“Wolves can smell emotion, along withotherthings.” Lizzy felt her face heat a bit.
“Bloody hell,” Alice cursed and covered her face. “That’s embarrassing. Wait. Does that mean he did? I mean, while I was unconscious?” Suddenly Alice’s face went slack and her eyes sort of glazed over.
“Alice.” Lizzy shook her a little. “Dude, what’s going on?” She shook her again, and finally Alice’s expression returned to normal, sort of. She did kind of look like she was in shock, with eyes as wide as saucers and her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water attempting to get air.
“He just told me that he didn’t rape me, and he didn’t appreciate me thinking he was capable of something so horrendous,” Alice’s voice was verging on hysteria.
Lizzy frowned. “What do you mean, he just told you?”
Alice tapped her temple. “In here.” The words sounded like they were being forced through tight vocal chords.
Lizzy’s own eyes widened. “He spoke into your mind?”
Alice’s head moved slowly up and down. “I thought he wasn’t supposed to be able to be my true mate,” she said, her voice rising. “I thought only true mates could speak telepathically. What the hell, Lizzy?”
“Well…” Lizzy began, but then paused.“Okay, now I could use your commentary and you choose to be silent?”She reached out to Finn.
“He’s a powerful vampire,”Finn said.“We really don’t know what they’re capable of, especially if he’s been giving her his blood for these past couple of weeks. There might be some sort of sire bond even if she isn’t a vampire. Or it could run deeper than that because she’s a gypsy healer.”
Lizzy clapped her hands. “Oh, snap. Sire bond. Finn said maybe that’s what you’re experiencing, since Cain is the one who healed you with his blood. And he’s kept giving you his blood, which could be messing with whatever your gypsy healer mojo is and maybe that’s what’s creating this bond.”
“Okay, back the truck up. He’s what?” Alice nearly shouted.
“Finn can smell it on Cain, and byit, he means your blood in Cain.”
“That means he’s been feeding from me, too.” Alice didn’t sound surprised. In fact, she sounded a little relieved.
“Would you want me to bite another female?”Finn asked her.
“Dude, I will cut you,”Lizzy warned.“Not even kidding a little bit.”She felt his pleasure at her possessiveness, and it made her roll her eyes.Butt munch.
“I’m trying not to judge, Alice. I haven’t experienced what you did, but does the idea of Cain feeding off someone else upset you?”
“Yes,” the scientist said immediately. “Good grief, that is sad,” she added quickly. “I don’t even want to consider what that means. But listen, Lizzy. I haven’t said it yet, and I need to. I’m so sorry for my part in all of this.”
Lizzy waved her off. “I met Finn because of all this. I can’t be upset about that or regret anything that has happened.” She felt Finn’s pleasure at her words and a gentle brush of phantom fingers across the back of her neck.“Behave,”she told him. All she received in return was a deep chuckle in her mind. “Besides, I met you, too. And despite our rough beginning, I kind of like you.”
Alice managed a genuine smile then. “I kind of like you, too.”
She leaned in to hug Lizzy fiercely. Lizzy returned the embrace, hoping she could give Alice some measure of comfort.
Over Alice’s shoulder, Lizzy was startled to glimpse Finn in the doorway. Holding onto him was Cain—the blood sucker in question. His hands were clasped on Finn’s arms, preventing her mate from coming into the room. Finn looked livid, but Cain’s eyes reflected the conversation’s emotions.
Lizzy didn’t know what she wanted more; to run over and punch Cain in his evil, handsome face or run and jump up into Finn’s arms, and not just because she was starving, but because she missed him so terribly. Instead, she forced herself to continue to hug Alice until the other woman finally released her. Lizzy kept her attention on Alice, ignoring the two males. Alice hadn’t yet noticed them behind her.
“You’ve endured something horrific,” she murmured. “It’s normal to feel off balance. Just give it time. It’s not like you have much else to do, right?”
Alice nodded and drew back, scrubbing the last tears away. “You’re right. I have to stop overthinking everything and let things unfold as they will.” She smiled tenderly.
“One step at a time.”
Alice nodded. “If I find out he’s done anything against my will, I’ll stake his heart in his sleep.”
Lizzy squeezed her hand, pride and affection welling up. However changed and scarred, Alice’s spirit remained intact. She would find her way through this darkness. “And I’ll help you set him on fire.”
“Ouch.” Cain’s voice caused Alice to jump. She hurried to her feet and turned to look at the vampire king.
“I needed to see her,” Alice said quickly. “I needed to know she was okay.”
