Blooded Mate

Chapter 24 - Family Pride

Guilt flooded Ethan. He had been so worried about Jan that he had not thought of the safety or feelings of his family. He had forced them to stay outside.

Ethan stepped aside, and Jan slipped out from behind him.

Rook released his mother, and she rushed to him, running her hands over him. Her dam finally broke, and her sobs filled his ears. It tore his heart.

Ethan engulfed her in a fierce hug.

"I'm so sorry," Ethan repeated, over and over again.

Zyga and Jeb flanked the door, eyes still on Jan and his family while Rook ushered everyone else into the house. Mrs. Bane hurried into the safety of their home, urging the two boys ahead of her. Cody's gaze lingered on the vampires until Rook threatened to smack him by raising a hand. Jeb's mate only went in after Dr. Kim had entered, but she tossed a couple of cold glances at Jan before disappearing inside.

"I'll be right behind you. Just give me a sec to talk to Jan, ok?" Ethan whispered to his mum, brushing her tears with his thumb.

She nodded, sniffing, but her hands did not seem to want to let him go. He glanced at Jeb, who came forward to collect her before entering. His adopted father was the last to go, and he firmly shut the door behind him.

Ethan sighed. He could already feel his ears blistering from the earful Zyga was going to give him.

Left alone with Jan outside, he did not know what to say. He glanced at the two men waiting for his friend. As absurd as it was, Ethan frowned at the idea of the vampire leaving with them.

"You'll return, right? " he blurted. "Zyga wants to talk to you ... and ... and I'm sure my family would like to meet you ... properly."

Those searching gray eyes studied him. "I'll be back."

Ethan nodded, and Jan walked off the porch to his family. Despite the bandages around his torso and arm, his broad shoulders exuded confidence, and his gait, smooth and fluid, almost feline. Even on the gravel, his footfalls made no sound.

I should have offered him a sweatshirt. He's hardly wearing anything, he thought, looking at the lean waist.

The short vampire with a baby face did not wait for Jan to reach him. He threw himself at the blond, talking animatedly.

"Mon cheri, you had me so worried. I was trying to pull you away, but you brushed me off. How dare you ignore my probes? That was so rude! And then you disappeared with that wolf. Let me see what he did to you?"

His hands flittered over Jan's body while the blond man tried to fend him off.

Ethan's frowned at the display.

He's all over Jan ... Even mom doesn't fuss over me like that.

He stayed rooted on the porch with his dark thoughts until his guests were well into the shadows. Then he turned to go face the music with his own family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally dressed and seated at the table, Ethan squirmed under the scrutiny of eight pairs of eyes. Even Mrs. Bane, who was fixing dinner, kept her gaze more often on him than on her bubbling pot of pasta.

"Damien, Cody. Off to bed, I said," Rook ordered, but she did not turn to see if they complied. And the two boys only changed their positions from the bottom of the stairs to the top, whispering as they went.

"Let me look at you, hon," Ethan's mother said.

She sat next to him, appropriately dressed now, just like Rook. Holding his chin, she turned his face towards her. Her eyes roamed over him, searching for any sign of harm on his body.