“But you return home late last night, smelling of wolf, and won’t talk to any of us. It isn’t difficult to put two and two together.”
Sadie took a deep breath and counted to ten. Living in a home with five mage vampire females meant tongues often wagged. “You should be focusing on yourself, not me,” she said, studying Leigh. There were dark circles under her eyes, the healthy glow she’d had a month ago long gone. “How long as it been since you fed?”
Leigh’s dark blue eyes slitted and her lips pressed together. “I’m fine.”
“So it’s been a month then? You haven’t eaten since the coven forced you?”
“I don’t want to feed,” she grimaced as she said the word, “unless it’s necessary. I can go without for a couple more weeks.”
Poor creature.
Leigh starved herself because the thought of ingesting blood disgusted her. Sadie remembered when they’d first brought her into their home. Leigh was desperate to eat normal things, even though it provided her no sustenance. After a couple weeks, when the hunger didn’t abate, she learned the truth. Discovering she’d have to take blood nearly broke her, and it had taken the power of the coven to make her hunt to survive.
Inspiration struck. Leigh would feed if she had a job to do and leaving the house might seem like an escape to the girl. “Not if you’re going to help me.”
As she expected, Leigh perked up. “Really? You want me to help you?”
“That I do.”
Sadie strode to her wardrobe and removed something she never should have taken. Months ago, when Emory and Trey had fought each other, Trey had forgotten to retrieve his jacket. She hadn’t been able to help herself and had swooped in to take it when no one was looking. Afterward she’d brought it home so she could wrap the material around her and pretend it was Trey’s arms instead. On a few nights, when the need for the man was unbearable, she’d retrieve the coat and bring it to her bed. There she would cuddle against the garment, imagining it was his body next to her instead of buttery leather.
“We’re going to have to locate the wearer,” Sadie said. “I need you to use it to take me to him.”
“It belongs to your werewolf, doesn’t it?” When Sadie nodded Leigh frowned. “I’m not sure I can.”
“Because you’ll have to feed?”
A spark of temper lightened Leigh’s eyes. “Because I’ll have to drink someone else’s blood? Yes.”
“I’d owe you a debt,” Sadie offered, trying to appeal to the woman and not the girl who continued to resent her circumstances. “He’s in danger. Help me find him.”
“I thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with him.”
“More gossip?” Sadie asked, cringing at how bitter the question came out.
“No, not gossip.” Leigh’s cheeks finally took on color as she blushed. “Everyone in the coven knows vampires don’t mate with shifters. It’s taboo.”
“They’re feeding you bullshit,” Sadie snapped, her patience paper thin. “It’s not taboo, it’s just dangerous. Putting a label on things makes it easier but the coven is trying to deceive you. Once you feed on a shifter you can’t feed on any other. You become bound to their blood—only their blood. If you don’t have it, you’ll starve.”
Leigh’s eyes sparkled at the information, as though she’d been given an enormous gift. “So that’s why they avoid shifters?”
“Yes, that’s exactly why. They’d have to put their lives into another’s hands, something vampires refuse to do. It’s not a pairing to be taken lightly. Once you take their blood, it’s a done deal. There is no turning back or changing your mind. You’re in it for eternity.”
“You run from it as they would,” Leigh whispered. “You’ve known about your mate for months yet you continue to fight what’s between you.”
Sadie fought a smile. Apparently Leigh was finally growing a backbone. Months ago she never would have come out of her shell. She might have thought something, but she never would have said it. Not aloud.
“It’s complicated.”
“All of this is complicated.” Leigh sighed, bowed her head and sat on the bed. “Since I was converted, the entire world has changed. It’s not easy.”
“Then I figure it’s time for you to use the powers you inherited. You have a special gift, Leigh. One that none of us were granted. With it you can help me find Trey. That’s what I’m asking you for. Help me find him. I think he’s in trouble.”
“Trey?” Leigh lifted her head. “That’s his name?”
It was the first time Sadie had mentioned Trey’s name, having grown accustomed to her sisters referring to his kind as wolf-men, werewolves and mutts. With Leigh it wasn’t as hard to be open and honest. The girl wore her heart on her sleeve.
“That’s his name.”
“I’ve never seen a shifter before.” She fiddled with the comforter, picking nervously at small nothings on the surface. “It might be exciting to see one in person.”
“Then you need to get dressed and we need to feed.” Sadie saw the panic in Leigh’s eyes when she looked up, the fear. “I’ll help you. You don’t have to do it alone. One bite won’t change someone. If you control your fangs like we’ve taught you, your donor won’t get any of your essence. It’s safe to eat when you need to, Leigh. I swear.”
“I want to help you. I just don’t…I don’t want to…”
“I know,” Sadie said softly. “And you won’t. You won’t change anyone.”
Leigh nodded and sat upright, collecting her courage. “When do we need to leave?”
“Before the rest of the coven rises.” She glanced around the room, making sure she had everything she needed. “You’ll need to dress in the clothing we gave you, so you can move undetected.” Guilt hit, a solid punch to the solar plexus, and Sadie knew she had to be completely honest. “Do you remember what we told you about Shepherds?”
“They have him?” Leigh’s eyes went wide. “That’s where we’re going?”
Sadie nodded. “I’m pretty sure that’s what we’re dealing with. It could get nasty. You need to know that up front. I need your help but I’m not going to lie to you.”
“Why now?” The conflict on Leigh’s face made Sadie’s guilt increase. “Why would you trust me with something so important?”
“Because you’re family,” Sadie said bluntly. “And it’s time you start getting comfortable with what you are and what you can do. I can’t give you back what was taken from you but I can show you life goes on.”
“When you find him, what will you do? From what everyone has told me shifters don’t exist without their mates. He won’t let you go.”
The smile Sadie plastered to her face was fake but she hoped Leigh didn’t see through the façade. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” She glanced at the hall. “You need to hurry. We don’t have a lot of time.”
Sadie didn’t release the breath she was holding until Leigh rose from the bed and rushed from the room. What an enormous mess. Trey knew what she was to him now—his mate. If she went into Shepherd territory he’d be able to identify her. She shivered at the remembrance of his arms around her, the touch of his lips against hers. That part had been glorious. What stung came afterward, when he’d treated her like nothing more than a whore with his words, putting her in her proper place and reminding her why they couldn’t be together.
Despite herself, she brought his jacket to her nose and inhaled. As always, the scent that came to her was fascinating and debilitating. She allowed herself to take in one final lungful, imagining things were different, knowing they couldn’t be.
Lowering the coat, she accepted that no matter what she’d save Trey. Afterward she’d leave him alone. He didn’t owe her anything. Theirs was a mating that was doomed from the start. Starvation wasn’t something she was keen on experiencing and with Trey that precise thing would happen. Unlike Leigh, she had to feed at least once a week, sometimes twice. Hunger varied for all vampires. Some needed more, some needed less. In her case going without nourishment for a month would likely kill her—a death that was sure to be slow and agonizing.