Liam was quiet, his attention fixed on me. After so much time together, he didn’t have to say anything for me to know his thoughts.
It wasn’t coincidence that Samara had been targeted. Kat and her had a long-standing feud. Samara found Kat pathetic and Kat hated her guts as a result. As narcissistic as Kat was, she’d probably used the hunters against Samara as a personal vendetta, never realizing how capable the other woman was.
Her oversight had just signed her death warrant.
Sofia would overlook a lot in the name of family, but she’d take the assault on her own very personally. Anything Kat meant to her in the past would be set aside. What’s more, Samara was vindictive. She’d be gunning for Kat.
I doubted even Dominick taking the city would save Kat. Samara would make sure she didn’t live long either way.
It felt strange watching my nemesis self-destruct in this way.
Who was I kidding? I was beyond pleased Kat had fucked herself over. I just hoped I was a fly on the wall when Samara dealt with her. I bet the woman would make Kat suffer.
“What’s your assessment on the strength of our alliances?” Thomas asked.
“Clan Glaise and Clan Davinish will side with us,” Rick said from his side of the table. “The others are still uncertain. Three are being quiet. We don’t know which side they’ll land on by the end. Azul and Branors are definitely with Dominick though. We caught their people conferring with his. They’ll report any moves we make.”
Eric looked thoughtful. “If he turns one other clan, our forces will be outnumbered.”
“We’re already outnumbered. Vitus has stationed several of his personal squads in the countryside out of the city,” Liam said.
Thomas sent him a startled look. “Are you sure?”
Liam’s nod was grim. “I still have contacts among the council’s enforcers. They gave me a head’s up yesterday.”
“You know the council better. Will any of them side with us in the coming war?”
Liam gaze was introspective. “A lot of that depends on how decisively we crush Vitus’s army. There are still some who support Ahrun, but they’re unlikely to make a move if it puts them at risk.”
“So, a formal challenge may be preferable to outright war,” Anton said.
“If it comes to war, where will it be fought?” I asked.
The room went very quiet as the enforcers avoided looking at me. From their silence, I took it that my suspicions were right. The war would take place here. In my city.
“How can the council allow this?” I asked.
Wasn’t one of our rules not to expose our existence to humans?
War meant casualties. Both on the combative sideandto any civilian population nearby. Vitus’s people didn’t strike me as the squeamish type. They saw humans as cattle. The easiest way to win a war was to affect the supply chain.
The humans in the city wouldn’t have a chance.
“They’re rare in today’s age because of the threat of technology, but they do happen,” Thomas said with a look in Liam’s direction. “It’s why we’re playing by the book. To try to prevent the worst possible outcome.”
Liam nodded. “We’d like to prevent a war, but if it happens, we’ve made certain preliminary moves.”
“We can win as long as the entire council doesn’t intervene,” Thomas added.
“If that happens?” I asked.
“We can all kiss our asses goodbye,” Makoto grumbled. “We’re good, but not even we can go up against their full might.”
“Maybe if we employed guerrilla tactics for a few decades. Whittle away some of the foundation.” Eric’s contemplative expression showed he was actually considering the ramifications of such a plan.
“You and your schemes.” Daniel’s lip curled in disgust. “I’d much prefer a head on fight.”
Anton scoffed. “Of course, you would.”
