Katlyn (M/F/M red-hot menage shifter romance) Standalone (Shadow Creek Shifters Book 1) by Madison Johns Page B

her head in her hands. “She’ll be okay, I swear.”
    “No, she won’t, she’s very sick. Tessa can’t keep even chicken broth down.”
    Paige frowned. “I’m very sorry to hear that, but I assure you that I can help her.”
    Katlyn tried to absorb what she was told. “So are you interested in women?”
    “Please don’t put a label on this. I’m just attracted to who I’m attracted to. This time, it just happened to be Tessa, but I like men, too. Just not at the same time, if you get my drift.” When Katlyn didn’t respond, Paige stood and moved toward her. “I promise this will all work out, but the next forty-eight hours are critical for Tessa. I need for you to allow me to help Tessa.”
    Katlyn’s knees wobbled, and she thought for a moment she might sink to the floor.  Gathering her courage, she looked Paige straight in the eye and asked, “So she’s no longer human?”
    “I’m not sure yet, but we need to bring her here to the main house and I’ll get right to work. I have a room upstairs that has the necessary equipment.”
    “You’ve done this before?” Katlyn asked, shocked. “How many people have you turned into a vampire?”
    “Not many, but I’ve experimented over the years and have a better understanding about the process from human to vampire. I won’t know until I can assess Tessa here if she’s truly transitioning over to vampire or not. Tomorrow, we’ll know for sure, but her symptoms sound about right.”
    Chase darted into the room. “Are you okay, Katlyn?”
    Tears streamed down Katlyn’s face. “Good as I can be, I suppose, under the circumstances. Paige bit Tessa and now she’s dreadfully sick.”
    “I won’t be sure until tomorrow if Tessa has turned or not,” Paige explained, sighing. “I made an error in judgment last night.” Paige’s eyes teared up now. “I’m truly sorry for what I’ve done, but I assure you, I’ll do everything in my power to make it right.”
     “You’ll cure her?” Brendan asked.
    Paige swiped at her tears and made an attempt at a smile. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m not sure yet if she’s transiting over just yet, but if she has, you should know there’s no cure. If there was a cure, don’t you think I’d have tried it on myself?”
    “Most of the blood was on the sofa. You couldn’t possibly have drunk enough of Tessa’s blood to turn her so quickly,” Chase said, shaking his head.
    “Sometimes it’s like that. She must be more sensitive than most humans.”
    “Then Tessa’s your responsibility now, Paige, and it’s your job to help her transition over to the other side,” Brendan said.
    Paige sighed. “I plan to if she’s headed that way, but only if Katlyn stays away. She won’t want to see her friend like that.”
    “You can stay with us tonight,” Brendan suggested. “If Tessa’s already that sick, Paige needs to act fast.”
    “And you shouldn’t be alone tonight, Katlyn. I know this is a lot to absorb,” Chase added with a sad look.
    * * *
    It was hard for Katlyn to watch Paige enter the cabin with Angus. When he then carried Tessa to the main house, Katlyn’s heart fell. “This is all my fault,” Katlyn said when she was in the cabin where she had enjoyed drinks with the shifters just the night before.
    Brendan gave her a hug. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m so sorry this happened. I was very angry when I found out what she’d done to Tessa, but I had hoped she wasn’t overly harmed when she was bitten. It’s very possible to recover from one bite without any real problems, but if she had bitten you, Katlyn, I don’t know what I would have done," he said with emotion.
    Katlyn was taken aback at how sincere Brendan sounded, like he really felt something for her. Chase gazed at her, equally concerned. Was there hope that they actually felt something for her, that she had found what she’d always longed for here in Wyoming? There was something building between the three of