“He caught my name!” Takashi said with a cheery grin. “What a smart little doggy.”
Zack took a step forward with his right fist clenched. He stopped from taking another step when Roger motioned for him to halt. Already, Roger could feel a shift in the energy between Nell, Takashi, and Zack. There was an urgency and a readiness to pounce. Zack was good, and Roger could take Takashi without much effort. But Nell. They’d have a chance, but not without Zack’s dagger and not with Takashi dividing their attention.
And I don’t want anyone in this room to die. Roger shot Zack a pleading look.
Zack narrowed his eyes, then rested his attention on Takashi. “You’re Takashi Sato. Nell sired you in 1895. You were a trapeze artist with a traveling circus that was wintering here. One night,you fell, and she decided to turn you. You spent the first fifty years by her side, but after World War II, you became her ambassador to other covens. Before Cairo, you were in Tokyo for three years, before that London for five, before that Dubai for seven—should the doggy continue?”
Takashi dropped his mask of pompous pleasure and smiled genuinely at Nell and then to Zack. His tone was respectful as he said, “You have done your homework, though you’re bold to address me like this.”
“Fuck you,” Zack said. “You’re clearly in on our scheme. How much of my research did you get to read?”
“I’m quite moved that you thought you might assassinate me by planting a potential pet in Los Angeles. Before this came up, that was going to be my next assignment,” Takashi said. “How did you figure that out?”
“The LA and Las Vegas covens are considering merging. Since Nell seems to hate any territory bigger than hers on the same continent, I figured you’d be sent in to muddy the waters and sabotage any deals.”
Takashi pointed at Zack but looked to Nell. “He isclever.” Grinning broadly, he swung his gaze back to Zack. “You are absolutely wonderful. Did you know that?”
Zack double-blinked and then frowned at Takashi.
“Nice to see you getting along,” Nell said.
“Not that it matters. He’s not coming,” Roger replied. When everyone looked his way, he did his best to keep his chin up. The world was tilting, and he was tumbling. He had to catch his footing before things spiraled further out of his control. “I have enough to handle without explaining his presence.”
“You’re not leaving without him,” Nell said.
“You think Seamus is going to be all right with me returning with one of yourcaptains? We’ll be staked the first night.”
“We have a night to sort out the approach.”
“I have an idea, if I’m allowed to speak, masters,” Takashi said.
Elevating Roger to Nell’s status had to be Takashi’s way of worming into Roger’s good graces. His respect might not be genuine. After all, he was her sireling. His loyalty would always be to her first. And with his connections, he could secure a rule in the GLC and present the territory to Nell if he wanted.
He was a potential traitor.
But Rover could also remember when Takashi was young and knew nothing of subterfuge. He had been sincere. They had been close, once.
“No promises,” Roger said.
“I’m willing to listen,” Nell said.
Takashi shifted his gaze from Nell to Roger and back as if judging their readiness to match his dance steps. “I could formally leave Nell’s coven and petition to join the GLC.”
“No,” Nell replied sharply. “If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to retaliate.”
“Openly,” Takashi said. “You’d be able to exercise other paths.”
Zack looked to Roger. “Could he still claim the GLC and work closely with Nell?”
“In theory, he could, but he would have more trouble from them and Nell’s own people. Defending one of their own is one thing, but I doubt every vampire in Nell’s domain would seek to defend the leader of a territory that technically wasn’t one of them.”
“Not to mention how the European vampires would riot,” Takashi said. “They aren’t in favor of how Nell runs the humans in her territory.”
Takashi’s plan made sense. Joining a coven and taking it over within a decade wasn’t done without outside help. Roger’s own claim would be strengthened by his age and that he wastechnically a founding member. If Takashi did betray him and claim the GLC, the other covens wouldn’t have to physically attack Nell or Takashi. They could impose financial sanctions on the GLC if Takashi was seen to be leading it for her. Money and influence were as vital to a coven as blood.
“Could work,” Roger sighed.
“Seamus could reject your application. Then you’d be in hostile territory on your own,” Nell said. “I won’t allow it.”
