He was about to tell Bennett that something was wrong when Bennett stood, setting Lucas on his feet. He pushed Lucas behind him even as he pulled his shirt over his head. When he started to take off his jeans, Lucas said, “What are you doing?”
“Stay behind me, baby,” Bennett said and then turned around. “I won’t hurt you. Just remember that.”
Lucas nodded, not sure what Bennett was talking about and then Lucas was staring at the ass end of a huge dragon and the itching in his back stopped. He wasn’t sure how shifting actually worked, but it seemed incredibly fast the way Bennett did it. He expected more bone crunching and screaming in pain, but none of that even happened. And if it did hurt, Bennett didn’t show it.
He saw something move in the dark. A shadow along the edge of the water.
Be careful, Bennett.Lucas projected out.
One vampire. A scout most likely. It’s a simple kill.
He wasn’t so sure. He remembered how the vampires had been much stronger than they seemed and certainly much stronger than a human.
What did Lucas know? He was staring at a very strong dragon. The dragon turned his head, eying Lucas with the same green gaze Bennett had as if to say he was still him, still had the same mind he always did. “Oh.”
That’s right, baby. I’m still me.Bennett swung his big body around, rubbing his head down Lucas’ face and to his chest, then back again.
Lucas closed his eyes and took in that cinnamon smell. He ran a hand down Bennett’s long neck. “So beautiful.”
He opened his eyes in time to see the vampire walk toward them. He had a knife in his hand. The moonlight glinted off the metal blade as he pointed it at Bennett’s tail.
The vampire smiled, showing his wicked fangs.
“Bennett!” Lucas cried out when the vampire charged forward.
Bennett swung around. How he managed to keep his tail from hitting Lucas was anyone’s guess, but it glided about a foot in front of him.
The vampire’s eyes glowed an angry red in the moonlight. The bastard swung his blade at Bennett, which pissed Lucas off.
No one hurt his mate. No one.
Bennett blew fire at the vampire and sent him up in flames.
At the same time, Lucas held his hand out and light left his body in one great bigwhoosh.The light wasn’t the healing white but the dark gray that had killed Gary. It went right into the vampire, who crumpled to the ground instantly.
The fire which had consumed the vampire’s body, burnt out when the light hit him. Lucas could smell the flesh as the vampire's body smoked. The smoke washed over him and his stomach rolled.
He ran to the side of his cabin and heaved up his stomach contents. He felt a hand on his back, as he wiped his mouth and straightened. He turned, burying his face in Bennett’s bare chest.
He shook as the realization hit him. He’d killed someone, and it didn’t matter to his nerves that Bennett had burned the guy before Lucas had done his own thing, or that the guy had come to kidnap him and probably kill Bennett. He was definitely going to kill someone with that knife. Lucas doubted very much that the vampire was out to kill him. No, he wanted to take Lucas away from Bennett. Lucas clung tighter, needing to be as close to Bennett as he could.
“Shh, he can’t hurt you anymore.”
Lucas pulled away and started searching Bennett’s body for injuries. Bennett hissed when Lucas touched a long gash that ran horizontally across his abdomen. “Let me see,” Lucas said and thought about his light, exactly the way he had practiced with Mother Estelle. The light was so much smaller as it hovered at his chest until he took it in his hand and used it as a light source first. It was white in color. He liked the white one so much better than the gray. That one scared him. A lot. And he never wanted to use it again after tonight.
The white one would heal his mate, though, and he gently put the small amount of light into the bloody cut.
Bennett sucked in a breath and held it as the light healed him. He let it work slowly and the cut started closing. By the time the light was done there was a single line of blood that dripped down Bennett’s stomach.
Bennett watched him silently as Lucas pulled the shirt he was wearing over his head and swiped at the blood staining Bennett’s skin. Lucas held the shirt to Bennett’s stomach for several minutes, trying to calm his nerves some. He concentrated on his breathing, taking long, even breaths to lower his heart rate.
By the time he was calm and the adrenaline was wearing off, he was so tired he could barely stand.
“Can we go home? I just really want to go home, Bennett.” Lucas gripped Bennett’s arm with his free hand as he stumbled a little.
Bennett cursed and picked him up, carrying him to the truck that was parked at the back of the cabin. Lucas held the shirt, which had Bennett’s blood on it, close to his chest.
“Mother Estelle told me that the gray light would take more energy. She was right. I hope I can save the shirt. Maybe if I put it in the washer as soon as we get home.” Lucas knew he babbled but couldn’t help it.
