Vampires Never Cry Wolf (16 page)

Killian was about to respond when the sound of the door opening behind him caught his attention. He didn't have to turn around to know who had arrived. A smile curved his lips. He didn't miss the somewhat amused expression on Olivia's face when Sadie came into the room.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Sadie said with pure exasperation.

Killian spun his chair around, and the instant he clapped eyes on her, he got the wind knocked out of him. The woman was stunning. He'd known that the first moment he saw her, but he'd never seen her quite like this—clad in a white T-shirt, faded jeans, and black combat boots and with that gorgeous face free of makeup. With her long, dark hair swept up in a ponytail and a few stray strands drifting along her cheek, she looked absolutely beautiful—pure, innocent, and young. Killian's smile faltered. He'd never realized just how young she must have been when she was turned. Eighteen? Twenty? Dressed casually and outside the buzzing energy of the club, she didn't look much more than a girl.

“What a lovely surprise,” he said softly, rising to his feet.

“That's one way to put it.” Sadie shot Killian a furious look.

“Sleep well?” Killian teased.

“Zip it, Prince Charming.” After giving him a withering look, Sadie turned her attention to Olivia. “What's going on, Liv? I thought we were going to have a chance to talk.”

“Yes. I'd say I'm a little late with one talk in particular.” Olivia rose from her chair, strode across the room, and took Sadie's hands in hers. Killian watched with rapt attention while the czar, the leader of all of the vampires in the Northeastern Territory, turned into the maternal spirit she inherently was. “Sadie, I owe you an apology. I'm sorry I lied to you about what happened the night you were turned. You have to understand that it really was for your own good.”

“You told her?” Sadie looked at Killian like she wanted to kick him in the nuts, and he realized he'd overstepped his bounds. “You might be my bloodmate, Killian, but that doesn't give you the right to butt into my business.”

Yup. Way overstepped his bounds. Shit.

“Don't get pissed at him, okay?” Olivia brought Sadie over to the small love seat along the back wall of the conference room. Pulling her down onto the cushions next to her, Olivia continued. “I had to do it, Sadie. The treaty with the wolves was just coming into play and the war was finally settling down. If I turned you and allowed you to keep that horrible memory of what that rogue pack did to you and your family, you would never have been able to settle into your new life as a vampire. It was, whether you believe me or not, for your own good. I wanted you to be safe.”

Silence hung heavily in the room while Sadie stared intently at her maker. In the span of only a few minutes, Killian saw a range of emotions flicker across her face. Anger. Hurt. Confusion. Sadness. Sadie's shoulders sagged and she shot a glance in Killian's direction.

She
loves
you, Sadie.
Killian knew he should stay out of it but he couldn't help himself. The pall of sadness hanging over Sadie tugged at his heart and made him feel helpless. He could handle anything other than this. His father's disappointment, a flock of hungry vampires, anything except watching Sadie suffer.
Olivia
did
what
she
did
because
she
wanted
to
protect
you… It's a feeling I'm starting to get familiar with.

Sadie straightened her back when Killian's mind met hers, and to his relief, she didn't shut him out. Her dark, almost ebony stare met his, and in that split second he detected a glimmer of hope.

Somehow, some way, everything would work itself out. A smile tilted his lips as he thought of his mother. That was her favorite saying. Any time he'd worry about something, she would pat his arm and say, “
Don't worry, my boy. Everything has a way of working itself out.
”

“I'll be honest, Olivia. I'm pissed at you for lying to me, but the reality is that if not for you, I'd have died—really died—a long time ago.” Sadie looked at her maker through large, dark eyes. “I can try to understand why you made that decision, but given that I had already been bitten by a werewolf, weren't you afraid of trying to turn me?”

“Absolutely, but you definitely would have died if I didn't at least try.” Olivia brushed a strand of long, dark hair off Sadie's forehead and cupped her cheek. “I couldn't leave you there to die alone like that. You were so young, so fragile and innocent. How could I just walk away?”

“Did Sadie's turn go normally?” Killian interjected. He folded his arms over his chest and kept his intense gaze on Sadie. “I thought that when a vampire is turned, much like when a human is turned by one of my people, any scars or wounds they had as a human vanish. But Sadie has a scar. The one on her shoulder that looks like a full moon.”

“It took two days, like it does with most vamps. After the turn Sadie remained, shall we say,
sensitive
to the presence of werewolves.” Olivia smiled and squeezed her progeny's hands. “You always had a sixth sense about it if any were around. Nothing specific or anything, but your hunches always gave us a heads-up.”

“My scar tingles sometimes.” Sadie looked at Killian with something akin to acceptance. “The scar where I was bitten.”

“Your blood was some of the most potent I've ever tasted.” Olivia sat back on the sofa and let out a tired sigh. “When I drained most of it for the turn, I got seriously high. It wasn't that different than feeding straight from one of Killian's people. Anyway, the only other unusual side effect was that scar you retained on your shoulder.”

“There's one thing I don't understand,” Sadie said, tearing her gaze from Killian's.

“What is it?”

“You ended up putting the treaty in danger anyway by killing those wolves when you saved me. Why bother changing my memory if you killed them?”

“I didn't kill them.” Olivia glanced at Killian before turning back to Sadie. “Not then, anyway. That night I knocked them out, only wounded them. I didn't kill them until a few nights later. Truthfully…
we
killed them a few nights later.”

“Oh my God.” Sadie's eyes grew wide with tears. “The pack we fought…just a few nights after I was turned.
They
were the same pack who killed my family.”

“Yes.” Olivia nodded and patted Sadie's knee before giving it a squeeze. “I took you to an abandoned cabin while you were in the transition sleep. It wasn't far from where you lived with your family, and unfortunately they tracked us there.”

“So you killed them after all?” Killian asked.

“You're damn right I did.” Olivia shot him a deadly look and sat up straighter in her seat. “I gave them a chance to escape with their lives, but that wasn't enough. They came back for revenge and they sure as hell got some.”

“N-no one ever found out about that, did they?” Sadie asked quietly.

“No.” Olivia shook her head adamantly. “That area was virtually uninhabited at that time, so we were able to sweep it under the rug. I was worried that the second encounter with them would trigger something in your memory. But it didn't. It sure made you want to stay far away from wolves of any kind though.”

Sadie flicked her gaze to Killian's and he touched her mind with his.
Not
all
wolves, I hope.
To his delight, the hint of a smile played at her lips before she looked away.

“So no one ever knew,” Olivia said firmly. Turning a stony look in Killian's direction, she rose to her feet. “At least until now. Am I going to have to worry about this revelation being
accidentally
leaked to the king?”

“If you ask me, Olivia,” Killian murmured. “You shouldn't have let them go the first time around. After what I saw in that dreamscape, those men deserved their fate. Attacking an innocent family and slaughtering women and children is an act of cowardice. Men like that have no honor and bring nothing but shame to my people. Besides, it's ancient news. It has no bearing on current or future events.”

“Good.” Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and arched one eyebrow. “I'm glad you agree.” Turning to Sadie, her tone softened along with her rigid posture. “I really am sorry, Sadie. To be honest, I'm relieved you finally know the truth.”

“Yeah, well, the truth isn't all it's cracked up to be,” Sadie murmured. Rising to her feet, she shrugged and suddenly looked remarkably uncomfortable. “So, Killian told you about…us…I mean…the bloodmate thing.”

“Yes.” Olivia seemed to be suppressing a smile. She nodded as she moved past Sadie toward the notes she'd left on the table. “Actually, given your history and what happened on the day you were turned, being mated to a werewolf doesn't seem all that weird.”

Killian stilled and clapped eyes with Sadie as a few more pieces to their bizarre puzzle fell into place. The universe seemed to be doling out information one crumb at a time, and he had just snagged another one.

“Of course…” Killian murmured. His brows knit together and he met Olivia's curious green-eyed gaze across the room. “Sadie must have retained some of our DNA in her bloodstream, and maybe that's why we're so
compatible
. When a human is bitten by a wolf, their DNA is altered, just like when a human is turned into a vampire.”

“Sadie's blood is registered with the Presidium archives, like that of all vampires is, but her blood wasn't tested—only logged.”

“Can your friend Xavier run blood tests in his lab?”

“Interesting.” Olivia's eyebrows flew up and she nodded slowly, understanding where Killian was going with it. “We could have him test her blood and check for any signs of werewolf DNA. It would explain a lot,” she murmured with a pointed look in Killian's direction. “I can't imagine your father, not to mention your people, would be interested in having a vampire for their queen. Maybe if Sadie still has some werewolf DNA in her bloodstream, everyone would be more willing to accept your
situation
.”

“They have nothing to do with this,” Killian bit out. “My life is my own and no one else's.”

“Excuse me.” Sadie raised her hand and cast an insulted look at Killian and Olivia. “How about me or my life? Did anyone ask me if I'd like to be studied like some kind of lab rat, or if I'm even interested in hooking up with Killian and being queen?” She threw her hands up. “What am I talking about? You don't even want to be king.”

“Oh please.” Olivia rolled her eyes and snagged the notes off the table. “You're being dramatic. All you have to do is let Xavier draw some blood. And as far as hooking up with Killian?” The czar smirked and waved one hand dismissively. “Let's just say, I have a feeling it's not an outrageous suggestion. You forget, my friend, I've already been through the bloodmate bonding. I'm well aware of the intense physical attraction that comes with it, and you can't ignore it. You have to face this and figure it out.”

“It
is
intense.” Killian winked at Sadie. “Nothing gets by your maker, does it?”

Hands on her hips, Sadie's eyes narrowed with the fiery determination that Killian so adored. Good God, this woman was hot, and in spite of her anger, he was remarkably turned on.
You
know
you're gorgeous as hell when you get angry?

“Cut that out!” Sadie let out a sound of frustration, and her hands curled into fists at her side. “I'm not kidding, Killian.”

“I'm sorry.” Raising his arms in the universal sign of defeat, he gave her the most apologetic look. “Really, I am.” Dropping his hands to his side, Killian lowered his voice. “But I can't help myself, because it's true.”

“What is?” Olivia asked with mild amusement.

“How gorgeous she is when she's angry,” he said, giving Sadie a wink.

“Damn it, Killian.” Sadie pointed at him, and even though she did her best not to smile, the hint of one glimmered in her eyes. “You may be the only one I can telepath with now, but that doesn't give you the right to invade my thoughts every two seconds.”

Sorry
. He shrugged.

“Killian!” Sadie shouted with a laugh.

“Okay, okay. I'll stop.”

“Oh Lord.” Olivia sighed. “I can tell the two of you are going to have one hell of a time figuring this all out. In the meantime, you need to go see Xavier. Sadie, since you're going there anyway, you can take Killian with you.” She reached across the table and handed the papers to Killian, but kept her sights on Sadie. “He needs to bring these notes to Xavier for analysis, and he doesn't know the way. Doug and I have another appointment that I can't be late for, so you can take him.”

“What about Suzie?” Sadie asked quickly. “Why doesn't she take him? I can go see Xavier another time.”

“Are you serious?” Olivia all but laughed out loud. “That poor girl is still afraid of her own shadow, and you expect me to send her on a walking tour of the Presidium with a werewolf? Besides, I already sent her home. And before you ask, no, I'm not getting Trixie or Damien.” Olivia slipped her hands into the pocket of her slacks, and a smile bloomed. “Besides, you and Killian obviously have a lot to talk about. So that makes you the perfect escort. No time like the present. Go on.”

“We can talk and talk and talk until the next full moon and he turns furry but—”

“Actually,” Killian interrupted. “We don't need a full moon to shift. Just the
desire
.”

“Whatever.” Sadie sighed. The innuendo in his words wasn't lost on her. “As I was saying, all the talk in the world won't change the facts. I'm a vampire. Killian is a werewolf. We aren't exactly compatible biologically, socially, or politically. Then if that's not enough, bloodmates only bond if both are vampires, and Killian can't be a vampire because werewolves can't be turned. So the way I see it, this whole bloodmate deal between us is a nonissue. I'll admit there's an attraction.
But
, we are both grown-ups.” She sent a narrowed glance at Killian. “Well, one of us is, anyway, and I'm more than capable of keeping my hormones under control. So as long as Prince Charming here keeps his paws to himself, the problem is solved.”