I mentally shake my head at Devon. “So, you are eighteen?”
“Seventeen.”
“You can’t go back there. What about your parents? You know you can’t go home, and you can’t tell them,” I say sternly.
“I know, Devon has told me. It was just my mom and me. And whatever drunk, abusive guy she brought home. I’m not sad to never see her again.”
It explains a lot. No wonder she wanted this. “What were your plans? After school?”
She shrugs. “I was going to college. I want to be a lawyer.”
Impressive. “College is out for now, I’m afraid. But one day you can go back and achieve your goals. You have eternity now, Jess. The sky’s the limit. We just need to see it through one day at a time, at the moment. In the meantime…” I never get to finish what I was going to say because she suddenly goes feral and launches herself at me. Now this is more of what I was expecting. Up to a point Devon’s presence, even from a distance, keeps her calm. I’m guessing he has now left the house and she can no longer keep a lid on her feelings of hunger and rage, at me particularly for denying her fresh human blood and the sun. She claws at me, snarling in a haze of pure rage as I hold her back by her throat. She slashes at me with her claws, but she is weak and young and it hardly affects me.
“Jess,” I say to her calmly. She ignores me in favor of ripping at me instead. “Jess!” I snap. “Get yourself under control.”
All the noise she is making has attracted the attention of, well, everybody, and they all rush into the room to my aid. Not that I need it but it’s the thought that counts. Lincoln goes behind her and grabs her arms, forcing them behind her. His grip is strong on her wrists and she struggles against him uselessly.
“You okay?” he asks me.
“Just fine, sweetie. I think I can handle myself against a two-day-old newbie,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“I take it Devon has left the building?” CK says sardonically.
I nod. “So it would seem.”
He sighs as she is howling at Lincoln to let her go. My Alpha looks mildly amused as he keeps hold of her struggling form, no match for his superior strength.
“Work your mojo on her,” I complain to CK as I am in no mood for toddler tantrums.
“Mojo? What on Earth are you talking about, Aefre?” He looks at me perplexed.
“You know, that thing you do…” I gesture at him. “That thing… that calms.”
“Calms?” Now he looks a bit amused.
“It works on me,” I huff at him.
“Because you are my charge, my sweet, and a special one at that. I do not have the capabilities to sort this mess out.”
“Too bad,” I mumble. “Where the bloody Hell are Cade an
d Nico? They should have been back by now.”
As if by magick, they appear in the doorway, having rushed up the stairs following the not-so-dulcet sounds of Jess The Mess.
“Allow me,” Cade says and twirls his orb at her. She slumps in Lincoln’s arms, completely under control.
“About bloody time. What kept you? Is my car all right?” I ask in suspicion.
“Your car is fine,” Cade says, miffed that I didn’t trust them with it. “There was something we needed to take care of.”
We? “Humph. Well, next time be sure to call and let me know.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he salutes sarcastically.
I pull my face at him. “Get this under control,” I order him.
“Me? Isn’t it your job to deal with her?”