I’m surprised for a moment and hesitate to say yes. My first reaction is to say that I may not be back in Tierit for a while. But I realize the new gate runes I now have on the inside of my arms will make it easier to pop in for a bit of training here and there. A wave of excitement rolls through me as I think about what I might learn. I’m sure Getta would be down for a good fight too when I’m in the neighborhood.
“I would appreciate that,” I tell him, “so long as you promise not to use that rune on me again,” I add.
Wekun grins, and then he tilts his head slightly, his prosecco toned eyes going distant like he’s listening to something that only he can hear. After a beat of staring off at nothing, he gasps suddenly and grabs his throat. Worry strikes through me at the alarm I see flash in his distant stare.
“I have to go,” he croaks out, and the next thing I know, he just disappears.
I blink and look around like somehow his sudden absence is a trick of the light, but he’s nowhere to be seen. My searching gaze lands on my guys, and I shrug.
“Who’s ready to party?” I ask, hoping they can just let go of the fact that I went all drooly toaster about thirty minutes ago.
“I blame the failsafe,” I declare as they prowl closer.
“Shots on me?” I try again when not all of them look as amused as I was hoping.
Shit, I might have to pull out the big guns.
“Fine, orgasms on me,” I offer, and this time they all crack a smile even if some of them try to fight it.
35
“Vinna, wake up, kiddo,” someone tells me in an effort to get me to open my eyes.
I groan out an objection because I feel like I need to sleep forat leastanother week.
I was up during most of the flight, working out a plan in my head with Suryn and Ory for phase one of opening the barriers.
“Kiddo, you need to wake up, we have a bit of a situation,” the voice I now recognize as my dad’s tells me.
I sit up quickly and open my eyes. Vaughn snaps back, just narrowly avoiding an accidental head-butt. I try to blink through the exhaustion from hiking out of Tierit, the jet lag from the flight back to the US, and the interrupted nap I was trying to take during the long ass drive back to Solace. I look from my dad’s concerned face to our surroundings in an effort to get my bearings. Tall trees and the two-lane road we’re currently stopped on gives me a hint, but the collection of black Range Rovers blocking our path confirms it.
“What do you think they want?” Valen asks me from the driver’s seat, his gaze fixed on the road block. I look over at Sorik and Bastien who are also in the car and shake my head.
“Let’s go find out,” I grumble as I open the door and hop out of the SUV.
Sabin, Siah, Ryker, Knox and Torrez all pile out of the other SUV in front of us, and they look from me to the paladin now stepping out of the vehicles in our way. I don’t recognize anyone, but I really only knew Lachlan’s coven and Pebble’s, so that doesn’t really surprise me.
A light brown haired male locks eyes with me and steps forward. “Vinna Aylin, we are here to escort you to a meeting with the Elders Council,” he informs me.
I make an irritated noise. Fucking hell, were they watching the airports for our return? Elder Cleary’s face pops up in my mind, and I give an incredulous mental snort. I probably shouldn’t be surprised.
“Fine,” I relent.
Probably better to get this over with now anyway. Then maybe we can get home and have some uninterrupted sleep for a while before we get to work.
I turn to go back to the car, but the paladin’s next sentence stops me.
“Lamia are not allowed within the barriers of Solace, so your companions will need to stay out here until the elders authorize their entry,” he announces, eyeing Siah, Vaughn, and Sorik with clear distaste.
“My mate, father, and friend will go wherever the fuck I do,” I state simply.
A few of the paladin bristle, but the leader just smiles. “If you want them to turn to ash when they cross into our territory uninvited, I’m fine with that.”
I roll my eyes and give him a thumbs up. I’m too fucking tired to deal with this prick. I already know the barrier lets Sentinels through, but I’m not going to explain that to them. They can wrack their judgmental little brains until they figure out that their barrier has some exploitable loopholes to its protections.
The paladin leader snickers and then shrugs as he turns to get back into his car.
“Do you think the elders are going to give us trouble?” Knox asks no one in particular.
