Jared (The Protectors #2)(3)
Jared couldn’t help it, he grinned. He could just see this woman, who smelled like honeysuckle, ripping the Council a new one. “He’s going to need help.” Jared nodded toward the boy.
“I’m fine.” The boy replied, not looking fine at all.
“I don’t think so.” Jared tried to get a read on him, but a sudden wave of pressure pushed back into his head.
“Stay out of my head warrior.” The boy hissed. “I feel others trying to get in, but it won’t work. And don’t try to get into hers either. We are both blocked. Actually everyone is blocked, but me.”
Jared cocked his eyebrow impressed. “You can do that?”
“I can do a lot of things.” He snorted before putting his sunglasses back on.
“How long have you been changed?” Jared was seriously intrigued. He had only met a handful of half-breeds in his long life.
“Less than a month.”
“Have you fed yet?”
The boy shook his head as he walked over and grabbed Chad by the throat lifting him out of the chair, chains and all. “Let’s go.” He broke the chains holding Chad to the chair.
“I take it silver doesn’t affect you.” Jared grumbled from his chair.
“Nope.” The boy didn’t even look his way as he led Chad to the door. “Come on. We only have a few minutes.”
“You need to feed.” Jared warned. He then turned his gaze on the woman. “He needs to get help. If he doesn’t feed soon he is going to rage and when that happens he is going to kill anything with a heartbeat. You included.”
“He’s fine.” The woman replied harshly, backing toward the door. “If you walk out that door you’re signing your brother’s death warrant.” Jared did his best to get her to see reason.
“You going to kill him?” The woman challenged with a cock of her head. “Is that a threat?”
“If he goes rogue he will be hunted by every warrior in the area.” Jared replied his voice hard and sure. “It’s our job to protect innocents.”
“Then where in the hell were you when he needed you?” The woman stomped toward him; her face flushed an angry red under her large sunglasses.
Not having an answer for that, Jared just shook his head. “I’m sorry for what happened to you…to him, but if you leave he doesn’t stand a chance.”
“I’d rather take that chance than leave him in the hands of someone who wants to lock him up.” She spat out, hatred clearly evident in her tone.
“You’re making a big mistake.” Jared tried one last time to stop these two before they got in more trouble than they were already in.
The woman hesitated before slowly backing out of the room. “Trusting a blood sucking vampire would be the mistake.”
“I’ll be seeing you…” Jared leaned toward her as far as he could. “very soon.” Anticipation in the form of a smile tipped his lips when she ran out the door, leaving the scent of honeysuckle.
Chapter 2
Tessa’s hands shook so bad she was surprised she made it home without running off the road. Adam sat in the back with the vampire they had stolen from the VC Warriors. Her stomach pitched violently thinking of what they just pulled off.
“Pull around back.” Her brother ordered.
Chad, who hadn’t shut up the whole ride home, chuckled. “You guys are as good as dead. They’ll find you.”
“Shut up.” Adam hissed glancing out the back window.
Pulling around to the back of the house Tessa pried her death grip off the steering wheel flexing her aching fingers. She swore if she hadn’t been driving she would have shot the bastard the first minute of being in the car with him. He wouldn’t shut up and it was driving her crazy. Her head, already buzzing with what they had just done, was now hurting so bad her eyes felt like they were bleeding.
“Unlock the cellar.” Adam ordered as he pulled Chad out of the back seat.
“Stop ordering me around.” Tessa snapped grabbing the keys out of the ignition. Heading down the three steps she unlocked the old door pushing it open. Turning, she rushed back to where Adam waited.
“This is great.” Chad laughed enjoying every moment. “You guys are turning on each other. You have no idea what you’ve done. The warriors aren’t going to give up trying to find you. Take it from me. No one messes with them and gets away with it.”
“Shut up!” Both Tessa and Adam yelled. Adam pushed Chad ahead of him down the steps into the cellar, slamming the door behind him.
Taking a deep calming breath Tessa glanced around more paranoid than she had ever been in her life. They didn’t have any close neighbors, most everywhere you looked was woods, but it felt like someone was watching her. Rushing around to the front of the house Tessa shivered. She needed to get a grip. There was one way to their small farm house and that was the gravel drive. With one last glance down the driveway Tessa ran up the steps, key ready to shove in the lock. She couldn’t get inside fast enough. Finally the door gave after a few shaky tries and she quickly jumped inside slamming the door closed. Feeling dizzy she realized she had been holding her breath and let it out in one long sigh. Her legs felt like noodles barely carrying her through the living room to the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge she drank it down in one long swig. Her mouth was so dry from fear she was about to choke.