To her shock, Knox immediately stopped trying to kill whatever was out there and bolted straight to Kane like the loyal little traitor he was.
“I—I heard a man’s voice,” Monica stammered, still trying to catch up with reality. “And I hit something with the stick, but there’s nothing there.”
“Dammit, Steve,” Kane muttered, checking her one more time before turning toward the yard.
“Has that dog had a rabies shot?” The same male voice moaned, and then, suddenly, a man appeared sitting on the ground holding his thigh.
“What the hell?” Monica gasped.
She pinched herself again. Still not dreaming. Great.
“You’re a fucking vampire, Steve,” Kane barked, marching toward him. “Get the hell up.”
Monica edged closer, staring hard at the guy who had just materialized on her brother’s lawn like...poof, and he was there.
Knox growled again but stayed beside her.
“Friend,” Monica said slowly, looking at the man. Then frowned. “I think.”
CHAPTER 18
“Dammit, Steve.” Kane reached down, pulling Steve up when he continued to sit there, looking at his leg. “What in the hell did you think you were doing?”
Steve stood, then started limping around, checking his leg. “Bringing your IDs, man,”
“You know him?” Monica had walked closer after seeming to get herself together.
Kane couldn’t even explain the emotions that ran through him, hearing her terrified scream. His body was still strung tight, wanting to lash out at anything that moved.
“Yeah, I know him,” Kane glanced at her, once again checking her out, then his gaze went to the fire. Fuck, if he hadn’t been there or reached her in time, he didn’t even want to think about how badly she would have been hurt. “He’s a Warrior,”
“A Warrior?” Monica frowned as her eyes narrowed. “Then why were you creeping around. Why not just go to the front door like a normal person?”
“Good question,” Kane said, looking back at Steve.
Steve’s head snapped up as he glared at Kane. “Is it?” Steve hissed, then took a couple of more steps before touching the side of his head.
“Is it what?” Kane finally started to calm down, but he was having a hard time comprehending what Steve was saying, which was dangerous because it was Steve. What if this were a different situation where Monica was in danger and he couldn’t remove his head from his ass?
“A good question?” Steve looked at him oddly, then frowned. “Is my fucking hair singed? What the hell did you hit me with?”
“Steve, focus,” Kane said, then realized what he said. He himself was having a hard time focusing.
“A stick we used to poke the fire.” Monica cringed as they all noticed Steve’s hair was definitely singed. “Sorry about that, but you scared the shit out of me. And how in the hell did you just...poof...magically appear? I may be sleep deprived, but I’m not crazy.”
Steve was pulling at his hair, but then looked at her. “I’m the Invisible Warrior,” Steve said, looking a little disappointed that she didn’t know about him. “And I was invisible because Sloan threatened my ass not to blow your cover. I didn’t know what I was walking into, and as everyone knows, Sloan scares the absolute shit out of me, and I want to live, so I came into the situation invisible.”
“Come on,” Kane frowned, shaking his head as he looked around the yard. If they were being watched, he didn’t need them seeing him and Steve exchanging anything. “Let’s go inside.”
Knox stood and headed toward Steve. “Ah fuck no,” Steve jumped behind Kane, pushing him toward the dog. “Get that big ass beast away from me.”
“Dammit, Steve,” Kane cursed.
“He won’t hurt you,” Monica said with a half grin as she looked at Steve, staying behind Kane, looking over his shoulder at Knox. “I told him you’re a friend.”
Steve snorted. “Yeah, well, forgive me if I don’t believe that for a freaking second.”
Monica rolled her eyes, making Kane grin as she snapped her fingers at Knox, who immediately went to her side. “I didn’t think Warriors were afraid of anything.”