But she’d ruined any opportunity that might have been hers if she’d chosen another path. And Xi was just another victim of her selfish choices.
Thankfully, she could prevent him from paying the ultimate sacrifice. And that’s exactly what she was going to do.
“Xi.” She brushed her hands down his bare chest. “I just want to spend today with you.”
“And then?”
“Then we capture Maryam and Roban,” she said. “Along with whoever is working with them.”
“And then?”
She glared into his beautiful face. Why couldn’t he let this go? She was trying to protect him.
“I return to my home.”
“You have no home.”
Brigette flinched at his words. Not just because they were harsh, but because they were painfully true.
“I don’t think a vampire who lives in a cave can have an opinion about anyone else’s house,” she told him in tart tones.
The dark gaze swept over her face. “I’m not talking about a place to live. I’m talking about a family.”
A muffled sound of pain was ripped from her throat. Biting her lip, she battled back the tears she refused to shed.
“I can’t do this,” she rasped.
“Brigette.” He lowered his head, burying his face in her hair as if absorbing the musky scent. “What are you afraid of?”
That was easy enough.
“I had a family. And I destroyed them.”
He frowned at her blunt response. “And you’re not done punishing yourself?”
She shrugged. It was true enough, although it wasn’t the entire reason she felt compelled to push him away.
“I don’t deserve a family.”
His fingers feathered down her cheek, his cool touch sending sparks of hunger shooting through her body.
“Neither do I, but I’m willing to grasp whatever happiness that’s offered,” he told her.
She pressed him away, her teeth clenched. “I can’t dishonor their memories. I can’t.”
There was a tense silence, then Xi pressed his lips to the hollow beneath her ear.
“Brigette,” he whispered.
She held herself stiff. It was that or melt into a puddle of goo. “What?”
“If I stop talking, will you hold me?”
Regret sliced through her. She hated the note of pleading in his voice. Xi was a proud, honorable male who deserved a female who could not only stir his passions but bring him respect as his mate.
Instead, all she could offer was shame.
She should push him away. This had already gone too far. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Yes,” she breathed, her voice thick with longing. “Yes, please.”
Xi muttered low words of approval, settling next to her as he pulled her tightly against his hard body. Brigette nestled her head onto his chest and savored the feel of his cool power that washed over her.
A few more hours and she would walk away, she silently promised.
Forever.
* * * *
Despite Brigette’s emotional outburst, she drifted into a deep sleep. No doubt because she was exhausted. Or perhaps it was because she was enveloped in the strength of Xi’s arms. There was nothing like the comfort of knowing she was protected by one of the most powerful creatures in the world.
Still, she wasn’t so complacent that she didn’t wake the second she caught a whiff of a male Were. Her eyes snapped open, and she sucked in a deep breath. Yep. Definitely Were. And definitely not Roban.
Slipping out of bed, Brigette silently pulled on her clothes, including strapping on her dagger. She had a feeling she was going to need it.
“What’s going on?”
Brigette turned her head to discover that Xi was not only awake, but fully dressed. She shook her head. The male was like a ghost, moving through the world with barely a ripple.
“There’s a Were in the parking lot. I need to take a look.” She nodded across the room. “Go into the bathroom and shut the door.”
Annoyance twisted his lean features, but with a jerky nod of his head, Xi headed into the attached room. Once certain that the vampire wasn’t going to turn into a pile of ash from a stray shaft of lingering sunlight, Brigette tugged open the door and peered through the narrow crack.
Her stomach dropped at the sight of the dark-haired male leaning against the silver Hummer parked across the lot. The male was thinner than Roban and attired in an expensive cashmere sweater and black slacks, but there was no doubt that the two were related. The stranger had the same harshly carved features and a shaved head. He also had the same arrogant expression.
There was the sound of metal scraping against metal, and Brigette crouched low. Maryam’s motel door was opening to allow Roban to slip out before he hastily closed it again. The sun was beginning to set, but it was still bright enough to cause a vampire serious harm.
Barely daring to breathe in case she gave away her presence, Brigette strained to hear the conversation floating from below.
“You’re early,” Roban snapped, shoving his hands into the heavy leather jacket he’d pulled over his predictable flannel shirt and jeans. “I told you to wait until after sunset.”
“Tough. You know how I feel about vampires,” the newly arrived Were drawled. “The only good leech is a dead one.”
The smell of musk blasted through the air. The two might be brothers, but this wasn’t a joyous family reunion. In fact, there was an unmistakable prickle of violence that Brigette could feel even from a distance.
“Careful, Stewart,” Roban warned.
“You might be willing to hump a vampire, but I’m only here for the money.” Stewart held out his hand. “Cash only.”
“It will be yours once you’ve gotten me inside the house.”
Brigette clenched her hands, willing them to be more specific. A “house” told her jack shit about where they were going.
Stewart dropped his hand, a sneer twisting his lips. “Why, bro, I’m beginning to think that you don’t trust me.”
Roban shook his head in disgust. “Not as far as I can throw you.”
Stewart shrugged, opening the driver’s door of the Hummer. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Getting me into the house isn’t the only thing you’re getting paid for,” Roban snapped. “Do you have it?”