Tanya scrunched up her face. “I’m pretty sure that misbehaving was never in style.”
“I’ve been alive a lot longer than you, Alpha-chick.” Myanin pointed at Tanya and winked. “That means I know more about the styles. What was in, what’s been out, what’s never coming back. You know, all the things.”
“Where’s her keeper?” Kara pressed her lips together as if she was trying to keep from laughing.
“Her mate is right there.” Dalton motioned to Gerrick.
Kara shook her head. “No. I mean the person who keeps her in line, that fae woman. Mates don’t keep mates in line. That was established a long time ago.”
Tanya laughed. “That needs to be on a T-shirt.”
Nick lifted his hand and grasped her chin gently, turning her to look at him. “Mates don’t keep mates in line?”
She smirked at him.
“I plan to kiss that look off your face later,” he warned.
“Promise?” Her voice was much too sultry for the present company.
“Now, you behave.” He growled before nipping the skin just below her ear. Her face flushed red, and he felt her desire through the bond.
“And you all wonder why I keep silent so much,” Gerrick muttered.
“Okay, I’m going to need you all to focus.” Nick heard the alpha wolf coming through in the man’s voice. “Your foreplay can wait until after we’ve discussed everything with Jewel and Kara.”
Nick pressed a kiss on the same spot he’d bitten and then looked at Dillon. “I’ve got her in line, Alpha. Carry on.” He took an elbow to the gut for that comment, but it was worth it to get a rise out of his mate. From the corner of his eye, Nick could see Dalton shaking his head, no doubt thinking Nick was foolish for prodding his pregnant female.
Dillon leaned forward on the edge of the couch and rested his elbows on his knees. He clasped his hands together and then looked from Jewel to Kara. “We showed up at the same time as Nick, Dalton, and Aphid.” Dillon turned to look at the quiet fae. “By the way, thanks for the travel assistance.”
Aphid bowed his head. “Glad I can be of service.”
Then he turned to Tassi. “Thank you for keeping an eye on the girls.”
“I’m glad I can help.”
Dalton continued. “We showed up at the same time or thereabouts when they arrived near the compound. Those you see here”—he motioned around the room—“as well as Tenia, Skender, and Lilly, were with us. The latter three have returned to warlock mountain.”
“What were all of you doing there, Dillon?”
“Jewel, we’ve been interrogating a vampire that we captured.”
“He says interrogating, and I say playing with,” Myanin sang.
Dillon, obviously used to the djinn interrupting him, continued. “After we got all the information we could out of him, Tenia—AKA Myanin’s keeper, as you so aptly called her—used her fae power on the vampire and sent him into Cain’s science lab. If everything goes well, he will report back to her.”
“Oh, and he’s been commanded to get in touch with the healer and have her call Tenia,” Tanya added quickly.
Kara tried to get off of his lap, but Nick wasn’t ready to let her go. She frowned at him, but then looked back at Dillon’s mate. “What do you mean, get in touch with the healer?”
“Tenia gave the vamp a cell phone. He’s supposed to pass it to the healer and have her call Tenia,” Tanya explained.
“Why not have her call one of us?” Kara pointed to Jewel and then herself. “Nick could have given you my number.”
Tanya nodded in understanding. “Tenia wanted to make sure the call came to her first because she will be able to tell if her magic is still working on the phone. The phone shouldn’t be able to call anyone except who Tenia grants it access to.”
“How is this vampire supposed to convince the healer to call her?” Jewel asked. “We still don’t know if this woman is working with Cain or being controlled by him. If it’s option B, then we might expose the fact that the vampire is under Tenia’s control.”
“It’s a risk we have to take.”
