by Erin R Flynn
My breath caught in my throat as she let out her power instead of it simply oozing from her.
She glanced over her shoulder at Alena. “Daughter, this is the vampire?”
“Yes, Mother.”
I gasped as Eva punched her hand into Vlad’s stomach for all to see and pushed up into his chest. “You feel I have your heart in my hand, yes?”
“Yes,” he choked, blood spurting from his mouth.
“Do not ever hurt my family again or risk them, sacrificing them for your own selfish gain instead of protecting the alliance you had. If you ever lead to so much as another reason my granddaughter or great grandchildren shed a tear, we will have this conversation again, and this time I will not let go of your heart. Am I clear?”
“Yes.”
And just as fast, she yanked out her hand, turning to me and frowning at the mess on the floor. “I apologize, Granddaughter. I did not mean to make a mess of your restaurant on your big night. Would you prefer I ask for a towel here, or can you direct me to the shower?”
“There are humans to deal with first, Mother,” Alena reminded her, amusement in her tone.
“Oh yes, they want my great-grandchildren dead, and we can do as we wish to them, yes?”
One of them yelled something in Arabic, a dialect I didn’t know. Jason did though. “He says they’re not afraid to die for their cause.”
“Tell them that I wasn’t planning on killing them, as they will then be martyrs. Instead, I would infect them, shaming their whole family by their own beliefs, and then as they were mine, I could order them to do as I wanted. I would want them to infect their families, all of their friends, and they would be my slaves forever, as I am immortal, not allowing them into their paradise.”
Jason told them, and it was almost funny how pale the guys went, Eva knowing exactly what to say and do.
“You would as well, but you keep yourself locked so tight that you deny her the chance to grow strong in her abilities,” Eva told me as if knowing what I was thinking.
“It’s hard when there are a lot of people around or I’m emotional,” I explained. “I’ve been practicing when I can with more controlled situations. I haven’t been taking care of myself as I should, and that’s limited me too.”
“Well, now we are here, so you have no worries,” she assured me. It was like she was stating the sky was blue she was so confident and super cool. I never thought there would be someone to out-Alena Alena, but apparently it was genetic.
“The plan was to hit your house during the opening, as most everyone would be here,” Jason translated. His eyes went wide, and I suddenly felt the need to sit down from what I even caught. “Sera, they got your address from a Mrs. Lopez at DCFS when they pretended to be the shifter council and said they were disputing your adoption over the boys because they found you unfit. She blabbed it all. Who the fuck is that?”
“A dead woman,” I snarled. I threw back my head and howled, it just came out without me knowing I needed it. It was because of me and what I was that endangered the boys.
Again.
“I put out an APB on her and ordered Corbin to go pick her up at her office,” Brian told me as he hung up his phone while I got myself together. Then he nodded to Vlad. “Is he going to die?”
“No,” I sighed, realizing I should do something about him. I moved in front of Vlad and squatted down. “Do you agree you deserved that?”
“Yes,” he panted, glancing at Eva. Yeah, he was terrified of her.
“Can we stash the boys at some rooms at Timequake? We both know no one would think to look there when I’m mad at you.”
He lifted his head and met my gaze. “I would have even without her threat. The boys are dear to me and my coven, Seraphine. That has not and will not change because of politics or any quibbles we might have.”
“Good, then we move them when you’re scheduled to get the Alphas from there for dinner,” I instructed Hagan, Reagan, Noah, and Dain since they were on that duty. Then I looked over at Leo. “You know where the non-alcoholic blood is, right? Can you heat some for Vlad and his guys?” He nodded and hurried off.
“They’re planning to hit the club too,” Jason informed us, having been questioning the guys the whole time I’d been talking. “They learned the fairy queen was coming and she never leaves the insane security she’s got at Vegas. Also with all the Chicago leaders in one spot for the opening and visiting Alphas, it’s a perfect target to take out a lot of you. He says they had a cell already here that they were to join up and get specific assignments.”
“You have the meeting place?” I asked, smiling when he nodded.
“Yeah, a house on the Southside.”
“Mother, Grandmother, do you wish to go hunting terrorists, assholes, and threats to our family?”
“Can we within your borders?” Alena asked, glancing around the room.
“They came for the boys and my pack, that means it falls under my role as Alpha before FBI because if I was only FBI I would have had to turn this over to the Alpha,” I explained.
Alena shrugged. “I could use the exercise after such a long flight. Or would you rather take it, Mother?”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “Hunt with your daughter on her first true hunt as a Dorcas as I did with you so many, many years ago. I will stay with the boys and protect the club.”
“I believe it because it would take an army to get past you,” Jake mumbled, flinching when he realized he said it out loud. “No offense, Matriarch Dorcas.”
“Jason called you ‘Madam Dorcas,’ but he’s saying Matriarch?” I checked, glancing between Alena and Eva.
“Matriarch or Patriarch is correct for Alphas who pass down pack leadership without death as our pack does. It’s Archduke or Duchess for parents who pass power to their children in a monarchy.” She gestured to Jason as she wiped up the blood on her arm from the towel Noah had brought her. “Your lover isn’t wrong to call me Madam, as he’s not one of us, but it’s as if someone forgot to call you Alpha if a paranormal speaks to me that way.”
“My pack might not know that,” I warned her.
“Educate them,” she suggested firmly. Hagan and Reagan immediately got on their phones to spread the word and that Eva was at the club because people were coming early to set up, practice and last minute costume stuff.
Gayle showed up moments later to do just that. She froze when she took in the room, but then dropped to her knee when she felt Eva. “Alpha, I fear I have walked in on something I didn’t know about. I thought I would be the first here, as the deliveries should arrive for the new makeup airbrushes and kits for the dancers. I meant no offense or—”
“Gayle, it’s fine, thank you for doing so much to make this opening happen,” I cut in gently. “This is my grandmother, Matriarch Dorcas. I didn’t know she was coming.”
“She is our friend, right, Alpha?” she whispered, and I hurried over to her, hugging her as I helped her stand. “I smelled blood, and Vlad is injured.”
“It’s fine. He was bad,” I swore. “You have nothing to fear, okay? Not ever again.” I shot Eva a meaningful look so she got what I was trying to say. She gave a firm nod, and I knew at least Alena had filled her in on the situation with the pack.
“Is this the talented makeup artist who will handle the goddess show?” Eva asked, and I nodded. “My granddaughter and daughter have spoken of your talent and kind heart. You have nothing to worry from me, child. Please, show me this dressing area and let us talk, as I am truly curious as to your craft.”
Gayle nodded as I felt the tension leave her. She greeted Eva, letting out a whoosh of air when Eva kissed her neck. Then she did the same with Alena, Zeno, Hestia, Phobie, and even the guards they’d brought with them that were tight with Theon and had driven with him.
“They don’t all have to do that every time they see you, right?” I checked, glancing between all the power that went above most of my wolves.
“Once per visit,”
Alena chuckled.
We could swing that.
“Great-grandmother, may I join you?” Jared asked hesitantly, shooting Harris a glance. Eva agreed, mirth in her eyes.
“He’s so damn adorable,” Harris snickered when they were gone, shaking his head.
“I know. Thanks for being so sweet to him about it,” I replied, bumping his shoulder.
“Cory was talking him up last time I saw them all. And he just so happened to be curious as to my favorite foods now that Jared’s getting into baking. It’s too much. He’s sweeter to me than any girl I’ve ever dated even when I was a kid.”
“What am I missing here?” Jason asked quietly.
“Jared confessed to Harris when we were in Vegas, blurted the damn thing out when he saw Harris in swim shorts.”
“Poor kid,” Jason groaned. “Were you nice?”
“Yeah, I mean, I tried to be.”
“He was. He said something like any man would be lucky to have such a cutie who will definitely be a hottie in a few years, but he couldn’t change he was only attracted to women, no matter how great the guy.”
“Best way to handle it,” Jason agreed.
“He’s so damn adorable though,” Harris admitted. “He blushes every time I come over, always super polite in asking how I’ve been. I’ve never had anyone crush on me like that.”
“You’re so adorable,” I teased him, pinching his side. “But I get it. I never have either.”
More people started coming, Tommy and Leo offering to help Jacqueline—our newcomer and patisserie from Paris—get going on the desserts for the weekend because she also had her first cake order from a hawk who had attended the Monday preview. Her daughter was turning eight and wanted something different, so Jacqueline suggested a cake decorating party and each little girl got their own small layered cake.
The idea was awesome. She was going to do all kinds of colors for the cake layers, frost them and some secret chamber, but then each girl would get a white buttercream cake to add what they liked of candies, chocolates, and whatever. Then when they ate the cake, they’d be surprised on the inside. It was super cute, and she’d agreed to be at the party to teach the girls how to “glue” on decorations with frosting.
So yeah, she had a lot of work ahead of her since our desserts were getting rave reviews and I expected a lot of people would order them.
That was going on in the kitchen while deliveries arrived and all the hosts and dancers came early to do final costume checks for the dinners and their shows. And while that was going on, I was working with Brian, Jason, and the others coordinating with the surveillance they’d sent to the address Jason got. As much as it was fun to go barging in anywhere, it wasn’t always smart.
“We were thinking more of these, but are you sure you’re okay with no pasties?” Lillie asked me as she came over in an open bra corset, tiny panties, garter, and thigh high hose.
“There are children present,” one of Jason’s guys reminded her, judgement in his tone.
Even Jason and Brian looked at the guy like he was daft, but I was glad that Lillie stuck up for herself, raising an eyebrow at the guy as she turned to face him. “Do you think we shift with clothes on? We just stand there fully clothed and magically become animals who then have clothes again when we’re people like it tucks into our butts during the shift?”
“I can shift with clothes on,” Ben chuckled and did it.
“No!” I shouted, but too late, the now Ben bunny was hiding in his shirt. Except when he came out of it, he was chestnut, not white. I glanced around and saw Dain concentrating on Ben. I mouthed “thank you” and hugged the bunny. “Not with strangers present, okay? They probably know you’re a bunny, but just because we hang around people doesn’t mean they need to know you’re a bunny.” I kissed his nose and set him back down.
“Sorry, I thought they worked for Brian or they were out of his office,” he rasped after shifting back.
“Hey, it’s cool. I thought the joke was funny, but remember it’s the breakfast rule. No worries, and Dain needs to ask you something.” He didn’t, but I thought at least he could talk to him on the side that he’d hidden the color so Ben didn’t need to worry as much.
“Breakfast rule?” Brian asked.
“We’ve taught the boys that if someone isn’t a person we would invite to join us for breakfast at home, they don’t get access to all the secrets and to not tell anything.”
“Because you might invite people you don’t like to dinner to be polite, but for breakfast, you have to trust them. Smart.”
“I have my moments,” I chuckled, then faced Jason’s guy. “That kid was just naked here with us. It’s not about being naked, it’s just who we are. It’s embarrassing as someone new or not used to it, but don’t get judgy, okay? If god thought being nude was so wrong, he’d make babies born in onesies.”
“Okay, you’ve given that line before,” Alena drawled.
“Damn Catholic foster family I was always fighting against about everything because they were crazy. They didn’t allow bathing suits because it showed too much flesh and that let the devil into your heart.” I rolled my eyes.
“I apologize. I—the context is sexual with a burlesque show, so my mind went to ‘child in the room.’ It is an adult club and dining.”
“That’s fair,” Lillie conceded, shrugging. “We’re just on the other side that Ben’s seen me naked and exhausted on the ground after the full moon and none of us remotely care about covering up when that tired. Besides, it’s normally older kids that shift first, so most of us think adultish because he can shift already.” Then she looked at me. “So what do you think?”
“I think you look great. I’ve got very few rules on costumes, and as long as it’s not all fishnet and that stripper ripped look, I’m fine with it. You look sexy, not trashy. Simone and I were clear we didn’t want trashy or cheap, and everyone’s comfortable with the level of what they’re wearing. I do think there should be like one or the other. Either it’s open bra or no panties or like those tiny skirts with nothing under.”
“So not just dancing naked but a hint of naughty of some variation,” she surmised, nodding her head. “Yeah, that’s kinda what we were leaning towards. I can wear this and dance since I don’t have huge boobs, but Beth, she’s got a rack, so I would think pantyless and better support.”
“Did you jump test?” I asked, smiling when she gave me a confused look. I jumped a few times. “Jump test. You’re going to be dancing and spinning and everything else. Give the jump test like I do when I’m sports bra shopping.”
“Smart.” She jumped a few times and nodded that she got enough support. What was funny was every male around us also watched. She gestured to them. “I guess it’s winning.”
“Yes, it’s flattering,” Brian assured her, clearing his throat and focusing back on the map of Chicago we were using that he’d laid out that had been in his car. “Your makeup is as well.”
“Thanks,” she replied, smiling brightly. “Gayle is really talented. We’re working on looks for when we’re hosting and then she can help us easily flip it to something flashier for the numbers. She did my foundation in no time with that airbrush. I hate doing makeup, so really, she’s awesome to have offered to do all of us.”
“Her level of power has jumped too,” Alena commented after Lillie left. “You have been working hard to strengthen and aid your pack. You should be proud of how far they’ve come since even I was last here, Sera. We are proud of you and what you do.”
“We are,” Zeno echoed. “Very much so, and this idea, this conception you’ve made a reality and provided so many jobs, we are bursting with pride, Daughter.”
“Thanks, but everyone’s put in so much time. We missed so much, and there’s no way we’d have made it in time without all the help. Even Vlad did us a solid by pointing out where we could improve.”
“People can be petty in reviews, I know this well,” he offered, drinking anothe
r glass of blood. “We’ve had people write that our shows aren’t flashy enough, and you’ve seen it, it’s a shots competition. Did they want a marching band? It’s idiotic, but for this, it is something people would pick on, and the changes weren’t all that bad to make.”
“No, they weren’t with the help we got, and you were right.”
Simone arrived and was shocked as to why there were two men handcuffed in chairs, asking why they weren’t in the dungeon, freaking them both out because they had thought we were yanking their chains. The great thing was she didn’t know they were bad guys, but thought we were goofing around. When she did find out, she wasn’t happy about using our new club that hadn’t even opened yet as lock up and interrogation central.
Yeah, I didn’t really blame her, but all I could answer was the boys were in danger, and then she didn’t mind, snarling that she would gut them too.
“Okay, don’t get mad,” Jacqueline worried as she came towards us with a cake. “I got this idea when I was getting stuff at Sam’s and there were these huge bags of beautiful cranberries and gorgeous apples, so I know this wasn’t on the dessert list for tonight, but I thought maybe a special?”
“What is it?” I asked as she set it down. “I see caramel.”
“It’s apple and cranberry caramel cake with cinnamon buttercream.”
“Oh fuck me,” I moaned and grabbed a plate when she started cutting slices. Then I really moaned when I tasted it, bouncing it was so damn good. “I want to marry this cake.”
“Shit, this is really good, Jacqueline,” Simone groaned. “Yeah, add it. We can put it on the dessert carts, and really it jumps out as pretty and nice with the cranberries and apples covered in caramel on top.”
The cake layers were vanilla cake with small pieces of cranberries in it, then a thin covering of frosting before baked apples drizzled in caramel. There were three of those before the top cake layer, and the whole thing was frosted in her buttercream with cinnamon and had apples and cranberries on top with broken pieces of webbed caramel. We both moaned as we took another bite.
