Page 51 of Blade's Battle
“Well, I haven’t exactly talked to Blade yet.”
“I don’t understand. Hasn’t Blade been back for several days?”
“Four days, technically. But as soon as he returned, he shifted and ran off into the woods.”
Anna dropped the cup. “Oh, God, he went feral!”
“No, he’s not feral.” Tess picked up the cup and brought it into the kitchen. “But he’s struggling. Damien has shifters watching over him, but he won’t let anyone near. They’re worried about him, Anna.”
“He needs to blood-bond,” Anna said, swallowing hard. Blood-bonding him had remained ever-present on her mind, ever since he had proposed it.
“I don’t know if there’s anyone he likes,” Tess continued. “Then again, I’ve heard rumors that he and Henrietta dated a few times.”
Anna was wasting time here, talking about blood-bonding. She should be back at her lab, developing a treatment to keep Blade from turning feral. “Maybe coming here was a bad idea.”
Tess grinned. “Apparently Callen didn’t tell us everything. What’s going on between you and Blade?”
“He asked me to blood-bond, and I turned him down.”
“Do you like him?” Tess asked, his voice pitching high.
“Why?” Anna asked.
“I don’t want to see him hurt.”
“Hurt? How?”
“Blade’s fragile in some ways.”
There was nothing about Blade that was fragile. He’d taken on an alpha and five guards, not to mention killed several of Drake’s guards. “Maybe I’m missing something,” Anna said. “Blade’s very strong. I’ve seen him shift several times.”
Tess bit her lip. “How do I put this. . . Okay, you know how when you’re in gym class and the captains are picking teams?”
“Yeah? You going to tell me he didn’t pick me, he got stuck with this rescue mission? I know he was opposed to it. He told me.”
Tess shook her head. “Have you ever been picked last, Anna?”
“Sure. Hated it. Who doesn’t?”
“I think that’s how Blade feels here. Like he ended up on a team that didn’t really want him but got stuck with him.”
“That’s awful!”
“Don’t get me wrong. He’s well-liked and is a big part of this pack. He’s our top scout, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the shifters here, or us for him. But he keeps a part of himself separate.”
That didn’t sound like Blade at all. He’d always been open with her. Funny, serious, straightforward, whatever the moment called for, but never reserved. “What do you mean?”
“It’s what happened to his pack. I don’t think he’s forgiven himself.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know the full story. Blade doesn’t talk about it and Damien, well he’s not one to talk about other’s shifter’s private business. I’m just saying, if you’re considering blood-bonding him, just be sure. I wouldn’t want to see you say yes and then back out for any reason.”
“Humans can’t blood-bond shifters. Not without repercussions.” And now she was lying to Tess. She needed to stop making excuses and just be straightforward with Blade. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—go risk that heartache again.
“Life is nothing but repercussions. And that’s not what I asked you. I asked if you like Blade.”
Instead of a simple ‘no’ that would put an end to Tess’s questions, Anna remained silent. Every time Tess spoke of Damien, her face lit up, reminding Anna of what she’d had with Kurt. . . in the beginning. To think that she could have something even half as good with Blade tempted Anna, but opening herself up to that pain again. . . Forget it.
