Jared (The Protectors #2)(49)

Leaving Tessa naked in his bed was one of the hardest things Jared had ever done and he wasn’t happy about it. Stomping down the hall he pulled his t-shirt over his head. His boots were untied and his jeans unsnapped. Damon turned the corner spotting him.

“Good.” Damon waited for Jared to reach him. “I thought I was going to have to bust in this time.”

“From here on out you and everybody else better be knocking.” Jared warned.

Damon grunted, leading the way into Duncan’s office. “Better put a sign on the door like I had to.” He glanced at Jared with a scowl. “Not that it worked since you seemed to take pleasure in pounding on my door every chance you got.”

Grinning, Jared shrugged his shoulders. “Your handwriting sucks. Couldn’t read what it said.”

“You couldn’t read, ‘Go the f*ck away’ in bold letters?” Damon rolled his eyes. “Seems like you’re the only illiterate dumbass here then.”

Jared chuckled walking into the office to find Duncan, Levi and their council leader Sloan Murphy in conversation. “It’s about damn time Kincaid.” Sloan snapped.

Sloan Murphy was the oldest vampire in the council and took over leadership more than a hundred years ago. When he said jump you didn’t ask how high, you got your ass off the ground. No one knew his true age, he looked to be forty something in human years, but for all anyone knew he was as old as time in vampire years.

“Sorry.” Jared bowed his head slightly in respect to his elder. “I was….”

“I don’t care what you were doing Kincaid.” Sloan’s eyes darkened slightly. “But by the smell I would say you left some female happy.”

Jared didn’t even want to go there. Talking about Tessa with anyone at this point was out of the question, even if it was his elder…not happening. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the vial. “We came across this.” He placed the small bottle in Sloan’s hand leaving out the fact that he got it from Tessa. “We think that is being used to turn the humans into half-breeds.”

Sloan held the small bottle up to the light. “Excellent.” Sloan stared at it for a second. “I’ll get someone on this right away. The sooner we find out what’s in this the better.”

“I knew she was hiding something.” Levi sneered at Jared.

Jared didn’t say a word, but his body tensed.

“She who?” Sloan asked putting the vial in his pocket.

“The human he’s f*cking.” Even though Levi was staring straight at Jared he never saw the kick that sent him flying across the room.

Damon grabbed Jared before he went after Levi. “Cool down brother.”

Sloan stepped in front of Levi who was pointing and cursing at Jared. “I take it you and this human…” Sloan turned to look at Jared one eyebrow cocked.

“Is none of anyone’s business.” Jared finished the sentence still eyeing Levi.

“If it interferes with Council business it is.” Levi shot back his stance less threatening with Sloan standing in front of him.

“Listen you piece of shit.” Jared pointed his finger over Sloan’s shoulder at Levi. “If you think you have any authority over me, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Sloan, known for his patience, was quickly losing what patience he did have.

“Gladly.” Levi sneered. “The human is Tessa Pride. She and her half-breed brother are the ones who broke in and stole one of our prisoners right out from under the warriors. She is also the mate to one of the half-breeds who terrorized the humans at the fairgrounds.”

“How do you know that?” Duncan who had been quite to this point spoke up. “I know you weren’t there and we haven’t given our reports yet.”

Levi glanced quickly at Duncan. “I…” He cleared his throat. “One of the warriors who came through mentioned something about it.”

“Is this true?” Sloan looked at Jared, his stare probing.

“Yes.” Jared relaxed slightly even though his body wanted to kill Levi on the spot.

“Dammit!” Sloan slammed his hand on the desk. “What is wrong with you warriors? If someone is mated you cannot interfere.”

“It’s only his word. She has no feelings toward him, nothing.” Jared didn’t like where this conversation was going. “He’s lying.”

“And you are a hundred percent sure about that?” When Jared didn’t answer Sloan put his hand on Jared’s arm. He couldn’t read a warrior when the warrior didn’t want to be read, but if he laid his hand on him nothing could be hidden. It was his talent. His eyes widened before he glanced at everyone else. “Everybody out.”

Once everyone had cleared the room Sloan turned toward Jared. “Can you read her?”

“I don’t know.” Jared replied leaning against the wall. “Her brother has her blocked. No one can read her.”

Again Sloan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Even when he isn’t near her?”

“Yeah.” Jared nodded. “Pretty impressive huh?”

“Very.” Sloan actually looked impressed. “He have any other talents we could use?”

“He hasn’t come into his full power yet, but as soon as he does I have a feeling he is going to make a great warrior.” Jared grinned. “He did pull a fast one on us when he broke out Chad Evans. Got to give him props for that.”