Page 21 of Prodigal Son

“Tired,” she weakly mumbled. “Eu estou com fome.”

“English, Destiny.”

She moaned, her body doubled over as she curled her arms over her stomach. “I need to eat.”

He pressed his lips together. She was barely conscious. Her body slumped into the earth, all signs of resistance gone. He pulled her onto his lap.

Cupping her chin, he pried open one of her eyelids and sighed. She was out cold. “I’ll carry you.”

He stood and cradled her slack body to his chest. Once more he tried to press into her mind. This time there was little resistance, but he could not see more than images. Strange words whispered and then the connection was gone. He’d never experienced such a slippery mortal conscience and wondered, had he not been so injured, if he might have more control over her mind.

He called a warm wind under the trees in an attempt to warm her. She continued to shiver despite the burning heat of her skin. He wasn’t sure how to help her, but feared she might die. Having taken so much of her blood, he felt responsible for her safety.

“Just rest. I’ll find you a healer.” Shifting her weight, he ran toward home.

CHAPTER 7

The last harvest had passed months ago and the fields were empty. Unbroken land under the glow of a snow moon patiently waited for the dawn of spring and new seeds to sew. If Cain thought his return to the farm might stir some sense of homecoming in his heart, he’d been mistaken.

The door to his parents’ house opened before he reached the front gate. His youngest sister, Gracie, greeted him with a glare that said she’d been expecting him.

“I could hear you coming from a mile away.”

Of course, his intuitive sister would have sensed him. His mind hadn’t stopped and he was too weak to guard his thoughts. “Get the door.”

“You can’t—”

“The door, Grace.”

She rushed to hold it open as he marched into their home. Ready to collapse, he dumped Destiny’s unconscious body in an unceremonious heap on the wood floor.

“Dear Lord.” Gracie’s hand rushed to her mouth. “Is it dead?”

“I don’t know,” Cain caught his breath, then corrected. “No.”

They had been traveling for hours without rest, half of which Destiny had been unconscious and dead weight. He was ready to collapse from exhaustion.

His sister turned her gaping stare on him then gasped again. “Cain, your…” She drew back. “You’re hurt.”

“Of course, I’m hurt. Where’s Anna?”

She glanced away and shook her head. “You can’t see her.”

“I don’t have the patience for your games. Where is she?”

Gracie flinched at the lash of his voice. “She’s home, with Adam, but you can’t—”

He was out the door before she could finish her thought.

“What am I supposed to do with the mortal?” she called from the porch, but he couldn’t be bothered worrying about the mortal another second.

There was no steeling himself for the inevitable wrath that awaited him. The moment he reached Annalise and Adam’s home, he sensed his brother’s rage and knew Adam felt him coming. Similar to Gracie’s telepathic gifts, Adam was a powerful empath. If anything, he would feel Cain’s deep regret for putting Anna in harm’s way.

He entered the house without knocking and waited, certain his brother would appear.

“What do you want?” Adam hissed from the staircase above.

“I came to see Anna—”

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