He even talked her into doing an advanced kata with him in front of her friends. Normally not one to seek the spotlight, Christy thrilled to the approval in her friends' eyes when she finished the form with a flourish.
«Where in the world did you learn how to do that?» Kelly seemed astonished as she walked over and took Christy's hand. «Chris, that was amazing!»
«Sensei Hiro has been a big help.» Christy blushed a little while Hiro stood back, taking no credit.
«I bet all that were blood didn't hurt either,» Lissa said with a knowing grin. «Atticus told me what were blood can do to our kind.»
«Christy!» Kelly looked shocked. «You've been biting weres? And they let you? Or rather, Sebastian let you?» She chuckled at her own words.
«Just one were, actually,» Christy moved toward the bench against the wall, wanting to escape the good natured interrogation. This was embarrassing. «And it was before Sebastian and I…»
«Sebastian was your maker.» Kelly appeared to be thinking through the sequence of events. «So you mean to tell me, he brought in a were for you to bite before he even claimed you? From the way you can jump, it'd have to be a werecat. Holy crap! You've been biting Matt Redstone?»
Christy gulped, caught. «Now how did you arrive at that conclusion?»
«Well, he's a cougar, and he's one of Sebastian's closest friends.» Kelly dropped down onto the bench next to her. «Marc always seemed a little perplexed about the friendship. He likes Matt. Respects him.» Kelly turned to her with a wicked gleam in her eyes. «And I think Matt's totally hot!» She pressed forward a bit. «So tell me, have you done it with him? I mean, before you joined with Sebastian. I don't see Sebastian sharing.» Christy's blush deepened as she squirmed. «Holy crap! You did them both? At the same time? Details! Girl, I want details!»
«Kel, you're embarrassing her.» Lissa sat on Christy's other side, offering support. She'd always been the mother of the group. «Of course, I want to know too, but she can tell us later…in private.» Lissa's eyes gestured comically to where Hiro stood across the room, trying hard not to laugh. Lissa's eyes turned speculative. «But it would explain what Atticus said, about you two being joined to Matt. Seems Matt was the only one who took time to explain to everyone else what was going on at our house last night when my husband and Sebastian took off. Handy, that.»
Hiro came over and crouched down in front of Christy, commanding the attention of all three women. «Matt and Sebastian gave you a gift, Christy. You need never feel embarrassed or shamed by it. Your life is different now. Our customs are different. That's something I had to learn when I was first changed. In time, you'll come to understand it too, but it takes a while. So-« he looked pointedly at Kelly and Lissa, gentle humor in his dark eyes, «-give her a break, ladies. Okay?»
«Taking a break?» Sebastian asked from the doorway. Atticus and Marc were visible over his broad shoulders.
Christy stood, jumping nimbly around Hiro as she went to Sebastian, glad for the distraction. He pulled her into his arms and just held her, cuddling her head under his chin.
Hiro stood. «I think that concludes the lesson for today. You did very well, ladies.»
The other women thanked Hiro, as did the men, but Christy and Sebastian were lost in their own little moment of time. It felt so good to be in his arms. So safe. So warm. It was like a slice of heaven on earth.
«I think we'll leave you two lovebirds alone.» Atticus's tone was teasing as Christy looked up at him. He had Lissa tucked under one of his muscular arms as he headed for the hallway.
Marc took his leave as well and Christy waved to Kelly as she headed out with her husband. Christy knew they'd be going to their own home for the day. Hiro cleared out a moment later with a nod in their direction.
«Did their teasing really bother you?» Sebastian looked down into her eyes.
Christy felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she remembered. «I was never one to kiss and tell, Sebastian, even in college. Those guys always enjoyed torturing me the day after a date, so this is nothing new.» She shook her head, smiling. «I should be used to it, but darnit, I'm just not, and they know it.»
«But you know they love you.» Sebastian's voice was soft, almost wistful. «Which is why they're not going to like the plan we've come up with.»
Christy pulled back to look up at him. «What are you guys up to now?»
«You don't know how rare it is for one of my kind to find his One. After so many years, I'd almost given up hope.» He stroked her hair back, with loving attention. «Atticus had. I know that for a fact. He told me his life was empty before he met Lissa. He was ready to die. He welcomed it. But finding her changed that. Just like Kelly did for Marc. I convinced them to take their mates far away, where they'll be safe until all this is over.»
Christy thought about that for a moment. «I can't imagine those men are too pleased to stand down from a fight.»
Sebastian nodded, smiling. «You've got that right, but for their ladies, they'll do anything. I'm more concerned that Lissa and Kelly will balk at leaving you, but they're only fledglings and have no real control over their abilities yet.»
She chuckled. «Yeah, they won't like it at all. But I'm glad they'll be safe.» She rested her head against his shoulder, snuggling close again. «I don't want to see any of them hurt. We've got a lot of help between the were and the others, right? I'd hate to see our newlywed friends torn apart by any of this. They deserve a little happiness.»
Sebastian stroked his big hands over her back. «You are a miracle of understanding, my love, and you're braver than any person I have ever known.»
CHAPTER 13
Marc and Kelly left for safety the next night. Atticus and Lissa went with them after taking their leave of Christy and Sebastian. One of Hastings' kin had been attacked and all evidence led to Mario as the perp. He'd left the youngster alive-just barely. He would recover, but it would take a very long time, and he'd never be quite the same again. A bird shifter, the Venifucus operative had seemed to take pleasure in maiming him so he would never fly again.
The attack was a message. Mario knew something was going on, and he knew Hastings was part of the team surrounding Sebastian and his mate. The attack upped the ante in a terrible way, driving home the necessity for the mated couples to go to safety. None of them liked it, but they saw the sense in taking precautions.
After Lissa and Atticus left Sebastian's house, Christy seemed more alone. Sebastian held her and offered reassurance, but there was little he could do. Christy wasn't alone, but they were in a very bad situation that was likely to get worse before it got any better. If it got better at all.
So it was a somber couple that entered the media room that night to greet their were guardians and friends. Matt waited for them, seeming to know without being told, that Christy's spirits were low. He slipped a brotherly arm around her shoulders and hugged her close while he and Sebastian shared a concerned look. The three seemed to communicate on an unspoken level that didn't go unnoticed by the others in the room. Such communion between were and vampire was abnormal, to say the least, but each person who saw them felt a tug at their emotions. These three were closer than mere friends. They were family.
Seeing their intense feelings for one another made this operation more personal, somehow. Even Steel felt a sort of kinship with these supernaturals. They felt sorrow and fear, happiness and pain, just like everyone else, he realized in those moments. For too long he'd been in awe of the abilities of these creatures. He'd missed the realization that almost every vampire he tracked had once been human, and every werecreature had family and friends, living and mixing within human society. Sure, they were different, but they weren't entirely alien.