Sara Humphreys - Vampire Trouble

Shane told them everything.

The dreams, the telepathic contact, bloodmates…everything.

Sitting on the couch in Maya’s apartment, Shane rested his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands. Waiting for Olivia and Doug to say something, he felt battered by shame, anger, and frustration. Maya was passed out in her bed, with Trixie and Sadie keeping watch over her while Shane had rattled off the evening’s events to the czars with an unusual edge of emotion.

Normally, when recapping a patrol, he was all business, but with Maya, it was entirely personal.

“What a shit show.” Olivia ran her hands over her swollen belly and paced back and forth on the other side of the room. “I knew that little bastard was up to something. He deliberately baited the two of you into a fight, and it sounds like our friend Rat is playing both sides. Why would the prince want to start the war again?”

“I’m not certain,” Shane said quietly. “But if I had to venture a guess, I’d say his motives have something to do with the throne. The fact that he came here to New York and started all of this while his father is overseas is far too coincidental. Maybe he wants his father to see him having heir potential, rather than just being the spare?”

“Perhaps.” Olivia looked from Doug to Shane. “I find it difficult to believe King Heinrich would support this kind of crap. He even offered to have his oldest son, Killian, come to town to babysit his little brother, and I may just take him up on it.”

“The king wants peace, Liv. He’s not going to reignite the freaking war because of this little incident .” Doug rubbed her back reassuringly. “You’ve told me over and over that he’s totally on board with the truce. Wasn’t it his ancestor who signed the treaty?”

“Yes.” Shane rose from the couch and stood at attention. “And I have risked that peace, due to rash and impulsive actions that are not fitting of a sentry. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit.”

“Give it a rest, Shane.” Olivia waved him off. She sat in the oversized chair, and Doug took a protective stance beside her. She smiled warmly at her mate. “If anyone understands how upside down the world gets during the bloodmate bonding process, it’s us.”

“Thank you.” Shane bowed his head, but he could not shake the horrible feeling of having failed the Presidium and, even worse, Doug and Olivia. Over the past few months, the two czars had become more like friends than his superiors, and it galled him to think he had let them down. “But that is still no excuse for my behavior…or hers.”

“Maya is your bloodmate. I still can’t believe it,” Doug said with genuine wonder. “Damn, brother. You are gonna have your hands full with that one.”

“Hey,” Olivia protested. “I know she can kind of be a pain in the ass but—”

“Kind of?” Doug asked incredulously. “ Kind of? That girl has done nothing but cause trouble from the minute I met her. It’s like she’s trying to get herself killed. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she has a serious death wish.” Doug’s brows knit together and he ran a hand over his short blond hair. “And I don’t get it. I know that the werewolves are strong, stronger than humans certainly, but Maya should have been able to get away from him. Right?”

“Fear,” Shane bit out before Olivia could answer Doug. “Maya is still tormented by the attack she suffered on the last night of her human life. She was reliving it every time she slept until I was pulled into her dreamscape and could intervene. Each time she hunts, every human man she feeds on, is a way for Maya to try to reclaim her sense of power. When Horace went after her, Maya was paralyzed by her deep-seated belief that she is powerless—a victim. I suspect that until she faces that fear and stops allowing her past to haunt her, she will keep fighting the ghosts.”

“You mean fighting herself,” Olivia said quietly with tears in her eyes. “That girl has been fighting since the night I found her in that alley—fighting for her life and her sanity. Something tells me, Shane, that you are going to be the key to Maya finding some peace.”

“No.” Shane shook his head and removed his jacket before placing it over the arm of the couch. “Maya will have to do that for herself, but I will be there to guide her. She tells me that you killed the human who attacked her that night.”

“Yes.” A dark cloud flickered over Olivia’s face, recalling what she’d done, and she nodded. “I’m not proud of it, but I did.”

“Since Maya can no longer confront him in the physical plane, the dreamscape is her only option.” He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves as he spoke. “I will continue to go to her in the dreamscape until she is the one to save herself. Not me. When we are finished and she has an opportunity to sleep, I plan to go to her again.”

“Interesting,” Olivia murmured. “Let her save herself in the dream so that she regains her power and feels safe again.”

“I’m impressed, Quesada.” Doug made a face of approval and nodded. “That’s smart, a little new-agey for a guy from the sixteenth century, but smart.”

“With nothing but time on our hands, evolution is inevitable.” Shane flicked a glance to Olivia’s swollen belly. “A concept you’re both familiar with.”

“You really feel something for her, don’t you?” Olivia asked. “It’s not just the bloodmate bond, is it?”

“I have felt several things for Maya.” Shane smirked. “If and when I’m able to decipher exactly what those emotions are, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“I’m not the one you should tell.” Olivia smiled.

Silence hung between them momentarily before being interrupted by the shrill chirp of a text message on Doug’s cell phone. He snagged it from the pocket of his leather coat and frowned when he read the message scrolled across the screen.

“What is it?” Olivia took his hand in hers. “What’s going on?”

“It’s Suzie.” Doug turned his serious gaze to Shane. “Horace just called the office. It looks like he and his pack are looking for a meeting.”

“How diplomatic of him,” Olivia said with a roll of her eyes. “I don’t want them in the underground offices. Have them meet us in the gardens of The Cloisters, tonight after dark when it’s closed to the public. You and I can withstand the sunlight, but we’re still stronger at night.”

“I will be there as well,” Shane added.

“No.” Olivia rose to her feet, shook her head, and held up one hand when Shane opened his mouth to protest. “Doug and I can handle it, with a little help from Xavier and some of his weapons. In addition to Sadie and Trixie, we’ll have Damien. He is the club’s bouncer, after all. I’ll even ask Pete to make an appearance. We’ll have plenty of backup, loads of firepower, and the home-field advantage. Your presence would only crank up the tension. In fact, given everything you’ve told us, we think it would be best if you left town for a while.”

Shane flinched. It was like a kick in the gut, and he stared at Olivia and Doug with shock.

“Hang on.” Doug held up one hand and wrapped his other arm around his mate. “It’s not what you’re thinking. We’re not banishing you or anything.”

“Funny, that’s exactly how it feels.”

“Shane,” Olivia began, “you and Maya are now the second vamp couple to discover that you are bloodmates. In a couple of days, every leader in the supernatural community is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.” The lines in her face deepened and her hands rested protectively on her stomach. “There’s already nervousness, uneasiness about what being bloodmates will mean for our race and for the rest of the world. What do you think will happen when they hear about yet another pairing? For all we know, Maya could get pregnant too.”