tightening the reins on the
vampire/werewolf relations. That was all Danni knew about the ruling group who
oversaw the paranormal nations.
“I don’t know nothing about the Council, man. Hurry it up! I’ll
be at the top of the stairs.” The werewolf trudged up the stairs.
And Hart reached through the bars, his fingers grasping. With
his other hand, he put a finger to his lips to silence her. And when Danni put
her hand in his, she felt everything they had shared the past few days and saw
in his eyes what she needed to know—she was still his girl.
“I’m going to get you out of here,” he whispered. A glance to
the stairs, and then he placed his palm over hers. I will
return . “Be strong.”
She nodded. When he pulled away and walked up the stairs, she
felt the first teardrop splash her cheek.
*
“I thought so,” Tony said as he eyed Hart curiously, his
focus going to his neck where Hart knew the man saw the bite mark. He hadn’t
buttoned the shirt, knowing he’d have to face the cold hard facts sooner rather
than later. “Remy wants to see you again, man. Right now.”
Remy Caufield stalked up to Hart as he entered the office, and
slamming a palm against Hart’s jaw, tilted his head roughly aside. The keen-eyed
principal sneered. “You’ve been bitten. And you weren’t planning on telling me?
It was the one we have below, wasn’t it?”
Exposed, all sorts of excuses started forming in Hart’s brain,
and then he shoved them all away. He was no man to lie. To get out of a tough
situation he always used his fists. But a fight wasn’t going to protect the girl
this time around. Above all things, he must protect Danni. He could care less
what happened to his own hide.
“She bit me that first night I pursued her. In the middle of a
scuffle.”
“So you didn’t ask for it?” Remy’s eyes widened, assessing, and
then he nodded. “You would never do that, right?”
“No, I didn’t ask for it, but I’ve since drank blood. The
craving was strong. I couldn’t—” Perhaps he could have. No, he would never lead
the principal to believe she’d forced him to anything. “— didn’t want to resist.”
“Fuck. I thought I taught you better than this.”
Remy shoved a hand through his hair and paced before Hart. He
was a small man, but smart and strong, despite his size. Hart could take him
down in an instant, but he would not. He respected the pack principal even
though he didn’t agree with everything Caufield felt was best for the pack.
“You’re tainted now, Hart. You know what that means.”
Head bowed and hands clasped before him, Hart offered, “Sorry.
If I could change things I would.”
“You can go and stake that vampire bitch right now. Maybe
that’ll stop your blood hunger?”
“I don’t think it works that way. And I wouldn’t dream of
harming Danni Weber.”
“Is that so? Why is that?”
“I’ve learned a few things about her. She was forced to spy on
the pack. They’re threatening her mortal brother if she doesn’t do as the tribe
commands. She’s an innocent in this mess.”
“Innocents don’t rip out one of my pack member’s necks and
change them to something—Christ. You know what this means? Tony!” Remy huffed
and slapped a hand onto Hart’s shoulder. “Sorry about this, but I have to stand
for the pack. And we can’t have a tainted wolf living amongst us. Tony, take him
below and lock him up. We’ll set him lose later tonight after the
banishing.”
The banishing.
Hart winced as Tony tugged him toward the door, yet he went
freely, unwilling to resist when he deserved what was coming to him. Banishment
was no picnic. It would scar him physically. But emotionally? He had no idea
what to do with himself if the pack banished him.
*
At sight of Hart being led toward the cage opposite
hers, Danni gripped the iron bars. He walked inside the small cell of his own
free will, and watched as the other wolf locked him inside.
“Sorry, man,” the
vampire/werewolf relations. That was all Danni knew about the ruling group who
oversaw the paranormal nations.
“I don’t know nothing about the Council, man. Hurry it up! I’ll
be at the top of the stairs.” The werewolf trudged up the stairs.
And Hart reached through the bars, his fingers grasping. With
his other hand, he put a finger to his lips to silence her. And when Danni put
her hand in his, she felt everything they had shared the past few days and saw
in his eyes what she needed to know—she was still his girl.
“I’m going to get you out of here,” he whispered. A glance to
the stairs, and then he placed his palm over hers. I will
return . “Be strong.”
She nodded. When he pulled away and walked up the stairs, she
felt the first teardrop splash her cheek.
*
“I thought so,” Tony said as he eyed Hart curiously, his
focus going to his neck where Hart knew the man saw the bite mark. He hadn’t
buttoned the shirt, knowing he’d have to face the cold hard facts sooner rather
than later. “Remy wants to see you again, man. Right now.”
Remy Caufield stalked up to Hart as he entered the office, and
slamming a palm against Hart’s jaw, tilted his head roughly aside. The keen-eyed
principal sneered. “You’ve been bitten. And you weren’t planning on telling me?
It was the one we have below, wasn’t it?”
Exposed, all sorts of excuses started forming in Hart’s brain,
and then he shoved them all away. He was no man to lie. To get out of a tough
situation he always used his fists. But a fight wasn’t going to protect the girl
this time around. Above all things, he must protect Danni. He could care less
what happened to his own hide.
“She bit me that first night I pursued her. In the middle of a
scuffle.”
“So you didn’t ask for it?” Remy’s eyes widened, assessing, and
then he nodded. “You would never do that, right?”
“No, I didn’t ask for it, but I’ve since drank blood. The
craving was strong. I couldn’t—” Perhaps he could have. No, he would never lead
the principal to believe she’d forced him to anything. “— didn’t want to resist.”
“Fuck. I thought I taught you better than this.”
Remy shoved a hand through his hair and paced before Hart. He
was a small man, but smart and strong, despite his size. Hart could take him
down in an instant, but he would not. He respected the pack principal even
though he didn’t agree with everything Caufield felt was best for the pack.
“You’re tainted now, Hart. You know what that means.”
Head bowed and hands clasped before him, Hart offered, “Sorry.
If I could change things I would.”
“You can go and stake that vampire bitch right now. Maybe
that’ll stop your blood hunger?”
“I don’t think it works that way. And I wouldn’t dream of
harming Danni Weber.”
“Is that so? Why is that?”
“I’ve learned a few things about her. She was forced to spy on
the pack. They’re threatening her mortal brother if she doesn’t do as the tribe
commands. She’s an innocent in this mess.”
“Innocents don’t rip out one of my pack member’s necks and
change them to something—Christ. You know what this means? Tony!” Remy huffed
and slapped a hand onto Hart’s shoulder. “Sorry about this, but I have to stand
for the pack. And we can’t have a tainted wolf living amongst us. Tony, take him
below and lock him up. We’ll set him lose later tonight after the
banishing.”
The banishing.
Hart winced as Tony tugged him toward the door, yet he went
freely, unwilling to resist when he deserved what was coming to him. Banishment
was no picnic. It would scar him physically. But emotionally? He had no idea
what to do with himself if the pack banished him.
*
At sight of Hart being led toward the cage opposite
hers, Danni gripped the iron bars. He walked inside the small cell of his own
free will, and watched as the other wolf locked him inside.
“Sorry, man,” the
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