did, but this is much better as a surprise, don’t you think?”
She eyed him suspiciously in silence and Kade knew she suspected something was awry. She’d know that Anthony would not visit without a reason, and Kade trusted him to tell her why he’d come to New Orleans.
“You heard him, Syd. Lead the way,” Anthony interjected, his eyes meeting Kade’s in understanding.
“I’m sorry, Tony. I didn’t mean to be rude. This way,” she said.
Kade watched with interest as she fell into her partner’s trusted embrace and they traveled out of the kitchen. He prayed what they were about to do would cure her. But at the moment, more pressing issues required his attention. The human who planned Sydney harm was on the loose. Retrieving his phone, he texted Luca.
Chapter Six
Sydney’s heart melted. For years, Tony had been her rock. Partners, they’d faced the best and worst of situations, surviving in the face of death itself. Next to Kade, he was the strongest man she’d known. Loyal. Courageous. Like coming home, she’d fallen into his arms. Emotion bubbled in her chest anticipating their conversation. He’d understood her desire to remain human more than anyone else.
“I’m sorry, I, um, I didn’t return your texts.” She moved to cross the room, but he held firm to her hand.
“No, Syd. Stay and talk. It’s me,” he pleaded.
“Tony, I can’t…Kade told you everything?” Sydney turned her face away, unable to stomach the shame inside her. “I’m sorry, I should have been the one to tell you. I just couldn’t do it.”
“You should have told me, because you know what?” He reached to cup her cheek, forcing her to meet his gaze. “It doesn’t matter what you are. You’re my friend. My partner.”
“Not anymore,” she said, a sad reflection in her voice.
“Come here.” Anthony led her to the couch. As they sat, he didn’t release her. “Of all the people on God’s green earth, I know you hate this. Remember when we first met that vamp you’re marryin’?”
Sydney’s eyes lightened and she gave him a small smile. She’d known he’d give her a pep talk. She considered that perhaps that was the reason she hadn’t called him. She didn’t want to feel good again. She deserved to suffer, given her mistake. She’d left the Alpha’s compound, too confident she’d be able to protect them from the demon.
“You used to hate vampires. And maybe for good reason most of the time, but look at Kade. Luca. Even the wolves. You know I hang with Tristan now. He’s one of the good guys.”
“It’s my fault. I thought I could handle it. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” Sydney placed her palm on top of Tony’s hands. She stared at her fingers, recounting what had happened. “I really don’t remember that much. I went outside. This guy came at me. He looked suspicious but he was human at first. I fired my gun and then I was drifting away. I was alone.”
“It’s okay, Syd.”
“Kade told me I was out of it for a few weeks. I couldn’t even remember what they’d done to keep me alive.” She sighed and gave Anthony a small smile. The light through the atrium doors flickered, and she took note how it deepened the color of his amber eyes. “When he told me what he did, I couldn’t accept it. I was so angry at him for doing this. I should have died that day.”
“He couldn’t let you go.”
“I know that, I really do. It’s just at the time, I was so upset. And then the feeding…it’s been a disaster. It wasn’t the blood per se. I mean, you’d think I’d be disgusted drinking blood but I’m not. But hurting someone, that’s not something I do to innocent people. The donor was screaming. It was awful. I just can’t do that to someone. I won’t do it.”
“We’re gonna work through this. There’s nothin’ we haven’t faced. This is just one more thing. I promise you I’m going to be there for you,” he assured her.
“There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing
She eyed him suspiciously in silence and Kade knew she suspected something was awry. She’d know that Anthony would not visit without a reason, and Kade trusted him to tell her why he’d come to New Orleans.
“You heard him, Syd. Lead the way,” Anthony interjected, his eyes meeting Kade’s in understanding.
“I’m sorry, Tony. I didn’t mean to be rude. This way,” she said.
Kade watched with interest as she fell into her partner’s trusted embrace and they traveled out of the kitchen. He prayed what they were about to do would cure her. But at the moment, more pressing issues required his attention. The human who planned Sydney harm was on the loose. Retrieving his phone, he texted Luca.
Chapter Six
Sydney’s heart melted. For years, Tony had been her rock. Partners, they’d faced the best and worst of situations, surviving in the face of death itself. Next to Kade, he was the strongest man she’d known. Loyal. Courageous. Like coming home, she’d fallen into his arms. Emotion bubbled in her chest anticipating their conversation. He’d understood her desire to remain human more than anyone else.
“I’m sorry, I, um, I didn’t return your texts.” She moved to cross the room, but he held firm to her hand.
“No, Syd. Stay and talk. It’s me,” he pleaded.
“Tony, I can’t…Kade told you everything?” Sydney turned her face away, unable to stomach the shame inside her. “I’m sorry, I should have been the one to tell you. I just couldn’t do it.”
“You should have told me, because you know what?” He reached to cup her cheek, forcing her to meet his gaze. “It doesn’t matter what you are. You’re my friend. My partner.”
“Not anymore,” she said, a sad reflection in her voice.
“Come here.” Anthony led her to the couch. As they sat, he didn’t release her. “Of all the people on God’s green earth, I know you hate this. Remember when we first met that vamp you’re marryin’?”
Sydney’s eyes lightened and she gave him a small smile. She’d known he’d give her a pep talk. She considered that perhaps that was the reason she hadn’t called him. She didn’t want to feel good again. She deserved to suffer, given her mistake. She’d left the Alpha’s compound, too confident she’d be able to protect them from the demon.
“You used to hate vampires. And maybe for good reason most of the time, but look at Kade. Luca. Even the wolves. You know I hang with Tristan now. He’s one of the good guys.”
“It’s my fault. I thought I could handle it. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” Sydney placed her palm on top of Tony’s hands. She stared at her fingers, recounting what had happened. “I really don’t remember that much. I went outside. This guy came at me. He looked suspicious but he was human at first. I fired my gun and then I was drifting away. I was alone.”
“It’s okay, Syd.”
“Kade told me I was out of it for a few weeks. I couldn’t even remember what they’d done to keep me alive.” She sighed and gave Anthony a small smile. The light through the atrium doors flickered, and she took note how it deepened the color of his amber eyes. “When he told me what he did, I couldn’t accept it. I was so angry at him for doing this. I should have died that day.”
“He couldn’t let you go.”
“I know that, I really do. It’s just at the time, I was so upset. And then the feeding…it’s been a disaster. It wasn’t the blood per se. I mean, you’d think I’d be disgusted drinking blood but I’m not. But hurting someone, that’s not something I do to innocent people. The donor was screaming. It was awful. I just can’t do that to someone. I won’t do it.”
“We’re gonna work through this. There’s nothin’ we haven’t faced. This is just one more thing. I promise you I’m going to be there for you,” he assured her.
“There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing
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