[06] Slade Read online

  “What are you doing here?” Janie ignored Jill’s question, looking nervously between Jill and Slade. “You need to leave, Jill. You’re not welcome here.”

  Jill looked up at the house and saw her mother looking out the living room window. Her hand automatically went up to wave, but the curtains shut and her mother disappeared. Anger and hurt made her want to strike out, but when her eyes went back to her sister, all she could see was Seth looking at her confused.

  “Where’s Dad?” Jill tried to keep her voice void of any emotion, but she wasn’t successful with keeping the anger out of her gaze.

  “Why?” Janie took a step back. “He’s in no shape to see you. You’ll only upset him and his heart can’t handle that.”

  “He’s cutting firewood,” Seth spoke with the innocence of a child.

  “He just had a heart attack and he’s out cutting wood?” Jill’s eyes popped open. “Where in the hell is Trevor?”

  “Oh, Jilly, you said a bad word.” Seth covered his eyes, instead of his ears.

  “Sorry, buddy,” Jill replied, but her eyes never left Janie. “I asked you a question. Actually, I’ve asked you several which you haven’t answered. As soon as I’m finished with Dad, you and I are going to have a long conversation.” Jill turned to head in the opposite direction of the house toward the woods.

  “My fiancé is going to be here any minute,” Janie warned, her voice shaking. “You better leave. He’s very protective of us. He doesn’t like your kind.”

  Jill stopped suddenly, but didn’t turn around. “Then he’ll get along fine with this family, won’t he,” Jill hissed. Seth called out to her, but she kept going because she didn’t trust herself not to plaster her sister against a wall.

  “You okay?” Slade’s deep voice in the quiet woods just beyond her house startled her.

  “No, not really,” she replied. Her head down, she let her feet carry her to where her dad was. She had played in these woods as soon as she could walk. It had been her escape. She knew every tree, rock and trail for miles. “Just doing everything in my power not to kill my sister and…eat her,” she spat in disgust. She still couldn’t believe her sister, who she had been pretty close to, could tell their little brother she would eat him. Feeling anger burning up through her body from her toes to the top of her head, she lifted her hand, aiming it toward a small tree without stopping. The tree uprooted in one fluid motion, and as she flicked her hand, it flew a few feet before smashing into another one, then to the ground with a large crash.

  “Nice.” Slade raised his eyebrows impressed.

  She didn’t answer as they broke into a clearing. Her father sat a few yards away on a fallen tree, sipping water from a bottle. Hearing their approach, he dropped the water and stood in surprise. “Jill?”

  Jill didn’t stop, just kept going. “What are you doing cutting firewood?” Jill frowned as she marched toward him, her arms whipping around at all the cut wood laying on the ground. “Are you crazy?”

  Her father, looking pale, sat back down heavily. “Jill?” he said again, his eyes glancing toward Slade, then back to Jill. “What are you doing here?”

  Stopping in front of him, she placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve come to see you.” Her voice had calmed, somewhat. “I heard you had a heart attack and wanted to see if you were okay.”

  He looked away, shaking his head slowly. “Why?”

  Jill dropped her hands from her hips, her arms falling to her sides. His frailness scared her. Her father, who could do anything in her eyes, her hero still, even after everything, looked older than his forty-so years.

  “Because you’re my dad,” she whispered past the lump in her throat, praying he would reach for her and hug her like he used to do when she felt lost. She was a daddy’s girl and losing him had devastated her; seeing him like this, knowing she could lose him forever would destroy her. “And I love you.”

  His eyes shot to hers in shock. “How can you love me after what I’ve done?” He stood as he spoke, his pale face flushing red with anger. “I never gave you a chance. I kicked my baby girl out when she needed me most, but your mother…”

  “I know.” Jill took a step closer, still hoping for that hug, praying for it with everything she had. Any kind of affection, she didn’t care; she’d take it. Yeah, she was that desperate. Like an abandoned dog begging for scraps, she was begging deep down inside for a scrap from the man who had been her life. “She was afraid of me, still is. But I would never hurt my family. Well, I might bite Janie, but other than that everyone else is safe.”

  Her father’s head snapped back, but a small smile tipped his quivering lip and then the moment she prayed for happened. He reached for her and she flew into his arms, careful not to crush him with her strength. “I’m so sorry, Jelly Bean.” He pulled her away to get a good look at her and gave her arms a squeeze. “I should have come looking for you. It’s been eating me alive knowing what I did to you.”

  “I’m fine now, Dad.” Jill pulled him back into the hug, not ready to let go just yet. She felt him wobble. “Dad?”

  Slade was there in a flash helping her ease her father down to the tree. “Mr. Nichols, are you having any pain?”

  “No.” Her father looked up at Slade surprised. “Who are you?”

  “This is Dr. Slade Buchanan,” Jill introduced them, her worried eyes never leaving her father. “Slade, this is my dad, Chuck Nichols.”

  “You’re a doctor?” Chuck looked at his golden eyes in surprise.

  “Yes, sir.” Slade glanced at Jill, then back at her father. “Do you mind if I take your pulse?”

  “No, not at all.” He held out his hand, still looking shocked as Slade took his wrist. “They let vampires be doctors?”

  “How long ago was your heart attack?” Slade frowned, ignoring his question.

  “Over a month ago. Triple bypass. They said I was lucky.” Her father wiped sweat off his brow.

  Slade nodded. “Very lucky, but your luck is going to run out if you don’t follow your doctor’s orders.”

  “Which are?” Jill demanded of her father, but didn’t let him answer. “I’m sure those orders didn’t include cutting firewood.”

  “No, they didn’t.” Her father frowned, then stood with the help of Slade. “But somebody has to do it. Winter’s coming and I need to get it done.”

  “Then let Trevor do it.” Jill grabbed the chainsaw before her dad could. “Where is he anyway? Why isn’t he doing this?”

  “He moved out,” he answered with a long sigh. “After you came home that night and then left, Trevor came home and found out. He was angry and stormed out. He has been coming home more since my heart attack.”

  “He left because of me?” She stared at her father. Trevor was a year younger than her, with Janie being a year older. She had always been the middle child until little Seth, who had been a surprise blessing. Their mother, Julianne, had been told her childbearing days were over. Seth proved them wrong when he came screaming into the world. “She pulled her phone out. “What’s his number?”

  “Jill, I’m the man here and I will take care of my…” He frowned, using his ‘father’ tone with her, but Jill wasn’t having it.

  “Health?” Jill finished for him with a snort. “If you don’t, then you won’t be here for long to take care of anything. Now, what’s his number?”

  Waiting for the number, she looked at her phone in surprise, not expecting there to be a signal deep in the woods. She gave a light scoff, constantly amazed by the VC Warriors’ ability to have the best technology of everything. She beat the number into the phone, then put it to her ear, waiting, her eyes going back and forth between the watchful eyes of her dad and Slade.

  “Has she always been like this?” Slade nodded toward Jill.

  “You mean bossy?” Her dad nodded, “Yes.”

  Jill rolled her eyes, but then turned serious. “Trevor?” She paused, then frowned. “No, this isn’t busty Barb. What the hell is wrong with
you? Yeah, it’s Jill, your sister, you jerk.”

  “They close?” Slade asked, his eyebrows raised in question as he watched Jill talk to her brother.

  “Thick as thieves,” her dad answered with pride.

  “Don’t worry about that, I’m here now. Here, at the house with Dad who is recovering from a heart attack and is cutting firewood. You should be ashamed of yourself.” Jill looked at her dad, then pointed a finger at him. “Well, he didn’t wait. I found him down here in the grove cutting firewood. No, he didn’t tell me you told him that.”

  “Tell you what? What’s he saying?” Her dad asked, an unhappy frown curving his lips, but didn’t wait for her to tell him. He already knew what his son was saying. “I can’t wait for him to get free from busty Barb or whoever in the hell he’s dating this week. Winter is coming and we need wood. I’m fine and will finish this. You kids are more stressful to me than this damn wood.”

  A sadness filled her soul at his words. “Hurry up,” she said into the phone before she clicked it shut. “I’m sorry, Dad. I never meant for any of this to happen to me, but it did and I’m dealing with it. Actually, I’m doing fine and would do better just knowing I can come and visit you sometimes.”

  “I didn’t mean…” Her father sighed again. “I didn’t mean it that way, Jill. I really didn’t. And I would love to see you.”

  Jill nodded, then grabbed his arm, squeezing tightly, letting him know how much his words meant to her. “Now, come on. Trevor is on his way. Let’s go up to the house so you can drink something cold and rest.”

  “I’m fine, dammit,” her dad responded, but let Jill and Slade lead him out of the grove. “I’m not an old man.”

  “I know, but honestly, I want to get back up there before Janie tells Trevor I ate Seth,” Jill growled, still totally pissed about that.

  “She’s just afraid, Jill.” Her father tried to do the fatherly thing and play referee.

  “She’s an idiot,” Jill mumbled under the breath, not wanting to upset her father more.

  Once they made it into the clearing and were close to the yard, Janie followed a large man holding a shotgun. “I got a gun full of silver here, vamps. I suggest you get on that fancy motorcycle and ride on out of here before things get nasty.”

  Slade pushed Jill and her father behind him. “I suggest you aim that gun somewhere else.” Slade’s words were harsh enough to show he meant business, but his calmness effectively made one wonder. Jill knew, however; she’d had seen Slade in action. It wasn’t pretty and it would get ugly…fast. Not a good thing with her father in the line of fire.

  Jill stepped around Slade, heading toward the man who she figured was her sister’s unfortunate fiancé. “Silver don’t do shit to half-breeds so you best drop it and run, asshole.” She jerked her arm out of Slade’s grasp when he tried to stop her. “Who do you think you are, aiming a shotgun toward my dad?”

  That seemed to take some of the authority out of the dumbass, but he didn’t lower the gun. “Chuck, get out of the way,” he ordered her father, nodding his head to the side as if that would make it right.

  Jill walked right up to the barrel of the shotgun pointing at her chest and stopped. “Pull the trigger,” she dared him, her head tilted in defiant anger.

  Before anyone knew what was happening, the shotgun was knocked away from Jill’s chest and the badass was on the ground with Slade’s boot holding him down by the throat. “You have a death wish?” Slade roared the question at Jill as the man tried to remove Slade’s foot from his throat. Slade unloaded the shotgun, the shells hitting the idiot as they fell toward the ground. Slade’s furious gaze never once strayed from Jill. “If you ever do anything like that again, I will lock you in a room.”

  “Is that a threat?” Jill, who was still fired up, stupidly pushed Slade.

  “It’s a promise that I will prove as soon as I take care of this son of a bitch.” Slade leaned over her, keeping his foot in place with no problem, even with the man using everything he had to remove it from his neck. “Keep pushing me, Jillian, but I swear if you ever pull anything like that again, you will regret it.”

  Jill opened her mouth, but Slade leaned in even closer as if daring her to say anything more. With his face so close to hers as well as being in control of the asshole on the ground, her brain went to mush so she closed her mouth. His authority over her was a total turn on. The knowledge surprised her speechless, which was shocking—she always had something smartass to say.

  “Smart choice,” Slade growled before finally leaning away from her space. He handed the shotgun to Chuck, who had walked up and was looking down at his future son-in-law.

  “Can he breathe?” Chuck asked, looking up at Slade.

  “He’s fine,” Slade replied, pressing down a little harder. “Just learning a hard lesson.”

  “Daddy!” Janie cried out. “Make him stop.”

  “Shut up, Janie!” Jill snapped, giving her sister a hard glare.

  “I’m going to let you up, but if you make one wrong move, you are going to end up worse than this,” Slade warned, but didn’t move his foot. “Do you understand?”

  “She’s a half-breed.” The man wheezed, his bulging, watery eyes looked from Slade to Jill. “It’s our duty to protect our family against them. There’s a standing order to have them turned over.”

  Jill snorted and crossed her arms. “This is my family, not yours.” Her eyes roamed to the porch where her mom stood, shielding Seth behind her. Her eyes wandered to her dad whose face was lined with worry and stress. It hit her hard. She was causing this. She may not have been holding the gun, but in the end, her being there caused this to happen. Touching Slade’s arm, she tugged. “Let him up.”

  Slowly, Slade lifted his foot, but stood over the man who had to roll away before standing.

  “Janie, go call the police,” he ordered, brushing himself off, but kept his eyes on Slade. “Tell them we have a half-breed here who needs to be taken in.”

  Watching her sister, Jill was surprised Janie hesitated. “But, she’s leaving. Isn’t that right, Jill?” Janie’s voice shook in confusion and fear.

  “Yeah, Janie,” Jill nodded, knowing that was her only option at this point. If she stayed, it would only cause more stress for her dad and that was something she couldn’t live with. “I’m leaving.”

  “What’s your name?” Slade demanded of the man, his eyes as hard as his voice.

  “What does my name have to do with anything?” the man stuttered. “She’s the nasty half-breed. I’m just a good citizen doing my duty.”

  Slade took a threatening step toward the man. “You have threatened not one, but two VC Warriors, and that, my good citizen, is against the law.” He pulled out his phone. “Now, while I’m calling my superior, I suggest you apologize to Ms. Nichols.”

  “But…” The man’s tone changed quickly.

  “Now!” Slade’s shout was a deadly demand that even made Jill jump.

  “I’m, ah, sorry. I didn’t know. I just thought she was a nas—” At Slade’s growl, Janie’s fiancé looked ready to faint. He was a large man with light blond hair and ruddy cheeks against pale skin. He looked tough, but next to Slade, he looked like a scared teenager who needed a change of underwear.

  “Jill?” Her father grasped her arm. “Is it true?”

  Glancing from Slade, she turned to her dad. “Yeah, it is,” she replied, then lifted her head proudly. “I’m in training now, but yes, I will be a VC Warrior.”

  “How can a half-breed be a VC Warrior?” Janie’s fiancé’s voice was filled with disdain.

  “She is my daughter and her name is Jill, not half-breed,” her father shouted, then went deathly pale, staggering sideways.

  “Chuck!” her mother cried out, running from the porch to her husband’s side.

  Slade was there at his side steadying him. “You need to calm down, Mr. Nichols.”

  “Get off him,” Jill’s mom tried to push Slade’s hands away.

/>   “He’s a doctor.” Jill stepped between her mom and Slade. “Is he okay?” Her eyes searched Slade’s concerned face.

  “He needs to sit down, calm down and have some water,” Slade ordered.

  “I’m fine,” her father repeated.

  “No, you’re not.” Slade led him toward the lawn furniture near the house. “And if you don’t listen to me, I will call an ambulance and your cardiologist.”

  “You wouldn’t.” Chuck Nichols, who Jill knew hated being sick, period, looked panicked.

  “I would,” Slade countered. “You have just had major heart surgery. Even though it’s good you are active, cutting wood and getting overly excited is not what your doctor would be happy with. So if you don’t want to find yourself back in the hospital, I suggest you do as I say.”

  Before anyone could say anything else, a beat-up Mustang came flying up the gravel drive. A tall, well-built male version of Jill hopped out of the car and took off toward Jill in a dead run, but stopped when Slade stepped in front of her, blocking his path.

  “You her brother?” Slade’s deep voice echoed across the yard.

  “Yeah, who the hell are you?” Trevor looked up at the large vampire.

  Slade stepped aside letting him pass. Trevor gave Slade one last long look before picking up Jill in a tight hug. “Where the hell have you been?” He set her back down looking her over, then pulled her blue tipped hair. “I’ve looked everywhere for you.”

  “I stayed with Tessa and Adam Pride for a while,” Jill replied, leaving out she had lived out in the woods by their house, scared and alone, before meeting up with Adam.

  “I didn’t know what happened until it was too late and you were gone, Jill.” Trevor frowned at his mom and sister. “It wouldn’t have happened if I had been here.”

  “It’s okay.” Jill glanced at her dad, whose color was coming back. He was sipping on water with Seth sitting on his lap. “Now’s not the time to talk about it.”

  Trevor’s eyes followed hers and he nodded. “He hasn’t been the same since that night.”