Page 89 of Inhuman Nature

Shaun flinched at the words Kit used. Shaun had never enjoyed being Lawrence’s pet, but he’d never considered it in those terms. It was unmooring to hear that Kit did.

“Yet you’re here now,” Lynette pointed out. Shaun gaped at her. Hadn’t she heard what Kit had said?

“I’m here now because I failed Shaun before, and have since spent every day of my miserable existence regretting running away and never looking back. When his humans contacted me, I realised I had the chance to make things right.”

Before Shaun could ask how Rake and DJ had contacted Kit, Lynette spoke up. “So youdoconsider Rake and DJ to be yours, Shaun? That’s not what you told me the other night.”

There was nothing for it. He had to claim them, no matter how selfish it was to involve them. The risk of Lynettecompelling them was too great. “They’re both mine, yes.”

“Do you intend to recreate them?” Lynette asked. It was, after all, the only accepted reason to tell a human about vampires. It was the only way to protect their small population.

“I, um—”

“He does,” Kit cut in. “They told me as much when I spoke to them.”

Shaun shot a frown Kit’s way. Shaun hadn’t spoken to Rake and DJ at all about the potential to create them as vampires. For all he cared for them and knew they cared for him, it was too early in their relationship to be thinking about forever. No matter what Shaun wanted, he needed to speak to them about it first.

Unlike him, Rake and DJ needed to choose their own fates.

Lynette hummed, but seemed to accept the explanation. “So what you’re saying is that Lawrence has, on several occasions, broken the rules we all abide by? Richard, you also attest to this claim?”

“Given the evidence, albeit anecdotal, I would say so,” Richard murmured through the phone.

“There is still no physical proof. Julia, whom Lawrence claimed Shaun was attempting to kill, had Shaun’s blood on her. She recalled seeing Shaun’s face when she was being moved from one location to another, but didn’t see Lawrence there at all,” Lynette summed up.

“I told you before! Lawrence attacked her and tried to compel me to kill her. I resisted and took her to the hospital. Yes, I attacked him, but only to defend Julia.” Shaun threw his hands up in the air. “I can’t keep repeating myself.”

“Sounds like Weston was planning on doing the same toJulia as he did to the humans here,” Richard said.

“He told me nobody would ever find her body,” Shaun confirmed.

“And we’ve both said Lawrence created us unlawfully,” Kit added. “That alone should be enough evidence to have you imprison him.”

Lynette gave a curt nod. “Thank you for your input, Richard. I’ll take it from here. You can assure your creations that the vampire who hurt their humans will be taken care of.”

“I appreciate that, Lynette.”

She hung up the phone. “Well. I suppose we ought to let you go, Shaun.”

“Don’t suppose you’re going to give him an apology to go along with his freedom?” Kit asked, very obviously pretending to study his nails for some non-existent flaw.

“You’re right. I apologise,” Lynette said, dipping her head. “To both of you, I should say. You’ve been treated terribly, and I shall seek to remedy that.”

“Taking care of Lawrence is the only way,” Shaun pointed out.

“If by ‘taking care’, you mean removing his head from his body, I agree,” Kit said.

“He’ll be remanded into custody and judged for his crimes,” Lynette said.

Kit made a disapproving noise. “Neither of us are the first he’s recreated.”

“He told me he killed others,” Shaun agreed. “Though, given Kit’s continued existence, I’m not sure what’s true.”

“I have no idea who they were,” Kit admitted. “But he mentioned he found it hard to handle them all at once. That’swhy he started sticking to just one slave.”

“If he admits to killing them, it will only seal his fate,” Lynette said.

Shaun nodded, grateful. “I should go. I need to get to Rake and DJ.” He turned to Kit. “Are you coming with me?”