Allegiance(24)

Melissa stared out at the street. She knew Mark’s story as well as she knew her own. “He was a financial analyst—did you know that?”

Krys nodded. “He told me a little of his story when I first came to Penton. There was an accident, right?”

“Multiple spinal fractures, courtesy of a drunk driver.” Melissa traced the edge of the step with the toe of her sandal, stopping when she remembered Mark had surprised her with those sandals one time after a business trip to Birmingham for Aidan. He’d thought they were sexy. She should take them off before going inside. If she went inside. “The doctors couldn’t do much for him, and they were afraid surgery would make it worse.”

“So he tried to kill the pain instead. It happens a lot.” Krys sighed. “I just shot him up with enough morphine to take off the worst edge of the pain; I was afraid to give him more. Maybe he’ll be able to sleep, though. I’ll see if Glory can stay with him during the daytime and get someone else to run the kitchen. Aidan’s finding a substitute feeder in the meantime. We’ll reassess tomorrow night.”

Melissa slipped out of the sandals and set them aside. “What about Max? He’s just got Cage and Hannah to feed, and he could stay here during the day.”

“He’s also got the new guy, Fen.” Krys looked at Melissa’s bare feet and started to say something. Finally, she just shook her head. “Plus, I think Max will want to take Rob’s body home, so we’re going to be short on feeders. How are you doing?”

Krys had always been too perceptive for her own good, but she was Melissa’s best friend now that Mark no longer held that title. “I’m fine.”

Her friend didn’t answer, and again Melissa could practically hear her biting her tongue. “Go ahead. Say whatever you want to.”

“Why are you here, Mel?”

Talk about a loaded question. Why was she saddled with this strange new life? Why was she still in Penton? Or why was she sitting here on the porch of the house where Mark lived, unable to stay away from him?

Melissa figured she knew which “why” Krys was after. “I thought you might need Mark’s medical history, and I could tell you what you needed to know. Probably more than he can.”

“Uh-huh.”

Melissa sighed. When Krys had been agonizing over her relationship with Aidan, Melissa had given her friend a lot of tough love; she suspected she was about to get a shot of her own treatment handed back to her. She waved her hand in a rolling motion. “Go ahead.”

“Here’s what I think.” Krys turned sideways on the step to face Melissa. “Deep inside, you still love Mark, but you don’t know your limits yet and he scares you. Cage, on the other hand, is safe.”

Melissa laughed; talk about being off base. “Cage Reynolds is not safe. The man was a soldier for hire, for God’s sake. You should hear some of the stories Fen was telling last night about their years as mercenaries in Nicaragua.” She paused, hesitant to say what she hadn’t even told Cage. “Besides, I’m not with Cage. I’m not going to be.”

Krys smiled. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that.” She leaned back against the top step, propping on her elbows. “Don’t get me wrong. I like Cage a lot, and I know Aidan does, too. Even Mirren. But . . .”

“I know.” Melissa stared down the block at Cage’s house, wondering when she’d get to tell him all of this and how he would take it. Wondering if she’d be disappointed if he didn’t care. She had no idea how the man felt. “I’ve watched you and Aidan together, and Mirren and Glory. I just don’t have that kind of connection with Cage.

“I held onto him after I was turned for the exact reason you said, out of fear. But whatever that bond-mate reaction is that vampires get? I don’t have it, and I don’t think he does, either.”

“Have you told Mark that?”

Melissa shook her head, opened her mouth to respond, but realized she didn’t know what to say.

“You’ll figure it out.” Krys threw an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “Speaking of Cage, I’m going down the block to meet his Irish buddy. Aidan wants my take on Fen.”

“I’m not sure they’re buddies at all. I am sure Fen Patrick is kind of a sleazoid with the one-liners.” Melissa was relieved to veer the subject away from her love life. “I don’t much like him, but it might just be because he tries so hard to be charming. It feels desperate.”

Krys nodded. “Yeah, but if he’s starving—and Aidan said he was really thin—he probably is desperate. He wants to find a place here.”