He continued, “You do remember Khent? You know, the intense guy with a stick up his ass who kept threatening to revive you from the dead? He really wants your head as a trophy. And the blond, Rolf? He’s not that sane. I think he wants to use you as a sacrifice for something. You getting away is a big problem right now.”
“Oh.” Max blinked. “Ah, well, maybe I should—”
“I’ll go.” Riley didn’t mind. She wanted to meet the assholes who’d messed with her cousin, if only to show them the error of their ways. Yes, vampires could and probably would kill her some day. But she’d never been afraid of death, not after losing the people she loved most in the world. Besides, it was a berserker’s way to find and revel in danger. What better place to pull on death’s whiskers than in a house full of vampires?
She turned to their alpha. “Uncle Jack? Maybe you can pull Ivan back.”
“Exactly my thoughts. He’s needed here.” Jack turned to his wife. “Alice, talk to Cole.”
“On it.” She leaned close to kiss him then left with a handful of soldiers behind her.
Cole would be able to pull their other berserker back into the pack. Currently on some secret mission to benefit the Crimson Claw, Ivan had been away from their territory for close to a year. Riley had been fine holding things together with the rest of their security, but with the recent theft of the artifact and soon to be working with the fanger, she’d be out of pocket. They needed Ivan forwhen—notif—the Wildridge dires made their move.
She still couldn’t believe they’d tricked Max by using one of their females to flirt her way under Max’s radar. Talk about embarrassing for her cousin.
As if reading her thoughts, he looked her way, his face grim, and dug his claws into the table.
Kraft glanced between her and Max. “So, we’re in agreement then?”
“I said I’d help.” Riley stood. “We’ll need to start looking in the city.”
Max said, “Talk to Talon. He had a name for me.”
She nodded at her cousin and stood.
“Talon?” Kraft asked and stood as well.
She ignored him. “Uncle Jack, I’ll be leaving shortly.”
“Stay a moment.” He looked at Kraft. “If you wouldn’t mind waiting outside? Max will show you to our diner, where we might just have some fae blood for you.”
“That sounds good.” Kraft motioned to her cousin. “Come, lycan. I’m hungry.”
Max muttered something she couldn’t make out before following the vampire out of the conference room. “I did too kick your ass atApexandMortal Kombat. Or are you so old you can’t remember the truth?”
“Fuck off.”
Max snorted. “Nope. And you’re still a loser.”
Several soldiers quietly followed them, providing a modicum of protection for the alpha-in-waiting, leaving her and her uncle alone save for two other dires.
Riley didn’t understand her cousin’s relationship with the nachzehrer, who really could kill him way too easily. She, at least, wouldn’t make the mistake of getting too friendly.
Her uncle nodded to one of the soldiers to shut the door, sealing them in a soundproof room warded against supernatural hearing. “You mind yourself,” he ordered. “He wants you with him, so we’ll play along. But you’re precious to us, Riley. You stay safe, and if those damn vampires try anything, you let me know. I have plenty of friends in the magir community who would like nothing more than to end the Night Bloodeandthe local upir pack, and bedamned to anyone who argues.”
He stood to hug her and added, “I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about a possible vampire uprising. We’re talking worldwide. Magir communities all over are quietly banding together against their massive threat. If it comes to pass, you can be sure as shit we’ll be fighting the bloody bastards. Find out as much as you can about Kraft’s clan. Talk to Hecate.” He snorted. “Imagine a goddess mixing with their kind. Maybe the end of the world really is at hand.”
Vampire wars, goddesses, and pack rivalries? The timing couldn’t be worse for her to be leaving. “I can wait on Ivan to return before I go.”
“No. You go on. Ivan has been gone long enough. Having another berserker here will help, but we’re still strong even without him back yet. You get that vampire to Seattle, away from our territory. And I’ll be talking to Julian Wildridge about his scheming daughter who had no business in Noblewood in the first place.”
She flinched. “Oh boy. You mean the lycan who snuck by Max is an actual Wildridge, not just a pack member?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Max... Never mind. I’ll deal with him later.”
“It wasn’t his fault.” It totally was. “I mean, he’s trying to broker peace between our packs. Trying to be friendly to the girl made sense.”
“Yes and no. But that’s something Alice, Cole, and I will handle.”
