Kell rocked back on his heels. “Only enhanced humans such as psychics can mate an immortal, and we usually get a sense of an enhanced female if they’re in our vicinity.”
Oh. “We mated because I’m enhanced, but you didn’t get a sense of the enhancement?” She already knew Kell hadn’t intended to mate her.
“Yes.” Kell glanced over his shoulder at Garrett. “Why can you sense it but I can’t?”
The vampire shrugged. “It’s really light, almost indiscernible, but my senses are my extra ability.”
“Teleporting is a better one,” Logan drawled.
Garrett cut him a hard glare. “You can’t teleport, demon.”
“Yet. I’m still young.” Logan frowned. “Someday I’ll be able to teleport, and you’ll still just get little tingles from humans who might be enhanced.”
Teleport? Lex shook her head. That was an issue for another day. “What do you feel, Garrett?”
He smiled, and his eyes lit up behind the glasses. “You’re empathic, most likely at an intuition level, meaning you go with your gut as a cop but really have empathic abilities. For now, anyway. The longer you stay mated to Kell, the stronger your abilities should get.”
Kell nodded. “So that’s why I couldn’t sense her.”
“No.” Garrett shook his head. “You couldn’t sense her because she has the ability tamped down. Strongly.”
Kell turned toward her. “Excuse me?”
Garrett nodded. “She muffles her abilities, or at least the broadcasting of her abilities, much like a demon destroyer shields against a demon mind attack.”
Lex coughed. “Demon mind attack?” She turned toward Logan.
He lifted a large shoulder. “Demons can attack minds with horrible images and pain, but we only do so in times of battle or war. Other than that, we’re harmless as puppies.”
Garrett snorted. “I know a feline shifter who has the same ability to tamper as Alexandra does, and the cat does it because she’s ultra-sensitive and had to protect herself as a young cub. My guess is that Alexandra had to protect herself from pain from those around her and learned to tamp down on not only her ability but the natural broadcasting of it.”
Kell swallowed. “Her mother has a degenerative disease, and her father was a drug dealer who killed people.”
“Yep. That would do it.” Garrett grinned. “Mystery solved.”
“I am not an empath,” Lex ground out.
Garrett leaned against the door. “You really are. Sorry.”
Sure, she’d always been sensitive and able to pick up on when her mom was in pain, or when something was wrong with a friend, but didn’t everybody do that? Lex smoothed a hand down her legs.
Kell stood and helped Lex to her feet. He nodded at the boys. “Get back to Simone’s. I’ll let Dage know about the fight today and how well you two handled yourselves.”
The boys loped out the door.
Kell called after them, “She’s mad you ate all her food, so you’d better hit the grocery store on the way there. She’s pretty, but she’ll burn you both to a crisp if you don’t replenish her Chunky Monkey.” He helped Lex toward the exit.
Bear opened the door wider. “Your woman is a brave one, Kellach Dunne.” He reached out and touched what felt like a bruise on Lex’s jaw. “You’re always welcome here, Alexandra Monzelle, and the Grizzlies are at your disposal for this investigation. You name it, and we’re there.” His bourbon colored eyes softened. “You’re a very lucky man, Kell.”
Kell reached out and shook Bear’s hand. “I’m in your debt. Thank you for protecting her.”
Bear grinned. “She tried to protect me.”
Lex forced a smile, although her world was pretty much blowing up into fantasy land. “I’m sorry I shot you, Bear. It was an accident.”
“I know.” Bear stepped out behind them and pointed to a crumpled, still smoldering mass of metal. “Sorry about your car.”
She halted, her lungs compressing. “Holy crap.” No way could she afford a new car right now. Not even close. She nodded. “No worries. It was on its last legs, anyway.”
Kell hustled her toward his Harley. “You okay to ride?”
She nodded and accepted the helmet he handed over. “I’m fine. Just a little headache.” And dizziness, and perhaps insanity. But all the proof had been in front of her eyes. She’d seen witches, bear shifters, a vampire, and a demon. In fact, demons looked like vampires who looked like humans. But they weren’t. She held her breath to keep from crying out as she placed the helmet on her aching head. She might have a bit of a concussion, actually.
Kell straddled the bike and held out an arm to assist her. Once her butt hit the seat, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned in, closing her eyes. Better. Much better.
He turned so his mouth was closer to her ear. “We need to talk, Alexandra. I’ll get you somewhere safe, and then we have some decisions to make.”
She kept her eyes closed, knowing she couldn’t keep reality at bay that way. As Kell ignited the engine and started driving down the road, she had a reprieve, and she was taking it.