Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(12)
When Blair took a step toward him, he knew he was going to die, but Diamond put herself between him and Blair, and then he was afraid for her. Before he could stand, Sapphire seemed to come out of nowhere.
“What the hell are you doing?” Thad opened his mouth to answer her but realized she was speaking to Blair. “Didn’t I tell you this was going to happen? Didn’t I tell you several times, I might add, to stay out of it?”
“He was kissing her and...he had her...they were nearly having sex. Against the wall.” Diamond flushed bright red when Sapphire looked at her. But Blair wasn’t finished. “You should have seen the way he was groping her.”
“Like you do to me whenever you get the chance?” Thad laughed but covered his mouth when Blair and Diamond glared at him. He wasn’t sure which was scarier at this point. Sapphire told him to get up.
“Now, we’re going to do this rationally and as adults.” Sapphire pointed to the table, no doubt expecting them all to sit. Well, he wasn’t ready to sit. He wanted to get the hell out of this house and…and do what, he wasn’t sure.
“I’d do what she says or she’ll make your life a living hell. She’s already pissed because of Morton.” Blair took the chair at the head of the table as he continued. “You should know that we meant to do this under better circumstances. But things have…progressed to the point where it’s a need to know rather than a maybe you should know.”
He sat but wasn’t happy. “What has he done now? So help me if he’s done anything to this project I’m going to fire his ass right now. He seems to keep forgetting that he works for me, not the other way around.”
Thad nearly pointed out that they did as well but thought now wasn’t the time to bring this up. Something was going on here, and he thought he was going to need this information if they were this set on him having it. These people he trusted. Thad looked at Diamond when she sat as far from him as she could.
“We’re wolves, werewolves as a matter of fact.” Thad waited for the punch line to Sapphire’s joke, but she nodded and then looked at Blair as he picked up the story.
“I’m the alpha to our pack, and Sapphire is my alpha bitch. Actually, she’s as much alpha as I am, but we run this pack together. All of her sisters are as—”
“Hang on. You’re seriously expecting me to believe that you’re werewolves? That you sprout fur once a month and hunt down humans for food?” He stood up and sat down quickly when he thought of the wolf he’d seen in Diamond’s eyes, as well as the fur on Blair’s body. “This can’t be happening. There is no such thing as werewolves. Next thing you’ll be telling me is that there are vampires in the world.”
“There are.” He looked at Diamond when she spoke. “There are two of them on your night shift and one on your day staff. She’s a half breed. I met her when I went to Texas to visit Sapphire for a few days.”
“Prove it.” No more than the words left his mouth than Diamond stood up and changed. He was afraid to move when the large wolf made its way around the table and toward him. And when she stood up on her hind paws and put her front ones on his lap, he watched as she opened her mouth for him and showed him those sharp canines.
“Diamond, that’s enough. I think he believes you. Go shift and get dressed. But I expect you to come back here.” The wolf dropped to the floor and moved around him again to do just what Blair had told her to do. Thad watched her leave the room and continued watching the door for her to come back and tell him it was all a joke. But one look at Blair’s face and he knew that this was no joke.
“Diamond nursed you back to health when your leg was infected. Licking your wound of all the poison was all that saved you.” Blair nodded at Sapphire, not really hearing what she was saying. “Do you know what a mate is?”
“A pair.” She nodded. “I saw her. The wolf. When I was ill. I thought I was hallucinating or something. She healed me because a dog’s…wolf’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s. How the hell does someone find this shit out?”
“Only another super would know what each of us are. And yes, a pair. But when she took your blood, she formed a connection with you. One that was already there but not formed. When I asked you the other day what she smelled like, I thought she was your mate, but I wasn’t sure. Now, after today, I’m sure of it.” Sapphire took his hand and he jerked from her. He knew that he’d hurt her, but right now he was too close to freaking out.
“Diamond is a wolf too then.” Blair nodded as Sapphire left the room. “I hurt her. I’m sorry for that, but I can’t…why did you feel the need to tell me today. Why at all?”
“Sapphire told me you were Diamond’s mate, and then this morning Annabelle said the same thing to me. I can’t make you want her, but she’s your other half.” Thad burst out laughing. “I’m sorry that this is making you uncomfortable but—”
“Uncomfortable? We’ve gone the hell over uncomfortable and are closely coming up on f*cking freaked out. I nearly had sex with…with that.” He felt the surge of anger from Blair but didn’t really f*cking care right now. “I guess I can be glad that you told me before I stuck my dick in this.”
He looked at the doorway when he heard her. Thad had no idea how long Diamond had been standing there, but by the look on her face, long enough to hear him. He wasn’t going to apologize to her. She’d known all along what she was and had let him…well that wasn’t right either. She’d been pushing him away since he’d been there. Thad stood up when she disappeared.