Free Blood Crave 2 by Jennifer Knight Page A

meaning to, I opened the connection and spoke to him through it: Help me convince Rolf.
    “She’s right,” Lucas said suddenly. But it hadn’t been Lucas’s will that made him stick up for Derek, it had been mine.
    Startled by what I’d done, I let the connection drop. I hadn’t meant to make him do it—just ask him to. But I guess my power didn’t work that way. Heck, I hadn’t even been sure I could speak to him the way I had. Good information for later, but it didn’t excuse what I’d done.
    Lucas shook himself slightly, seeming to come out of a trance. His eyes shifted silver, and I felt the change rage within him like an angry bull. Controlling him that way must have increased my threat and made him want to change.
    I was a total scumbag.
    “I—I mean,” Lucas said, sounding sluggish. “I’ll be there ... and Katie. We’ll be at CSU to guard Derek.”
    But Rolf shook his head with a single jerk. “We need you, Lucas. Now that this mess with Vincent Stone is done with, there is no reason for you to remain at the school. Your duties are here, hunting with your brothers and sisters.”
    Lucas’s jaw shifted. “So put me on Derek’s guard.” His tone was reluctant; he was only saying this for me, but I was grateful. “Me and Katie. We can watch him.”
    “You and Julian are our most skilled trackers,” Rolf said, nodding at Julian. “We need you.”
    “You got along just fine without me,” Lucas grumbled. “And Julian’s still here. Besides—” Lucas’s eyes narrowed and his voice was clipped with contempt. “The Council seems to think the vampires in this area are manageable. There’s no uprising, right?”
    Rolf’s nostrils flared with annoyance. “We see no evidence of an uprising.”
    “Then one tracker’s more than enough to handle any vampire threats. Julian’s here. He’ll do it.”
    I saw Julian nodding adamantly.
    “Grant me permission,” Lucas urged. “I’ll guard Derek and continue at CSU.”
    For a moment, Rolf seemed cornered, but then he spat, “And what if the crave presents itself in the midst of one of his classes? Then what?”
    None of us spoke for a while. He had a good point there....
    “I’ll take his classes with him,” Katie said suddenly. All eyes turned to her, and a rather adorable blush crept into her cheeks.
    “What?” Rolf barked.
    “I—if it’s all right with you, pack master,” Katie stammered. “I’ll take Derek’s classes with him and guard him.”
    Rolf studied her for a long time with something close to how I might look at roadkill.
    Lucas cut her a crooked grin and turned to Rolf with victory in his eyes. “See? With me there too, there’s no reason he can’t continue his life at CSU. He’ll have to take night classes, but that’s not a problem.”
    “Yeah, I work during the day,” Katie chipped in. “Now I won’t be bored all night.”
    I beamed at her.
    A vein bulged in Rolf’s neck. “If I allow this,” he said stiffly. “I will want weekly reports, and he is to be brought to Gould at every full moon. I will not have him roaming the town during that time. We do not yet know the full extent of his capabilities.”
    Lucas nodded curtly.
    “And,” Rolf continued. “You will need to find him a place to sleep during the day. Some place lightless.”
    “Fine,” Lucas agreed.
    Everything was silent for a moment.
    “I will allow it,” Rolf said. “On a trial basis.”
    I let out a long breath and glanced up at Derek, who smiled back at me, relieved.
    “So we are in agreement?” Rolf asked. “You will keep Derek under control, and we shall not harm him.”
    “Sounds good to me,” Lucas said. He started to get up to leave, but I’d finally found my courage.
    “Wait,” I said. “How do I know you won’t just come around during the day when he’s asleep and kill him? You seemed pretty hell-bent on it up until just now. And Lucas said this truce thing is only good for one night. How can I believe you won’t