SHARA
Iapproved Gina’s list of candidates, extending consiliari offers from House Isador to both Julie and a woman named Althea Robinson, who’d done some work at a smaller house in the UK that had been dissolved. Leonie accepted Emma Nowak, who’d gotten her start for a House Devana sibling in Moldova.
Julie accepted immediately and made plans to come to us in Arkansas while I was still eating dinner. Which was probably a good thing, in case Gwen might be sensitive to working with someone formerly associated with Elaine. I’d have to ask her later this week when she came. Althea would go to New York and start working with Kevin. Emma needed to give notice to her queen in Moldova so it would be at least a couple of weeks before she flew in.
Even vampire employees had to give two-week notices to terminate their employment. It made me chuckle and shake my head, though it made sense. She had to fulfill her contract before she could accept a new one, even a temporary trial agreement. I wouldn’t want her running off to House Ceresa with details aboutmyhouse in her head.
“What did you find in New Orleans?” I asked Leonie.
“The good news is that all my contact information was still there. The bad news is that most of the actual people are gone. Either they died, moved, or changed phones. Regina is trying to track down some of them. I did talk to one of my oldest contacts and her daughter. They’re going to do some legwork for us to see if they can find anyone capable of the spell we saw.”
“Um, spell?” Regina asked, wide eyed.
“Remember your contract agreement,” Gina reminded her in a cool tone. “You’re asking for privileged information, which we don’t have a problem sharing, as long as you prove yourself trustworthy.”
“I remember.” Regina gave me a glance, her face serious. Not scared, which I appreciated, but her eyes burned with curiosity to the point of obsession. “Your Majesty, I promise to hold your secrets forever.”
Again, I appreciated curiosity. My team needed the brightest and best that humanity had to offer. As long as we could trust her… and she didn’t get hurt by that knowledge.
I gave a subtle nod in the bond to Leonie, and she explained the goule attack and what we were looking for.
“Oh, shit,” Regina said. “That’s why you came to get me from the hotel, and everyone was so serious. You thought I might be the person who’d created the zombies.”
“Goules,” Leonie clarified. “Zombies are something else entirely.”
I tried to keep my focus on the conversation, but my attention was fading fast. Though I’d barely touched the steak. It was silly, really, but it was so much work to cut it up.
I started to reach for the fork and knife, but Rik dropped down beside me and picked up the cutlery. On his knees, my alpha cut my steak into small, easy to chew bites and fed me himself. Tears burned my eyes, both gratitude and weakness. I hated feeling so tired and out of it.
“Thank you,” I whispered, fighting the urge to sniffle like a baby.
He rumbled deep and low. “It’s my greatest pleasure to serve you in any way possible, my queen.”
Regina looked a little scared, her eyes wide as she cast side glances in my direction.
“Being on my period sucks,” I said as a way of explanation.
Her shoulders relaxed and she nodded. “It really does. I have endometriosis. Sometimes the cramps are so bad I just can’t even get out of bed. Well, I think I have it. I’ve been to several doctors in Texas but I haven’t been able to get a diagnosis yet. They don’t seem to listen or care, to be honest.”
Before I could ask, Gina said, “Let’s get Dr. Borcht to talk to you the next time she’s here.”
“She’s been trying to help me with my periods. Hopefully she can help you too.”
“That’d be great. Thank you.”
“You said something earlier about not being contagious,” Leonie said. “Too bad it’s not something I can catch too. I know you’re feeling miserable, but I’d give anything…”
Her words trailed off into pained silence. I reached over and squeezed her hand.
“When I was in high school, we used to joke that our periods were contagious,” Regina said. “By the end of the season, the entire cheerleading squad would always be on our period at the same time. Our cycles synced up when we were around each other every day.”
She continued talking with Gina about football Fridays, whatever that was. But her words made something ping inside my head. A resonance I associated with signs from the goddess. As long as I was listening.
Could just being around Leonie for a few days—while I was on my period—help hers to start? Or was there something more to it?
:Especially if she tastes your blood,: Rik whispered, his touch light in my mind in case Leonie was listening, though I’d tamped the Blood bonds back down.:It’s very potent, my queen.:
:You wouldn’t mind?:
