Hidden One

Chapter Twelve

"You are such an idiot! Did you see the look on Keenan's face? Did you? Gods, Demetri, did you even stop to think-"

"No, Tessa, I didn't." Demetri snarled, cutting her off abruptly. They were deep in the trees, away from the prying eyes of those in the park and, thankfully, out of earshot. Tessa couldn't- wouldn't- get any closer to him than three feet away, afraid of what might happen if she did. They were both angry, with almost uncontrollable tempers and plenty of power to cause some damage if triggered. But if she was being honest with herself, that wasn't all of it.

Even in her anger, she could feel the pull toward him. It was like a rope that kept them tied together- she could only go so far. It was making her slightly irritated, though overall it was a rather pleasurable experience; she felt connected to him, a part of him just as much as he was a part of her. It was...nice.

"I don't think you have any idea what it must be like for me, Teresa." Demetri continued. She flinched at the hard edge to his voice, the use of her full name. "For you to finally realize what we are to each other, run from me, and then for me to catch you lounging around with other males..." He ran a hand through his hair. He was so on edge he had let his animal come dangerously close to the surface, causing his eyes to change. The animal pressed for escape at the boundaries of his consciousness. Tessa swallowed hard, stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest.

"I was not lounging around with other males, Demetri!" She said, though her voice had lost a considerable amount of strength. "The MacAlistars are like my family now-"

"Why only the bothers? As far as I can tell you don't agree with much that comes out of Kate's mouth." He countered, eyes blazing. He mirrored her position.

"That doesn't make her any less my sister. Tell me you never argued with Niko." But that was the wrong thing to say. His face shut down, and he turned his back on her. She couldn't tell if he was furious, overcome with sadness, or simply upset with a collection of emotions she couldn't fathom. He didn't look at her as he spoke, his voice shaking slightly.

"How is that fair, Teresa? I haven't seen Niko for almost four years. You can't use that argument against me." He shuddered slightly, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"I'm not the only one fighting dirty." She said, trying to regain her composure. "Maybe you should remember that before you say anything."

He turned abruptly on his heel, looking at her with a slightly strangled expression on his face. He was trying so hard to hang onto his anger, but the way she stood there- one hip cocked, her arms crossed over her chest and her nose scrunched up, reminding him of a kitten- he couldn't stay mad. He chuckled suddenly, his expression smoothing and his animal retreating from the surface.

"I'm sorry, Tess." He said, laughter still lacing his tone. "But I can't stay mad at you. Not with that look on your face. Can we call truce?" She screwed her mouth over to one side, considering. He needled at her, persistent. "Come on, you know you want to. Please, Tessa. I want to know what it's like to have a mate when she's NOT mad at me."

"You've known what that's like since I knew you were a Shifter." She muttered, stubborn. But she was melting under his gaze, continuing to stand there watching him as he took a step closer, and another.

"But you didn't know. Tess, I have to tell you something..." But he didn't finish his sentence, instead pulling her into his embrace and kissing her nose lightly, teasingly.

"Hey. Demetri, don't leave me hanging..." Her voice trailed off as he kissed her neck, running his lips over her sensitive skin. She shivered, her hands reaching up and threading into his hair.

"I'll tell you later." He murmured, his mouth gliding across her jaw. She sighed in content, deciding it really wasn't that important anyway.

But oh, how she wished she'd stopped him, even though stopping his kisses from traveling up to her mouth or his hands from wandering down to her waist probably wouldn't have changed the way things played out. For at that moment there was a terrible cry, the cry of a wounded, broken animal. Tessa broke away from Demetri, stunned as she recognized the voice.

"Seize the Shifter." Kate ordered.

(Kate)

"Kate." Tessa said later. "Please..."

"Silence." I ordered. "I have not given you permission to speak."

We'd tied Kate up and set her on the couch in my sitting room, as she was immune to any magical form of restraint. Her companion we'd put below, in the basment of the house with eight Bender guards at every entrance and escape route.

Tears streaked Tessa's face, making trickling paths through the dirt that darkened her face. It'd been quite a fight, getting her away from the Shifter and then restrained so that we could being them both bath to the Compound. Tessa looked like someone I couldn't recognize, her eyes defiant, though pleading at me to understand. Whatever connection we might have had before was broken- she hated me now, hated all of us.

I felt a light tapping at my mental walls and knew she was even now trying to get into my mind, probably everyone's. But we had shut her out tight, refusing her entry for good. It was for the best.

"Have we found Kasper yet?" Kol asked, coming into the room. He kept as much distance between himself and Tessa as he could, refusing to even look at her as he came to stand next to Keenan.

"No, he's run off. We think he's still in the city, but we can't be sure. There's no way to track him, either." Keenan answered, arms corssed over his chest. He looked at Tessa with eyes so full of malice and anger that she couldn't look at him, her eyes downcast.

"What do you have to say to that, Teresa?" I asked, my voice low. A fresh tear tricked down her cheek.

"I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't know-"

"Didn't know what? That Kasper had already been hurt once by a woman, his intended? Didn't know how much he cared for you? Or maybe you didn't-"

"I might tell you if you would let me speak." Tessa said, cutting him off abruptly. Keenan looked furious but she barreled on none the less, looking him square in the face. "I didn't know a good many things. I didn't know he cared about me as deeply as he did. I didn't know what Demetri was until this morning. I didn't..." She trailed off. Sighed. Started over. "I didn't understand about mates and intendeds, not really. I didn't understand the pull I would feel, the fact that it was possible tor me to have two. I didn't understand what I would go through to protect those I love and I don't want to hurt."