“You’re the face of the companies. Now and always,” I told her easily to start. “You’re guest relations. You’re the PR and marketing with that. Big picture and any issues. So you are corporate. Corporate training and anything corporate day-to-day. You are also handling club calendars, events, promotions, and menus so there is never any bullshit like what we found. All uniform.”
“I promise we won’t have another problem like that,” she said gently, knowing how upset I still was about that.
“We will,” I sighed. “We’re not perfect. We’re getting more help and—no one died.” I snorted. “Well, the bitch and a few others did. Whatever. Big picture it’s okay.” I nodded when several couldn’t hide their shock. “Yes, yes, I’m learning. Okay? I’m trying to see the wins more.”
“Jasmine, we’ve pulled off a miracle and it’s because of your leadership,” Ally reminded me, gesturing between them. “Wenever did it. Many have tried. You formed the team, but you were the leader and visionary that was needed. We’re with you until the end.”
I smiled when they all nodded and encouraged me.
“I am investigations, security, and personnel of security and dancers as the only dancer of us.”
“And the only one of us who understands any of the blasted tech,” Elijah grumbled.
“I’m getting better,” Arthur defended.
Ally smacked him upside the head hard enough that if he’d been human, his head could have come clean off. “You finally figured out how to do Face ID for your fucking phone. That’s not remotely gettingbetterat technology. Don’t be a fucking idiot.”
I wasn’t the only one who blinked at her several times.
Arthur cleared his throat. “We may need an excuse for us to be apart for a bit. It’s been weeks of constantly at each other’s side for the government covers, and while we adore each other, it’s been a bit much.”
“Honestly, I might need someone to switch out with me in the next five years for a five-year break before I lose my fucking mind,” Ally admitted. She hurried to assure us she was fine for now when she sensed all of our desires freaking out. “Things have just gotten rougher.”
“Okay then, let’s get Arthur switched in as your vice-chancellor now so he can start stepping up more to take pressure off of you for when he takes the next leadership role in a few years,” I suggested. “We can get a different ancient demon to play your husband. That should help significantly.”
“Yes,” she agreed after a moment, sharing a look with Arthur. “Yes, it is about time anyways. Good, good. Thank you.”
“And I’m sorry,” Arthur muttered.
“No, it’s not you or—we all let it get too piled on,” Ally accepted. “We are stubborn old fools and should have called in for help much sooner.”
I took the hint and moved on. “Orion is my shield and we will get others. Kyle will be the director who handles investigations and the security personnel. Investigations for murders—”
“Do we still need to do those now with ISLE being of use?” Joshua hedged, wincing at whatever was on my face. “I’m just—we need to all be honest here, Jasmine.”
“No, you’re right, of course,” I accepted.
“Yes,” Rita, Natalia, and Arthur said firmly, Natalia continuing. “The goal was always to help those who no one else would and who were in bad places like we’ve all been. It wasn’t just to help demons who were in shit places. It was all of us—people of this planet.”
“Agreed,” Elijah muttered, Ally nodding as well.
“I don’tdisagree, nor think we should just abandon that principle and only care about demons,” Joshua defended.
“No, we know,” I said gently. “You see it as one of the ways to scale back before we drown.” I was glad when he nodded. “We don’t go looking right now and I start training. It’s going to—just let me finish.”
“Never interrupt genius at work,” he chuckled. “I apologize profusely, my sweet lady.”
We all chuckled when Elijah cracked him one.
“Back to Kyle,” I said trying to focus on my flow again. “Investigations for murders, background checks for corporate, anything for our council stuff, and all our extra spies I’m going to put in place. German and more.”
“‘And more?’” Ally muttered.
“You want to go looking for people who will become demons after what happened at the coven with the one we had to put down,” Rita whispered, pain filling the room.
“Yes. We can’t handle it now, but it’s on the agenda. It’s a big agenda. We can eventually do it with the help you’re bringing in and getting the right people. We can do this. We have to. Also, helping Ricco the other day—we can do what we did in Germany originally to make this all happen, but they need it in Rome. How powerful would their alliance be with us then?”
“Diamond,” Elijah muttered. “Beyond that. But you also risk the other side of people forcing demons to do it—”
