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jealous as hell, you know.”
    Her eyes widened.
    â€œAsshole!” Ethan called from inside.
    Bastien laughed. “I guess this means you two are on the outs.”
    â€œYou knew?” she asked, stunned.
    How had he known about the affair when no one else had guessed?
    He sank into the driver’s seat. “I may not get along well with others, but I am a keen observer of them.” The words seemed to carry a warning. “And I can feel your emotions every time I brush against you.”
    Considering how many times she had barged into his thoughts in the past, she decided she wouldn’t let that bother her. “Give Melanie my love.”
    He winked. “I’ll be too busy giving her mine.” Closing the door, he started the engine and sped away.
    Chuckling, Lisette stared after him. What an enigma.
    Ethan exited the house and stepped up beside her. “That guy is so weird.”
    â€œYou didn’t tell him?” she asked.
    â€œAbout us? No.”
    â€œDo you think he’ll say anything to anyone?”
    â€œNah. Who would he tell, other than Melanie? And she isn’t one to gossip.”
    â€œI don’t want to end up in the betting books, Ethan.”
    Immortal Guardians, their Seconds, and the mortal members of the network would gamble on just about anything. She didn’t want them to complicate matters between her and Ethan by betting on whether or not the two of them would get back together.
    â€œIf word gets out about your beau in there,” he said, jerking a thumb back at the house, “they’ll be betting on whether or not Seth will let you live.”
    A chilling thought.
    What the hell was she doing?

Chapter Three
    Ethan left shortly after Bastien did, still grumbling over the non-butt call.
    Zach didn’t so much as twitch all day. His breathing didn’t deepen. His heartbeat didn’t increase in frequency. His eyes didn’t open.
    Lisette eschewed sleep, preferring to watch over him instead and wonder about . . . so many things.
    Immortals tended to sleep more deeply when healing from serious wounds, so his lack of response when she called his name didn’t concern her too much. Particularly since his bruises faded. Cuts and gashes closed by Bastien’s handiwork began to heal, angry red lightening to pink, edges smoothing, scars forming.
    It took longer than she would’ve expected for an immortal his age. There must have been extensive internal damage. And there had been a lot of broken bones in his wings. One wing had nearly been completely detached. Bastien had had a hell of a time setting it and binding it. Those might take another day or two to heal.
    Who had done this to him? And why?
    She didn’t think Seth had. When Seth punished an immortal, everyone and his or her brother heard about it. Although, as far as she knew, only she, Roland, Sarah, and Ami even knew Zach existed.
    Lisette sighed as the sun set, no closer to finding answers. She touched Zach’s hair. “Zach? Can you hear me?”
    Nothing.
    â€œYou can answer me mentally if you can’t speak.” Though the gifts they possessed varied from immortal to immortal, Zach clearly was telepathic. Otherwise, he would not have been able to enter her dreams.
    Silence.
    â€œI have to leave for the night’s hunt.” She rose, her fingers already missing his silky locks. “I’ll keep my Second away for the night and return as soon as I can.”
    She just had to think of something to tell Tracy.
    Opening the wardrobe, she drew out a change of clothing and headed into the adjoining bathroom to shower.
    The wardrobe actually served dual purposes, just as those in David’s home did. Behind the curtain of black vampire hunting clothing lay a panel that concealed an escape tunnel that led deep into the surrounding forest, allowing her a safe exit beneath evergreens year-round should the need to flee during daylight hours ever