Josh paced, his frustration mounting with every step. He hated how the night had turned out. No matter how he looked at the situation, it sucked. Not only had Zoe been hurt, his encounter with Mira would be forever tainted in his memory.
He slammed a balled fist into the cinderblock wall. The sting of his split skin barely registered. That wouldn’t do. Three more solid punches and numbness radiated up his arm. Zoe’s weary sigh only added to his irritation. He resisted the urge to turn around and snap at her. Instead, he planted his palms on the rough surface and hung his head.
“Are you ready to talk?”
He ground his teeth. If he could growl the same way the shifters living around here could, he would’ve. Giving in to the animalistic sound would’ve felt good. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.” He glanced over his shoulder and cursed. Zoe resembled a china doll with her waxy complexion and black hair. The only color on her face came from her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what got into Mira. She’s never done anything like this before.”
Another weary sigh accompanied her eye roll. “Did the sex with your girlfriend leave you stupid?”
“We didn’t have sex, and she’s not—”
“Stop. Not in the mood. Got it?” Zoe waited until he nodded before re-balling the shirt so a dry section showed. With it pressed to her thighs, she peeked at him through the long choppy bangs hanging into her eyes. “You’ve got yourself involved with the woman somehow, no matter what label you slap on it. She’s obviously possessive of you. If she doesn’t normally attack people, it’s the only explanation.”
Possessive. The explanation fit. According to shifter law, he was Devin’s beloved human since Devin was Mira’s guardian, except Mira’s scent seeped from Josh’s pores, not her twin’s. That triggered her animals’ instincts. Actually, when Josh looked at it that way, he couldn’t help but wonder if her attraction was real or a result of her scent on him.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. No use thinking about the whys.
“Sure, possessive. Felines are like that.” He dropped his hand. “You want me to get you some aspirin or something?”
“No. I need stitches.” She motioned toward her bag with a tilt of her head. “Get me my purse.”
He raised a brow at her description. The duffel bag doubled as her suitcase. She lived out of the thing. How his sister could condense her life’s belongings into the single tote while most women couldn’t even pack for a weekend trip in one of those, he didn’t know. Zoe lived by her own standards, though. Typical would never be a word applied to her.
“Why?”
“Umm…bleeding.” She waved at her bare legs. Thankfully, she’d worn shorts tonight. Having to see his sister in her underwear would’ve scarred him for life. “Since you won’t let me go to the hospital, I figured I’d take care of myself.”
“I explained it to you. It’s too risky with all the shifters living around here. It’ll draw the attention of the wrong people.”
“Shifter Affairs, I remember, and you don’t want Mira punished.” She leaned her head against the back of the couch. “You know, it’s hard to believe there are so many people in the government who know about shifters, yet there haven’t been leaks to the general public.”
He glanced at Megan’s picture on his desk. Behind the photo, he kept one of Molly. It bothered him, keeping her image hidden, but he couldn’t exactly display a photo of a lion cub. For them, he followed the shifters’ rules, including the one that left Zoe bleeding on his couch when she should’ve been in the hospital.
He picked up the frame and pulled out Molly’s picture. “I thought the same thing.” He held the glossy print out to her. “This is the reason the government has worked so hard to keep the shifters’ existence secret.”
She frowned. “A lion cub?”
“That’s Megan’s twin, Molly. They were born in a facility that experiments on shifters. Megan, for the most part, is okay. Molly…well, Molly has embraced her cat form, a fate she might never recover from. She refuses to shift back. The longer she stays like that, the less likely she’ll ever return to us.”
Zoe’s shocked gasp reignited his anger. He focused on his nieces’ faces until the familiar determination returned. He’d protect them and never let anyone get their hands on them again.
He met Zoe’s horrified expression. “My opinion is that greed has kept those people who know about shifters from telling the world. Shifters are citizens who are protected by the government. Once it becomes known they exist, the…the humans who make money exploiting shifters will lose their profit margin.”
“In our high-tech society, it’s only a matter of time before the world finds out. Somebody is going to snap a pic on their smartphone, and it’ll be over the web in minutes.”
He carefully slid Molly’s picture into place, then replaced the frame and faced his sister. “I know. All we can do is stick together, protect our own, and hope for the best.”
“You talk as if you’re a shifter too.”
He shrugged. “Honorary member.”
“Okay, no hospitals, but I really need to take care of these cuts.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Take care of them how?”
“Just give me my bag.” He glared at her, and she huffed. “I’m going to give myself some home stitches.”
He repeated her words in his head and cursed some more. “No way. You are not freaking sewing yourself up.”
“Well, these aren’t going to heal themselves, you know. They’re too deep. Besides it’s not the first time I’ve had to do some first aid on myself. No insurance and all.” She stood and took several shuffling steps.
He blocked her path with his body and glared at her.
She returned his stare. “Get out of my way.”
He opened his mouth but snapped it closed without lecturing her. Someone was in the bar. Head tilted to the side, he listened for whatever clued him in. There. The click of motorcycle boots.
Kade.
“Hey, we’re back here.”
The door banged against the wall. Zoe’s expression went from annoyed to curious. Josh peered over his shoulder when Kade didn’t enter. The shifter stood in the doorway with his intent gaze on Zoe.
“It’s about time you got here.” Josh stepped to the side and swept his hand in Zoe’s direction. “You need to fix this. It won’t stop bleeding.”
The tension in the room kicked up a notch. Hairs rose on Josh’s arms. He glanced between his sister and pride leader for some clue as to why. Zoe’s curious expression turned to open amusement. She grinned, the familiar sparkle shining in her eyes, the one that kept her sane even if it was faked half the time. Kade, though, looked as if he were about to turn tail and run. When he took a couple of steps back, Josh wondered if he actually planned on it.
Zoe snickered, and Kade grabbed the doorjamb. His chest heaved.
Josh narrowed his eyes at the odd display. “Do you have a problem?”
A shudder visibly shook Kade’s body. He motioned toward Zoe. “Why is she standing?”
Blood ran steadily down her legs. Mira had gotten her good.
“Because he”—Zoe stabbed a finger at Josh’s chest—“won’t give me my bag. I’m getting it myself.”
Kade grumbled and grabbed her duffel. A deep frown formed on his face. He glanced between Zoe and the heavy sack. With a shake of his head, he dropped the tote on the couch and pointed to the spot next to it. “Sit.”
“I thought that’s what I was supposed to say to you.” Zoe covered her mouth as if embarrassed by her comment, except the smile tugging her lips didn’t match the action.
Kade scowled.
“Oops, sorry. Josh said you’re a kitty, not a doggy.” She shrugged. “Oh well, cats can be trained too. I had a roommate whose cat would sit on the toilet, do its business, then flush.”
Josh smacked his forehead. “Jesus, Zoe. We had this conversation. I gave you rules.” After he’d called Kade, Josh had given her a quick rundown on shifter etiquette. Apparently, she hadn’t listened to a thing he’d said. Or hadn’t cared.
She tapped one black-tipped finger to her lip. “Now, let’s see. I remember this conversation. I do.”
Kade snapped his teeth together, the click loud enough to make Zoe flinch. “Do not anger me, human.”
Zoe flashed him an irritated look. “Don’t get your panties all twisted in a knot, kitty. I’m having trouble thinking. You know, with the blood loss and all.”
As if to prove her point, she swayed. Josh reached for her but Kade was closer. He caught her elbows and eased her back onto the couch.
Josh pushed him out of the way and pressed the bloody rag to her thighs. She cringed, and Josh’s anger flared. At the moment, he hated himself for not reacting sooner. He should’ve grabbed Mira when she’d growled, rather than worrying about buttoning his shirt, but the urge to protect her had been undeniable. If word got out she came to see him, she’d be lectured yet again. His attempt to protect Mira had failed, however. This was so much worse.
Kade ripped the rag from Josh’s hand. “My shirt! You used my shirt—my sweaty shirt—on her cuts!”
The shifter’s outburst added to the frustration boiling his blood. Josh shoved Kade back and got up in his face. “It was the only thing close by.”
“But it reeks of me.”
“So? I understand you’re crazy obsessed with how things smell, but Zoe doesn’t care. And I was more worried about stopping the bleeding than germs.”
Eyes closed, Kade took several deep breaths. “But you put something with my scent on her open wounds.”
Josh frowned at the frantic edge to his voice. He’d seen Kade angry a few times, never agitated. Of course, Mira had never attacked anyone either. “It’s not the same as rubbing your scent on someone. That’s a conscious choice you make. It involves scent glands or something.”
Kade’s scowl deepened. “You’re right.” He pointed toward Zoe with a flick of his hand. “But I don’t want to smell myself on that woman in any way, shape, or form.”
“That woman is my sister.”
“That woman is also trouble. She…”
A sharp, sucked-in breath jerked both of their gazes back to Zoe. Josh shook his head at his sister’s stubbornness. Kade, though, lurched forward. He grabbed her wrist before she stuck the bloody sewing needle back into her thigh.
Josh glanced at her handiwork and sighed. His obstinate sister had three sloppy stitches already made. The black thread in her white flesh reminded him of the horror film he’d watched over the weekend. Unlike the movie where he’d scoffed at the pathetic special effects, seeing Zoe’s handmade sutures made him nauseous. It didn’t exactly surprise him. When Zoe said she’d sew herself up, she’d meant it.
Inches from her face, Kade growled. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Zoe leaned closer so their noses touched. “I’m taking care of these cuts because I was informed I wasn’t allowed to go to the hospital.”
Kade jerked back as if she’d slapped him.
Josh scanned the room for something to use to wipe the excess blood off her legs. He grabbed a pair of Zach’s sweats lying in the corner. “Here. Use this.”
Kade ripped the pants out of her hand and tossed them across the room. “No, you aren’t using those.”
Zoe crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. I’ll just bleed all over Josh’s couch. You can carry the whole thing out when I’m dead.”
“You’re not going to bleed to death. The cuts aren’t life-threatening.” Josh dug around in his desk until he found one of his spare shirts and carefully slid it under her legs. He leveled a hard glare on Kade, daring him to argue. Hoping, maybe. He was in the mood for a good fistfight.
Kade looked from the shirt to him but didn’t speak. Maybe his silence was because the T-shirt was clean? Josh didn’t know and didn’t care enough to ask.
Josh dabbed at the blood on her thigh. “Zoe does need blood or something. These cuts aren’t going to heal without help.”
Kade paced to the far wall and back. “I can’t give her mine.”
“Why not? Blood’s not a permanent claim. It’s not a big deal.”
“She can’t have mine. I’ll call Rafe.”
Fists clenched, Josh advanced on him. “What good are you, then? You order me to call you if things ever go south. I follow your rules and now you tell me you can’t spare a little blood for my baby sister?” All of his frustration rose at once, leaving his muscles coiled. “Here I thought I was the only one you held to a second set of rules. Guess I was wrong. None of us lowly humans matter to your pride.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” Josh let all his derision show. Going by the frown on Kade’s face, he did a good job getting his point across. “If it was your sister hurt, you’d take on the world to help her. Mine? You could care less.”
“This has nothing to do with you.”
“Fine, prove it.” Josh bent, yanked the knife out of his boot, and handed it to Kade. “Here you go. Cut a vein and take care of my sister.”
Kade shook his head.
The denial pushed Josh over the edge. He shoved Kade and enjoyed the way the other man stumbled backward. Josh spread his arms wide and waited. Kade didn’t disappoint. With a roar, he launched himself, fists raised.
A right hook jerked Josh’s chin to the side. His vision wavered, but he’d fought Kade too many times in the gym not to know his moves. When the shifters couldn’t unleash their claws, they fought like every other man, albeit with more force behind their punches.
Kade adjusted his stance, and Josh arched to avoid the kick to his ribs. Instead of righting himself, he dropped a hand to the ground and swung his foot out. Kade toppled. Another roar rang out and Kade came at him with fangs bared. Josh waited until he was close before he punched Kade’s stomach. Kade doubled over, but the victory was short-lived. Kade grabbed Josh’s shoulders and tossed him across the room.
Josh hit the bookshelf with a thump that rattled his teeth. Books fell, the scent of the moldy paper fanning from the fluttering pages choking him. He scrambled up, kicking his collection of classics to the side.
“Would the two of you knock it off? You’re destroying my concentration.”
Zoe’s pain-laced voice cut through his rage. Josh peered over his shoulder in time to watch Kade grab her wrist.
“Are you crazy? You can’t sew your cuts closed. Humans get infections, and that needle isn’t sterile.”
She yanked away her hand. “I’d rather get an infection than bleed to death.”
“You are not going to bleed to death.” Kade unleashed one talon, and Zoe cringed. “Settle down, woman. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Josh gave her shoulder a little squeeze. “You’re safe, sis.”
“Sorry. I’ve just had my fair share of claws for the night.”
“I know.” So had Josh.
Silence descended while Kade picked the black thread from Zoe’s cuts.
“Have you heard from Mira?” Josh asked Kade.
“No.”
“She didn’t call?”
Kade paused and glanced at him. “What was Mira doing here by herself anyway?”
Josh tensed, but Zoe clapped her hands, giving him the needed distraction. She always knew when to step in and help him out. It was a skill that had come in handy when they were kids.
“Ooh, I remember rule one!” She flashed a big smile that didn’t match the crinkles of pain pinching the skin by her eyes. “Don’t argue with the predators.”
Kade chuckled, his gaze intent on her. “That’s a wise rule, but I would never harm a human no matter how angry I am.”
Zoe snorted. “Maybe somebody should explain that to Josh’s girlfriend.”
“Shut up, Zoe.”
Kade gently tugged the last thread out before glancing over his shoulder. “Mira is not now, nor will she ever be Josh’s anything. She’ll be off the market in a matter of hours.”
The sympathetic look Zoe gave him would’ve irritated him coming from anybody else. From his baby sister, it was shared pain.
“Conway curse struck again, huh?”
He gave a single nod, then faced Kade. “Are you going to get over your mood and take care of her? I need to get out of here for a while.”
Kade studied Zoe for a long moment. Acceptance finally showed on his face. He brushed a couple of wayward strands of hair from her cheek. “Yes. I’ll take care of her.”
“Good.” Josh strode to the door, picking up the knife he dropped, but paused with his hand on the knob. “And Kade? Zoe’s off-limits. Touch her, and I’ll find a way to hurt you.”
With that, he walked out. He’d like to take a page out of Zoe’s book and run, preferably with Mira. They could learn to live out of a duffle bag, moving from place to place. Too bad that option was out. He’d lost the ability to take off the day Tony died. Responsibilities sat on his shoulders. No way was he shirking them. Or cutting Mira off from her family. She needed them. He needed her. So, yeah, he was stuck.
On the outside looking in.