Read Online Black Wolf by Steph Shangraw - Free Book Online Page B

own abilities worked just fine without props. He
returned the rest, and added an extra layer of protection around
it. Although, he thought wryly, that was a classic example of
locking the barn door after the horse was in the next county. He
doubted Jesse would forget this quickly.
     
    Had he gotten
into Cynthia's or Deanna's? Cynthia's power was so much more subtle
than his, she lacked the unique protections he'd built, and she
used her tools more often than he did. On the other hand, he
doubted that any amount of unauthorized handling could cause Deanna
the slightest trouble with her tools. He left his room, the knife
under his pillow and out of sight, and went to Cynthia's. The chest
opened immediately under his hand. He checked each briefly, the
crystal sphere that had been her grandmother's, the mostly newer
tools, and found everything as it should be.
     
    Then, just for
now, he wouldn't mention this either, any more than he had Jesse's
attempted midnight flight. He didn't think Jesse had meant any harm
today, he couldn't be blamed for curiosity.
     
    Still, this
was getting a little out of hand.
     
    He headed back
to his own room, mulling over what he might be able to devise to
keep Jesse out of things. For his safety and theirs. He was saying
that a lot lately. Keep everybody safe.
     
    Inner senses
picked up Bane's presence; he turned around, just in time to watch
his dark coven-mate lean against the edge of the doorway, arms
crossed. Even from here, Kevin could see the gold flaring in his
eyes and hear the low rumble of a growl.
     
    Uh-oh...
     
    "He was in my
room," Bane said, each word precise, reminding Kevin of the sharp
edge of his knife. "His scent is everywhere. I want him out of my
territory. Now ."
     
    "Can we talk
about this? Please? For my sake and Gisela's, at least?"
     
    Bane didn't
move for a long moment, then he nodded curtly and came farther into
the room, turned the chair from the desk backwards and straddled it
with his arms crossed on the back. Kevin glanced at the door, and
it closed itself with a soft click.
     
    "Why should I
not chase him off?" It still held more than a hint of growl, but
the edge was muted somewhat.
     
    Kevin sank
down on the bed, facing him.
     
    "Lots of
reasons."
     
    "Start listing
them, then. And don't tell me again that it's dangerous to send him
back to the outside world with no knowledge of what he is. He'll
never heal completely, Flynn's cards are wrong this time. Whatever
the unfinished business is he keeps getting on every reading, that
isn't it."
     
    Kevin tried to
put his tangled thoughts in order.
     
    Okay, he's not
going to listen to logic this time.
     
    "There was a
time, once, when Deanna and I ran away from Rebecca," he said
quietly. "And you were the only one in all of Haven who was willing
to give me a chance. Remember?"
     
    "You didn't
take advantage of hospitality and trust to violate privacy!"
     
    Oh, if you
only knew about Jess trying to leave in the middle of the
night...
     
    "No, I had
attacked Flynn for voicing an opinion—which was shared by just
about everyone and was in fact extremely valid—and terrorized
Cynthia when she came after me for it, and got in a fight with you
when you told me that I'd be taking my life in my hands to go
anywhere near them ever again. Among other things. I racked up a
long list of sins in a very few months."
     
    The angry gold
faded from Bane's eyes, and his expression softened. "That was a
long time ago."
     
    "A couple of
years isn't so long. Less than that, actually. A couple of years
ago, around now we were all meeting Rebecca. You had stronger
reasons to distrust me, but you took a chance. Please. If you don't
want to, that's your choice, but don't stop me from making my own
choice."
     
    Bane rested
his head on his arms, silent for what felt like forever, then he
sighed heavily.
     
    "I'll be glad
forever that I took that chance on you. For the moment, I'll let
him stay. But he's running out of