Sighing, she pressed her temple to the cold window and stared out at the dark woods.

The urge to cry wasn’t even there. No, now she was onto a deep sadness that bypassed tears and settled deeply into her heart. Was it so crazy that she wanted this lykaen to just like her? To want her for herself? Obviously it was and that hurt so much worse than any physical pain Daniel ever caused.

She was really stupid too because even that was a lie. She didn’t want Darien to like her, she wanted so much more.

The drive to Darien’s brothers took two hours. It went by silently, tensely. He pulled to a stop in front of a big cabin surrounded by woods. What’s up with these lykaen and the woods? She’d always pictured her dream home as a typical suburban two-story. Okay or maybe a fancy loft in the city with an elevator for a front door. Sweet.

Darien got out of the truck and walked around to her side. Suddenly she had a hard time breathing. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want any of this. These people could get hurt. And they were going to for someone they didn’t even know or care about. No matter what, she couldn’t let that happen. Especially not to Darien.

“You ready?” he said opening her door. She nodded mutely and let him help her down from the big truck. The walk to the front door felt like she was going to the electric chair. Each step sent her anxiety soaring higher and higher. Darien knocked and she flinched. He looked down at her, a frown on his face.

“You okay?” Just smile. There. She smiled at him, nodding. He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. “Don’t be scared. I promise nothing will happen to you.”

It’s not you I’m worried about, she wanted to say.

Instead she nodded with a tight-lipped smile. The door whipped open a second later.

* * *

She had to give it to the Kategans—they could move quickly. Within twenty minutes the entire gang was cornered in Darien’s eldest brother’s living room.

Vane was an imposing man with hair even thicker, darker, and longer than Darien’s. He stood behind his mate on the couch who had a belly happily full with a baby. Cassie felt an odd pang inside her at the thought of a baby. What would a baby with Darien look like? Pale with red hair like her or dark and handsome like Darien.

His other brother, Rome, sat with his wife in his lap. He’d clapped Darien on the back so hard when he first saw him she wouldn’t be surprised if there was a cracked rib back there. He had shaggy, dirty-blond hair and incredibly, good looks—most of which he used to send his mate winks and kisses with.

She’d always wanted something like that. She was going to embarrass herself in front of these people if she didn’t stop thinking about these things. She was definitely going to get a version of what she was seeing with the mated couples, just minus things like smiles, happiness, and love. Daniel was not exactly sentimental.

The last to arrive at the cabin was Darien’s sister, Vera. She was beautiful in a classical way with short hair and a set of straight bangs. The scent in the air changed as Vera and her mate—God were they all mated— came in. Vera shook her hand with a big, lovely smile and introduced her man as Jacks, the former human turned vampire. The man Jacks discreetly squeezed his mate’s ass as they walked away.

Vera wore a t-shirt with a face Cassie recognized, Jacob from the Twilight series. As a matter of fact, she glanced over at Rome and saw that he was wearing pajama pants with Bella’s face floating all over them with little moons next to her.

She was in a dream. This was a nightmare dragged on by stress combined with meeting her first lykaen. Of course, that would explain it. This meeting was turning out worse than she’d ever thought possible. Everyone was nice, smiling, thrilled to have their brother back.

I’m going to get them all killed. I’m going to get their precious brother killed.

The conversation came and went and she didn’t say a word the whole time. Darien didn’t press her for information in front of everything for which she was grateful. He kept things simple: she was in trouble, and he was going to take care of her.

The girls frowned and threatened the bad vampire on behalf of her, and then men frowned and vowed to protect her. Not one person stood up, said “no thanks,” and left the room. What kind of people would so easily sacrifice themselves, put their lives in danger for a complete stranger?

They didn’t even act like she was a stranger. They looked between her and Darien with wide, happy eyes like they were mated.

She closed her eyes tight and swore at herself. Don’t you dare cry now, stupid woman. I swear if you do, I’ll kill you myself.

She didn’t cry. The mated females who introduced themselves as Sarina, Alison, and Vera came up to her after the meeting was over. They said that tomorrow night they wanted to take her away for some private time.

“Oh no, I can’t do that,” she protested.

“Don’t be silly. We’ll bring the booze, get away from the men for awhile. It’ll be great,” Vera said with a wink.

A thought clicked into place and suddenly getting drunk with the Kategan’s mates didn’t sound so bad.

“You know, I think I’d like that.”

“Great! I’ll bring snacks,” Alison said with a clap of her hands.

Darien broke away from his huddle with his brothers and the vampire, Jacks, to come back to her. He held his hand out to her, and she slipped her own into his. A spark of heat flared between them but it was dulled under the weight of her stress. She couldn’t seem to wipe the frown off her face no matter how hard she tried. She just kept thinking how much she wanted a snack, a bath, a soft bed and for all of this to disappear.

He tugged her to the door and said goodbye to everyone. They climbed into the truck silently. She looked over at him and saw that his face looked relaxed. Hell she felt like she was about to snap and he almost looked happy.

“It feels good to see your family, doesn’t it?” He stiffened but nodded. They drove off, and sometime later they arrived in front of another cabin. He came around to her side and pulled open the door. This time instead of helping her down, he pulled her into his arms and carried her to the house.

She protested, but he shushed her and unlocked the front door. She yawned into his shirt and closed her eyes. She was just so tired. So much was happening too fast for her mind to process.

He set her on the bed upstairs. She blinked open her eyes, but relaxed as he started taking off her shoes. He pulled down her jeans not in passion but gently. A big soft cover fell over her and she sighed.

His eyes met hers and she something so deep and strong filled her, made her heart skipped a beat. She loved this man.

He started to pull away, but she snatched him by the back of his neck and tugged him close for a kiss. She tasted him gently, tried to tell him without words, what she felt for him. When she pulled back, his eyes held a strange light to them.

Closing her own, she turned away from him and tried to hide the pain deep inside. She heard his fading footsteps as he left. She should feel better now that he was gone, but she didn’t.

What was she expecting really? That she’d kiss him with all the love in her heart and he’d magically know it and embrace it?

Yeah, she was stupid.

Chapter 10

Daniel and her sat at a round, stone table. Goblets filled with red liquid and empty golden trenchers covered the table like a variable vampire feast.

Daniel smiled at her from across the table. The look chilled her blood. Guards came up and took seats on either side of her. She recognized two of them from the attack in the forest.