Oath Sworn - K.N. Banet Page 0,42

cool. Werewolves just have different color eyes, but you get the cat pupil thing, too.” She didn’t seem as impressed as I had hoped. “You’ve been asleep for awhile. How was your night?”

“Fine,” I mumbled. This was why I liked having a bar. It meant my nocturnal schedule didn’t seem weird to my patrons and I wasn’t trying to live a life I couldn’t. Carey, however, was human. Her body naturally wanted to be up with the sun. Not early enough for her to get the door, but up sometime in the morning. “What time is it?” I asked, not moving.

“Nearly noon. That guy, Brin? He picked up the tray and said you were on your own for food. Don’t worry. I ate breakfast.”

“You seem like you’re in a better mood today,” I remarked, pushing the conversation off the fae. I hadn’t told her what he was and I didn’t plan to. The less she knew, the less trouble she could get into.

“Well, I said I wouldn’t contact anyone, but this morning, I checked my phone, just for a second.”

I growled, low and deep. Damn it. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I only had it on long enough to read some texts. That’s all. Well, one of my brothers contacted me! He said that he and Landon were okay!”

“That’s good.” I finally pushed myself to sit up. The new day was bringing good news. I didn’t like her turning on the possibly-trackable phone, but it was good news. She would have someone at the end of this. “I’m happy for you.” I was able to manage a smile, but part of me was sad.

It meant eventually I was going to have to give her back to her family. It was the natural way of things once my Duty was complete, but it made me ache. She wasn’t my human in the end. It was temporary, and everything we talked about would just be memories for both of us. The transient life of a werecat called to Duty and asked to care, only to have the object of that near-obsession taken away once it was all over. There was nothing that could be done. But until that moment, she was still mine. Still my child of this earth and due all the respect and treasured as such, just as I promised.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly. “I turned the phone off right after I was done. I don’t think anyone would have found out anything. I promise! I know the phones can be tracked, but…”

“It’s fine. You deserve to hear from your family,” I said, pulling her into a hug. I might have been Duty-bound to consider her family, and she might want to pretend while she was in my care since it made it easier for her, but I had no real aspirations that she seriously believed it. She was trying to be nice, comfort herself. I would be second fiddle to her real family, no matter what.

And that was how it was supposed to be. Werecats lost a lot thanks to the peace recreated by the Laws. Making real families with humans was one of those things. We were only allowed the temporary attachment of Duty. Not that it was against the Law, but it was werecat law.

“Let’s play some games,” I said softly, grabbing a controller.

The day passed slowly, and so did the night. Nothing to do except play video games and wait until things were cleared up in Dallas. Nothing to do until her father was found, dead or alive. Nothing to do until she was gone.

I barely slept that night. Maybe it was because I was restless, my mind attached to everything over the last few days. Maybe it was because Carey was unusually restless next to me. I didn’t know.

But I was awake when she started to whimper in her sleep. I sat up quickly, looking down at her. Oh no. I had no idea how to handle nightmares. She kicked and began to thrash. I raised my hands but couldn’t bring myself to touch her. Everything had been going so well. Why now? Why did the nightmares have to start in on her now? I knew they could come after all of this, but I was so woefully unprepared.

Then she screamed and I grabbed her, hauling her over to me.

“Carey, wake up. Please. Come on, sweetheart. It’s just a nightmare.”

“Help,” she cried out, weak and tired. “I don’t want to die…”

“Open your eyes, Carey,” I snapped, shaking