Page 38 of Guardians

“He’ll reward them withourscanners, scanners that were stolen from our camp. Does that seem fair to you?”

Diego shrugged as he pushed back and stood up. “We never claimed to play fair. Now, do you know who to target when we get to the human camp?”

She glared at him. How could he be so sweet and such a jerk at the same time? Stealing back the cases had been a wonderful surprise, but his dismissive attitude was offensive. “I know almost everyone in that camp, so yes, I know who to target.”

“Is Tara ready to go? Malik asked.

Lexie nodded. “She’s waiting with Bianca. Just knock on the door and Tara will join us.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Kane asked Diego. “It looks like you could use some more sleep.”

Diego shook his head, his expression grave. “Elias will retaliate. I’m not sure when or how, but we need to be extra vigilant until he does. A Shadow team is going with us. You won’t see them, but know that they’re there.”

Kane nodded. “That’s a wise precaution.” As he spoke, his warm gaze drifted over to Lexie.

Heat washed over her as it always did when their eyes met. Her nipples tightened and her clit tingled, her body becoming almost instantly aroused. She’d felt connected to Kane from the start and now their intimacies had made that connection electric.

“Let’s get going,” Malik urged as he adjusted the front of his pants. “If we hang around much longer, it’s doubtful we’ll leave at all.”

Kane dragged his gaze away from Lexie and looked at Diego again. “Did you happen to grab Lexie’s clothes while you were at the lodge?”

“Details are what I do best.” He motioned to the bundle in one of the armchairs. “Personally, I’d rather keep her naked and wrapped in a blanket. It’s so much faster that way.”

Lexie grinned. Their banter made her feel special and desired. She was unfamiliar with the emotions. She was a research scientist. Outward appearance had never been important to her. But in the short time she’d known these males, they made her feel beautiful.

She tugged on her boots and Kane helped her into her coat. Her knit cap was tucked into one of the deep pockets. She pulled it on before raising the hood. “Ready,” she announced with an uncertain smile. Her welcome back at camp wasn’t assured. Many might view her as a sellout, especially when she started campaigning for more volunteers.

Tara joined them a few minutes later and her lively conversation helped calm Lexie’s nerves. “I can’t believe how much better Bianca looks this morning.” Tara looked at Malik and smiled. “Whatever you’ve been giving her has worked miracles.”

“I’m thrilled that we could stop the infection before it spread to anyone else. We can deal with individual illnesses, but I’m not sure we can keep up with an epidemic.”

“Hopefully, that’s something we humans can help change,” Lexie said. “If we can convince the right people to stop being stubborn.”

As Lexie feared, they were greeted with mixed enthusiasm when they arrived in the human camp. Lexie looked around for her remaining tent mates. Kelly, Claire, and Dawn were the most likely to accept her decision without recriminations. They knewhow sick Bianca had been. Didn’t saving the life of a good friend justify allying with the hybrids?

Tara spotted Kelly and Claire, calling out their names to get their attention. Everyone exchanged hugs, then Kelly nodded toward the men. “The dark-haired one has been here before, but who are the other two?” She spoke in a dramatic whisper and curiosity lit her dark gaze.

Seeing no reason to deny the truth, Lexie admitted, “As of last night, they’re my mates. The one you’ve seen before is Kane. The mean-looking one is Diego, and Malik is the one who just smiled at you.”

“Malik?” Claire looked at him curiously. “The guys who picked up Bianca mentioned him. Isn’t he the village doctor or something?”

Lexie nodded. “He couldn’t practice medicine back on Earth, but he knows enough to treat injuries and infections.”

As Lexie and Tara answered their questions, onlookers gathered around them. Fifteen minutes later, at least a hundred people crowded into the clearing between the rows of tents. The afternoon was cold but sunny, making a leisurely conversation possible for the first time in nearly a week.

Letting her gaze drift over the faces of the onlookers, Lexie tried to judge their reactions. The men looked hostile. Their flashing gazes were filled with resentment. Why would they have any other reaction? According to the conditions of the alliance, the best they could hope for was a life of physical labor and loneliness. A pang of guilt assailed Lexie for a moment, but she smothered it with determination. They were all fighting for theirlives. The alliance would keep these men alive long enough to find a better solution.

“To prove his commitment to this alliance, Diego sneaked into the wolf camp and stole back the scanners.” Lexie held up one of the devices as proof. “We have all of them, but they will only be available for use in the feline village.”

“Why bother stealing them back if you’re not going to return them to us?” Claire objected. A gust of wind blew her bright red hair across her face. She tucked it behind her ear as she asked, “Are any of the cats familiar with scientific equipment?”

“We’re hoping someone like you will volunteer. Zion will allow the development of medications and nutritional supplements, but for obvious reasons, he wants to supervise the operation.” Lexie placed her hand on Claire’s upper arm. “Have you thought about volunteering? Tara and I would love to have you join us in the village.”

Rather than responding to Lexie’s question, Claire asked, “How is Bianca?”

“Bianca is doing really well,” Tara assured. “I’ve been staying in the same cabin, so I’ve seen her recovery firsthand. She has been given antibiotics and breathing treatments to help loosen up the congestion in her lungs. She’s still weak, but Malik is confident that she’ll recover completely.”

“And all it cost was Lexie’s soul,” Eugene Babcock jeered. “Do you like being a hybrid’s whore?”

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