Psyche Shield Read Online Free PDF Page B

window on the
door. I raised a shield to protect our conversation from any mental or physical
eavesdropping. No Mage could penetrate the barrier I raised, and no Human could
hear anything said within it. We’re safe to talk openly, I informed
Billie. Wolves couldn’t sense a barrier or illusion. Safely out of sight and
sound of anyone else, Jazz leaned against the closed door. Her pretense
disappeared and a wide triumphant smile spread across her stunning face.
“Welcome back!”
    “Gods it’s good to be home!” Billie exclaimed, sharing her
packmate’s joy.
    “It’s good to see you, Jazz,” I told her genuinely. “I hope
you’re still coming to dinner.”
    “We wouldn’t miss it. The kids are eager to meet you.” Her
bright eyes told me everything that mattered. My worries about our budding
friendship dissolved into relief. She noticed and cocked her head confidently.
“Gary and I understand you were protecting the pack. We are grateful for what
you did.”
    “You don’t know how much that means to me.” I fought back
tears remembering the last time I’d seen Gary as he ran away from me. “He
thought I’d betrayed everyone. He was never scared of me until then, not even
when he found out I’m a Mage.”
    “He’s not anymore,” she assured me. Jazz’s cheeks turned
rosy with excitement and she couldn’t contain her announcement any longer. “I’m
glad you called. I have some great news for you. Billie’s bite isn’t lethal to
you in any way. I’ve double-checked everything and I can’t explain it yet. But
you don’t have anything to worry about.” After discovering that Billie’s bite
might kill me, I’d given Jazz a sample of my blood. She wanted it for her own
research purposes anyway. None of us knew the consequences of my decision at
the time.
    Billie replied for the both of us. “That’s excellent news
for me and Sadie. Thank you. Have you told anyone else?”
    “No. I’m preparing a report for the other scientists, but
I’m waiting on one more result to share it. I should have it done by the end of
the week.”
    “You haven’t told anyone? Gary, packmates …?”
    “No. No one. What’s wrong?” She began to see the red flags
fluttering around Billie’s persistent question, and looked questioningly at me.
Something on my face erased her excitement, and she looked at her Beta with
unveiled apprehension.
    Billie made herself comfortable on a stool, and I looked
around for another. The room only contained one other chair, a small
uncomfortable seat in front of her computer. Jazz dropped gracefully into it,
and I leaned against the counter beside my mate. Billie took the lead, and I
steeled myself for the dreaded conversation, steadying myself with Billie’s
confidence. “Do you know yet why my bite isn’t lethal to Sadie?”
    “What I know is that she has the same genetic marker that we
believe to be the latent lycanthropy gene. We’ve speculated for years that this
gene is absent among Mages since the bite is fatal to them. We’ve never had an
opportunity to test it before. Obtaining a tissue sample has never been a
priority when Mages come around.” She sounded offended at the lack of
consideration for her research needs. “I can’t draw any conclusions about the
race from one person, but I have several working theories on why Sadie has this
genetic marker. I’m waiting for another test to narrow it down.” She ticked her
theories off on her fingers. “She could be part Human. She could be a genetic
anomaly among Mages. We could be studying the wrong gene entirely…”
    Billie interrupted her mid-sentence, her voice flat as she
verbalized the dangerous truth. “Our bite isn’t lethal to Mages.”
    Jazz dropped her fingers abruptly, surprised by her Beta’s
announcement. “How do you know this?” She eagerly asked, completely missing the
bigger picture.
    Your turn. Billie passed the hat.
    “Kato told us. It’s a deliberate lie that prevents Mages
from