Fiadh sits up, moving to her knees as she puts her hands on her hips and frowns. “I don’t think any of you have done anything worthy of me putting on some stupid uniform and spraying glitter everywhere. You’ll have to try harder.”
Even the bloodsucker laughs at her pissy, drunken pout, but Khol reaches into his pocket and pulls out her tiny companion. He arches a brow at her, looking smug. “Not even when I got you Fidget?”
Her eyes widen and she scrambles over to take the tiny creature in her palm, cooing softly before she looks up. “Okay.MaybeKhol does.”
That son of a bitch.
“You’re a filthy cheater, Bedia,” Tiernan growls, and I chuckle as his poofy snow leopard tail flicks in agitation. He’s been way more in touch with his animal since they bonded and I fucking love seeing him not be embarrassed to half-shift in public. “How can we compete with a baby familiar?”
Dezi’s eyes flash red as he watches Fiadh pet the little guy. “I believe I can and will, gentleman. The phrase is… ‘game on,’ yes?”
Glaring at the ancient, I fill the air with the scent of summer flowers and spring rain. “You’re going down, old man.”
“For the love of…” Tiernan sighs as he reaches over to take the small pet from our girl. “Look what you started, Princess. Rev, stop fucking with the vampire and magic up a habitat for this little guy in here? I honestly forgot to pack a damn thing for the pet because he’s always either with our girl or the snake.”
“Oooh, do that!” Fi claps her hands with a silly grin. “I like when you do magic. But it doesn’t count for the… challenge.” Her words are interrupted by a cute little hiccup and I laugh as she frowns. “Also, more of that Fae stuff is definitely needed for the entire trip. It’s bubbly.”
It‘s not the only thing that’s bubbly, but I’m absolutely getting more.
Our girl was buzzedfor another hour before she fell asleep, so Tiernan headed to the galley to whip something up for us. He’s not a perfect cook, but he can make serviceable meals when needed. Dezi pointed out that stopping while Fi was still loopy would probably result in deaths we don’t need to explain. The smug bastard was right, so the snake and I stayed with our chatty mate while he helped supervise the food.
Fuck, I hope he packed… rations.
“Did any of us ask how the old man was going to?—”
Khol snorts. “Eat? No. But he’s older than dirt, man. I assumed he’s used to planning.”
“That plan better not be any of us… at least, not yet,” I mutter as Fi snores. “I’m not averse at some point, but I’d prefer to be motivated by something more than survival.”
The sound of a throat clearing reveals Dezi standing in the doorway, looking amused. “So nice of you to be concerned for my welfare, Prince. However, I have placed supplies in your refrigerator that will last until our first stop for refueling.”
I blink at him. “How do you know when we’ll stop?”
“I have been to your landsmanytimes over the centuries. Speaking of which, I am notthatmuch older than you, no? Fae royals stopaging when they are named as successor or crowned, if I remember correctly. Your father did not receive his call until he was older because his father did not name the heir in their youth.”
“Oooh. The fangman knows your history, bro. You can’t pull one over on him,” Khol says with a grin. “But does he know mine?”
“I am aware of your position within your uncle’s organization. But my sources also tell me you and your twin are not on board with all of his… projects. I believe you intend to change much when Krystos finally sheds his final skin.” The vampire crosses his arms over his chest, looking smug as he lounges. “Running a club such as mine makes me privy to information even a gang leader and a Prince may not come across.”
“I suppose you’re more useful than you seem,” I admit as I run my fingers over Fi’s hair gently. “Your connections might help us locate the kind of scum who hire assassins, eventually.”
Dezi pinches the bridge of his nose. “You do not understand, young Prince.Manysupes of various species and financial situations hire killers to resolve their problems. Sifting through the glut of whispers and rumors is the first trial. I have… relatives on that task. Once we separate out the petty grievances and lies, then we will be able to follow stronger leads.”
Tiernan comes in, wiping his hands on a towel as he looks at the newest member of our group. “What relatives? Can these people be trusted not to dime our girl out?”
A fangy grin precedes Dezi’s reply. “They will or they will find themselves cast out of their eternal family on this continent. That will prove very rough for them, and it will be impossible to find honorable houses to accept them as pledges.”
“Oh. You have your fledglings doing your dirty work,” I say, musing about the efficacy of it. “I assume you’ve chosen specific newbies who have an aptitude for this work?”
“Yes. Louie has a fondness for nerdy types, which helps me keep the business end of our enterprises throughout the region running smoothly without either of us having to travel often. I prefer to stay in Briarvale in recent centuries.”
A soft yawn distracts us and Fiadh opens her eyes, squinting until I flick my fingers at the shades on the window to block the light. “Why is that?”
Her voice is rough from sleep, and the grumpy expression on her face is absolutely adorable. I will nottellher that, though, because otherwise she’ll throw an elbow. “Lass, are you a wee bit hungover, perhaps?”
“Shut. Up,” she growls as she flops back on the bed with a moan. “That stuff is amazing, but lethal. You need to label shit better, pretty boy.”
I frown in confusion. “Better than Bubbly Bliss Fae Liqueur, three hundred percent proof Fae infused alcohol?”
