A familiar voice bellowed through the room just as Vasile was about to respond.
“Never thought I’d have the opportunity to fight side by side with the great Vasile Lupei,” Tyler Reed called out into the crowded room.
Vasile turned to look at the man and smiled a genuine smile. “I truly wish such a day had never come,” Vasile said. “Are you here alone?”
Tyler shook his head. “I left my Beta in charge and brought my third.” He motioned to a man standing quietly against the tree branch wall.
Jeff Stone, the Coldspring, Texas Alpha, came in next with two males flanking him, and Vasile felt Fane tense. He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “He is not your enemy. You killed the one who hurt your mate.”
“Seeing him just brings back unpleasant memories,” Fane said as Jeff walked up to them.
“Alpha Lupei, Decebel, Fane.” The Coldspring Alpha bowed his head to each of them and then turned to Tyler. “Alpha Reed, it is good to see you.” The two males on either side of him bowed to them, as well, and then stepped back.
“You, as well, Jeff,” Tyler said. “Have you carried out any additional raids on the vamp nests?”
Jeff shook his head. “Haven’t caught the scent of any more of them.”
“That’s because they’re all in Phoenix.” Dillon Jacob’s voice came from the entrance to the great hall. His mate, Tanya, was beside him as they walked into the large room.
“I am eager to hear your report, Dillon,” Vasile said, “but let’s wait until everyone has arrived so you won’t have to repeat yourself.”
Dillon nodded. “Good idea.”
The next to enter was Cypher, the warlock king and his mate, Lilly Pearce, the warlock queen. Vasile frowned as he met the eyes of Jacque’s mother.
Lilly huffed. “Don’t look at me like that. I have my reasons for not going with the girls and the children.Iam not part of your pack, Vasile. Don’t judge.”
Vasile held up his hands. “Not judging. Just surprised, that’s all.”
She pursed her lips at him and didn’t seem to believe him.
Vasile shrugged and then shook Cypher’s forearm. “Thank you for coming,” he told the warlock king.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Cypher said with a smile that was all teeth, very wolf like.
Several minutes later, King Ainsel came in, all eighteen inches of him, flanked by a contingent of pixies.
“King Ainsel,” Vasile said as he bowed his head to the pixie king.
“Good to see you are well, Vasile,” Ainsel said and then greeted the others.
Vasile noticed the three sprite women they’d met a week prior were climbing up onto the platform, along with two others he had not met. He also saw the room was beginning to fill up with the fae warriors that had brought him and his pack, as well as the others.
Andora, the sprite queen, raised her hands and the room went silent. “We are waiting for Perizada and one more guest,” she said.
Less than a minute after she said that, Peri flashed into the room with a tall male standing next to her. Vasile immediately recognized him for what he was. “Djinn,” he said, and the male turned his head to look directly at him. The djinn gave Vasile a nod and then turned to face Andora.
“Peri,” Andora said, “would you please introduce your guest? Few here have probably ever met a djinn before.”
The room erupted into chatter as they stared at the man in awe. Peri turned and looked at the group. “I have recently been working with the current djinn historian. He is helping with a situation regarding a sadistic fae and five new healers. I reached out to him when I found out about the summit. He could not come himself, but he put me in touch with another male from his clan. This is Jareth. He’s a member of the djinn council and willing to go to battle with us. Djinn are very powerful,” she continued. “If Jareth were to let his power lose without attempting to control it, he could level a city, so that means he will have to be careful. Don’t think for a second that he can do this battle on his own, not unless we’re okay with killing thousands upon thousands of innocent humans.”
“Which we are not okay with,” Vasile said, raising his voice just a bit to make sure he was heard.
Andora met Vasile’s eyes. “Agreed,” she said. “Now, let us begin.”
Dillon raised his hand, and the sprite queen made a motion to him to come to the front of the room.
Dillon moved forward and stepped up onto the platform. He faced the room, looking at all the supernaturals present. “When I saw the news reports on the large amount of human deaths in Phoenix, Arizona, I decided to investigate and see what I could find out. Vasile and I both believed it to be the work of the Order of the Burning Claw.
