“Guards?” Considine narrowed his eyes. “She didn’t have those the first time she visited.”
“Sounds like she’s going to make another go of Tutu’s,” I said.
“The timeline is about right,” Considine agreed.
I opened my clutch, nudging aside my daggers so I could scoop up my phone. “I’ll text Sarge.”
“And I will speak to the Lee Family elder,” Considine said.
I shifted to look from my partner to the two powerful vampires who had brought us the news. “Thank you, both of you, for finding this out.”
The news delivered, Auberi’s air of removed sophistication was returning. He poked his nose up in the air. “Yes. Well. Even an insufferable dragon shifter should know better than to play such foolish games with Dracos vampires in town.”
Margarida beamed. “We’re delighted we could help!”
Auberi scowled. “That’s just you—don’t lump me in with your chipper personality.”
“You both did very well.” Considine moved away from me and rested his left hand on Auberi’s shoulder and his right on Margarida’s. “Thank you.”
Auberi gaped up at him, his eyes popping wide with shock, while Margarida clapped her hands in delight.
“Of course, Sire!” she said.
“Now.” Considine turned them around and nudged them toward the door. “Get back out there and use your charms to lure in more unsuspecting victims!”
“Yes, Sire!”
Auberi made some choking noises, and I shook my head as I slipped off my stool.
Considine gave the duo a push, so they veered out in front of him. He waited for me to catch up with him, smiling and offering me his arm.
I took it, grateful my heartbeat had finally returned to normal.
The weight of the conversation I’d had with Considine—and its many questions and implications, as well as the realization that I loved him—still tugged at me.
But I had time. Considine said he could wait for me. It could hold until after we got through this next lunar cycle.
It might be cowardly of me, but in this case work can safely come first.
“Goldstein is clear.”I adjusted the light coat I was wearing over my layered task force uniform, making sure I could easily grab a dagger off my belt if the need arose.
“Awesome.” Brody rubbed at his red nose. His face briefly scrunched up before a violent sneeze ripped through his body, loosening snot from his nose. He moaned as he yanked out a tissue he’d tucked up his sleeve and blew his nose.
Tetiana edged away from him. “Gross.”
“It’s not my fault,” Brody complained, his nose stuffed. “You should have stopped that pepper spell the red cap threw at us when we broke up that fight at King’s Court!”
“Two red caps got in a fight outside Queen’s Court café,” Tetiana explained. “Brody got between them. It was his mistake.”
Brody growled and rubbed at his still watering eyes.
“I told you on the walk over, I’ve got a potion that’ll clear your nose out!” Grove shook a glass bottle that was a frightening swirl of gray and black and had skin of sediment floating on the top of it.
“I’m not putting that stuff anywhere near my face,” Brody grumbled. “Any details about your Goldstein patrol, Blood?”
“Orrin?” I glanced at the fae, who stirred at my side. “Would you give him the details?”
Considine draped an arm over my shoulders. “You’re asking him and not me?”
