A muscle ticked in Damon's cheek. Evan went stone-faced, his eyes narrowing.
Livia pressed forward. "For years, I've worked with them. Quietly. I shared information, passed warnings. What was needed to keep our people off their radar. My main point of contact is a woman named Kira Blackwood. She's the one who helped Tash escape."
That floored me. I tried to replay the mad dash through the woods, the way Kira had popped my zip tie and handed over the pin as soon as the coast was clear.
Livia kept going. "Kira and her allies risk everything to keep peace. They don't want a massacre. They want to stop the bloodshed. I never told you because…" Now her gaze snapped to Evan, and every syllable cut. "Honestly, I thought the family would explode. There'd be a bloodbath, seeking out hunters even more. I couldn't risk you."
The silence that dropped was so thick even Lola stopped fuming.
Livia pushed on, lights glinting in the silver of her hair. "For the record. SkyArc isn't tied to the Order. They're just a company, albeit with shitty morals. William Hanlon is an Order member who is alsorelated to the owners of SkyArc. He saw what the Order could offer and angled for a position. That's how they brought him into the fold. But most of their company is blind to the supernatural. They're developers, not zealots."
Chance's jaw flexed. His stare bored holes in his mother, but he didn't interrupt.
"Kira has just let me know the cabin where Tash was held is on Ash Ridge and that Hanlon is in the process of leaving. There's physical evidence there, though, so Xavier can connect Hanlon with her kidnapping if he can come up with a reason to search the cabin and get a warrant, which will neutralize Hanlon for the future."
Livia drew herself upright. "I'm telling you now, not because I want permission, but because if we want to win, we need to know who's out there. Kira's been crucial to our defense. She's why Tash got out safe and Mere and Fifi weren't targeted first. She's why—" her voice caught, but she bulldozed through, "—she's why I'm not dead yet."
Damon set his mug down so hard it rattled the tray. But he held off.
Evan was another story.
He'd been pacing at the edge of the room, a shadow in the firelight, arms crossed so tight it lookedpainful. Now, he spun, advanced on the table, and planted his fist flat on the wood with a bang that jerked every single person upright.
His eyes blazed. Not gold, not human, just raw, scorched dragon. "There are no good hunters," he spat. "Only dead ones. You're senile if think you can trust a monster who makes a living off blood and betrayal? You're living in a fantasy." He glared at Livia. "You go soft, you lose everything. That's how Dad died. That's how the Hollow Order wins."
Chance cleared his throat. "We're not talking about Dad. Mom's talking about moving forward. Maybe about stopping this shadow war."
Evan's voice turned lethal. "There is no forward. Don't insult my intelligence with talk of ‘factions' and ‘good intentions.' They'll gut us the second it's useful."
The table vibrated from the impact of his fist. Even the fire seemed to duck.
Evan's breath roughened. For a split second, I thought he'd shift right there. Instead, he straightened, set his jaw, and stalked toward the door.
He yanked it open, slammed it hard enough to make the windows shudder, and vanished.
Tash
They were talkingabout me like I wasn't even in the room.
The Big Plan was to storm the hunter's nest, neutralize anything with opposable thumbs, and come back before sunrise.
Apparently in their world, I was supposed to park my ass right here with the twins and maybe practice breathing exercises until somebody texted the all clear. Chance stalked the living room as they finalized their plan.
The part of me that had spent years keeping my head down and my daughters safe was primed to give in. Play it safe, Tash. Don't rock the boat. Stay where they put you.
But Taryn erupted under my skin. Not gently,either. Her fury spiked, pure gasoline, the same way my body coughed up adrenaline earlier tonight. Every inch of me caught fire.Kill.
My hands curled into fists. Every cell in my body hummed, electric. Taryn's magic layered over my human panic, but she didn't care about fear, it just made her wilder.
Chance caught the movement. He stopped cold, narrowing his eyes at my fists.
"Stay here," he growled, low and final, like he'd already won the argument. "If anything comes close, lock the doors, take cover. We'll deal with the rest."
He meant it. Fuck all, he meant it. I could see every protective instinct marching up and down his spine like a drill sergeant was directing them. It had to be killing him to leave the girls behind. To leave me behind.
"No," I bit out. Loud enough to make all the men's attention snap in my direction.
Xavier stood in the entryway, all clipped and business, his badge already clipped on like he might need to go wrestle a bear. Damon leaned on the banister, arms crossed, every bit the sullen alpha brawler.
