dropped his gaze to the cat, sitting in Zach’s lap. Buffy stared at him. Was the recrimination his imagination? For just an instant, Cara’s baby blues overlapped those of the cat’s.
Okay. For her, he’d behave. But he didn’t have to play nice.
“I’m going to have a sniff around. You got an extra bunk for me?”
Zach’s eyes widened. “Bunk? You aren’t staying.”
“Yeah, I am. Have to relieve Trevor. He’s gotta be hungry by now. Don’t want him eating your dog.” When Zach glowered at him, Kade relented a bit. “Cara’s worried Braden might try something.”
“Yeah, yeah. He already planted the damned car. What does he have left? Pinning a bloodied tee shirt to my trees?”
Kade snorted. “He might up the ante.”
The brown eyebrows had lowered. Green eyes glinted at him. “Why would he come after me? He’s gone to a lot of trouble to frame me with the cops.”
“He didn’t know what you are. Your little stunt with Jessie might have tipped him off. We can’t take the chance that he’s decided to acquire himself an Empath.”
“What the hell good would that do?” Zach grimaced. “My talent’s more a pain in the ass than useful.”
“You found the women.” He’d done so much more than that. If Zach hadn’t found them, Braden’s little plan would have gone off without Kade knowing anything about it.
“That was a fluke.”
