“Discreet?” He leaned closer, his fangs in plain sight. “Perhaps you should have been more discreet around Otto. Would either of you happen to know how he found out where Maya and I were staying so he could send his pack of assassins after us?”
“We didn’t have anything to do with that,” Sebastian said. “We’ll never allow him in here again. I swear it.”
Sebastian and Diego shook their heads as they looked at Shane through wide, fearful eyes. Someone to the left moved, but Shane flicked his head in that direction and hissed a warning at one of the waiters who stopped and thought better about interrupting.
“Now, let’s try this again.” Shane stood tall and folded his hands in front of himself, keeping his voice even. “When did Maya leave and where did she go?”
“She said she had to do this task on her own to complete her sentry training,” Diego sputtered. “She was adamant that we not tell you anything.”
“Well I’m adamant that you do,” Shane ground out. “Where. Is. Maya.”
“We can’t tell you,” Diego pleaded.
“Oh, I think you better.” Shane lowered his voice further and flashed his fangs. “Because if anything happens to Maya, I will hold both of you personally responsible.”
“She came here looking for Otto,” Sebastian babbled, and Diego’s face fell as his brother told Shane everything. “Maya called him. She said that she had what Otto wanted and that she knew who he was working for. She told him to have his boss meet her at some bridge in Central Park at midnight. Then we let her into the underground tunnels so she could start going back to the city before dark.”
“A-and she told him to come alone,” Diego added. “That’s it, Shane. We swear. And I’ll never let another filthy werewolf in one of our places again.”
Fear flickered up Shane’s back as he realized what Maya was planning to do. She was going to meet Horace and his pack, all by herself. A knot of dread formed in his gut, and without another word, he left.
All he could think about was getting to Maya.
Riding up in the elevator, he reminded himself to be reasonable and focus on the facts. Maya was heavily armed, a naturally strong fighter, and she wore the necklace that could turn a wolf mortal. On the flip side, she’d also been flying all night and hadn’t slept, which meant she’d be in a weakened state. The only reason Shane wasn’t freaking out completely was because he knew Maya wasn’t as fast as he was. She’d take far longer to get back to New York, especially using the lengthy and circuitous network of tunnels.
Shane had age and experience on his side, and it was nighttime. Flying at night was always faster, but he was going to need an extra edge. Stepping out onto the street, he surveyed the humans in the area and spotted a young man walking alone. That was exactly what he needed. Live feeds provided more energy than bottle feeds, and Shane needed all the help he could get.
He made eye contact with the drunkard, glamoured him, and quickly pulled him into a dark alley. Shane fed, and energy surged through his body like a jolt of lightning. Sensing he was at risk of taking too much, Shane released the man. He was a sailor on leave and intent on finding a hooker. Shane licked the wound closed and sent the sailor on his way with a fabricated memory of being pleasured by a bevy of beauties.
Shane’s body hummed with the rejuvenating pulse of a live feed, and it took him a moment to realize that the cell phone in his pocket was vibrating. He yanked the phone from his coat and swore when he saw Olivia’s phone number scrolled across the screen.
“Yes?” Shane answered curtly, before shooting into the sky.
“You can come home,” Olivia said. “Although you can leave that shitty attitude in New Orleans. I have a baby now, and I’m really not in the mood to placate a cranky four-hundred-year-old vampire.”
“Apologies.” Shane pressed his fingers against his eyes and struggled for patience. “I am on my way back and should be there in a few hours. There have been some new developments.”
“Really?” Olivia let out an ironic laugh. “Well, we’ve had some of our own. King Heinrich and his oldest son, Killian, arrived in the city last night. When I met with them, I tried to apologize about what happened with Horace, but the king waved it off and said he’s the one who should be apologizing for his kid. I guess Horace is the black sheep of the werewolves.”
“Has King Heinrich taken control over his son?” Shane stilled, praying that by some miracle Horace was out of the picture. “Is Horace with his father now?”
“Nope. Horace and his pack are MIA. The king went to see his son last night and they had some kind of blowout. Killian tried to speak with his kid brother again this morning, but Horace had checked out of the hotel. As of right now, he’s fallen off the grid. We checked out Rat’s club, but so far, we can’t find ’em.”
“I’m betting that slippery son of a bitch Rat knows exactly where Horace is.”
“Maybe.” Olivia sighed. “He swears up and down he doesn’t. Horace isn’t just avoiding us. It looks like he’s avoiding his family too. I suggested that maybe he left the city, but his brother seems adamant that the guy is still here. I think Killian knows something that he’s not sharing with the rest of the class.”
Shane tensed and processed what Olivia was saying. It seemed unlikely that the king was involved, but could Killian be in league with his brother to overthrow their father? Shane knew that whatever choice he made now, the information he shared with the czar would directly impact the delicate relationship between the two races.
Even though telling Olivia about the power of Maya’s necklace could create more problems and maybe even anger the king, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that the woman he loved was going to meet a pack of wolves alone. Vampire and werewolf relations could explode in a fiery blaze for all he cared. Maya’s safety was his only concern.
“Shane?” Olivia asked. “Hello? Did you hear me? How’s Maya doing? Is she there?”
“No,” Shane responded solemnly while he sliced through the air like an arrow. “She’s on her way to meet Horace.”
Chapter 16
Maya ran through the dank, dirty sewer tunnels during the daylight hours and then took to the sky when the sun set. Watching the sliver of orange sink into the horizon, Maya could practically hear it when it was swallowed up by the darkness. Whipping through the crisp night as fast as she could, she hadn’t been in the air for more than a few minutes when Shane’s panicked voice touched her mind.
Maya! Where are you? Answer me, Maya!
Guilt filled her as she ignored his pleas, and she slammed her mind shut, preventing any further communication. Even though Maya hated shutting him out, she knew that it was for the best. She was the one with the werewolf whammy necklace, and that meant that it was her problem to deal with. Besides that, she was still pissed at him for pushing her away.
She was exhausted, and since she hadn’t slept, the trip was taking her far longer than it had when she was with Shane. After what felt like forever, the iconic New York City skyline came into sight. Maya’s belly clenched as her nerves began to get the best of her. Glancing at her watch, she saw that she had a few hours until it was time to meet Horace.
Her gut instinct was to seek comfort from her coven—her family—but if she did that, then she’d probably have to tell them what she was doing, and one of two things would happen. They would either try to stop her or insist on coming with her, and neither choice was viable. She had to do this on her own.
So, with nowhere else to go, Maya went to the one place where she loved to sit quietly and collect her thoughts.
Landing in the torch of the Statue of Liberty, she sat down on the ledge, grateful for a few hours of quiet before the storm. She closed her eyes and used the time to go over and over the different fight moves Shane had taught her. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t focus because the sound of Shane’s wounded,
worried voice continued to haunt her.
Maya’s eyes fluttered open. Smiling, she stared out over the beautiful sparkling lights of Manhattan. It really was a beautiful city. But even the glittering skyline couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting back to Shane and the girls in her coven. No matter how many times she went over it, she always returned to the same conclusion. Going back to The Coven would mean dragging her family into this mess.
The smell of the water filled her head, and the mournful wail of a boat’s horn blared, shattered the quiet. Maya wasn’t blind or stupid. She knew that she’d caused her fair share of trouble since she arrived on the scene, and she didn’t want tonight to be yet another example of her causing problems for the coven.
“You are totally fuckin’ predictable,” laughed a familiar feminine voice.
Maya swore loudly and shot into the air, before flipping over and landing on her feet in a battle-ready stance. Her fists were raised and her eyes wild, but her body relaxed when she saw she wasn’t facing enemies.
“Trixie?” Maya said in a wavering tone of disbelief. Her fangs retracted and she lowered her fists, gaping from Trixie to Sadie. Both of them were dressed in black from head to toe, and Trixie had dyed her hair almost ebony. Gone were the spiked pink locks. Sadie’s hair was tied back tightly, and the two women looked ready for a fight. “Sadie? What are you two doing here?”
Before Maya could say another word, her sisters flew over and gathered her up in a massive hug. Maya clung to them and kissed their cheeks repeatedly, laughing through her tears. After a long hug, the three of them looked at each other and laughed while wiping at their wet cheeks.
“How did you know I was here?” Maya asked.
“Are you kidding?” Trixie asked incredulously. “You always come up here when you need some space or when you’re sulking because you’re pissed at me.” Trixie winked and cracked her skull-ring-studded knuckles. “You’re not as slick as you think you are.”
“No.” Maya shook her head and looked from one sister to the other with obvious confusion. “I mean, how did you know I was back in New York?”
“Shane,” Sadie said evenly. She hopped on the ledge, folded her hands in her lap, and leveled a serious look at May. “You must really be crazy to think that any of us would let you face those wolves on your own. We’re your family, Maya, and family sticks together.”
“He told Olivia everything?” Maya asked with dread.
“Yup. Your man spilled the beans to Olivia, and then she sent us out to look for you.” Trixie rolled her eyes when she saw the annoyed expression on Maya’s face. “Oh, don’t start, okay? The guy obviously loves you.”
“I thought he did,” Maya whispered.
“Well, he does. He’s flying up here like a bat out of hell, but don’t be surprised if he bites your damn head off once he gets here. When Olivia was on the phone with him, I could hear him flipping out from all the way across the room. The boy is pissed.”
“This isn’t his problem. He was supposed to get me out of town until the situation with the wolves was smoothed over and train me to fight. He did both, so his job is done.”
“You’re not going to meet Horace and his cronies all by yourself, so just forget it.” Trixie shook her head adamantly. “I don’t care how badass you think you are now.”
“You don’t understand,” Maya said, stepping closer to her sisters. Her hand drifted to the necklace hidden beneath her sentry uniform. “If I don’t give him this necklace, then they’ll never stop. The wolves won’t stop until they get it. This whole stupid mess started because of me, and I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.” Her voice quivered, but she bit back the tears. “They killed my parents when they were trying to get this damned thing, and I won’t let them hurt anyone else that I love. Contrary to what everyone thinks of me, I’m not a selfish, stupid little girl. I don’t need babysitters or bodyguards. I can take care of myself.”
“We know that, Maya,” Sadie said in her signature calm, soothing tone. “You can do all of those things, and if you absolutely had to, you could take care of yourself. That’s not why we’re here.”
“I don’t understand,” Maya said quietly.
“The point is that you don’t have to do this by yourself. We’re your family, Maya, and we love you, no matter what…and it’s okay.” She and Trixie exchanged a knowing look. “We heard about what happened in New Orleans—what you did to that werewolf, or what your necklace did.”
“That’s pretty freakin’ cool.” Trixie jutted her chin at Maya and gave her a look of approval. “I never heard of a gypsy-vampire before, but for some reason, I’m not surprised that it’s you.”
“Why?” Maya asked hesitantly.
“Why? Because you’re special, Maya. You always were. From the minute Olivia brought you into the coven, it was obvious that you weren’t like the rest of us, y’know? I mean your turn did take five freakin’ days.” Trixie punched her playfully on the shoulder. “I guess we can’t call you Baby Vamp anymore.”
“Baby! Oh my gosh,” Maya exclaimed. “How’s Olivia doing—and the baby?”
“Great,” Sadie said with a smile. “Xavier has appointed himself temporary nanny during the meeting. Emily is beautiful, Maya. Wait until you see her. She’s got Doug’s eyes, Olivia’s red hair. She’s a beauty. You should have seen Doug waiting out in the hallway during the birth. The dude freaked the fuck out.”
“Really?” Maya asked, sadness tugging at her. “I guess I missed a lot while I was away.”
“Nah,” Trixie said, waving it off. “You have plenty of time to catch up. One thing’s for sure, though, Olivia and Doug have no shortage of babysitters. We’ve all been fightin’ over Emily since she was born.” Trixie saw Maya’s expression and quickly changed the subject. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting for us back at the Presidium, even the freaking werewolf king and his son. It’s like a really awkward class reunion or something.”
“Horace?” Maya balked and stopped dead in her tracks.
“No, dopey.” Trixie rolled her eyes. “His oldest kid, Prince Killian. By the way, I’m not into werewolves, but holy crap is he a hottie. Totally gorgeous and built like a tank. I bet he’s got one down to his—”
“Oh please.” Sadie rolled her eyes and cut off Trixie’s rant. “He’s an arrogant, gruff caveman who probably chases his tail whenever there’s a full moon.”
“See?” Trixie winked. “Even Sadie likes him.”
In spite of the situation that loomed in front of them, Maya couldn’t stop the chuckle that bubbled up. Shaking with laughter, she gathered her sisters in another warm, lingering hug before they shot into the sky and headed to the Presidium. With her sisters by her side, Maya knew she could handle anything…even letting Shane go.
The three women landed silently in the gardens of The Cloisters and were immediately greeted by the club’s bouncer, Damien. Dressed all in black, he emerged from the shadows behind an archway of stone. He flashed Maya a fang-filled smile before slinging his rifle over his shoulder and sweeping her up in one of his signature bear hugs.
“Hey, little sister.” His deep baritone rumbled around her like a comforting blanket as he placed her back on her feet. “Good to have you home.”
“Thanks, Damien.” Maya smiled and squeezed his hand. “It’s good to be back, but if you’re here, then who’s bouncing at the club?”
“Olivia closed the place for a few days. She figured that it would be best to keep all of us focused on the current situation with the wolves.”
“Right.” Maya nodded her understanding, though she couldn’t help feeling guilty. Olivia hated closing the club. Yet another item Maya could add to the list of things that were her fault.
“Everyone is waiting for you down in Olivia’s office, and the museum’s human guard is in a glamour sleep, so you don’t have to worry about dodging him tonight.”
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“Everyone?” Maya asked hopefully. She wanted to see Shane. In spite of how angry she was, Maya loved him desperately. “Is Shane here yet?”
“He got here a few minutes ago.” Damien glanced briefly at Trixie and Sadie. “He grunted something that resembled a hello and went right downstairs. He’s pissed.”
“Yeah?” Maya’s jaw set determinedly. “Well, he can join the club.”
Without waiting for a response, Maya walked past Damien and pushed open the heavy, wooden door. The heels of her boots echoed through the halls of the cavernous museum and seemed even louder when she walked into the Tapestry Room. Willing her nerves to settle and with Sadie and Trixie right behind her, Maya stepped up to the massive fireplace. Standing in front of the six-foot opening, she pulled the thick iron spoke and the back wall of the hearth swung open.
The three women strode swiftly through the maze of secret corridors until they finally came to the newly renovated Presidium offices that were occupied by the czars. When Maya and her sisters reached the enormous stainless-steel doors of the office entrances, Sadie pushed past Maya and pressed her thumb to the black panel. Moments later, the lush offices of the Presidium were revealed.
The circular space was carpeted in warm tones of beige and burgundy, and the walls were lined with beautiful pieces of artwork Olivia had acquired over the years. To the left was Suzie’s reception desk, and to the right were comfortable couches and coffee tables with ceramic lamps that gave off soft, welcoming lighting. It looked like the lobby of any successful corporate office in Manhattan, and Maya couldn’t help but smile.
Olivia and Doug had brought the Presidium into the twenty-first century.
Suzie was dressed in a simple gray suit with her pale blond hair tied back in a tight bun. She shrieked with delight when she saw Maya and flew out from behind her desk. Before Maya could utter a sound, Suzie had wrapped her up in a hug that vaguely resembled a choke hold.
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