“There hasn’t been a modern-day census, although the council always gabs about it,” Kitani offered. “Considering the interbreeding they’ve done with humans, it would be difficult as hell to do.”
Jessie swallowed. How many did she unknowingly work side by side with?
Zach shifted his feet restlessly. “I could tell when Braden contacted his Dire Weres. They were suddenly intent. Determined.”
The room had gone dead quiet. All eyes were on Zach, and Jessie sensed their surprise.
“There is a reason that Empaths were valued during times of war,” Cara said into the silence. “No one can hide from them.” She shook her head. “But you, my young friend, are more powerful than you know.”
Kade rumbled, his eyes flaring.
Zach avoided the older woman’s gaze. “I had Jessie’s help. Don’t know if I’d have sensed all that without her.”
Jessie wondered at that. She hadn’t been with him for the entire time. Zach had done some of it on his own.
“Well, twenty you didn’t see. And at least twenty you did, adds up to far too many.” Kitani’s eyes narrowed. “And we have a civilian out there that he’ll be coming for. That we can’t bring here. So while we try this blood injection thing, we need to hold him off. We have to keep him from getting the women.” Her eyes drifted to Cody. “Don’t suppose we could recruit any scaly help on this?”
Cody shook his dark head. “I can ask. But the Dragon Weres consider Dire troubles to be a council issue. They aren’t likely to get involved.”
Jessie’s mouth dropped open as she stared at the tall Sabre.Dragons?Did he just say that?
Cara pushed her braids off her face with a musical tinkling noise. “The risk is too high. People tend to notice gigantic flying critters. They won’t get involved in this. And we have another issue. We’ve shown our hand.” Cara grimaced. “If Braden didn’t know before, he might guess now. Jessie is an Amp. And he’ll likely figure Zach out too.”
Zach fidgeted as Cara stared at him, before offering, “He knows.”
Jessie remembered the way Braden had come after them. “Yeah, I think he does.”
Cara’s brows rose. “The question then is, will he care?”
Zach frowned. “Why would he? We tried using what I have to find him. Now we know he’s too well protected to go after. I’m no threat to him.”
Kade had been listening, his brows drawn low. Now he growled, “He’s right. He wants Jessie. It’s her and Laura he’ll come after.”
“He’d be stupid not to care about Zach,” Cara corrected. “Empaths can do so much more than just read emotions.” She glanced at Jessie. “And we have the means to take what he can do, and amplify it.”
Jessie frowned. “What do you mean?”
Kade rubbed a hand through his shaggy tufts of hair. “If you have an idea, old woman, please spit it out. I’m too damned sore for games.”
Cara beamed at him. “Our protection plan is Zach.”
20
“What?” Zach stared at Cara, his heart suddenly racing.
Kade rolled his eyes. “How is he going to protect them?”
The other Sabres looked from Zach to Kade, and then to Cara. And waited. Zach didn’t think he was going to like this. Not one bit.
A suspicion confirmed when Cara sat up tall and lifted her chin in her I’m-about-to-impart-earth-shattering-information pose. “At one time, Empaths were almost purged from the population when humans discovered what they could do.”
Kitani snorted. “Well, no one wants a stranger snooping through their emotions,” she noted. “It would be quite the advantage to know if your enemy was afraid.”
“It wasn’t that. Or rather, wasn’t just that,” Cara said. “Empaths can read intent, as well. Just like Zach could tell those Dires were targeting your group. And most importantly, powerful Empaths not only read emotion. Theyprojectit.”
They all stared.
Kade snarled, “Yeah, he lets us all know when he’s pissed. But so what?”
