him. Luke would give anything to have Gia back and willing and his. The anger at her, at himself, was fierce and for a minute his control of his power slipped. A road sign shook as they passed it. The streetlights waved like there'd been a gust of wind. Dupree slowed to a stop and eyed him.
"You need to feed," the hybrid said.
Luke couldn't believe he had the balls, but then, nothing much slowed Dupree down. Also, Marcus and Winter had both asked when he'd fed last. Luke shouldn't be surprised that Winter had turned to Dupree, her second in command, to find out how Luke was doing. She was a caretaker that one, whether she viewed herself that way or not.
Still, he was stunned and revolted. Dupree didn't understand how he preferred to feed. Didn't understand it would shred his soul to open his mind to another woman in that manner. If Dupree did understand he wouldn't bring it up.
"You have no idea what you're suggesting. It's a very intimate act."
"Without which you'll just get weaker and eventually die. You'll starve to death," Dupree pointed out. "Which will make you useless fighting demons or tracking Gia."
Dupree looked him over and Luke tried to ignore the scrutiny. She had been gone over a week. He could go longer without the psychic energy that kept him alive, but the stress, the turmoil was shortening his leash.
"I have time."
"But you're not at full strength. So what's the problem, man?" he prodded.
"That's like me asking why you don't just find some other woman to fuck since you're so determined to keep Kara at arm's length."
Dupree snarled but he didn't lash out. He stuck to the topic. "You don't have to have sex to feed."
Luke shrugged. "But you do have to touch someone else's mind. You have to take their emotions and energy into you."
"Look, you need to be at full strength. It's that simple." He paused. "I thought we could join our power to do a bigger telepathic sweep for her, break through whatever power is hiding her, but I guess that won't work if you won't even lower your shields enough to feed."
Luke gave him a considering look. "Joining power doesn't really work the same way as feeding. I wouldn't be actively siphoning off energy. Your blocks are strong enough you wouldn't share any thoughts you don't want to. Why haven't you brought this up before?"
"She's had time to get in touch. The longer she doesn't, the more I think something must have happened."
"Winter's dreams," Luke said softly. So he did know. Good. "She's not a dreamwalker."
"No. But Gia is."
"So is Marcus. I've had mixed success with it in the past."
"And none now?"
"Right," he answered curtly.
"Has Marcus tried?"
Scowling, Luke shook his head. "No luck, but that isn't a surprise. He doesn't know her mind like the rest of us do."
And Luke hated to admit he didn't know her mind that well either. She'd gladly shared her body with him, but she hadn't been willing to lower her shields enough to let him into her head.
They resumed their patrol while Luke stewed. Marcus didn't know Gia. Didn't know the shape and feel of her mind and thoughts. But Dupree and Winter did, and Luke knew her better than his twin. If Luke was at full strength and Dupree wasn't having to exert so much control over his demon side, they might be able to combine their knowledge and power to reach her. It was an obvious solution but he didn't like it. Not one damned bit.
"When you feed, does it have to be from someone of the opposite sex?" Dupree was obviously thinking the same thing. "I've been around enough nightwalkers to know it's not a sexual thing with all of you."
Luke had a sour taste in his mouth but he answered honestly anyway. "No."
"Are my blocks good enough?"
Luke stopped and turned to face the nightwalker.
"Did I cross a line asking?"
God, did he but not for the reasons he thought. It was one thing--a very private and personal thing--to feed from a lover or mate. But friends? They were off limits except under the most dire
"You need to feed," the hybrid said.
Luke couldn't believe he had the balls, but then, nothing much slowed Dupree down. Also, Marcus and Winter had both asked when he'd fed last. Luke shouldn't be surprised that Winter had turned to Dupree, her second in command, to find out how Luke was doing. She was a caretaker that one, whether she viewed herself that way or not.
Still, he was stunned and revolted. Dupree didn't understand how he preferred to feed. Didn't understand it would shred his soul to open his mind to another woman in that manner. If Dupree did understand he wouldn't bring it up.
"You have no idea what you're suggesting. It's a very intimate act."
"Without which you'll just get weaker and eventually die. You'll starve to death," Dupree pointed out. "Which will make you useless fighting demons or tracking Gia."
Dupree looked him over and Luke tried to ignore the scrutiny. She had been gone over a week. He could go longer without the psychic energy that kept him alive, but the stress, the turmoil was shortening his leash.
"I have time."
"But you're not at full strength. So what's the problem, man?" he prodded.
"That's like me asking why you don't just find some other woman to fuck since you're so determined to keep Kara at arm's length."
Dupree snarled but he didn't lash out. He stuck to the topic. "You don't have to have sex to feed."
Luke shrugged. "But you do have to touch someone else's mind. You have to take their emotions and energy into you."
"Look, you need to be at full strength. It's that simple." He paused. "I thought we could join our power to do a bigger telepathic sweep for her, break through whatever power is hiding her, but I guess that won't work if you won't even lower your shields enough to feed."
Luke gave him a considering look. "Joining power doesn't really work the same way as feeding. I wouldn't be actively siphoning off energy. Your blocks are strong enough you wouldn't share any thoughts you don't want to. Why haven't you brought this up before?"
"She's had time to get in touch. The longer she doesn't, the more I think something must have happened."
"Winter's dreams," Luke said softly. So he did know. Good. "She's not a dreamwalker."
"No. But Gia is."
"So is Marcus. I've had mixed success with it in the past."
"And none now?"
"Right," he answered curtly.
"Has Marcus tried?"
Scowling, Luke shook his head. "No luck, but that isn't a surprise. He doesn't know her mind like the rest of us do."
And Luke hated to admit he didn't know her mind that well either. She'd gladly shared her body with him, but she hadn't been willing to lower her shields enough to let him into her head.
They resumed their patrol while Luke stewed. Marcus didn't know Gia. Didn't know the shape and feel of her mind and thoughts. But Dupree and Winter did, and Luke knew her better than his twin. If Luke was at full strength and Dupree wasn't having to exert so much control over his demon side, they might be able to combine their knowledge and power to reach her. It was an obvious solution but he didn't like it. Not one damned bit.
"When you feed, does it have to be from someone of the opposite sex?" Dupree was obviously thinking the same thing. "I've been around enough nightwalkers to know it's not a sexual thing with all of you."
Luke had a sour taste in his mouth but he answered honestly anyway. "No."
"Are my blocks good enough?"
Luke stopped and turned to face the nightwalker.
"Did I cross a line asking?"
God, did he but not for the reasons he thought. It was one thing--a very private and personal thing--to feed from a lover or mate. But friends? They were off limits except under the most dire
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