Kane reluctantly leaves the bed, and I scramble up, too, using my magic to redress us both. He grabs my hand as we head out to inspect what has fucked with our day this time.
I gasp when I see Reese, the Alpha werewolf bastard Kane fought with. How did he find us?
His betas stand behind him, ready to attack anyone who moves. Drackus is arguing with Reese, but it's in hushed whispers too low for even my strained hearing.
"That's nonsense and you know it," Drackus says when my hearing finally picks up on pieces of the conversation at play.
Kane grips my hand tighter as Reese lets his eyes fall on me, raking me up and down.
"Funny, Drackus. It looks like it's true to me," he says, grinning as he settles his gaze on mine.
What?
Drackus turns around, his eyes widening when they meet mine, and Kane turns to look down at me, frustration suddenly filling his expression when he says, "Fuck."
Chapter 22
Based on the tremors of terror spreading through the eyes of the betas, my damn eyes are silver right now. I really need to figure out a way to cap that off.
"How did you know?" Kane growls.
Reese's sinister grin only grows as his eyes churn with the autumn promise of his Were blood. He holds his hand up and motions over his shoulder for someone to bring him something.
I gasp when I realize that something is a bound and gagged human wearing a blindfold. His silver necklace glistens against the sun, making me squint. He drops to his knees, his begging muffled by the rubber ball strapped between his teeth. He's shirtless, his hands are handcuffed behind his back, and his pants are not far from falling off.
It almost looks like some BDSM kink instead of a hostage situation. I wish he had a safe-word.
"What the fuck is this?" Kane blares, motioning toward what is most likely a human, possibly an unturned immortal, based on the panic in his motions and his stench of fear.
"This?" Reese asks, sounding bored. "The human male who helped the witch bitch that killed our werecat."
My fear and sympathy for the human don't flee, but they do simmer down some. If he helped kill Thad, I don't know if I'll have any compassion. I pray I do.
"How do you know he acted of his own accord?" Kane asks, clenching his teeth.
Reese bends over, unsnaps the gag, and rips the blindfold off in one motion. The human male starts whimpering and groveling, begging for mercy. Reese nods toward Kane.
"Show him who you really are."
Kane tilts his head and looks toward Dray who has taken his place at Drackus's side. When he nods in reluctant approval, Kane sighs and lets his night stalker blues come to life, and his fangs slip free.
The human squeals and scrambles backwards with his hands still bound. "Vampire."
Reese chuckles when he snaps the cuffs in half, letting the man free. He leaps up, and screams, "Vampire!" again.
Then he grabs the cross on his neck and holds it out, acting as though Kane is supposed to burst into flames or something. We all roll our eyes in unison. Zee actually snorts out a laugh. Stupid human.
"And you think this cross-wielding human helped kill a changer as strong as Thad? Or a vicious werecat?" Kane asks incredulously, pointing to the sloppy human who is now slobbering out verses from the bible. We're not demons. "Next thing you know, he'll try driving a stake through my heart."
Deke laughs this time, and even Drackus cracks a smile. Mom and Shay appear in time to catch what's going on. Where have they been?
Dice walks up from the woods, shaking his head. "The human knows we exist. That's apparent. But he didn't actively help her kill the Were or the changer. Not possible. He's rolling around and praying. Seriously?"
Reese huffs, but he slaps the human on the back of the head.
"Tell them what the human witch told you, and I might not rip you to shreds while you try holding me off with your cross."
The human cries harder, possibly hyperventilating, but he heaves it out between breaths. "The girl... she's a creature of... some stupid... I don't know what it's called. A... goddess or something! I didn't want to believe it. She... she made me see them change. I... swear... I swear I didn't kill anyone!"
Unless he has a secret Buffy power, this human isn't capable of killing one of us.
"Fine," Reese groans. "Get him out of here and have someone dust his memories."
The betas oblige, and Shay runs over. "I'll dust them."
Chaz appears at my side, his head already tilted in confusion as he stares at the autumn eyes of the alpha.