“I need to go. We’ll do this again soon?” I said.
Both nodded, grinning widely.
“And you’re going to invite us out there,” Reba asked, though ‘asked’ might have been stretching it. It was a statement.
“Yes. When things calm down,” I told her. Or, better yet, we might go there. Somewhere not associated with our family and hopefully, Silence won’t take a look at either of them.
We disconnected. Setting my laptop aside, I stood and stretched my back. My arms were still over my head as Notus and Taranis circled me, wrapping me in their arms.
“Genocide,” Taranis said. “An ugly word and yet, it’s entirely accurate for what Silence is trying to do.”
“And in some cases, has succeeded,” Notus added.
“Did I say too much?” I asked.
Their lips brushed over my skin on my neck and face. I closed my eyes, gripping them tightly to me.
“Maybe more than was necessary. Especially if they try to do an internet search since there’s no genocide happening on the islands of Hawaii. But it’s fine,” Taranis said.
We headed downstairs and loaded into the vehicles. Koh was already at his office so we stuffed ourselves into only two for the short drive. Our names were at security and Koh met us on the thirteenth floor landing. With a smile and several kisses going around as he greeted us, Kohara led us to another conference room.
Once, I don’t think he would have greeted us so intimately at his work setting. But we were all feeling a little more desperate these days. A timer ticked above our heads, though we weren’t sure when the countdown would end. It was there. We could hear it and feel it. We just couldn’t see it.
The room wasn’t just filled with The Harem Project suits today. There were also a large handful of our friends. Juniper and Bryn were back. Joining them were Hadrian Malak, Kormak Nash, and some others I didn’t recognize right away. One was a sea monster—a mermaid. I forgot the Darkyn’s name but he was a jaguar if I wasn’t mistaken. Then there was a dragon and a thunderbird. Oh, and Kiley Taru. I don’t even remember why I know her name.
“Coen, Akello, and Lieke are on the phone,” Hadrian said, nodding toward a conference speaker in the middle. On cue, three voices spoke in greeting.
Our group spent a minute spreading around, hugging and greeting those who had come.
Saar eventually looked at the Darkyn. “When I suggested a few friends, I didn’t mean the entire gambit, Iker.”
Iker smirked.
“Who are you trying to leave out?” the dragon asked.
Saar sighed, shaking his head. “No one. We just don’t want anyone getting in too deep when we don’t know what we’re doing yet.”
“That’s fine,” Bryn said. “Strength in numbers, gorgeous.”
We settled in, taking up chairs two at a time as we crowded around. “Should have chosen a larger room,” Koh muttered after a minute, shifting Tem in his lap so he could see around him.
“I’ll sit still,” Tem said, winking over his shoulder as he wiggled his hips.
Koh nipped at his neck before they settled and looked at the screen ahead.
A map appeared, and I knew right away that this wasn’t a map of the human world. This was the world of supernaturals. There were white dots placed at intervals that almost looked like a pattern.
“I think we’re missing at least two,” Kormak said, frowning at the map.
“We think so too,” Koh said. “We’re already running surveillance in those areas while we look for any building that fits the script.”
“Maybe don’t focus on the building but what’s in the area,” a voice from the phone said. “ORKA goes underground when needed. I’m willing to bet Silence does too. And what better way to hide in plain sight than not being in plain sight?”
Koh nodded. “Noted. We’ll relay the suggestion.”
“So, we’ve determined that one of these two buildings is their headquarters based on the activity. Though there hadn’t been any noted abductions in the past several months until recently, they never go to either of these places,” one of the suits said as he used a laser to circle two dots on the screen. “Except that in both instances, humans have been dragged into both. Never any monsters.”
“Which has the harem of humans?” Iker asked.
