Page 30 of Mated to the Human: Volume One

They shook, and Knox walked away, intercepting one of the human cops coming their way.

Turning back to Cane, Jake pushed down the need to demand answers. He could do that later when he wasn’t feeling so hot-headed. It wasn’t like him and fit like clothes that were meant for someone else. “Can you walk?” he asked Cane, stepping back into his space.

“Yeah,” Cane said, planting his palms on the ground to lever himself up.

Jake offered him a hand.

Looking up at him, Cane hesitated. After a moment, he took the hand and let Jake pull him to his feet. Jake slipped an arm around Cane’s waist to steady him. Cane was stiff for the first few steps, then leaned more of his weight into Jake and slid his arm over Jake’s shoulders.

“My car’s on the street. I didn’t know exactly where you were.”

Cane glanced his way. “How did you find me at all?”

“Locator spell.”

That had Cane’s face turning to him fully. “You can do that?”

“You know I’m a warlock, right?”

Cane huffed. “The exploding concrete kind of gave that away.” He frowned. “Didn’t know you’d have me fucking low-jacked, though.”

It was Jake’s turn to huff. He glared at the side of Cane’s head. “I don’t, and for your information, it isn’t my preference to keep tabs on you. You disappeared in the middle of the night without a word. What the hell was I supposed to do?” They made it to the car. Jake dug the keys out of his pocket and clicked the button to unlock the doors. Cane used his free hand to open the passenger door, and Jake helped him climb inside. “Where’s the rest of your clothes and shoes?”

“I left my bag around the corner behind an old pile of junk in the alley.”

Jake got in the car and drove around the corner, hopping out to grab Cane’s bag. He handed it to Cane and got them on the road. A lone motorcycle pulled out behind them, following them home.

His phone was silent in his pocket so Knox must have appeased the human cops. At least for tonight. The drive back to his house was quick and quiet. Neither of them offering so much as a word. Their hellhound escort idled on the street until Jake turned the car off then rumbled away.

Cane put his shoes on before he got out of the car. Jake got out and came around, opening Cane’s door and offering a hand again.

Confusion wrinkled up Cane’s forehead. “What are you doing?”

“I figure you’ve had enough time to get stiff now that the adrenaline is worn off. Probably hurting more, too.”

Cane pursed his lips and took Jake’s hand. “You’re not wrong.” He grimaced as Jake helped him out of the car.

“Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“Nah, nothing’s broken. Just bruised. Nothing a shower, some ibuprofen, and sleep won’t fix.”

Jake moved them through the back door of the building and up the stairs. “First, an ice pack for your eye. Then, water, food, and medicine. Then, a shower and bed.”

Cane shook his head with a breathy chuckle. “Didn’t realize I’d mated a mother hen, either.”

With a scowl, Jake grumbled, “It’s not mother henning to take care of your mate.”

Cane didn’t seem to have anything to say to that and was blessedly quiet up the three flights of stairs to the apartment.

Once they were inside, he pointed to the kitchen. “Go sit at the table. I’ll get you an ice pack.”

Still quiet, Cane did as Jake asked.

Dropping Cane’s bag by the couch, Jake went into the kitchen. He pulled a baggie from the drawer beside the fridge and filled it with ice before wrapping it up in a kitchen towel. Turning, he found Cane watching him with the strangest expression on his face.

“Here,” he said, handing the bundle to Cane. “Put that on your eye.” He grabbed a glass, filled it with ice and water, and set it on the table at Cane’s elbow. “Drink that. How’s your stomach? Up to actual food?”

Cane lifted the glass to his lips and took a small sip. “Um, a little queasy, actually.”

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