Night Unbound(141)

They settled into easy, comfortable conversation, taking turns talking as they sated their hunger. During a lull, Seth removed a folded piece of paper from a back pocket and slid it across the table to her.
“What’s this?” she asked, unfolding it to find it covered in tidy script.
“Exercises Aidan believes will strengthen your mental barriers.”
Lisette’s gaze skipped from Seth to Zach.
Zach studied Seth while he finished chewing. “Do you believe him?”
“It’s how he says he made his own so impenetrable.”
“How strong will her barriers become?”
“Aidan thinks they could potentially rival his own.”
“Even though I’m so much younger than he is?” Lisette asked.
“Yes.”
Her heart began to thump a bit faster. “So no one would be able to read my thoughts?”
Seth met her gaze. “Zach and I would always be able to if we forced it. But I’m hoping that performing those exercises according to Aidan’s instructions would make it impossible for anyone else to read them.”
“Even when I’m sleeping or don’t have my guard up?”
“Again, that’s what I’m hoping.”
She looked at Zach. Would he then be free to share his secrets with her?
Zach clasped her hand.
“We will only be able to share our secrets with you if Aidan is correct,” Seth warned.
“But you’ve given me hope,” she said. “Thank you, Seth.”
Zach nodded. “Thank you.”
There was so much she wanted to know. She glanced at the paper. “Did he say how long it would take?”
Seth’s look turned apologetic. “Years, I’m afraid, since you’re so young.”
Damn. “That’s okay. I’ll take it.”
“Until then, it occurred to me that there is something you need to know now.” He cast Zach a meaningful look. “But if I tell you, you will have to keep your guard up while you’re around your brothers, Aidan, and any other telepaths who may visit the area.”
“Okay.”
“You can’t slip, Lisette.”
“I won’t.
“And you can’t sleep near any telepath who may venture into your mind before the walls you erect become permanent.”
“I won’t sleep at David’s anymore and haven’t spent the night at either of my brothers’ homes since Zach and I started sleeping together.”
“I’m sure they’ll miss you, but this is important.”
Zach began to stroke the back of Lisette’s hand with his thumb.
Did he know what Seth intended to reveal?
“In light of Marcus and Ami’s situation . . .” Seth began.
Lisette frowned. “You mean the baby?”
“Yes.” Leaning forward, Seth braced his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together. “You need to know that Zach and I aren’t infected with the virus.”
She stared at him, uncomprehending. “What?”
Seth glanced at Zach. “We aren’t infected.”
She followed his gaze and met Zach’s dark brown eyes.
Dark brown eyes she had seen glow golden.
“But . . . your eyes glow like ours . . . and you have fangs.”
“Actually, we don’t,” Zach corrected her. “If you think back on it, you’ll recall that, even when Seth was at his most furious, you never saw fangs. Nor have you ever seen me sport them.” And fangs, like glowing eyes, were involuntarily triggered by strong emotion in those who were infected.
“But you’re so old.”
Both men winced, but she couldn’t worry about that right now.
“I mean you’re both ancient. You’re older than the damned pyramids!”
Zach continued to stroke her hand. “Yes.”
“How is that . . . ? I don’t understand how that could be possible if you aren’t infected with the virus. What are you?”
Seth shifted, drawing her attention once more. “That we cannot tell you. Not until your mental barriers rival Aidan’s.”
“So . . .” She studied Zach. “You aren’t infected.”
He shook his head.
“That’s why you wouldn’t let me give you blood after you were tortured.”
“Correct.”
Seth sighed. “I fear we have a rough road ahead of us. The Others have successfully identified our enemy, but have been unable to locate him. I’m beginning to lose confidence that they can capture him and neutralize him. Zach and I may soon have to say to hell with them and take matters into our own hands. But, if he’s strong enough to elude our detection and still bent on breeding chaos, things could get ugly.”
“An understatement,” Zach muttered.
Seth nodded. “I thought you needed to know that you shouldn’t infuse Zach if he is ever wounded badly enough to lose consciousness.”