Talen growled, the sound vibrating through the tense air. “Kidnapping’s your specialty, right?”
“No.” Zane eyed Janie’s father. At over three centuries, the soldier was in fighting shape. Incredible fighting shape. “Get your daughter to safety, and we’ll talk.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Janie snapped.
“Now, Janie,” Talen ordered.
The hair bristled down Zane’s neck. “Don’t yell at her.” Then he gave her a small push. “Go.”
Janie dug in her heels, exasperation escaping on her sigh. “Everybody calm down and listen. Dad, let’s go inside and have a discussion . . . with Zane.”
Talen’s eyes morphed into a glittering gold. “Not a chance. Get inside, Janet.”
Janie faltered and scanned the bristling weapons surrounding them. “We really need to talk privately.”
“Okay. Go inside and wait for me,” Talen said, his gaze never leaving Zane.
Zane shook his head. Talk about stubborn, and he could see where Janie got it. “Would you please go inside so I can talk to your father?”
“It’s a little late for that talk, isn’t it?” Janie shot back.
Talen’s chin lowered. Slowly. “What does that mean?”
Janie held her ground. “You can’t shoot Zane if he’s my mate.”
“He won’t be if I kill him,” Talen said conversationally. “That’s not a decision you’re ready to make.”
Zane’s ears rang. “Okay. Everyone just calm down a little bit. How about I follow Janie inside, and then you can shoot me?” That way, at least he’d be able to cover her back until she reached safety.
“How about I shoot you right now?” Talen growled.
Enough of this shit. “Fine. Shoot me. But first make sure Janie is covered, damn it.” Zane had about had it with vampires. With the Kayrs family, actually. There were too many of them. “Get inside, Belle.”
She grabbed his arm, trying to slide in front of him.
To take a bullet meant for him?Zane saw red. “Take your daughter out of the line of fire, Kayrs.” He couldn’t say it any plainer than that.
Talen took a step toward them.
Janie planted her feet. “I will not let you harm my mate.”
God. She had to quit saying that before somebody figured out they’d actually mated and started shooting.
Talen snarled. “He’s not your mate, and he won’t be if I cut off his head. Please go inside, Janie.”
She sighed and her shoulders went back.
Oh shit. She wouldn’t—
“We mated last night,” Janie said clearly.
The damn earth ground to a stop. A weapon hit the pavement a yard away. Dage Kayrs’s eyes widened, and Moira Kayrs gasped.
Zane sighed and focused just as a locomotive the size of Talen Kayrs tackled him midsection, throwing him ten yards and landing hard on his chest. Zane’s head crashed onto the asphalt. Stars exploded behind his eyeballs, and unbearable pain cut into his brain. He tried to concentrate, to say something, when a fist plowed into his face.
Unconsciousness was a fucking blessing.
Janie paced in front of the long window in the gathering room of the main lodge, her hands flailing. “And then Dadhithim.” Why did the vampires always hit first and then hit again? Forgeteverasking questions. She turned toward the two women watching her with their mouths open. “Can you believe it?”
