Nice save, Tyler told me. But he is not going to buy it for a minute. Your power is greater than mine. He’ll put two and two together soon enough.
But it’s true, I answered stubbornly. I can’t be a Pack Alpha and sit on the Coalition. My job is Enforcer, whether I like it or not. Before I could insist to Julian that I was telling the truth, my mate cut in.
“Jessica’s place is on the Coalition,” Rourke stated calmly. “You must’ve heard that news by now.” His words were a challenge. If Julian said no, he would be lying. If he said yes, he would admit to having information.
And just like that, everything was out in the open.
Julian opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted. “This must be where all the ingrates hang out,” Eudoxia stated in a bored tone as she strolled around the corner. “So we’ve decided to discuss the Coalition out in the open, have we? Well, don’t be droll, please go on.”
17
Eudoxia had a knack for popping in at the exact wrong time. But I was happy for the interruption at this particular wrong time. Now I could sit back and watch Julian deal with the hurricane that was Eudoxia.
Vampire Queen was dressed in a new gown, this one sky blue. She swept it in front of her as she sat down, her spine stick-straight, her small feet elegantly covered in shoes more expensive than my car. Julian had yet to respond, but Eudoxia had no problem filling the gap. “So, Julian,” she said, her voice full of pretentious humor, “what is the word here in Florence amongst the supernaturals about the Coalition? I spent the day outside of town in a small, yet regal, vampire Coterie, and they are atwitter about the news the Coalition is forming. Surely you have something? This is your city after all.”
Julian cleared his throat. “Yes, there has been some news, but I just took it for idle gossip.” He darted a glance at me and then back to Eudoxia.
Bullshit.
Lucas had already told us that my dealings were somewhat public knowledge, eagerly shared between wolves. I crossed my arms. “The new Coalition forming is pretty heady gossip to ignore,” I said. “It must’ve been swirling around for a while. I’m curious about what supernaturals are saying too. I’m also wondering why Florence, in particular, happens to be the chosen place. What’s special about this city?”
“Florence has always been a draw for supernaturals all over the world.” Julian struggled to keep his voice relaxed. If he gripped his wineglass any tighter, it would explode. “We are a city of magic, and proud of it. Many different Sects call this place home. It’s a natural converging place.”
“We did run into a witch today,” I agreed. “But we figured we’d encounter many more supes. But, to our surprise, the city was empty. This runs contradictory to what you were just saying. If Florence is a hub, it should be filled with supernatural activity. Is there a ban within the city limits we don’t know about?”
Julian looked even more uncomfortable. “Florence is my city, under my jurisdiction. All supernaturals know that. Seeing that you were set to arrive today, I had the city cleared for your safety.”
All except for one lone witch.
That was a big mistake, Julian.
I cocked my head, affecting a confused look. “We never informed you that I was in any danger, so what gave you the idea you needed to clear the entire city and not tell us about it? That must have put a lot of supes out. Being forced to leave your home is inconvenient.”
When he didn’t readily respond, Eudoxia once again filled in, glee infusing her voice. She wasn’t picky about whose discomfort she enjoyed. “The vampires had lots to say.” She shot a glance in my direction. “Shall I tell you about it?”
“Of course,” I answered. “After all, in a very short while we will be sharing all of our information”—and power—“as we take our positions on the Coalition together.” That was for Julian’s benefit. He had to know Eudoxia was slated for a seat, though he likely didn’t know it was the fae seat.
I wasn’t going to mention that part.
Eudoxia gave me a steely glare. “You need not remind me of my duties, ignorant wolf.” Well, so much for any civility we’d just cultivated. “The vampires have detected the presence of a few extremely powerful and extremely secretive supernaturals in the area.” I glanced at Ray. He gave me a short nod. The magic signature he’d detected across the border of Julian’s land must’ve belonged to one of them. “It’s rumored that these supernaturals only come into our realm when there’s a big shift in power. They are the ones in charge of passing the baton, so to speak. It seems the swearing in of the Coalition will be soon, and everyone is aflutter.”
“These powerful supernaturals, do you know what kind of supes they are?” I asked. Since one was basically camped in our backyard, it would be nice to know.
“They’ve only heard rumors, of course. The last swearing was too long ago for most to remember,” she answered. “But I believe them both to be celestial. Two birds of a different feather—one dark and one light.”
When Eudoxia mentioned the word celestial, I had to work hard to scour my brain, which was more difficult than you’d think. Steering the conversation away from anything that had to do with angels, I asked, “Did the vampires mention a specific time frame when everything might come together?”
Eudoxia waved her hand, barely refraining from rolling her eyes. “No one would know that exactly, but the agreement is soon.” She glanced casually at Julian. “Very soon. I would assume when all Coalition members have gathered.”
“We’re missing a few key players,” I said. “It can’t start until everyone’s together.”
The Vampire Queen settled back in her chair. It was hard for her to achieve a casual demeanor, but she was trying. “The rumors are that two of the missing supernaturals are already here in Florence.” She raised a single eyebrow like a champ in Julian’s direction. “Have you taken note of that, Julian?” She swished her hand out in front of her before he had a chance to answer. “But of course you have. Or you wouldn’t be an all-powerful Alpha who’s in control of this city and every supernatural in it. Isn’t that correct?” Eudoxia challenged.
If he said no, he’d look weak.
If he said yes, he’d be caught with information we needed.
We all awaited Julian’s response.
Instead of looking meek, he looked furious. He stood abruptly, his wine sloshing out of his glass. “Of course I know what goes on in my city! But as I just stated, I’ve had Florence cleared. There are no supernaturals in it. So the ones you seek are not there.”
“Well,” I started, “you had it cleared, except for my friend here”—I gestured to Danny—“and that one witch we saw.” I turned to Rourke. “What was her name again?”
“Angie,” Rourke growled.
“Ah, yes, Angie,” I repeated as I stood, meeting Julian’s stare brazenly. “Can you explain to us what one of Tally’s witches was not only doing in Florence, since you had it cleared, but also snooping around in my bedroom?”
Julian’s glare didn’t waver. “If there was a witch in the city, she was defying my orders and will be punished. As for having her in this house, I know nothing about that. I will have it investigated thoroughly.”
“Um.” Marcy cleared her throat. “I hate to break it to you, Julian, but there are witch spells crawling all over this villa, like termites snacking on a rotten log. It’s hard to believe you wouldn’t be aware, but it’s possible. After all, as far as I know, wolves cannot detect spells very easily. But some can if they have a good sniffer.” Marcy just gave us the reason why Julian didn’t have his wolves living in the villa. And she was giving him an out, which was likely the best course to take at the moment. If we pushed him any harder, we’d have a war on our hands. With my father so far away, that wasn’t advisable. “But I can help you get rid of them, if you’d like.”
The Mediterranean Alpha managed to keep his composure. As we were finding, he was a gifted actor. If he had hoodwinked his wolves by consorting with witc
hes, he must be really good. “If my home is spelled, I will have it taken care of.” His voice was harsh. “It is not as surprising as you’d think to find spells here, as I am an influential leader with a long reach. Not everyone is happy with the way I’ve decided to conduct my business across the city.”
No, Julian, we’re certain they aren’t.
Marcy rose to the challenge. “Honestly, it’s no big deal. I can wipe this villa clean faster than a maid on steroids, and it won’t cost you a dime.” That was saying a lot. If Julian hired it out, it would cost him a small fortune. Witches were expensive. “I’ll put it all toward my room and board.”
There was a collective intake of breath.
If Julian refused, he would confirm that he knew they’d been here all along, that he’d possibly even ordered the witch to cast them. He took a sip of his wine, ignoring the wetness on his hand from the recent spill, still trying to appear like he was in control of the situation. “That would be wonderful,” he finally stated. “It will save me the trouble of hiring someone else to do it.” He abruptly set his wineglass down on the table and nodded at each of us. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to call a meeting with my council so we can get to the bottom of this. I will not abide by unwanted supernaturals invading my private sanctum. Enjoy the rest of your evening.” He turned without further ado and hastened back into the house like he was late for a meeting.
He couldn’t get out of here fast enough, I told my mate.
He had no choice but to scurry away or face our wrath, Rourke replied. He was caught red-handed. If his Pack knew of his deceit, they could rise against him.
Before anyone could move or say anything, Marcy raised her hands in the air and began to chant something as she turned in a circle. We waited for her to finish, as we didn’t want anything we said reaching any snooping ears.
When she was done, she lowered her arms. “Okay, there are still more spells to dissolve,” she said. “But in the meantime, I’m going to cast a containment charm around this area so we can talk freely. Then I’ll head into the house and finish the rest. I’ve never met a sloppier witch.” She placed her hands on her hips. “The spells crumble under my words, disintegrating like dried leaves on the wind. She didn’t take the time to cement them in place, which is such a newbie move. If you secure them, that doesn’t make them unbreakable, but it makes them harder to crack. I could’ve been here all night, and instead, it’ll take me no more than ten minutes to wipe this place clean.” She waved her hands around the seating area, and there was an audible pop. “Okeydokey, talk away. Nothing is getting out of this bubble until I say so.”
Danny went first. “That is the strangest Alpha I’ve ever met. He was openly lying like he thought we wouldn’t pick up on it. His wolves are either stupid, or completely in the dark.” He shook his head, settling his fingers over his temples and rubbing.
I got up and went to sit by him on the railing. I placed my hand on his back to give him some comfort. “Are you picking up anything from Naomi? I’m confident that’s the reason Enid led us to you. You have a direct connection to Naomi, which will take away the necessity of her having to plant notes for us.”
“No,” Danny said, his voice miserable. “I keep trying, but nothing is going through.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, knowing he would no matter what I said. I glanced around at the rest of the group. “I have a plan for tomorrow morning. Rourke, Danny, and I will head into Florence before dusk. I want the rest of you to fan out.” I hadn’t had a chance to discuss the plan with Rourke, but I knew he’d agree. Trying to keep certain details out of my brain made it hard to formulate things, but I was trying. “Marcy, James, and Ray, I want you to stay here. Ray, first thing in the morning, take them both to the bunker. You guys are officially on the hunt for Tally. Julian has to be in cahoots with Ceres, since Angie’s scent is all over this place. They have to be holding Tally someplace close, so she can be under Julian’s protection. The bunker’s a good place to start. Ray also picked up on a scent that could be Ceres. Marcy, maybe you’ll recognize it when you smell it.”
“What were the flavors?” Marcy asked Ray.
“Jasmine and mint,” he replied.
Marcy nodded. “Jasmine sounds about right. I’m not sure about mint. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Ceres, but if it’s her, I’ll know. That cheating, snatching, good-for-nothing goddess. I can’t wait to get my fingertips near her.”
“I don’t want you to approach any of them,” I warned. “Don’t forget that Ceres has the ability to render you infertile. Once we find her, I’ll deal with her myself.”
“Whatever you say, boss,” Marcy said. “I’d prefer not to battle that hateful goddess alone. But once I get the chance, I’m going to spell her up good.” She cracked her knuckles.
“Noted,” I said, turning to Nick. “I want you and Lucas to stay in the villa and be our eyes and ears.” I addressed my brother. “You and Kayla are going to rendezvous with Dad first thing in the morning. I want you to fill him in on everything. He won’t be welcome here, especially after what went down tonight. I’m not sure if we will be either. Dad and his wolves will have to find a new place to stay. Once you get settled, let me know. I’m hoping we can meet you there at the end of the day.” I had no idea how my day was going to go, so there were no promises. “I’ll keep you posted.”
Rourke stood. “Jessica’s plan is sound. We can’t rehash more specifics right now, so I say we all turn in early and get a good night’s sleep. We regroup tomorrow night.”
Danny fiddled with the stem of his wineglass. “I have to find her.”
“We will,” I assured him. “You’re coming with Rourke and me in the morning. We’ll fill you in tomorrow. When Enid wants us to locate Naomi, you will be the conduit, I’m sure of it. And we will be ready.”
More than ready, I hoped.
18
Rourke and I were allowed to enter our bedroom only after Marcy had gone over everything with a fine-toothed spell, opening all the drawers, all the doors, including going out on the terrace, and hitting under the bed. “This is as clean as this room has ever been,” she declared twenty minutes later. “But just to be safe, I’m putting you in a private bubble and adding a few alarms. If anybody comes within ten feet of this room, we’ll all know it. The shrieks will be loud enough to wake the dead.”
I chuckled. “It’s nice to have you around in a pinch. Your witchy skills can save lives.”
She snorted. “Please, anyone stupid enough to approach you unannounced will be thankful for a quick death. I’m just making any interlopers known a bit sooner. That, and so I can sleep without worrying about your big, beautiful head being split open.”
“That’s very kind of you,” I told her. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my big head either.”
She chortled as she walked out the door. “I can’t help it if you’re beefier than I am. It’s purely genetics. I just call it like I see it.”
I was exhausted.
Once Marcy shut the door, I sat on the edge of the bed and glanced over at my mate. “Do we really get to sleep through the night? I feel like that hasn’t happened in such a long time.”
He sat next to me, tugging me close. I rested my head on his shoulder. “Yes, but it’s only eight p.m.” He chuckled. “I plan to have you well rested, but not before we have some quality time together.” He said the last bit on a rough whisper that sent shivers racing down my spine.
I craved him, my body desperate with need to have him.
The adrenaline of the day was still coiled tightly inside me, ready for some kind of release. I tilted my face up toward his lips, the heat of them searing me before contact.
His mouth was hot, his lips firm.
My hand dove into his hair, holding on. Needing to feel him, forcing him closer, wanting as much as I could get.
He would give everything, like he always did. It was mine for the taking.
I took greedily.
Fire roiled under the surface.
“Mine,” he groaned as he stripped us down and pulled the covers back, each of us mindless, our tongues intertwining. “I need you.”
“Need you more.” I moaned into his mouth as he thrust himself into me in one sure motion. I took him deeply.
The pace was frantic, both of us holding on, never wanting to let go.
This wasn’t about the act.
It was about our love, our passion, and the fear of the unknown.
It was about the two of us and no one else.
My hands gripped his shoulders as he rocked faster. His fullness filling me with each thrust. I wondered if there had ever been another time when I felt so safe and free. My thoughts ran to his cabin in the woods. The place where we had mated and discovered our bond. I yearned to go back, to have a normal life.
“Jessica…” Rourke arched up, his hands racing to my hips, seating me firmly to him.
“I’m there,” I said.
One last thrust, and I broke.
Rourke followed, holding me tightly, his head angled toward the ceiling as he called my name.
Afterward, his lips found mine in a sweet kiss, his hands stroking the sides of my face. “I love you,” he whispered. “Now and forever.”
I pressed my forehead against his, loving his scent. “Now and forever.”
* * *
It was four-thirty in the morning. We had approximately an hour and a half until the sun crested the horizon, but we weren’t taking any chances. There was a distinct possibility Enid knew of our plan this morning, even if she didn’t know who the supernatural we sought was, because no amount of brain scrubbing would deter a powerful seer.
Danny and I were in the backseat, Rourke sat in the front, and Lucas drove. “Feeling anything now?” I asked Danny. I was certain Enid had released Danny because of his connection to Naomi. Nothing else made sense. She needed a direct line to us, and this was her way to get it. It was hard to be patient.
Blue Blooded Page 13
