don’t trespass without invitation, and when an invitation is extended, neither party can cause any harm to the other. Anyone who breaks his word gets hunted down by the rest of the Others in the area. Keeps us all in line.”
I stared at him. He rolled his eyes.
“I haven’t broken the laws, Shia. He attempted harm on me first. We’re allowed to fight back if we need to.”
I didn’t argue. Instead, I slid an arm around his waist and clung to him as tightly as I dared, not looking back. No doubt Mr. Cassidy wasn’t happy and would contact whoever those crazies were as soon as we were out of sight.
He might not have broken the laws directly but, indirectly, he was responsible for some of the damage that had been caused. Laws or no laws, I’d do whatever it took to keep Chaz—and the rest of the Sunstrikers—safe.
Chapter 18
Chaz directed his pack to split up into groups and do a thorough search inside and around the cabins. Dillon and Nick weren’t happy to be ordered to babysit me, but they obediently ushered me back into my cabin. Once inside, they settled at the table, frowning at me and each other, while I paced restlessly in front of the bed.
After a while, Dillon slumped in his chair and waved at me. “Do you mind? That’s kind of distracting.”
“Distracting from what? Nobody’s going to bust in here,” I said.
Nick was busy picking something out from under his thumbnail, not bothering to glance up as he answered. “It’s the last day of the full moon, Shiarra. We’re predators. You’re hyped up, and your scent reeks of agitation. Try relaxing so we don’t have to try so hard not to do something that might hurt you.”
That sobered me. I halted my pacing and settled into an uneasy crouch on the edge of the bed, folding my arms across my stomach. That they were that affected by my actions wasn’t at all obvious from their expressions or the way they held themselves. In fact, the way they draped themselves in their chairs seemed more like the languid lean of a lazy, well-fed cat. Dillon’s chocolate brown eyes were focused intently on me, though, occasionally flashing the greenish-yellow that spoke of an internal battle not to act on his instincts. Now that I was looking for it, I saw Nick’s normally hazel eyes had the faint golden luminescence of the shift burning in their depths.
Biting my lower lip, I turned my attention to the window, peering through the curtains. I couldn’t see any of the other Sunstrikers outside, but the sun was edging closer and closer to the mountaintops. It probably hadn’t been very long, but the wait felt interminable, particularly since neither of the men were being friendly at the moment. Their quiet intensity was downright scary, actually.
Never one to let a little awkward silence deter me, I gestured at the angle of the sun. “How long are we going to wait here? Maybe we should go check on everybody.”
“No way,” Dillon said, the hint of a growl turning his normally smooth voice into a rumble. “You’re staying put. I’m not getting in trouble because of you again.”
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I said. “I never meant to—”
He cut me off. “Look, I don’t like you. Never did.” Nick shot him a look of surprise, pierced brows arching up in shock. “We’re following Chaz’s orders. So sit tight, relax, and wait for him to come back. You’re not going anywhere until he says you can.”
At first, I was chagrined. He had gotten in a hot mess with the pack and with Royce when I’d run off right out from under his nose. He’d been assigned to watch over and protect me from the psychotic vampire Max Carlyle, who very well might have called me back to his side once I was beyond the reach of the Sunstrikers or Royce’s people. However, Dillon had no right to treat me like a child, herding me around because Chaz said so. All those last words of his did was piss me off. I slowly got back to my feet, fists clenched tightly at my sides as I glared at him. Chaz had warned me that such a move was considered a direct challenge; right now, I didn’t care.
“Dillon, I didn’t do it intentionally. I’m sorry I got you in trouble, and I’m sorry you don’t like me. But I’m not going to sit back and wait for Chaz to