"Slade, haul your a.s.s out here."

The order boomed above her head. The same voice she'd heard over the transceiver. Holding on to calm with the same frantic need with which she'd fired the gun, Jane kicked back, aiming for the knee. Something thudded against the wooden wall. Another hand grabbed hers. The same man, or someone else? Gouging down with the heel of her fancy boot, digging for the kneecap, she grabbed the hand, yanked it to her mouth, and bit down. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.

"Here now, you don't want to do that."

She pulled back, letting the blood spill, shuddering as her stomach revolted, repulsed. He was right. She didn't want any of this, but Slade needed her. He was helpless. More swearing, a snarl, and then, "d.a.m.n it, woman, stop fighting."

Slade's voice, yet not Slade's. A trick? It had to be a trick. She fought harder. The man behind her squeezed his arm around her chest, stealing her breath until her threats were just broken gasps. There was another snarl. The hand left her mouth. Turning her wrist, she angled the muzzle at her attacker's leg. Was Slade awake? Capable? "Run, Slade!"

Before she could squeeze the trigger, the gun was torn from her hand.

"Sorry, cutie," the other man, little more than a deep shadow, said.

Cutie? "Let me go!"

"In a minute. When I'm sure you're not going to unman me with that knee."

She was going to do more than unman him. She saw a shadow move toward the box lid. She watched helplessly as that shadow bent and an arm extended into the box. Oh G.o.d, they had him. "Leave him be."

There was a groan from the box. Something metal gleamed to the right. The gun? Dear G.o.d! They were turning the gun on Slade.

"Look out." In desperation, Jane twisted out of her captor's grasp and leapt for the gun. An arm snaked around her waist. The gun exploded as she was yanked back.

"G.o.dd.a.m.nit, Jane!"

Slade.

The arm around her waist lifted her. A hand cupped the back of her head. A spicy male musk encased her in a hug of familiarity as her face was pressed against a muscular chest.

"Easy."

It was Slade who held her.

She turned her head to the side, easing the pressure on her nose. The shaking she'd been holding back commenced when his hand moved to her waist, anchoring her against him.

"Slade."

"I've got you."

"I was just trying to give him the gun," the man who'd called himself Caleb said.

She didn't look over. What would be the point?

"Shut up, Caleb."

Caleb. "That's really your brother?" Jane asked.

"Yeah."

She couldn't see anyone's expression. She was really glad they couldn't see hers. For once, the darkness was working for her. "Oh my G.o.d, I almost shot your brother."

"Serves his a.s.s right for sneaking up on you."

The muscles under her cheek flexed as Slade reached beyond her, but his hand didn't leave her head, just held her to him in an odd combination of possession and comfort.

"As soon as I get my muscles unlocked, I'm putting you over m y knee."

The threat rumbled under her ear, over her head.

"For what?" What century did he think this was? "I never said I would leave you here."

"Not to mention almost taking out Derek here," Caleb interjected dryly.

That sounded way too serious. "I was saving Slade's life."

Slade's fingers tightened on her braid and tugged. She looked up into twin flames, glowing eerily in the dark. His eyes?

"You don't ever risk your life, sweetness. Not for me, not for anything."

She'd had enough. "I'll do whatever the h.e.l.l I want, but I a.s.sure you, I'll not be risking it again for you."

Another chuckle. This time from Caleb. "You met her when?"

"For real? Last night."

"For real?"

Jane felt Slade's shrug against her cheek. "We've been chatting over the Internet."

"You met your mate through an online hook up?"

"Mate?" Jane asked incredulously.

"Mate?" echoed Slade.

"Seriously," Jane snapped, "What century do you all think you're in?"

"The century doesn't matter," Derek said, suddenly closer. "A mate is a mate is a mate."

"Good G.o.d, I need to go home." Grabbing the flashlight, Jane flashed it up at Slade. "You don't believe in this, do you?"

There was no missing the shock on Slade's expression.

"Oh my G.o.d, you believe this."

"I swear, you Johnsons are slow on the uptake," Derek muttered.

"And you would have known sooner?" Slade shot back.

"h.e.l.l yes. A wolf would have known on first contact."

Yes, a wolf would have, Slade realized. Whereas he had had to have Jane's mysterious importance to him put into perspective. Slade blinked. Then smiled. Jane was his mate. That explained everything. The sense of rightness when he focused on her, the perfection of her scent, the wildness that surged inside at the thought of anyone hurting her. The fact that he was willing to sacrifice his family for her in that wild impulse to let her go ... h.e.l.l, he should have known right then. Nothing came between a Johnson and family. Only a mate could do that. A mate was everything to a vampire. Because her life meant more to him than anything. Her life was his.

"You're looking a little sh.e.l.l-shocked, Slade. The scientist in you having a bit of trouble with reality?"

"Shut up, Derek."

"I think you should all know," Jane interrupted, "that I don't like the turn of this ridiculous conversation."

He just bet. Against him, Jane still shook like a leaf. The kind of shaking that came from running too long on nerves and fear. From pushing oneself beyond the point of endurance. Exhaustion, adrenaline, and fear were taking their toll. He should have known she wouldn't have left him. Jane wasn't the type to cut and run. "Did you sit on top of that box all day, sweetness?"

"I couldn't let them get you."

"Let them?"

"It was all my fault."

"What was?"

"I found the transceiver. I didn't think until afterward that just anybody could pick up the call."

"Only Caleb would pick up."

"Well, I didn't know that, did I?" she snapped. "I don't know anything about the technology, and then there was this horrible growl. And you said the werewolves were coming, and I realized I might have led them straight to you."

And she was shaking all over again, just thinking about it. Slade opened his hand over Jane's back, feeling the fragility of muscles and bone. Finding the thread of her energy, he followed deeper, until he could slow the flow of adrenaline and regulate her metabolism, while his own mind raced, the ramifications of her confession weakening his knees. She'd thought she'd signed his death warrant, so she'd stayed to cancel it. Her delicate body pitted against vampire fangs and werewolf claws. They would have cut through her human flesh like a hot knife through b.u.t.ter.

"You should have run right then."

"Right." Her voice was tight with tension. "And leave you alone and helpless?"

"Yes."

"No." The syllable ended in a squeak.

You're hurting her, Slade, Caleb pointed out mentally.

He looked down. His hands were digging into Jane's sides. s.h.i.t. He never lost control. He eased his grip. To Jane he said, "Sorry." To Caleb he snapped, "Who the h.e.l.l growled at her?"

Caleb's features were very stark in the black and white of his night vision. Caleb shrugged. "Derek didn't like what she had to say at the time."

Jane's body jerked slightly. Slade knew that she strained to see through the dark. "The giant's a werewolf?"

"Yes."

s.h.i.t. "You could have given her time before revealing that."

"Maybe." With a tip of his hat Jane couldn't see, Derek smiled. "One of the good guys, ma'am."

"Oh."

Jane didn't relax. Slade couldn't blame her.

"The bad guys are coming, though. We ran into a couple on the way over."

The last was phrased causally for Jane's benefit. It didn't stop her panic from flicking across Slade's senses. He brushed his lips across the top of her head, inhaling her scent, letting the rightness settle into him anew. "It's okay," he whispered to her before asking Caleb. "I a.s.sume you've got that under control?"

"Not much to control, but enough of an amus.e.m.e.nt that a couple of the D'Nally pups decided to indulge."

Derek touched his hand to the transceiver in his ear. "We need to go."

Trouble. The warning from Derek whispered in his head.

Slade nodded, taking another breath, inhaling again the scent that was uniquely Jane's, that slid so perfectly over his senses. Spring. Hope. Perfection. She was all those things. How had he not recognized earlier what she was to him? "Sweetness, I'm going to pick you up now, and I don't want you fighting me."

She swatted at his hand with typical Jane exasperation. "Good grief, I don't need to be carried."

Yes. She did. He was hiding her weariness from her through their mental connection, but her legs were just too weak to carry her at the speed they needed right now. Bending, he slipped his arm behind her thighs. "I know."

She stopped him with a hand under his chin. "Maybe you didn't hear me correctly. I'm not going to be carried like a child. Especially in front of your brother and a werewolf." The way she said "werewolf" held more than a hint of disgust.

Derek snorted. "You been filling her head with tales, Johnson?"

He'd implied they were dangerous predators and connected to Sanctuary. Deadly. Jane didn't have the night vision to see any difference in Derek. In truth, Derek's handsomeness equaled his lethal talents. But women didn't see the latter. At least at first glance. "The truth was scary enough."

"Shine that flashlight over here, cutie," Derek ordered.

"I think I know all I need to know about your kind."

"I a.s.sure you, ma'am, women swoon when they see me."

Slade shot Derek a glare. "And he insists it's not from fear."

"Though we're abstaining from comment," Caleb added. "Don't want to bruise his fragile ego."

Jane being Jane had to see for herself. She flashed the light in Derek's direction. Of course, the d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d was smiling his prettiest.

Jane gasped. "He's handsome."

Slade s.n.a.t.c.hed the flashlight from her hand. "The h.e.l.l he is!"

Derek laughed. "The McClarens are a very handsome pack." With a jerk of his chin he motioned to Slade and said, "And for sure, before you commit yourself to that one there, you might want to check us out."

To Jane's credit, all she did was blink.

"She's not checking you out in any manner," Slade shot back.

"That's true," Jane snapped. "And the only thing I'm committing to is quitting my job."