“Mm, it’s getting real,” Sally muttered.
“I’m kind of scared to ask,” Wadim said. “But what does ODLD stand for?”
Jen huffed. “I don’t have time to go into the details of each squad’s assignment. There are printed directions for each squadron, telling you everything you need to know. They arelaminated for your convenience.”
“And so she doesn’t have to print them off again when we spill eggnog on them,” Crina said.
“Good one.” Sally laughed.
Jen ignored the commentary. “Jacque, Crina, Zara, and Sally, you’re on IDLD squadron.”
“Yeah,” Sally said in a pathetic voice. “How did you know that’s the one I was hoping for?”
“Shut it, gypsy, or I’ll put you on latrine duty,” Jen growled.
“Pretty sure we don’t have latrines.” Costin leaned back against the fridge.
Jen raised her eyes to look at him. “Really? Where do wolves poop? Pretty sure the entire forest around this mansion is one big furbutt latrine.”
Sally narrowed her eyes on Jen. “I’ve changed my mind, Costin. Gavril has my complete blessing to teach Titus any and all necessary hunting tactics to take down his prey.”
Jenonceagain ignored the remark, turning her attention back to her list. “Oh, and Zara, you’ve also got doubleEduty.”
Sally glanced at Zara, who appeared quite confused.
Wadim pulled his mate to his side, “If Zara has double anything, it’s doubleDs. They’re perfect, and they’re all mine.”
Zara landed a perfect elbow to Wadim’s kidney. He grunted but didn’t release her.
Jen rolled her eyes. “Okay, boob man, I wasn’t talking about her girls. DoubleEsare eyes and ears, history boy. She’s my eyes and ears.”
Wadim seemed confused for a minute, probably stuck on the word“boob”and the images it no doubt conjured in his mind. After a second, he laughed. “Babe, you’re the snitch. You’ve got to runand tell on us when we aren’t doing our jobs up to the blonde taskmaster’s expectations. You know what they say about snitches?”
Zara glared up at him. “That they dig ditches—”
“No, it’s um, they getstit—” Wadim started to interrupt.
Zara’s voice rose to speak over him. “For their soon-to-be-dead mates?”
“And that’s why she’s my new favorite.” Jen smiled.
Sally glanced at Jacque. “We need to explain to Zara why being Jen’s favoriteanythingis not good.
“Not good at all,” Jacque agreed.
“Elle, Peri, and myself,” Jen went on, “are on the P&D squadron.”
“Knowing your mind, I really hope that doesn’t mean what just popped into my head,” Peri said at the same time Sally took a drink of her orange juice. She should have known better than to be drinking anything while Jen was speaking. A laugh burst out of her lips just as she pulled the cup away from her mouth, and everyone within a six-foot radius got sprayed. She coughed and tried not to inhale the drink into her lungs as she laughed.
Jacquepatted her on theback, rather pathetically, Sally noted, and said, “I hope thatdoesmean what Peri thinks it does.”
Sally wiped her mouth and took the hand towel Costin held out to her. “Knowing her devious mind, it probably has something to do with the payback she’s planning for me and Fane,” he growled.
This only brought on another fit of laughter from Sally and Jacque.
“If something dirty popped into your head, Peri fairy, then what does that say aboutyourmind?” Jen tilted her head and looked at the high fae as though she was a bug under a microscope.
“That you’ve dumbed down my brain to the development of a sixteen-year-old male, and I should really consider getting psychiatric help,” Peri answered smoothly.
