Page 90 of Savage Claim

The demon shifter’s eyebrows lifted. “Wrath stocked the room with clothes for us too?”

Kesa’s light laughter tinkled like wind chimes. “I did. This is my house.”

Fane’s head jerked back. “Really?”

“Don’t worry. No one knows about it, and no one can trace it back to me.” She circled her hand around. “I had this room set up, hoping you two would visit. And since you both have a habit of showing up with torn or bloody clothes, I figured having some fresh ones on hand was a good idea.”

“That was very thoughtful, Mom,” Fane said.

Kesa smiled and patted his shoulder. “Take care of Tate, and let me know if you need anything else.”

Fane tilted his head toward the bathroom. “Come on. Let’s see what we’re dealing with.”

While Fane cleaned the blood off me, I told him about The Collective Hunt’s meeting in the basement of Lunar Souls. He wasn’t surprised to discover Reese, Amelia, and Wes were in it. He also wasn’t surprised I followed the trail of symbols and snuck into the basement where I would eventually get caught, but he didn’t give me too much of a lecture. He probably let me off easy after the night I’d had.

I’d shifted for the first time, found out who my biological parents were, and discovered my father was a murderous, racist bastard.

I still couldn’t believe I shifted. It only took the devastating news and Barric threatening Fane to make it happen. The warmth of my demon wolf still radiated in my chest, contently slumbering right next to the Infernal Sol.

If my life was in danger again, which one would heed my call?

“I still don’t understand why Barric wanted you in Silver Ridge or why he protected you, a bitten wolf.” Fane placed a bandage on my temple as we sat on the couch in front of the fire, cracks and pops echoing as flames licked within the hearth.

I shrugged, wincing from the dull throb in my shoulder. Fane had wrapped a bandage around it even though the slashes in my flesh were already healing. “Maybe it’s because of the Infernal Sol.”

“But what would a shifter want with a demon amulet?” Fane toyed with the piercing on his bottom lip, and I had to look away to keep from leaning over and licking the metal hoop myself.

I yawned and rested against the cushions. “No idea, but that’s the only thing I can think of. When we fled the Silver Ridge compound, he made it clear not to kill me. You, on the other hand, were of no use to him.”

A dark smile pulled his lips apart, flashing his white teeth. “I’m not easily killed.” He patted his lap and then curled his tattooed fingers at me. “Let me see your leg.”

Instead of arguing, I angled up to stretch my leg out for him. “I’m sure it’ll heal in no time.”

The low growl vibrating his throat told me he didn’t care how quickly I healed. He still wanted to return to Silver Ridge to rip Barric’s throat out. The thought of him wanting to slaughter the head alpha just for hurting me had butterflies swarming my stomach.

Feeling the sensations ripping through the bond, his gaze lifted to mine, drilling holes into my skull. The heat around us intensified, and a trickle of sweat leaked down my nape. I wanted nothing more than for him to close the gap between us and devour my lips in a soul-stealing kiss.

He suddenly shook his head and cleared his throat, breaking the haze descending over us. “How do you feel now that you’ve shifted?”

I looked away and tried not to think of those rough, calloused fingers gliding across my skin as he bandaged my calf. “Relieved, even if it means Barric knows who I really am.” A combination of the spell and the demon amulet had kept me from shifting, but once I did, all bets were off. My father knew exactly who I was.

Thanks to my mother and Valeria, I remained hidden from Barric until now. He’d been expecting a human male to appear at his house to seek vengeance.

Instead, he got something much worse.

I yawned again, and my lids grew heavy.

Fane rubbed my leg, his touch shooting tiny sparks over me. “You should get some sleep. It’s been a long day.”

“I don’t want to sleep now.” Really, I didn’t want to sleep alone.

As if the demon shifter read my mind—or more likely, I’d accidentally projected my thoughts—he sucked in a ragged breath. “Why aren’t you the least bit worried I’ll kill you in your sleep?”

I scoffed. “You wouldn’t insist on staying with me if you really thought you’d hurt me in my sleep.” He’d protected me more than anything since the night Dorian and Dominic almost killed me.

“Maybe I’m just being stupid and reckless,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Maybe I just can’t stay away.”

His words had all the moisture evaporating from my mouth, and my breaths quickened. The urge to extinguish the distance between us and settle in his lap permeated my muscles. I wanted to be pressed against him, to inhale his scent and get drunk off him.

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