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death situation or fight.
 It hasn t been working, he admitted with a wince.  I ve been too
weak and drained to use it.
 I wondered how the demons got the drop on you on that last
mission. Isaac looked pained at the idea, and Banning and I
exchanged a confused look.
Rory must have seen it because he explained.  Zane was
practically torn to shreds from the demons claws. Isaac said he
normally scrambles their nerves when in a fight and they can t
function well.
48 Joyee Flynn
 Aye, I can attest to that. Me body wasn t listening to me, I
agreed and stuck me fangs in the bag. I felt much better the more I
drank, the sickish feeling leaving me.
 I m so sorry, baby, Zane whispered as he hugged me closer to
him. Feeling me mate s arms around me was very comforting.
 Demon claws also have a poison on them that acts like acid so
any cuts by them are incredibly painful. Isaac finished off Rory s
explanation.
 And yet ya kept going out into the fight knowing ya not be fit?
Banning asked, his eyes narrowing in accusation at our mate.  No
wonder Isaac be thinking ya were trying to kill yaself.
 It wasn t like that, Zane sighed, shaking his head.  I couldn t
have being a warrior taken away from me, too. It was all that I had to
hold on to. I wasn t trying to kill myself, but I wasn t willing to give it
up even if it killed me.
I pulled me fangs out of the bag, having drunk it all, and tossed it
in the trash.  That all be in the past now. I gave Banning a look that
clearly said back off. This was upsetting our mate, and the whole
point was to help him, not bring up painful memories.
 Yeah, but I m glad we cleared the air on that though, Zane said
as he stood with me in his arms.  It was bugging me that everyone
thought I was suicidal and I couldn t figure out how to put what I was
feeling into words. He laid me on the bed and bit his lip.  I
understand if you don t want to stay the rest of the night with me.
I knew this was an important moment. If I admitted Zane s gift
scared me or denied him now, he could crawl right behind that wall
he d built that we were trying to tear down. I couldn t let that happen.
 Accidents happen, I said, giving him a smile.  I not be going
anywhere tonight as long as ya want me here.
He gave a relieved sigh and nodded. I gasped as I felt the despair
coming off me twin.
 Okay, well, have a good night, Banning mumbled as he headed
to the door, his head hanging slightly.
A Zane Po Boy 49
 Wait, Zane whispered, swallowing loudly.  I m not picking one
over the other or saying I only want Brian. It s just both of you
together scare me. I feel like I m getting ganged up on.
 That be the last thing we want, Banning replied, giving him a
sad smile.  It be okay, me mate.
 Could just you and I have breakfast tomorrow after I work out
with Isaac? Maybe play the zombie game and just hang out? Zane
was trying, god love him, he was. It warmed me heart. I felt
Banning s excitement at the idea.
 I d like that a lot, me twin answered, his whole face lighting up.
Everyone cleared back out, saying their good-nights before Zane
climbed into bed with me.
 I really am sorry, he whispered as he pulled me back against his
chest, spooning me from behind. I tried to hide me shock. This was a
lot more intimate than before, and given the way his hard-on was
rubbing me ass, I knew he felt it, too.
 Ya didn t do it on purpose and helped me when I needed it.
Nothing to forgive, I said gently, rubbing me hands over the arm
wrapped around me.
 Are you afraid of me now? Because Banning looked at me as if I
was a monster. Zane sounded so sad and lost I did the only thing I
could think of& I lied me ass off.
 It s a shock and not a gift I ve ever heard of before so yes, the
gift is scary. But ya? No, ya not be scaring either one of us. If
Banning had been feeling fear, I would have known it. I only felt his
shock and confusion. I wanted to sing liar, liar, pants on fire in me
head for that one. Banning had been ready to shit a brick.
 Okay, good, he sighed in relief.  I d never use it on you guys
intentionally. Hell, I hate using it on the demons most times. It seems
so cruel, even if they are the bad guys.
Right then, I knew what I d said wasn t a lie. I wasn t afraid of
him. Anyone who cared about not torturing evil demons wasn t
50 Joyee Flynn
someone I should fear. And as soon as I told this to Banning, he d
agree.
 Ya be a good man, me mate. And I meant it. A few moments
later, I heard Zane s breathing even out, signaling he d fallen asleep.
Good, we both needed it.
* * * *
Zane
 You guys okay after last night? Isaac asked as we walked
around the Dragos grounds. The grass was green and lush and the
trees were thick with leaves. Which was really strange since it was
December. How they hell was the grass green in Virginia in
December? And I didn t remember it being like that around the
warrior compound. Maybe those happy pills were making me a little
loopy, too.
Weird.
The fresh air felt good as I breathed it in. Isaac kept slowing me
down, but I felt better than I had in months and wanted to really
stretch my legs.
 Yeah, Brian said they weren t scared of me and knew it was an
accident, I answered, relieved that we d overcome that hurdle, and I
didn t just mean that I d accidently hurt him. My gift tended to freak a
lot of people out.  I m still really nervous around them though.
 How so?
 It s like after all these months of having a part of me hate them
for walking away and another part wish they d come back, my insides
don t know what to do with them being here. Hell, I keep thinking
I m going to blink and realize it was just a dream.
 I think that s normal given what you ve all been through, Isaac
said after a minute of thought.  I m thrilled how much better your
A Zane Po Boy 51
coloring is today. And I don t want to sound like an ass, but I m
proud of you that you re giving them another chance.
 You are? I was worried he thought I was letting them back in
too easily.
 Yeah, Zane, I am. They screwed up but they didn t mean to hurt
you. They were acting rashly on their own emotions, but they hopped
on a plane the second they knew you weren t doing well. That speaks
a lot to their character. He went on to tell me exactly everything that
happened in Ireland and how my mates ended up back here.
 It felt really good to hold Brian, I admitted sheepishly, my face
heating up with embarrassment.  I felt complete in a way and sad in
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