Page 91 of Bad Medicine

“Kait. Are you okay?”

I nodded, though he couldn’tsee me. “Come to Huntersburg. Sam has captured Lennon, and she’s in thebasement of my mother’s house.”

He hesitated, then, “I’m on myway.”

The shapeshifter had caughtLennon, the alpha’s traitorous witchwolf.

And Jared was the one who wouldkill her.

ChapterForty-Three

“How did you do this?” I askedSam, as I paced in front of Lennon. “How did you freeze her? Shapeshiftersdon’t have this kind of power.”

He walked over to stand besideme, and Lucy hung back with Zach and Joe to watch us. I could have taken Samthen, as he stood so close his shoulder brushed mine. I could have taken hishand and slid the bracelet over his wrist, and it would have been done.

But as I always did with Sam, Imade excuses why I shouldn’t.

“I was well prepared when Iwent after her,” he said. “And I may not possess magic, but I know a lot ofpeople who do.”

He was looking at medifferently, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of my earlier show or because…

“You shifted into my mother,” Isaid, keeping my stare firmly on Lennon. “Did you learn something I shouldknow?”

“Kait,” he murmured. “You knowI did. But those secrets are not mine to share. Talk to your mother.”

“Oh, I see,” I said, curling mylip. “You suddenly want to do the right thing? You can slice up women, but you can’ttell me what my mother is keeping from me.”

“Because only one of thosethings is wrong.”

I sighed and waved my handimpatiently. “We’ll have to settle this before we leave here today Sam.”

“I know.”

“Where is my mother?” I askedLucy.

“She’s watching Ash inShadowfield.” Lucy left Zach and Joe and came to stand beside me. She eyed thefrozen witchwolf. “How long will she stay like this, Sam?”

“Long enough, I hope, for Jaredto get here.” And there was only disappointment in his eyes when he looked atme.

In his mind, he’d given me apresent I’d tossed into the garbage. I studied him, taking in the angles of hisface, light brown eyes that would always hold a hungry, haunted look, and hairthat was a little too unkempt. He didn’t really take care of himself, andthough I was no shrink, I was pretty sure that Sam would always hate himselfjust a little. He’d been taught that he was an unlovable monster since birth. Aperson didn’t just grow out of that.

“Why do you care so much aboutwhat I think?” I asked him. “Why do you want to “give me gifts” and be part ofmy life?” I kept my voice soft and low, without judgment, and I really wantedthe answers to those questions.

He met my stare, and there wasonly truth in his. “Because you are the only person I know who is like me. Andsomeday soon, you’re going to need me.”

I shook my head. “Sam, I toldyou once I’m not like you. I’m not your friend. You’re one of the rogues I’vespent every day of my adult life chasing, finding, and killing.”

“There’s a compromise,” Lucysaid.

We both looked at her, but Iwas the one to speak. “I’m listening.”

And with those words came theacceptance. I didn’t want to kill Sam the shapeshifting serial killer. Itwasn’t right. How could I kill other nonhumans and let him walk away? What didthat say about me? And maybe in the end, I wouldn’t. But at that moment, I waswilling to try.

“One thing,” Sam said. “Youbelieve me when I say I won’t hurt Lucy?”

He didn’t look away from me. Hewas accustomed to hiding his truths, but he didn’t hide them now. He left themthere for me to see, and I did. “I believe you,” I said, finally. I slid myfingers beneath the bracelet and snapped it against my wrist. “But I can’t letyou keep killing other women.”

“What’s the compromise, Lucy?”he asked, without taking his stare from mine.