Bitten to Death

Chapter Eighteen

I laughed. Actually, it started as more of a giggle that grew. Because my mind went straight to the gutter. And I always crack up at the worst possible moments. I’m the only person I know who tee-hees during eulogies. Can’t help it, my mind always comes up with the oddest images.

Krios must’ve started to feel stupid manhandling a hysterically cackling female, because he let me go. Which caused Vayl to abruptly bank the powers he’d pulled up the second Krios began to threaten me.

“Trayton’s okay,” I finally managed. “He’s inside, healing up. That’s why you smell him on me. In me. Whatever. I gave him some blood after one of the vamps shot him.” Whoops, wrong choice of words. The pack didn’t quite growl, and humans can barely pull off bristling. But, yeah, my words had just stirred up a whole pot of what-the-fuck? I stopped laughing. Hell, I practically stopped breathing. Suddenly I just wanted to bring the world to a screeching halt so I could put all the pieces back where they belonged.

I spoke slowly, so maybe I wouldn’t screw anything else up today. And because I was suddenly exhausted. “I think you can’t sense him because that villa is wrapped with Vampere power. But Trayton has made me a member of this pack. So I’d appreciate it if you’d at least stop treating me and my sverhamin like you want to bite our heads off.”

Krios gave Vayl the once-over, decided all he deserved at this point was a nod, and went on with the third degree. “Why is he in there?”

My shoulders dropped. Realizing my brain would not spit out a decent lie until I’d had some real rest, I told the truth. “They lured him there to fight a werebear. He was nearly killed, but I found him an ally inside who’s nursing him back to health.”

“We want him back,” said Krios.

“And then we’re going to kill those sons of bitches!” yelled one of his pack, a brawny dockworker type whose shoulders were almost as wide as he was tall. His pronouncement was followed by a roar of approval from the rest of the Weres, one Krios did nothing to discourage.

“You don’t have the strength,” I said, hoping it was true. “The vamps would never have had the Sonrhain if they’d thought it would really threaten the Trust.” I let the mutters of outrage and denial die down before I went on. “Listen, this whole mess is because of their new Deyrar, Disa. You can bet your asses the werebears aren’t any happier than you are. But they’ve promised not to move on the Trust until at least next week.”

“Why?” Dockworker demanded.

“Ask them,” I said.

“I can do that!” Phoebe volunteered.

“First things first,” said Krios. “We want Trayton back.”

“No problem,” I said, wondering if I was setting myself up for disaster by uttering those karma-tempting words. “I’ll bring him out to you in the morning, when the vampires have gone down for the day.”

“I don’t trust her!” yelled Dockworker.

“Then you’re a fool!” I shouted right back. “I picked your buddy up off the floor after giving him my own blood.” And letting him make me into a friend. Like I need friends. Which I don’t!

“Just so you understand, he’s mine,” insisted Phoebe.

“You got a glitch, there, Pheebes?” I asked her. “Because I’m pretty sure we’ve been over this.”

“Wolves mate for life,” she informed me. “It’s important for you to understand that he’s already chosen his mate.”

I looked up at Vayl, who’d remained silent through this whole exchange. “Did you hear that, boss? Wolves mate for life.”

“And Trayton has made you an honorary wolf.”

“Huh.” I looked at Krios. “Am I in this pack, or not?”

He spent some time silently communing with his people. More time while each of them came up to sniff me. Damned unnerving considering how easily they could tear me apart. Force another change on me that I honestly didn’t know if I could stand. “You are pack. But bottom tier,” he warned me. “No power. No vote.”

“Fine.” I looked up at Vayl and smiled, my face actually hurting from using muscles I hadn’t worked out in too long. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“This is so bizarre.”

“You’re telling me!”

“However . . .”

“It’s worth a try.” I turned to Krios. “Listen, you guys need to get out of here. A couple of the Trust vamps are out looking for you right now. And even though one of them is trying his best to avoid you, they still might stumble on to you. Where do you want me to drop Trayton off?”

We agreed to meet at a cemetery located in the oldest part of town around ten the following morning. As soon as the last of them disappeared into the trees, Vayl and I hurried back to Niall’s room to ask Trayton how werewolves worked out the mating ceremony. On the face of it, you wouldn’t think it would cancel out a Vampere binding. But, then, we weren’t discussing a math problem. Our idea was so strange, it just might work.