Anthony floated on the cool night breeze in his mist form as he waited for Charlotte to finish her work for the night. He didn’t usually interact directly with shifters in the family, at least not any more than necessary, but he’d do worse things to make sure this jaguar situation didn’t ruin his relationship with Zach. He had few friends, so the ones he had he’d damn well do whatever it took to make sure they remained. It didn’t hurt that being here tonight might also benefit Kaia, though he felt guilty that her needs seemed equally, if not more important to him right now.
His thoughts wandered to the gift he bought her for Christmas. It was a white gold necklace with a deep blue sapphire pendant in the shape of a crescent moon. He hoped she liked it because if not, he wasn’t sure what else to get her. He wasn’t good at buying gifts, he was good at providing the finances so other people could buy things for each other. Sometimes he’d send something appropriate to a business associate to keep goodwill between them, but buying a personal gift, something he picked out himself felt strange. Many things felt strange about being in a serious relationship for the first time in his life, but they were good things. He knew they were. Kaia kept him focused on people, on her, and on making sure he wasn’t letting himself get too far gone in his own head, to the draw of the immense power inside himself.
He was changing. He could feel it, and not just because of his relationship with Kaia. He was getting more powerful, more in control over things he’d never realized he didn’t have control over. Things he didn’t know he could have control over. The Vampire Mother’s gift to him, no doubt. It remained to be seen if this was a gift or a curse, though.
He materialized and looked at his hand. He slowly made a fist, then opened it wide again. He stared at his palm while he focused on the energy of the night around him, only mildly surprised when static electricity sparked from his fingertips. Another new ability.
The heavy thud of a shifter heartbeat and the scent of a jaguar who’d worked up a sweat at some point today drifted to him on a breeze, so he turned his attention to the back doors of the Peachtree Investment Company.
A slim, petite woman peeked out the door, her breath fogging in the crisp air around her. She looked worriedly down at her phone for a short time, then stepped out into the night as the heavy steel door closed and latched behind her. Anthony started closer, Charlotte tensing as soon as she sensed his movements. There weren’t many lights back here, but she was shifter. She could see him.
Her heart thumped harder by the time he stopped in front of her, so he kept his distance to try not to spook her. It was doubtful it did any good since most supernaturals in Atlanta were spooked by him no matter what he did.
“Miss LaRue? Forgive me for startling you. I’m Anthony Foster. I−”
Her chin jutted out and she shakily snapped, “I know who you are.”
He sighed inwardly and clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m aggrieved to learn that you came to the family for help more than once over the years and that you were turned away by one of my vampires. She’s been punished for her actions.”
Charlotte scoffed and rolled her eyes. Under her breath she mockingly said, “I’ll just bet she was.”
If not for the severity of the situation, Anthony might be amused at her standing so stoically in front of him and actually mocking his words. Not many would dare do that.
“I’d be happy to let you see her, if it would help you trust me and the family. I took about half of her life force from her. She won’t be rising, or making any movements on her own until she’s able to heal from that, which, without my consent to let her feed, will be quite some time. Months, perhaps a year.”
Her eyes went wide. “You’re being serious with me, aren’t you?”
He inclined his head.
She let out a little squeak that might have been surprise, disbelief, or perhaps fear. Her posture changed, looking like she was preparing to run, her animal now very near the surface. She was scared.
“What do you want from me?”
“Peace between the jaguars and vampires in my family.”
It didn’t look like she’d been expecting that answer. “How am I supposed to help with that?”
“By accepting my apology for Bethany’s lies, and by accepting my help. My family is for any supernatural that seeks refuge. I welcome you and yours.”
A tremble passed through her, tears welling in her eyes. “Please just help my baby. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I messed him up somehow and don’t know how to fix him.”
“I assure you he’ll get the best care we can provide. Dr. Williams is already doing research to see if he can come up with anything similar in human afflictions that might point him towards what would be best to help Vince.”
She more desperately said, “Can’t you heal him? You’re powerful, right?”
Anthony had healed a couple shifters in the recent past, kept them from dying after being shot, but the entire next night was still a worrisome blank for him. Apparently while trying to heal himself after giving so much of his own life energy to the wolves, he’d nearly killed anyone who came near him. It was only by Sebastian and Zach keeping everyone a safe distance away that no one was seriously injured. People had gotten hurt, even Sebastian and Zach, especially Sebastian, but no one died. Even so, he refused to attempt something like that again, not when he had no idea how to control it.
He frowned and took a half step back from Vince’s mother. “No. Healing’s not my natural ability. It’s far too dangerous for me to attempt something like that when I have no knowledge or natural inclination to safely accomplish it, besides that I don’t know what’s wrong with Vince. It would be best for the doctor to do all he can before we attempt anything more… exotic.”
With the brief light of hope in Charlotte’s eyes effectively dashed, the dull look of weariness washed over her again. It made Anthony feel like he’d already failed her. Again.
He uncomfortably said, “I’ll provide any resources needed for his care. And yours as well.”
She sighed. “I don’t need help. My son does.”
“You don’t suffer the same affliction as your son, but you do need help. Your spirit’s tired, and I don’t mean from working too much. You’re a supernatural creature so your spirit is tied to your magic. If you aren’t already feeling some aches and pains when you shift into your cat, more than the usual anyway, then you will soon. You need a rest. The family will see to your needs.”
She frowned in confusion, then snapped, “You mean you’ll see to my needs. Why?”
“The family will see to your needs. I provide the resources, the finances, if you must, but I’m vampire and I have far too many responsibilities to be involved in the specifics of what shifters need on a daily basis. However, one of my vampires is directly responsible for your situation, so I’m already more involved than I’d normally be.”
He stepped cautiously closer. “And, if you must know, I consider Zach a close friend and I don’t want him to be upset with me over what Bethany did, so I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right for you.” He extended his hand. “I offer peace between us. I beg that you accept.”
She watched him for a moment before silently nodding. She closed her eyes, rubbed wearily at them, then said, “You’ll try to help Vince?”
“I’ll do whatever I can, but only what I feel is safe. I won’t put anyone’s life in jeopardy in the search for a cure. However, if you weren’t already aware, I’m equally determined to help your son heal because he happens to be my future bride’s friend. It would be nice for her to have as many friends as possible in her new home, especially once I turn her vampire.”
The immediate horror on Charlotte’s face made him angry. “If you’re asking Vince to let her feed on him−”
“That’s not necessary. The family has ample volunteers.”
She went quiet as she scowled at him for a time, the sound of a car approaching finally breaking the silence. His hand remained outstretched as she looked suspiciously at it, but she finally blew out a breath and shook it.
She was overly warm, as all shifters are, but he didn’t think much about it until she jerked at his touch. Was he too cold to her? Or did it bother her that his hand was so firm? Every single muscle in his body transformed and became tougher, more powerful in his first several years of being vampire. He suspected all vampires experienced that on some level because on the rare occasion that he had to touch one of them, they all felt firmer than a shifter, and definitely more so than a human.
Which made him wonder if Kaia ever secretly cringed at his cold, hard touch.
He waited until Ed pulled up near them before he left Charlotte’s side, letting his body turn to mist before making his way back home through the night sky.