Ruby’s head reeled back in shock. “Oh, okay. I thought you wanted to? I can go after her with my team, but I figured since you’re a vampire now—”
“No, you’re right and Idowant to,” I told Ruby. “But she cursed me a few hours ago and now I can’t harm her or that harm will come back onto me.”
The entire table fell silent.
Luka squeezed my hand and then looked at Ruby. “But you’re right in that it needs to be a vampire that takes her out. Maz is a Munai and she’s strong. I will kill her for Aspen.”
Kill for me? Sounded crazy, but it was romantic.
Ruby looked relieved. “Well, that’s settled, then. When is the fight?”
“Saturday night,” Luka confirmed.
Everyone around the table nodded. We had five days to bring down an entire empire.
“We’ll need more hunters,” Ruby said. “I can split up my guys, but—”
The door of the meeting room opened and Luka’s new assistant poked his head in. “Umm we have an issue at the gates,” he said.
Luka stood. “What issue?”
His assistant pointed at Ruby. “More hunters like her. They say they’re here to see Aspen.”
Shock filtered through me. More hunters … here to seeme?
“House of Rose!” Liv sprang up, “They must have gotten the email and believed us!”
Excitement thrummed through me and I lurched forward, but Luka’s hand came out to block me. “Or it’s a trap.”
My excitement deflated like a popped balloon. “They wouldn’t…” I wasn’t sure though. I was a vampire now and they had seen that. I burned their freaking house down! They might not trust me.
“They could be here to get the inside scoop for Maz,” Ruby agreed. “It took over a week for me to convince my team of the truth. Brainwashing takes time to unravel.”
House of Rose. My friends. My fellow hunters. Were they here to spy on me?
“But if theyarein need, we can’t turn them away…” I looked to Luka, hoping he’d come up with something brilliant.
He squirmed under my gaze, reaching up to rub the back of his head.
“We can take them.” Sawyer stood and Demi nodded.
“They won’t be able to hear about the plan or see what’s going on this week in Werewolf City,” Demi added.
Relief rushed over me. “Thank you!”
I sidestepped Luka and walked over to Liv. “Let’s go greet them, drop them off at Werewolf City, and just say we have no room for them here.”
She nodded. “Good plan.”
“I’ll come too,” Ruby added.
“Be safe!” Luka called out after me as I was already halfway out the door.
‘Meet up with you later.’I blew an air kiss to Luka and he gave me a lopsided grin.
‘Those shorts are so short they look like underwear,’he scolded me.
‘Oh you love it,’I told him, swaying my hips as I crossed the room.
