CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Spencer had beento his fair share of political dinners in his life. Not all of them were put on by official governments. Even criminals had their own set of politics. He knew enough that the Cascade Coven must have some high political capital to be able to have a dinner meeting out in the open like this with two Night Courts and not come out looking like they were making illegal deals. Maybe that’s what the public venue and outreach to City Hall were for—a way for the Cascade Coven to say they had nothing to hide as they negotiated borders with the reigning supernatural powerhouse in the state and the runner-up.
Two waitstaff moved around the table, one pouring wine for the humans who didn’t have any. The vampires received something a little thicker that smelled of blood and other spices. Spencer wondered if the restaurant had the blend on hand or if Takoma’s people had brought it.
When the drinks had been poured and fresh bread placed in front of the humans, the waitstaff left the room, presumably to prep the first course. No menus had been handed out, which told Spencer the meal had been chosen ahead of time or the meeting was going to be so short the food didn’t matter. At least the wine was good, though he had no plans to drink more than half his glass.
Caitlin took a sip of her wine, never taking her eyes off Takoma, who sat directly across from her. “We have made it clear over the years that the land we own is ours and your kind was to steer clear of it.”
“You own nothing,” Takoma said dismissively.
“The property deeds say otherwise.”
“Keep thinking they matter.”
“Apparently they don’t matter to you, but they matter to those who truly run the city.” When Takoma didn’t rise to the bait, Caitlin’s gaze flicked to his left, where Spencer sat. “Your pet magic user wandered where he shouldn’t.”
Takoma leaned back in his chair, draping his arm over the back of Spencer’s in a show of supreme unconcernedness. He turned his head enough to look at Spencer, eyes half-lidded. “Did you now, pet?”
Spencer shrugged to hide the way that endearment—mocking as it was—sent a shiver down his spine. “I was on the sidewalk.”
“Which is public property.”
Caitlin’s lips thinned in annoyance. “My family’s museum isnot. The police have been informed of your illegal trespass during the gala. We are well within our rights to press charges.”
“Are you?” Takoma drawled. “After I saved your guests from werecreatures?”
“The altercation with werecreatures is being brought up separately with the god pack.”
“Wow, you really aren’t popular,” Spencer mused, glancing at Takoma.
“I don’t need to be.” Takoma turned his head fractionally to meet Rufus’ gaze. “If we’re discussing transgressions, let’s include yours.”
“You don’t own the wilderness. We were invited here by the coven on official business,” Rufus shot back.
“I own what I say I own. The corner of the state is yours so long as you remain there. That was the deal struck between our Night Courts. Your people went where they had no right to be.”
“A treaty we agreed to in order to keep the government off our backs. I know the consequences of breaking it. You say a vampire was in the Black Diamond Open Space, yet you offer no proof. You have no body, no video, no pictures. Nothing but the word of your human servant, who is loyal to you and no other.” Rufus leaned back in his chair, all insolence in the sprawl of his body. “I didn’t come to Seattle simply to sit here and be talked down to. I came to protest your accusation without evidence. If you can prove it was one of mine who went after your pet, then show me the evidence. Otherwise, how am I to know it’s not a set-up by your own Night Court in an attempt to steal my territory and break the treaty through false statements?”
“My statement stands. You’ll do well to remember the cost of crossing me.” Takoma’s fangs flashed as he spoke, voice never rising from the even tone he had affected. “I’m here to inform all of you that any attack against my human servant will be considered an attack against my Night Court. So choose your next words carefully.”
A hint of reservation flickered across Caitlin’s gaze, there and gone in a second. Spencer stayed relaxed, sipping his wine beneath the attention of the table. Takoma’s statement was as much a stake of a claim as anything could be for a magic user in a Night Court, but somehow, he thought it was more. He’d never carry bite marks on his throat the way Alyona did—not just because that was a good way to be locked up in a tiny cell by the government, but because his blood wasn’t something Takoma would want to partake of consistently enough to scar.
Takoma’s words still felt like ownership in a way that Spencer couldn’t ignore. He knew it didn’t mean anything, not really, but some part of him wanted it to. For all his years spent in the Mage Corps and with the PIA before joining the SOA, few people had turned into friends. Of that scant number, only Nadine had ever loved him, both as a friend and something more, before they succumbed to the distance of their jobs.
He’d never blamed anyone for the boundaries they kept. Spencer had loved Nadine when they were together, and he still cared for her now and always would. But she’d never looked at him the way Takoma did—like Spencer was worth keeping.
Caitlin took long enough to think about her next words that the waitstaff came back into the dining room and set about serving a round of appetizers that consisted of roasted bone marrow with crostini or a Caesar salad. Spencer poked at his bone marrow with the small spoon that was set beside his plate, a little sad that Fatima couldn’t be there to enjoy it with him.
None of the vampires were served food, but they drank from their wineglasses, taking small sips of the spiced blood he was pretty sure was a health code violation. The coven members didn’t seem put off by it, but Spencer did notice that at least two people had their hands free and resting on the table at all times, ready to cast magic if needed at the first hint of a threat. All of the vampires were expressionless, while Alyona ate with the manners of someone who’d gone to finishing school.
The clink of silverware on porcelain and the sound of people chewing was the only noise in the room for long minutes before Caitlin finally spoke. “I am not here to fight with you, merely to give a warning. My coven has adhered to our area of Seattle and want you to do the same. That is all.”
“You don’t rule here, Adler,” Takoma said.
Caitlin firmed her jaw, raising her chin. “Under the scope of this country’s law, neither do you.”
A tension settled over the table, all sides staring each other down between the give and take of words that landed like bullets.
