"Shield. That's a mental thing?"

"Yes."

"You're Caleb's wife."

"I'd better be his wife if I'm supposed to be kept in the bed with him, don't you think?"

"I don't know. I haven't figured out how everything works around here yet."

"I'm willing to bet you don't even know where here is."

That was the truth. "But you'd be willing to tell me?"

"For a price."

Of course. "What price is that?"

The smile left Allie's face. "I want you to meet my son."

"Why?"

"Because I don't believe in kidnapping."

Allie wasn't making any sense, and she did look a little pale. There were illnesses that could leave a person disoriented. "Are you all right?"

Allie smiled. "I'm probably not making a lot of sense to you."

"No, you're not."

"Then let's go in the kitchen and have some coffee."

Coffee sounded heavenly. Allie caught the anxious glance Jane threw over her shoulder at the door. "They won't come in. But they'd probably like some coffee when it's made."

"Werewolves drink coffee?"

"A cinnamon bun wouldn't come amiss," drifted through the door.

Allie smiled and shrugged. "Doesn't really go with the image, does it? But truth is, werewolves have voracious appet.i.tes and a pretty severe sweet tooth."

"And we're open to bribes," came another voice through the door.

"They know you're here now." And apparently they also had a sense of humor. "Why do they need to be bribed?"

Allie rolled her eyes. "So they don't tell Caleb I'm over here drinking coffee. He thinks it's bad for me."

"Is it?"

Allie opened the freezer door and pulled out a fancy bag. "Who cares? It's good."

She had a point. "Do you have cream?"

"Of course."

Jane's patience lasted as long as it took the other woman to measure out the coffee. "Why do you want me to meet your son?"

There was the barest tremble in Allie's hand as she poured water into the coffeemaker. "Because he's dying."

Jane didn't know what to say to that beyond, "I'm sorry."

Allie looked up, her eyes burned brightly in her pale face. "I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to save him."

The only other time Jane had felt so helpless was when she'd been working in Africa and a mother had laid her starving child in her arms and as the baby drew it's last breath said, "Please." The only English word she'd known. The woman had learned it, Jane later discovered, because she'd hoped it would persuade Jane to help her. In the end, Jane hadn't been able to help. The little girl had died of hunger in a world where so many had an excess of food and riches. "I'm a researcher not a practicing doctor."

Allie pressed the b.u.t.ton on the coffeemaker. "Joseph doesn't need a doctor. He needs a scientist."

"I don't understand."

Allie's hands clenched into fists on the counter. "I'm trying to be strong, Jane, to do the right thing, because the last thing I need right now is bad Karma, but please understand it's not easy. And it won't take much for me to side with my husband, so don't interrupt until you hear me out."

"Side with your husband?"

Allie leaned back against the counter. "You're not real good at just hearing someone out, are you?"

Jane shrugged. "Not without details."

"The Johnsons are very loyal to those they love. They're not above bending the law to get what they want for those they love."

"Like kidnapping me?"

Allie nodded, the tension in her expression indicating that she was fighting tears. "I love my son very much, and I want him to live more than anything, but kidnapping you, threatening you . . ." She shook her head. "I can't go along with that and look him in the eye and tell him he needs to be honorable if he gets the chance to grow to manhood. Might doesn't make right."

"I appreciate that." And she did. She could also hear the "but" Allie wasn't saying, because the woman was obviously wrestling with her conscience. She brought it out into the open. "But you're not a saint."

"No." This time, when Allie looked at her, there were tears in her eyes. "I want you to meet my son, and if after that you can walk away, I'll make it happen."

She wasn't good at walking away. "And if I need help?"

"I'll give it to you."

"Even if it means going against Slade?"

It took Allie a long time to find the mugs in the cupboard above her head. "You've got my word."

She pushed the cobalt mugs toward Jane as she pulled a plastic tray toward her. "Could you fill those please?"

"Four?" She filled the cups "You're seriously feeding the werewolves."

"You don't have to make it sound like we're slopping hogs."

"I've never slopped hogs, have you?"

Allie rolled her eyes. "You're not going to be as literal as Slade, are you?"

"Probably." She wasn't the most socially apt. Allie took two of the cups and put them on the tray along with four delicious-looking cinnamon buns. "Are you really giving them that because you think they'll keep quiet?"

"One, I'm not the one giving it to them." She shoved the tray into Jane's hands. "And two, I'm giving it to them because it makes them happy, and since they're willing to give their lives to protect me and mine it seems like the least I can do."

When she put it like that... "Oh."

Allie put her hands on Jane's shoulders and turned her toward the door. It was a very familiar gesture from a stranger. Especially to Jane. Her internal flinch must have communicated her discomfort to the other woman. Allie's hands dropped away. "Sorry. Caleb's always warning me, not everyone likes to be touched."

What was she supposed to say to that?

"You don't have to say anything. It was a statement of fact."

Jane turned back. "I didn't say that out loud."

Allie sighed. "But you were projecting, which is as good as."

Jane struggled to keep her shock suppressed and her mind blank. They could all read minds. a.s.suming Allie was a vampire.

"Yes. I'm a vampire. Caleb converted me."

This was too freaky. "I'm going to give this to the guards."

She couldn't believe she was running away from a vampire woman to give coffee and pastries to werewolf guards because they suddenly seemed the lesser of two evils. "I have got to be losing my mind," she muttered as she got to the door. Solid wood, it was the last barrier between her and her most recent fear. Taking a breath, she balanced the tray and yanked it open, leaving her facing two very handsome men. Obviously twins, with cropped brown hair, brown eyes, big muscles, and sporting wickedly sinful grins.

"I brought your coffee."

The one on the left took the tray from her hands. His fingers brushed hers. "Thank you."

Her response was knee-jerk. When she would have stepped back, the other caught her hand. He was a good bit taller than her. Probably taller than Slade. And definitely more cla.s.sically handsome. "We won't hurt you."

They just weren't as appealing. She took a step back. "That's good to know."

The one on the left took a sip of his coffee. "We'd feel a lot better if you believed it."

"Why does it matter?"

"We would like to be considered."

"For what?"

"For mating," Allie said, coming up beside her. "Weres are obsessed with it."

The one the right caught her eye and said, "Only when there is an attractive woman around."

Now she knew they were pulling her leg. She looked exactly like what she was: a researcher more concerned with the next discovery than her appearance. She didn't even have lipstick on, for heaven's sake!

"Jane, may I introduce you to Travis and Torque McClaren. Two of Derek's best warriors."

"Which is which?"

The man on the left took her hand and brought it toward his mouth. She tugged but he didn't let go. "I'm Torque."

"What you're going to be is dead if you don't let her go right now."

Slade's threat came from directly over her shoulder. How had he sneaked up on her? Before she could turn her head, his hard arm came around her waist and drew her back against his equally hard chest.

"She doesn't bear your mark."

Slade stepped back into the darkness of the foyer, taking her with him. "She's under my protection."

"She's fair game."

"She's mine."

The last snapped her head back. "Like h.e.l.l."

The brothers filled the door. "She disputes your claim."

Digging her nails into Slade's forearm, Jane got him to put her down, only to be shoved behind him as Travis said, "The law doesn't see it your way."

Slade c.o.c.ked his head to the side, challenge radiating off every inch of him. "Do I look overly concerned with the law?"

"Well, if you're going to ignore it . . ."

The weres squared off, teeth bared in a parody of a smile, revealing their sharp canines.

Fear and exasperation warred for dominance inside Jane. Exasperation won, because this was just too ridiculous to be happening. Apparently men were men, whether they were vampire, wolf, or human. She glanced over at Allie. "Is that offer of coffee still open?"

"You bet."

"Let's go."

"Stay where you are, Jane."

Slade seriously expected her to obey an order barked over his shoulder? "Go to h.e.l.l."

"You tell him, Jane."

Slade snapped, "Stay out of this, Allie."

"You should know better than to give Allie orders, Slade. It just makes her contrary."

Caleb walked out of the kitchen, dressed in a black shirt and a pair of jeans, a cup of coffee in his hand.

Jane glanced at the door. He answered her silent question. "I came in the back way."