Claimed

Chapter 15

Emma leaned against the old pine tree and dug her shoes into the dirt, her gaze on the empty tarmac. The cement sparkled in the sun, returning waves of heat to the bleached white sky. The helicopters had lifted into the air with barely a swish of sound, taking Dage to war. To blood and death.

Her hands trembled and she sought her center. The cool forest behind her failed to provide the peace her sister always found in such depths. While Cara had sought safety from their father in the trees and bushes, Emma had often left a safe haven to put herself in front of the monster who’d raised them so he’d hit her instead of little Cara or their lost, beaten mother. Emma had sought counseling in college and understood her anger toward both parents was normal. But sometimes memories still clawed at her.

The door to the residence opened and Devon hustled out, his hands full of papers and his glasses askew on his face. With a wary glance at the huge soldier accompanying him, he hurried toward her. “Dr. Paulsen? Something’s not right.” He shoved a piece of paper in her hands.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Paulsen.” The soldier’s gravelly voice rumbled with irritation. “This guy insisted we find you.”

“That’s all right.” She glanced down, quickly reading the paper. Damn it. Devon wasn’t to have seen this. “What is this?”’

“I found it with the new cancer data.” Devon shrugged. “There’s a clear genetic profile of something with more than twenty-three chromosomes. There are thirty here.”

She cocked her head to the side, attempting to settle her racing heart. Would the vampires harm a human who held too much knowledge? “Well, since that’s impossible, what logical solution could there be?” She forced a grin.

Devon exhaled. “Seriously. Someone’s playing a joke?”

“What else could it be?” She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head. “You totally fell for it.”

“Dang it.” He laughed, the sound filled with relief. “I did not fall for it. I was just afraid someone on my team royally screwed up. A joke, huh?” He rubbed his chin. “I’ll bet it was Sandy. She’s been working so hard on the proteins that I’m sure she needed a break.” A blush filled his high cheekbones. “She’s got such a great sense of humor.”

“Yeah, she does.” The scientist was in love, no doubt about that.

He glanced with resignation at the silent soldier. “All right. I’ll head back to work.”

Emma kept hold of the papers. “Sounds good. “I’ll meet you in the lab later today.” She didn’t allow worry to cross her face until the soldier had escorted Devon around the building to the public side of the lab. She needed to be more careful with her data.

Her knees felt weighted. She sighed, her mind spinning. The residence door opened again and Janie skipped out, the formidable Max on her heels. Spotting Emma, he gave a short nod and pressed his back into the wooden siding.

Janie shouted in recognition and ran in new electric pink tennis shoes toward her aunt. Clouds of dust rose along the small path.

Emma tilted her head, stunned once again by the beauty of the little girl dashing through the sunshine. Blue eyes sparkled with a clarity that only came from a pure soul, and tiny patrician features lifted in joy. Light brown ringlets cascaded around her delicate shoulders. Shoulders that would one day carry the fate of the world. She smiled and tiny white baby teeth flashed.

Baby teeth.

Determination crashed through Emma with a strength that snapped her spine in place. She was here for a reason. To protect the child. And she would.

“Auntie Emma,” Janie yelped, throwing both arms around her middle.

“Hi pretty girl,” Emma murmured, returning the hug. Sweet powder wafted up.

The little girl leaned back. “Don’t worry ’bout Uncle Dage. He’s fine.”

Was he, now? Emma slid down to sit, allowing the shade to cool her. A soft tug had Janie perching next to her. “Have a vision, did we?”

“Nope.” Janie reached out and plucked a stick from the ground, drawing a happy face in the dirt. “Sometimes I just know stuff. Like ...”

“Like what?” Emma brushed wild curls off her niece’s face.

“Like you’re about to have a vision, Auntie.” The cheerful smile failed to match the serious adult glint in those otherworldly eyes.

“Really? Well, maybe we should go get some ice cream first.” Ice cream sounded good. With chocolate syrup.

“Nah. Let’s stay here.” Janie patted her knee. “On the ground.”

Emma smiled. “No, let’s ...” Nausea washed through her. The tree swayed behind her. “Hey—” Pain slashed into her brain, and she shut her eyes before they could shoot out of her head. An image of Janie came into focus—a Janie at least two decades older. Beautiful, feminine, and strong. A carved out hall, firelight, and groups of men. A symposium of sorts. A murmur of voices and then ... an explosion. Fire.

She shook her head to escape the smell of burning flesh. Her eyes opened wide on her niece.

“It’s okay. I get out.” Janie reached up and wiped tears off Emma’s face. “I’m pretty sure.”

A dull ache set up in Emma’s neck and she groaned.

Janie brushed two fingers across Emma’s throat. The pain wafted away.

What the hell? Emma frowned, focusing on the little girl. “How did you make the pain go away?” Janie’s eyes were clear and her color healthy—she didn’t hurt.

Janie shrugged. “Dunno. Just did.”

“Does your head hurt?”

“Nope.” She grabbed her stick to scratch a puppy into the ground. “Did you see Zane in the vision? He sat across the fire from me.”

“Zane? No, I don’t think so.” The puppy stared back at Emma with big eyes, providing no answers. “Are you sure you get out?”

“Yep. We all do.” A cat began to take shape next to the dog. “Zane reminds me of Uncle Dage as a grown-up.”

“Because he’s big?” Her niece could do worse than the King of the Realm. Maybe Emma should try to track this mysterious Zane down.

“Yeah. The black glow around Uncle Dage’s skin sometimes will try and swallow Zane when he’s a grown-up.” Janie tried to straighten the cat’s triangular ears. She sighed. “I think I’m ’posta stop it.”

Dark edge? “You mean their auras?” Did auras really exist? Emma needed to buy a book on those to keep up with Janie. And how the hell was Janie supposed to fight with dark glows?

The little girl shrugged. “Dunno. It’s something I see sometimes.”

“Do I have an edge?”

“Yep. Bright blue. Like Mama’s.”

“So you know that. And you knew I was about to have a vision.” One that freakin’ hurt. “But you don’t know how you know.”

“Nope.”

The cat looked like a rabid mouse. “Okay. So, what else do you know?”

Janie pursed her lips, cocking her head to the side. She glanced back toward Max. “Katie’s coming out and she needs a favor.”

The door opened and the young lioness glided into the sun.

“Can you read minds, Janie?” Awareness tickled down Emma’s spine.

The little girl wrinkled her nose. “Nope. Sometimes I just know stuff.”

Katie strode forward, her petite form in tight faded jeans and a white hoodie. Dark circles appeared like bruises under her tawny eyes, and her flawless skin was so pale it reflected the sun. “Emma. I was looking for you.”

Emma smiled and swept her hand toward the nearest tree. “Have a seat. We’re just talking here.”

Katie faltered and then shrugged, sliding down to sit. “So. What’s going on?”

“Not much. Just enjoying the fall day,” Emma said.

“Yeah,” Janie chirped up. “Katie’s mad at Jordan, Auntie Emma.”

“Yes.” Katie’s nostrils flared and a trembling smile lifted her lips. “I’ve loved Jordan since I was four years old, and he’s never even looked twice at me.”

Emma frowned. That certainly wasn’t true. She’d only been around the shifters a short time, but Jordan had it bad for Katie. “I think you’re wrong.”

“No.” Katie shook her head and honey-blond hair flew. “I’m not. Now this has happened, now I can’t shift, and he thinks we should mate. That I’ll get my shifting abilities back if we do.”

“Oh my.” Emma glanced again at Janie’s puppy, her mind spinning. “Well, that might work actually.” Who the hell knew? The virus hadn’t even been completely mapped yet.

“If it doesn’t?” Katie’s eyes darkened to deep brown. “The leader of our pride will have mated with someone who can’t shift. Ever.” She grabbed a rock and threw it across the path to land with a hard thunk against a tree. “Besides. I’d rather not be a pity fu—” She glanced at Janie and cleared her throat. “A pity marriage.”

The door next to Max swung open, and Cara poked her head outside. “Janet Isabella? Come eat lunch and then we need a nap.” She gave a wave to Emma and Katie, leaning back against the doorframe.

Emma waved back and hid her concern, helping Janie to stand. “Anything else I should know, little wise one?”

Janie grinned. “That’s e’nuff for now.” She hopped, skipped, and then ran for her mother, who enfolded her in a big hug before drawing her inside the building. Max nodded at Emma and followed them inside.

Katie chuckled, her gaze on the closed metal door. “It’s a damn good thing she’s on our side, now isn’t it?”

A breeze filtered through the trees and pine needles rained down. Emma brushed one off her legs. “No question about that.” The girl’s abilities were astonishing. “You know, I just don’t understand why your species hasn’t allied with humans through the years. We could have so many more trained, medical minds working on this problem right now.” Cara was getting sicker every day. They needed help.

Katie lifted both eyebrows. “Seriously? Remember your history? Through the years humans have hunted and destroyed any race they felt was more powerful. Even so called witches in Salem.” She sighed. “If your government had any idea I existed right now, I’d be hooked up to machines and studied—against my will.”

Emma shrugged against the unease tickling her nape. “We’re not all like that, Katie.”

“I know.” She looked at Emma. “But even you have wondered about our abilities, if the science involved could be applied to cure human frailties. Human illnesses.”

“Well sure. I want to ease pain and suffering as well as curing diseases.”

“What then?” Katie grabbed another rock. “The planet isn’t big enough for humans to be immortal too, Emma.”

Emma shook her head, not wanting to debate the issue. “Okay. So Janie said you needed a favor?”

“Um, yes. You’ve isolated the catalyst, right?”

Shit. “Yes.”

“I, uh, want you to infect me with the catalyst.” Katie set her trembling lips in a firm line.

Emma huffed out a breath. “You’re unwilling to let my government experiment on you, yet you want me to do it?”

Katie’s eyes flashed topaz. “First of all, they’re not your government any more. You’re the Queen of the Realm, and your husband leads your new government. Second, you know I’m right. The virus takes away the shifter’s ability to shift. We know from watching Maggie that the catalyst speeds up the virus so the shifter’s body begins to fight.”

“If the shifter’s body loses, he or she might shift into a werewolf,” Emma hissed. Oh God. Katie wasn’t really asking her do to this, was she?

“But the virus doesn’t work completely. So far Maggie has been able to shift back into her true wolf form instead, and the catalyst has given her the ability to do so.”

Emma sucked in a deep breath. “We don’t know that. In fact, we have no idea how long Maggie’s been infected. Maybe the virus just reached a point, catalyst or not, where her body produced enough antibodies to fight it.” Emma should start wearing a hat saying, WE JUST DON’T KNOW. She bit her lip. “And Katie, we have no idea how the catalyst would work on a lion shifter, and you in particular. You might turn into a werewolf. Or you might just die.”

“I’m willing to take the chance.”

The woman had a right to choose. “I understand. But it’s way too early to take a chance like that.” Emma held up a hand when Katie opened her mouth to protest. “I’m not saying no. There’s a process to follow in this. First, we need to see if Maggie survives the next full moon. We also need to give your body time to start creating antibodies.” She reached out and clasped Katie’s arm. “You might be able to beat the illness without any more help. It’s just a virus. There’s a chance your body will heal itself.”

Katie inhaled so deeply her shoulders lifted two inches. “I know.”

Emma released her friend. “I already have been conducting experiments on your blood and the catalyst.”

Katie quirked a lip. “You were a step ahead of me, huh?”

Emma shrugged. “We need all the knowledge we can get.” She stretched her neck. “You have time. You don’t need to make any costly mistakes.”

“You don’t know we have time. The progression of this thing could always speed up.”

“You’re right. Though the risk is too dangerous.”

“I’ll wait until after Maggie beats the third full moon before asking for the catalyst again. Afterward, if it doesn’t work, I’ll need your help getting away from Jordan.”

Emma straightened up. “Are you in danger? I mean, are you afraid of Jordan?”

Katie shut her eyes, shaking her head. “No.” Opening them, they filled with tears. “I can’t stay.” Her voice choked on each word. “Not like this.” She gestured at her body.

The woman’s pain echoed through the air. “How could I help if you decide to run?” Emma whispered.

Kate grabbed and threw another rock. “You’re the queen. I’ll need transportation and a head start.”

Emma sighed. “You just said you loved the man. Shouldn’t you fight for him?”

Kate shook her head. “Not like this. Not half of what I was. Half of what he could’ve loved but never did.” She picked up the discarded stick and began to trace a fierce outline of a lion into the dirt. “Though, I did think, I mean, what the heck. How about one night, you know?”

Emma huffed out a laugh. “One night with Jordan? Before you leave?”

“Yeah. You know. Just a night of great sex—no mating. Something to keep me warm forever.” A dark blush competed with the sleepless circles on Katie’s face.

More laughter bubbled up and Emma let it loose. “That was my plan, too.” She sucked in air and fought the tears of hilarity that welled up. “One time. Just one night with Dage.” She wiped her eyes.

Katie pressed her head back against the tree. “I take it your plan didn’t work out quite that way?”

“Um, no.” Emma shook her head and sighed. “You let a guy like that under your skin, into your heart, and once is never enough.” She kicked a pebble. “There’s never enough.” His blood flowed through her veins and her heart beat in tempo with his.

Dust billowed when Katie tossed the stick back down. “Yeah. You probably think I’m pretty stupid, huh?”

“No.” Emma leaned back against her tree. “I think you’re human. Lost and searching like the rest of us.”

“That sucks. And ... neither you nor I are human, Emma.”

She hadn’t truly let herself consider that fact. “Katie, what about my vision? I told you about seeing you running through some alley, angry and scared.”

“Yeah, you did.” Tawny eyes sparkled for a moment. “I’m not worried, Emma. Even without the ability to shift, I’m a hell of a fighter. If someone chooses to chase me through an alley, they’re going to get hurt.”

Emma smiled. “Katie, I need you here for now. I need your blood to keep an eye on the progression of the virus.” She cleared her throat. “I also want to learn to fight—if you wouldn’t mind giving me a few lessons.” The karate classes she’d taken in college seemed so far in the past.

Katie sighed. “I’d be happy to teach you self-defense.” She stood, brushing off her jeans. “Okay. I’ll stay for a while, but when the time comes, I want the injection. And when I need to leave, I’m gone.”

Emma nodded, pushing to her feet. “I’ll help you, Katie. You know I will.” God help them both.