“Stop bitching, human. Gray saved our asses.” Ned turns his attention to me. “Thank you.”
His eyes are sincere. He is not threatened by me. I think he understands my reasons. I give him a nod. I wish I could remember more about him.
Carter shakes himself, as if gathering his thoughts. “Yes, thank you Gray. Thank you for saving my mate. I’m sorry. I was being an asshole.”
I shrug. And then suddenly Carter is running over to his mate. He lifts Lello into his arms and squeezes him tightly.
“Enough with the emotional shit. We still need to get the fuck out of here,” barks Ned.
I like this vampire. He is very sensible. And he fights like a demon and looks like an angel. All delicate and slender. It would be nice to get to know him.
Suddenly, Carter starts running with his mate in his arms. Clearly he has seen the sense of Ned’s suggestion. Ned and I speed after him.
“Are the others okay?” Carter calls over his shoulder to me as we race through the cave.
“They ran when some kelpies broke Blue’s enchantment. They weren’t chased,” I answer. I’d sense their fear if they had been. And I know Mal is capable of getting them to safety.
The human appears happy with that. Thank goodness. I’ve talked more in the last five minutes than I have in the last five decades. My throat feels strange.
The watery entrance to the cave looms up in front of us. Ned dives in with no hesitation, quickly followed by Carter, still holding his mate in his arms as if he will never let go. It gives me a warm feeling in my chest.
I dive in after them. I like this. It almost feels like having friends.
Chapter eleven
Doing laps of the basement isn’t helping at all. But I can’t stop my pacing. Mal is in the bathroom, which is only adding to my agitation. His absence gnaws at me.
Upstairs, in the main house, Lello is unconscious. He is fading away. Why is no one helping him? I thought his mate cared for him? I thought his friends did? Have I really been so terrible of a judge of character, yet again?
But if they didn’t care, why go to all that trouble of rescuing him? It doesn’t make sense. Everything is so confusing and I hate it. I loathe what I have become. A bewildered, broken creature who understands nothing.
Mal steps into the main room, and I whirl to face him. His chest is bare. Only a towel covers his waist. Droplets of water adorn his stunning muscles and highlight his tattoos. It would be glorious to run my tongue over him and lick each precious drop.
“What’s wrong, Little One?” asks Mal.
I blink. I don’t think he is talking about my lust. What does he want to know? He is normally so good at reading me. He usually knows what I need before I’ve figured it out myself. It is strange that he is asking, but perhaps he merely wishes for me to practice speaking.
“They aren’t helping Lello,” I whisper softly. Hopefully, that will appease him.
He raises one eyebrow. “Do you know what they need to do?”
Is that the problem? They don’t know? Could it truly be as simple as that? I nod frantically. If they are ignorant, then I need to educate them.
“Go tell them then,” says Mal with a grin.
I tilt my head. Surely I misheard? He will not allow me so long a leash as that. He is not so foolish, or so kind. Is he?
He nods encouragingly and gestures towards the door. I lick my dry lips. If this is a test or a trick, I’m done for.
I edge towards the door, keeping my eyes fixed on him, watching for any sudden movement. But he is just standing there, watching me calmly.
Fuck it. Here goes nothing. I step back towards the wall and into the shadows. Shadow walking is quicker. I materialize a heartbeat later in Lello’s room. He is lying in his bed, surrounded by pillows. Awake but weak. His mate’s arms are around him and the sight makes my heart clench painfully.
Brodie, Red’s lover, is here too. He is not much of a healer if he doesn’t know how to fix Lello.
“He needs sex,” I say.
They all jump. Brodie spins round to face me.
