“Turning a blind eye while they skulk underground and keep their murders unnoticeable isn’t a form of peace.” Drake growled. He wrapped a hand around Bethany’s neck. No doubt he was thinking about how he’d come to find his mate in the grip of the bloodsuckers.
Crina spoke up. “Not to mention, they had been collecting dormant wolves. Pretty sure that doesn’t indicate any form of truce between us.”
Synica’s mouth pinched, and she inclined her head. “I concede. Those are very good points.”
“It was a deceptive form of peace,” Clarion, another djinn elder, offered. “And considering the things you’ve described, I don’t think we can trust the vampire king.”
“We do need to consider that he isnotthe king that ruled during that time,” the high fae, Gwen, pointed out. “He could have different beliefs than his predecessor.”
“Perhaps the successful strike on the Order has given him a chance to break away from Alston, and the death of Ludcarab made it an easier possibility,” Thad said.
Fane was quiet. He appeared to be considering all that had been presented. Then he looked at Peri. “If nothing else, we will send some ambassadors. If what he says is untrue, then we will look for the opportunity to take him out.”
Peri agreed. “We’re about to attack a high fae. And he is powerful, though it irks me to admit it. Who can we spare to act as ambassadors?”
“I can lead a group.” Jacque raised her chin and looked at her mate. Peri almost smiled at the daring look she gave Fane. And she didn’t miss the amusement in the alpha’s eyes.
“Who would you like to take with you?” Fane asked. Peri wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t shot her offer down. Fane was learning to see his mate as his equal and powerful in her own right. Though she had no doubt there was an internal struggle going on inside of him.
“Jen, Zara, Crina…” Jacque glanced over at Sally who gave her a small shake of her head. Then she looked at Bethany.
“I think I should stay here and take care of the kiddos. I’d say guard the home front, but let’s just be real. I’m about as useful as…” Bethany paused as if looking for an analogy.
“Tits on a bull?” Jen offered up.
“It’s teats,” Sally said.
Jen shook her head. “I’m pretty sure it’s tits.”
Jacque raised a brow. “Hmm, nope, it’s definitely not that.”
“Not what?” Jen asked.
“Tits,” Jacque answered and then groaned when Jen giggled. “You just wanted me to say it.”
Peri couldn’t help her own chuckle. She’d missed the nonsensical bantering of the girls while she’d been out acting like a lunatic vigilante.
“Teats,” Adam spoke up as he looked at his phone, “are, and I quote, ‘a nipple of the mammary gland of a female mammal, from which the milk is sucked by the young.’” He put the phone down and then smirked. “I can also read the definition of tits if I need to.”
Crina groaned. “You just did that so you could say tits, nipple, and sucked all in the same sentence.”
Jen held up her hand. “Air high five, brother from another mother … and era.”
Adam lifted his arm and pretended to slap Jen’s hand then leaned over and smacked a kiss on his mate’s cheek. “AndI just got you to say them.”
“Tits,” Wadim said, for seemingly no reason whatsoever.
“Bloody hell.” Decebel tilted his head back and looked up as if praying for the ceiling to open up and suck the fools from the room.
“Wow.” Lorna’s eyes were wide as they bounced between the speakers. “It’s like watching a bunch of fifteen-year-old boys snicker about sex.”
“This is actually quite tame,” Lilly said dryly.
“She’s not wrong,” Sally added. “Jen’s favorite word is puss–”
“Nope.” Costin cut her off with a gentle tug of her hair.
She gave him a death glare and said, “I was going to say pussycat.”
