The charred parts of her soul that had been taken over by Cain’s blood were once again lit up, opposing the shadows. She felt her heart start to race, and her palms sweat. She swallowed past a dry throat and spoke, her voice husky. “Finn?” She said his name out loud into the empty room, but she also thought it, reaching to him through the bond, pushing the thought toward him.

  Lizzy waited, her heart now pounding in her throat. The rush of blood pulsing in her ears made it impossible to hear anything around her. Everything about Lizzy focused on him. Was he okay? Had Cain done anything to him? Had Finn done something stupid when she passed out? Her hands fisted the comforter beneath her as her body grew tense. The anxiousness caused by his silence was threatening to drive away the peace and warmth that had invaded her body. “Finn.” She pushed the thought even harder. “Dammit, wolf, you better answer me, or so help me I’ll—”

  “Bite me?” His deep voice rolled through her mind and made her tremble.

  Stupid, sexy voice, she thought to herself. “It doesn’t bother you that I might bite you?”

  She felt his humor and heard him chuckle. But beneath that, Lizzy could also sense the fear he was trying to hide from her. He’d been terrified of what Cain had been doing to her.

  “Biting is foreplay in my world, Lizzy.” As he spoke, she felt him poking around in her head.

  “What are you doing?” She mentally slapped him away, but he kept prodding. “And why aren’t you freaking out?”

  “I’m making sure whatever they did hasn’t affected our bond,” he answered. More warmth filled her mind. She felt hands on her shoulders. They moved down her arms until they linked with her own.

  “Is mentally touching me a part of that process?” Her voice sounded breathy and wanton. What the hell? She hoped the question didn’t reach Finn.

  “Not necessarily. But it’s nice to know that the bond is still strong enough that you can feel my touch. Do I need to back off?”

  Lizzy swore she could practically hear him begging her to say no. “At least make it worth my time and give me a massage or something.”

  She felt his hands squeeze her own before once again running up her arms and back to her shoulders. Then his thumbs pressed into the back of her neck and began to rotate. “That’s the good stuff.” She groaned. “Now tell me again why you’re not attempting to bring the building down around you? Because I distinctly remember you flipping your werewolf lid right before I passed out.”

  “I would like to, no doubt. But I’m trying not to scare you.” He continually used the bond to work his hands into the sore muscles of her back. “Inside, I’m freaking out.”

  “Why would that scare me?”

  “A feral wolf is never an easy thing to face. We’re dangerous. And I never want you to be afraid of me.”

  Lizzy frowned. She hadn’t been afraid of him before when he’d been losing his crap. Why would she be now? “Did you hurt someone while I was being vampified?”

  “No,” he answered immediately. “Though I might have threatened a few of the guards who came to check on me.”

  “Would you have hurt them?”

  He didn’t answer right away this time. Instead, he seemed to decide what to say or how much to say. “If they’d have come into my cell, my wolf would have killed them.”

  She could hear the honesty in his voice. Still, she wasn’t afraid of him. “And you think I would be afraid if you did that?” His psychic hands—that’s the only way she knew how to describe the touch he could give her through their supernatural bond—ran down her spine, and she groaned out loud.

  “Please don’t make that sound.” Finn’s voice was a deep growl. “Especially not out loud where other males can hear.”

  “Answer my question, wolf.” She ignored the flutter of stupid butterflies that appeared in her stomach as she felt his desire for her.

  “You’ve lived your entire life in the human world, unaware of the supernatural one around you. And also unaware of your own supernatural heritage. Your introduction to the supernatural world has been from the king of vampires, one of the most wicked of the supernatural creatures. The better question would be, why wouldn’t you be afraid of a man who just admitted he’s capable of killing someone without a second thought?”

  Lizzy shifted her body on the bed and forced herself to focus on his words and not his touch. But dang, this wolf was good at giving massages. “I suppose a normal human would be afraid, but I grew up on the streets, and I’ve lived in some seriously questionable foster homes with humans that would make Cain look like Santa Claus. A few homicidal tendencies aren’t going to scare me away.” Lizzy realized how ridiculous that sounded. Maybe that made her a fool, but she was in too deep to care. It’s not like she could just go back to her old life, or that she’d even want to at this point. She could tell the bond between her and Finn was getting stronger. The injection of blood she received hadn’t affected it. At least, not that she could tell.

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Finn murmured into her mind. “Are you really okay? No more pain?”

  Lizzy tilted her head from side to side, flexed her toes, and stretched her legs. She took several deep breaths and let them out slowly before answering. “I feel fine. Hungry, but not for blood,” she quickly added. “For some actual food. And even though I just woke up from some weird vamp-changing induced coma, I’m tired.”

  There was a knock on the door.

  “Why the heck are you knocking when you have the dang key?” she called out.

  Alice’s voice came through the door. “Call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s rude to barge into a person’s room, even if they are being kept against their will. May I come in?”

  Lizzy exhaled heavily and managed to hoist herself into a seated position, one of her legs dangling off the edge of the bed. “Only if you have food,” she answered. “The scientist who’s the healer-thingie-person is coming into my room.”

  “Gypsy healer. Don’t do anything that could get yourself hurt.”

  She shook her head, and a small smile formed on her face. “I’m not planning to make a daring escape, if that’s what you’re worried about. I think at the moment, considering we don’t really know how I’m going to respond to the vampire virus, this is probably the safest place for me to be for other people. I wouldn’t want to hurt someone because I went into some crazed bloodlust.”

  The door opened, and Alice stood on the other side, holding a tray of food. From what Lizzy could see, it did appear to be a burger and fries. “I’m about to stuff my face. Hope that’s not a turnoff for you. Eating is sort of a big deal.”

  Warmth flooded the bond. “There is nothing you could do that would be a turnoff. I thought you were worried about the food being poisoned.”

  “Oh dear, you shouldn’t have said that.” Lizzy chuckled. “Now I feel it’s my job to prove you wrong. They have given me a virus that might or might not kill me. You think I’m still worried about some silly poisoned food? Now shh, let me focus on the gypsy-healer lady. Maybe I can get some information about you.”

  She turned her attention fully on Alice. “Do I have to invite you in?” Lizzy frowned. “Is that a thing now that I’m a vampire? I always thought it was the other way around. Too bad I wasn’t able to keep Cain out by simply not inviting him in.”

  Alice stepped into the room and let out a sigh. “Yes, too bad.” She walked over and placed the tray down on the bed next to Lizzy. Then she pointed at the chair sitting in the corner of the room. “Can we talk?”

  Lizzy made a motion with her hand. “Sure.” But her attention was on the food. The burger sat in the center of a plate, packed full of condiments. There was even stuff she hadn’t anticipated, like grilled onions and mushrooms that she was sure would taste delicious. She picked up the burger and took as big a bite as her mouth would allow. “Hmm, mm, gosh.” She moaned, and her eyes rolled back in her head as the flavors hit her tastebuds.

  “Again, quit with those noises.” Finn’s voice came to her mind.

  “Shhh.” She mentally barked. “You’re totally interfering with my foodgasm.”

  She felt Finn’s shock at her words through the bond, and it nearly made her laugh. But if she laughed, she might send food flying out of her mouth, and she wasn’t about to waste any of the greasy goodness.

  Lizzy quickly washed the bite down with a gulp from her milkshake and then smacked her forehead. “Brain freeze, gah!” She yelped. “Write that in your notes, Alice.” Lizzy pressed the heel of her hand hard against her head. “Being a hybrid doesn’t make you immune to brain freeze.”

  “Consider it noted. I’m sure that will be a vital piece of information for the future hybrids.”

  Lizzy snorted. “If you weren’t working with Cain, I might like you.” Alice didn’t respond. Lizzy glanced over and noticed the scientist seemed to be studying her. She continued eating until there wasn’t so much as a crumb left. “Would it be weird if I licked the plate?”

  “Can you not talk about licking things,” he responded in a tight voice.

  She mentally shrugged and took a long sip of her milkshake, slurping it loudly when she reached the bottom. With a satisfied groan, she pushed away her tray and leaned back, her stomach full. "Now, what did you want to talk about?"

  Chapter

  Nine

  “Science is full of uncertainty and doubt. Even after a hypothesis has been tested and proven, even after something has become so fundamentally assumed that its truth becomes an accepted fact, unexpected deviations can arise, causing us to question everything we thought we knew. Take one of my own assumptions: vampires and werewolves don’t exist. I thought that one was pretty safe. Guess what? Unexpected deviation. Vampires and werewolves do exist, along with something else–gypsy healers–and I’m supposed to be one. Oh, joy. Now I get to relearn everything I thought I knew about… well, everything. Forgive me if I don’t jump for gypsy joy.” ~Alice

  “How old are you, Lizzy?” Alice watched the girl as she was sitting on the bed. Lizzy looked as if today was simply an ordinary day for her, and she wasn’t a new supernatural creature who had just been re-imprisoned by a vampire king.

  “I’m pretty sure I’m nineteen.”

  Alice continued to stare at the girl, taking in her waist-length blond hair and pale green eyes. She swallowed, and a pit formed in her stomach. “What do you mean, pretty sure?”

  “Well, I can’t be exactly sure. The date of my birth wasn’t strictly celebrated each year.” Lizzy picked at the comforter. “I didn’t have the greatest foster-home experience. Then, when I was on the streets, the only thing I thought about was surviving. Days became weeks, and weeks became months. At some point, dates become irrelevant.”

  Alice’s brow rose. “You’ve forgotten your birthday?”

  “Not exactly. I can’t be entirely sure I ever knew it, to be honest. I know it’s in the spring, maybe April or May. Oh, and it’s on a day that ends in ‘y.’”

  “Funny.” Alice huffed, leaned forward, and rested her elbows on her knees. “You’re deflecting. It’s obviously something you don’t want to talk about. Fair enough.” She held up her hands, palms up. “But I’m hoping there’s something you are willing to talk about. Before you say no”—Alice hurried on when Lizzy opened her mouth to speak—“know that I’m not seeking information for Cain. He doesn’t even know I brought you the food. I’m here for myself. I just… I have questions I don’t want to ask the vampire king.”

  Lizzy stared straight at her, holding Alice’s eyes. Alice hoped the woman could see her sincerity. Finally, Lizzy spoke, “What do you want to know?”

  “True mates. I’ve been reading an ancient text that tells of the supernaturals and their history. I’ve gotten to the part about my kind—gypsy healers.” She paused, remembering the words she’d read. She’d had to read them a second and third time before it finally sunk in that the words she was reading were about her. Not her, specifically, but gypsy healers in general, and, apparently, she was one.

  “I don’t know anything about your kind. I don’t even know about my kind.” Lizzy pointed to herself. “And I’m talking about the pre-virus-injected Lizzy. A dormant werewolf. I didn’t have a clue that’s what I was, and I still don’t really understand what it means.”

  “But you have a true mate,” Alice countered. “And the book explains that true mates share a bond—a bond that allows them to speak into one another’s minds, to feel one another’s emotions. And I believe that is something you’re experiencing right now. Am I correct?”

  Lizzy held up a hand. “One second. I need to phone a friend. Or true mate, if you will.”

  Alice was enthralled when she noticed Lizzy's eyes gazing off into the distance, as if her mind had slipped away and left her body behind. Alice could only assume that Lizzy and her mate must be speaking telepathically–an experience Alice had read about but couldn't quite believe was taking place in front of her. Even so, if Lizzy's words were to be trusted, Alice now knew the impossible was possible.

  The woman’s eyes regained focus and landed back on Alice. “Finn wants to know your motive. He has trust issues.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Being held captive by a vampire will do that to a person, believe it or not.”

  “You just talked to him.” She didn’t voice it as a question. There was no need to. Of course, Lizzy had just talked to her mate, or at least that was what she was claiming, and Alice had witnessed it.

  Lizzy’s eyebrows went up. “Okay, doc—wait, are you a doctor?”

  Alice nodded. “I have two degrees. An MD and PhD.”

  “Fancy.” Lizzy purred. “Okay, doc, you’re going to have to refrain from asking questions you clearly already know the answer to. We don’t have time for that.”

  Alice looked around her. “We have nothing but time.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Lizzy put out her hands. “I could drop dead at any moment. So could you, for that matter. Life is not guaranteed. I don’t care how supernatural you are.”

  Alice smiled. “For someone so young, you’re not stupid.”

  “Thanks for that glowing compliment. And if you think my age has anything to do with my intelligence, you haven’t been around many people younger than you. Plenty of us are brilliant. Impulsive, yes. Slightly narcissistic? Of course, what youth isn’t? But brilliant, nonetheless. Especially those of us that have had to survive on the streets.” She held up a finger. “Though, to be fair, you do have a point that some young people are total idiots. Now, answer the question, please. Why do you want to know about the true-mate bond?”

  Alice took a deep breath and ran her hands down her thighs. She sat back deeper into the chair. “Because, according to this ancient text, gypsy healers always have werewolf mates. Always. As in no exception to the rule ever in the history of their kind.”

  “Is that a question?” Lizzy’s voice was stern. “If so, it’s one of those 'obvious answer' questions again. You know, the kind I just said not to ask. And if it is, you’re once again wasting our time because you already know the answer.”

  “Okay, maybe.” Alice drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair. “If this book is accurate. I have no reason to believe it is or isn’t. But how will I know if I’ve met my true mate?”

  Lizzy pointed to her temple. “That’s an easy one. Said mate will tell you himself. He will jump into your brain uninvited and start talking. And believe me, it will surprise the hell out of you. Then something else will change. There will be something inside of you that just knows. Maybe it’s the whole other half of your soul thing. The bond sort of snaps into place. You can see it in your mind, almost like a physical connection.”

  “Doesn’t that feel… invasive?”

  Lizzy frowned. “Uh, yeah. Did you not hear me say he jumps into your brain? Pretty sure that’s the definition of invasive. Or one of the definitions. I could be wrong. It’s been a while since I read a dictionary.”

  Alice ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She knew Lizzy didn’t have a reason to trust her. She was going to have to earn that trust. But how would she do that when she was working for Cain, albeit on her father’s orders? “Look, I seriously don’t mean you any ill will, Lizzy. Believe it or not, I’m here against my will. Well, sort of,” she amended.

  “Is Cain holding a family member hostage or something?”

  Alice shook her head. “No. My father is a high-ranking military officer. He is working directly with Cain on this. I was brought in by my father to, for lack of a better word, spy on the vamps and report back to the higher-ups anything that might seem shady. At first, I didn’t have a clue that I was going to be working with supernatural beings. But once I was here, I knew there’d be no leaving. Not with the knowledge I now hold, and because, apparently, I’m the key to the whole hybrid thing.”

  “He’s a vampire.” Lizzy groaned. “That alone makes him as shady as a flipping rain forest. And yes, it sucks to be you with the whole ‘your blood is the answer’ thing.”

  Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. “The point is, I’m not here because I agree with what they’re doing. Short of attempting to leave and possibly getting killed, I’m stuck. Even if I could leave, my father won’t allow it. He’s threatening to ruin my career if I don’t cooperate.”

  Lizzy snorted. “He sounds like an outstanding role model.”

  “Yes, well, we aren’t here to get into my daddy issues. I just want you to know that while I do find what’s going on here fascinating from a scientific perspective, I’m not on team vampire.”

  “Finn said it’s not a coincidence you were assigned to work with Cain.” Lizzy tilted her head as if she needed to get a different angle of Alice. “Gypsy healers are precious to the wolves. Those are his words. And because this whole true-mate thing is new and jealousy has suddenly become a thing for me, he needs to be careful with the tone he uses when talking about said gypsy healers.”