Page 101 of Blade

I told myself I’d worry about that after using the bathroom, which actually went more smoothly than I was expecting. “Maybe I was being overly dramatic?”

It’d been brightly lit and the only other people we’d seen were a family with a very cranky young kid who kept insisting she didn’t have to use the potty loudly enough that everyone in a three-mile radius could hear her. Her mom seemed like she was at the end of her rope and I hoped they didn’t have much longer to drive. As we headed out toward the truck parking, I suddenly experienced a sensation that had me feeling slightly ridiculous.

“I need you to tell me if you think I’m being paranoid.” As my mate, that seemed like his job. “The bad kind, not thejust has weird opinions about internet nonsensekind.”

Those were very different types of paranoia.

Most of the internet people were right.

“My mate—” Blaine went very quiet as we both froze halfway down the hill at the back of the building to the truck. “Never mind.”

“I want to hear what you were going to say later.” It would either be ironic or really funny because there was currently a man leaning against the front of the truck. “I think that’s my oldest brother.”

I was really hoping I was wrong, but as soon as he straightened, his face hit the light and he suddenly came into view. “Yep. I’m really sorry about this.”

For whatever would happen.

“My mate, where are your marbles?” Blaine’s serious question almost made me laugh but I managed not to look like I’d cracked and gone nuts.

“Um, in the truck because it seemed ridiculous to carry weapons while we were driving.” I’d gotten a bit too relaxed and I was going to blame that on being happily mated. “Just to warn you, if we make it out of this alive, I’m going to become a nuisance about being armed.”

His sigh had me fighting off a laugh. “And when I push back because I’m not used to this level of danger, I need you to remind me about this moment.”

“Deal.” We had a plan for driving each other crazy in the future, so that meant we’d survive. Everybody knew that. The only people who survived horror movies were the ones who had clear plans about the future.

Now we needed a plan to survive the next five minutes.

“You’re going to pretend to be confused about anything monster related he talks about.” Playing dumb worked in a lot of strange situations. “Say boyfriend instead of mate if you have to. Oh, and mention me being an online personal assistant if you have to talk about my job. I’d did that for a while and I still claim to be doing that if humans ask too many questions.”

For whatever reason, people always asked about jobs and not the hundreds of other fun things that made individuals unique.

Nodding, Blaine let out a deep breath and dropped his voice to a whisper as we continued to slowly make our way down the wide steps toward the truck. “You’re going to tell him we met online and I’m traveling with you for a few weeks before I get a new job.”

Not bad…it’d explain why I’d spent so much time in one area.

“The marbles are in the center console under the radio. I’m going to unlock the truck as we get closer, and if I can keep his attention, I want you to open the passenger side door.” It was a good plan and it would’ve worked except for one tiny issue.

He had more people with him.

Maybe people?

“Did that guy’s eyes flash?” Four other men had come around the back of the trailer, and for a minute all I could think about was that I’d be pissed if they fucked with it.

That definitely wasn’t the most important issue at the moment, though.

“Yes.” Blaine and I had gone still again, but his voice was still remarkably calm for someone not used to homicidal family members. “I’m not sure what they are, though. I can sense one wolf shifter…the short man on the left…but the others are…something else.”

Well, that was a start.

“At least we don’t have to worry about humans seeing something they shouldn’t.” Regular humans. “Oh, um, I’m not going to feel guilty if I have to…strongly defend us. Sorry about that.”

Maybe we should’ve addressed that kind of stuff earlier?

Blaine coughed, barely managing not to laugh. “My mate, that will not be a surprise.”

Oh.

Well, that was good?