by Erin R Flynn
“Yeah, he came in here and flat out lied that I said he could check out the packhouse building and get an apartment. Christos laughed him out of here and especially when Murray mentioned his immigration status. Murray was shocked.”
“Nina has charms all over the packhouse and businesses that block other magic,” Monroe said.
I glanced at Enzo and he nodded, but I wasn’t sure that was a good secret to let out. Still, maybe it was best to sow doubt with the director right away. “I’ll have Carter send you the footage.”
“I’d like it as well, Thomas,” Galvin said. Not to be left out, the director demanded it too.
“Fine, because it’s asked of me, but this is private pack business, not something I’m trying to start here,” I reminded them. I did tell them the lead I’d come up with, admitting it wasn’t much to go on but it was at least something. “The timer gave us enough time to get people out. I don’t think this guy wants to hurt people, just show the system is falling apart, crumbling, and not doing what it should.”
“No, it’s sound logic and makes sense,” Galvin praised. “It might be a ton of dead ends but worth looking into while Oswalt and the bomb squad tear into the new evidence. I think that wraps up what needed to be said.”
“Actually, I have something if you can spare a few minutes as it’s rare to get all three of you on the phone,” I admitted, worrying it was the wrong time. Then again, there wasn’t really a right time. I decided to push back a bit given I couldn’t see the director would be on board. “It seems only fair to give this a legit chance given it was jumped to that I’m a prime suspect and we’re telling people about my blocking ring.”
Monroe snickered and coughed. Yeah, that was pointed.
“What do you have, Thomas?” Galvin asked, sounding amused.
I told them about the video the boys shot, going into detail about the parts I thought I needed FBI approval for. “Look, I know not everyone wants more supe good PR, but there is still worry about us policing supes like we let it all go and it’s the Wild West of unstable. And that’s just not the case. Yes, people are in favor of us keeping supes in line but let them get a glimpse we do it right.”
“We’d need to see it but the idea has merit,” the director admitted, shocking me and probably the others. “You’re right that we might agree on this topic and other politics, but everyone on this call does agree we want this funding and laws to stay federal. There needs to be order and laws and they should be federal, not this nonsense with Texas doing this or now Kansas started problems over the summer.”
“Agreed,” I said firmly. “It was also suggested Chief Havers do a vlog about his becoming a new wolf. If nothing else, it will handle a lot of the worry of him being boss but in my pack where I’m boss.”
“It’s the best checks and balances, which we understand as supes but to the outside it seems as conflicts,” Monroe muttered thoughtfully. “I wanted to do that for you but—” He sighed when I snorted. “Yeah, you were never going to do it and let’s be honest that people would have assumed all the problems were you were a woman. Havers is former special forces. He’s decorated FBI.”
“He’s also a special case where he made the decision but we did it to save his life when he was going to die on the job,” I added. “I do not want this to turn into a promo push to turn wolf like these bullshit vampire propaganda videos.”
“Oh? You’re not for all of us becoming non-humans?” the director drawled. “Aren’t you the next stage of evolution?”
“No, that’s idiot talk, sir,” I sighed, rolling my eyes yet again. “By all accounts, vampires and supes have been around just as long as humans. I have ancients working for me that are over four thousand years old. That’s not a new evolution by any stretch. And I absolutely do not think everyone should become a paranormal. You want a murderer who likes to kill to become more lethal?
“I sure as hell don’t. Do I think it’s a blessing at times? Yeah, I do. It saved Milo’s life. It save Brian’s life and he’s saved a lot of lives in his career. It saved my life even if the attack was what would have killed me. So, I think supes aren’t saints and not everyone should be one. I think people need more information—the right information, which I have always said. And I think Brian is the right person to do this.”
“And with all due respect, sir, I don’t think you can be unbiased on this one,” Galvin muttered. “I think the idea has merit but we let the president decide after Chief Havers agrees and does the first one. As long as it’s going to be real and show both sides of the transition, giving the good and bad with that information, I think there’s merit here.”
“Yes, he must show the negatives and drawbacks to be fair and not a fluff piece,” the director agreed… A bit too happily.
“That’s why it has to be Havers. The Boy Scout couldn’t hide that part or lie about what he was going through. Being a wolf wouldn’t change his core.” I snickered. “He’ll just get his ass kicked a bit more when he’s an idiot as that’s part of being a pack.”
“Sooo, clearly you’ve forgiven him for not telling you about his promotion and the restructuring,” Monroe mocked. “I can only imagine the penance on that one.”
“You act like he’s the only one on that list,” I purred. “I might be your subordinate, but I’m still an Alpha, a more powerful supe than you, and you kept sighing like I was being a petulant child that I wasn’t happy the boys’ club made all these decisions for me and my relationship an official exception with the FBI affecting my career. My other side has several words for you.”
The line was so quiet I wasn’t sure I should have said that but Enzo looked as if he was losing the battle with laughing from the other side of my glass office wall.
“In hindsight I was overly dismissive and offensive of your valid upset you weren’t informed of the changes to new structure that would affect you,” Monroe said, clearing his throat. “But I am removed from the vampire hierarchy working for the FBI. So are you and Havers.”
“Yes, but Havers wants to be part of the pack and he has to as one of my consorts. And you still want Chicago to be your home. So it’s me or Carter or I think Eugene wanted—”
“You, shit, yes, fine, you,” he hissed. “We can spar and you take your pound of flesh from me.”
“I would pay to see that,” the director confessed.
“Me too,” Galvin chuckled. “And I’m curious why you picked her?”
“Because Carter is thousands of years old and had a cruel side after working for the council for so long,” Monroe admitted. “And Eugene… Well, same with working for the council but he’s a dire wolf from a bloodline like the Dorcuses so powerful, centuries old, and—the damn man would maul me and maybe permanently for upsetting her. They do not fuck around.”
“I’m learning that. I’d just beat you a bit and embarrass you like I was when I found out you were all doing this behind my back. And for the record, this is part of why I don’t think everyone should become supes. Too many people would absolutely enjoy how far some of the rules and lines go way beyond human rules. That’s not something I encourage.”
Not when I believed in laws and keeping people safe. Fuck. No.
The call ended and Enzo seemed to disappear as fast as he appeared. That wasn’t disconcerting when I hadn’t even sensed him or anything. I really hoped I didn’t open myself to more problems later by inviting that monster in to handle the one I was currently faced with.
We might have pushed back on the director but I in no way thought that he accepted everything we said or his mind was changed on Murray. My luck was never that good.
I spent the next hour buried in disorganized lists trying to keep my temper under control. Both parties were being assholes as clearly they were printed lists. It would have taken them next to no time to alphabetize them.
Some were only initials for the first names. That was ridiculous with a city that had a huge Irish, Italian, and other European immigrant names.
I had two pages of Smiths from DCFS alone. So really, they would have deserved the punch to the face I wanted to give when I was trying to find someone leaving bombs around Chicago.
I swallowed a snarl when someone knocked at my door and called normally for them to come in.
SAiC Jennings was standing there with a knowing look on his face. He was a great internal team lead and go-to guy on anything tech. I just wasn’t sure what he needed me for.
He held up a USB drive. “I saw they were fucking with you and had it all scanned before Rodriguez brought them to you. If you give me what you grabbed first, I can get it all scanned and into a database file you can compare, organize, and search easier.”
“Jennings, you’re my favorite techie ever.”
“I know, boss,” he chuckled, tossing me the USB drive. “Are the pages all mixed together?” He held his hands up in surrender when I gave him a look not to insult me.
“I numbered them as I started going through them. I’m not a monster and I’m too used to how the FBI likes their paper and copies of everything in too full files.”
“Thank fuck they’re catching up to the rest of the world,” he mocked.
We quickly went through it all and pulled out the first ones I’d brought with me. He went off with them and I tossed the rest on the corner of my desk, using the much easier version.
Which the archdiocese and DCFS should have fucking given me to start with. Assholes.
By the time Jennings came back I was flying through pages to rule out names. He came and merged the files right at my desk and I thanked him, glad when he showed me the list of those complaints specifically from that church. That was what I would focus on first.
There were only four potential crossovers. I called back both the deacon and the contact from DCFS and told them I needed the files on four names to start. I ignored the attitude and barely contained the urge to claw them up when I said I might need more and they gave me attitude that I was taking my sweet time with the lists.
What a dick move given what little they gave me and the condition of it.
“Get it to me within the hour or I get a court order and make this all on the record and cause problems that I’m sure the media would love as they’re itching for anything,” I threatened each party. Funny how I had to use that threat twice.
Funny how it worked twice.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just skip all the bullshit and do our jobs? I knew I’d be in favor of it.
The threat worked though and I had what I needed emailed to me by the end of the day. One of the biggest changes for me to get used to with having a security team was leaving work on time unless there was an active case. I could do more work at home but the ancients didn’t deserve to sit around longer at my office because I was a target.
Especially when the idiots didn’t let me pay them. They got free blood at the club and they said that was more than worth guarding me and helping Simone and the club with some guard shifts. I guess getting blood was expensive and what we offered was much, much better.
Plus, Simone always let them use the facilities for free and a discount on the food. Yeah, we liked the extra security that came when any of the ancients were around. I knew Melicent wished they would visit New York to help her bottom line. Maybe one day. I was still too nervous some ancients would come in and try to take it all over.
And so was she from the way she always framed it as visiting, not staying.
Brian, Jonik, and some fairies I didn’t recognize were waiting for us when we arrived at the building. All I had to do was raise an eyebrow.
“Queen Laila is available to accommodate my visit starting tomorrow,” Brian explained. “Getting on a plane sounds great and all but—”
“Fuck, I forgot,” I whispered in horror. I was such a bitch to basically demand this of him when I had my own traumas with flying and understood why he would.
“I’m fine, babe,” he promised, ignoring how the fairies flinched. He slowly came closer and leaned down but didn’t kiss me.
I moved the last inch and let our foreheads touch, breathing in his scent. I loved his new smell and how he smelled of me. Instantly my body reacted but my wolf and siren were the ones to tell my physical response to shut up. He deserved this time-out and we needed to be the boss, teach him and others this lesson that we couldn’t be walked all over.
Not ever.
“Call me from the air,” I ordered. “I spoke with the director, Galvin, and Monroe. There was stuff I was going to tell you tonight.”
“Oh?” he asked, an edge to his voice.
I leaned back and raised an eyebrow. “Yes, because you’re not my boss yet and we’re still going to have a division of duties. However, you will be one of my wolves and this involves the supes of Chicago and our image. Meaning I’m boss of it.” I let out my power until he shivered and bared his neck to me. “Remind your wolf of that.”
“Yes, Alpha,” he panted. “Shit, that got me hard. I’m—”
“I know. We’ll get this.”
“I love you,” he breathed, sighing in relief when I pulled him down and kissed his neck. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too. Did you say goodbye to Topher?”
“Yeah, Maya and Jonik let me. She also approves these guys. Dain said he wants to meet them before they go near his son.” The pain in Brian’s eyes made my heart hurt.
“We’re married according to fairy law,” I reminded him gently. “My son is his son. That doesn’t make Topher not yours as well, okay? Topher can have more than one dad and all the love most kids never get.”
He nodded, reaching out and touching his engagement ring on the chain I was wearing. “I love you so much, Sera. We’re going to be okay, right?”
“Yes, as long as you stop shutting me out and making decisions for us when we’re supposed to be a team.” I finally knew how to say exactly what had been the problem for me after talking with Phobie and I was glad I could articulate it now. “I give you all my trust. Time to show me you value my opinion for everything and trust me the same. That’s what we’re supposed to be.”
“We are. I’ll learn.” Then he went bold and kissed me. I let him because I could feel how upset he was, see how lost and scared he was in his eyes. I kissed him back and sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening that I was right and we would make it through this.
We’d made it through so much else, it seemed like of course we would.
We had to.
Right?
Oh fuck all the damn ducks.
21
Dain actually knew the two fairy warriors from court. He couldn’t hide his shock even when he saw them. He leaned in when he greeted me and explained that they were Laila’s personal guards and of the highest level.
Yeah, I was shocked too then.
I blinked at the two guards. “And you guys are okay with getting assigned to this gig guarding a baby?”
They shared a look and the first nodded as he answered. “You have done much for our people, Princess Sera. Our queen values your friendship above many other alliances. And personally, you treat one of us who has been ‘disgraced’ as if he is the finest of us and helped get his status restored by mating him. So yes, you and your child must be protected at all costs. It is an honor to take this assignment.”
“His parents are pathetic assholes to disown him for helping his sister,” I grumbled, letting it go when Dain hugged me. I hated how fairy culture was so harsh like that but it wasn’t my culture after all. I was glad others could look past it and see Dain was worth more than the label of “disowned.”
We went upstairs and Topher liked both of them. It didn’t take them long to figure out why we were so worried.
“He is like you,” that same guy whispered. “And powerful.”
“Yes, he is so watch your thoughts,” I warned. “I know we were once feared but there aren’t many of us left and no one should ever become extinct on our watch.”
Well, that was something at least. I had enough problems of my own so it wasn’t like I could start searching for anyone with clairvoyant or psychic blood… Maybe next decade when I handled more of the more imminent threats against supes and those I loved.
Dain got them settled and I headed to my apartment to handle work and order food. It turned out that wasn’t needed as Emilio had already handled it. They were trying to show Enzo’s team some of their favorite spots and why Chicago was awesome, so they’d put in a huge order for Al’s Beef, a Chicago staple.
Fine. By. Me.
Yum.
I was on my second sandwich when my phone rang. “Thomas.”
“Yes, Alpha, this is Councilman Lima,” the man said, an edge to his voice.
“What can I do for you, Councilman?” I asked as I finished my bite and wiped my mouth.
He didn’t answer right away and then sighed. “You have no idea who I am, do you?”
“No, but there are a lot of you and I don’t have the time normally to collect your trading cards,” I threw right back, annoyed at the attitude. “Are you with the shifter council or vamps?” Now I was just being a bitch and I knew it.
“I’m your elder,” he growled.
“Oh, you’re the newest councilman, the new wolf elder who fucked me over and almost got me dead in Russia,” I purred. “I have lots to say to you.”
“I’m calling to apologize for that situation.”
I waited for more, counting to ten when I realized I wasn’t going to get it. “That’s it? You’re not going to apologize for lying or anything else? You undermined my position as Alpha and risked the security of my pack. Just you almost blew up what we’ve been working on or making the situation worse in Russia?”
“I apologize for putting you in that position,” he said. “After speaking with Eugene, I realized what I could have cost him and—”
“You’re only calling because Eugene threatened to eat you basically?” I seethed. “What about my being pissed and my threat?” I almost lost my temper when the sexist prick snickered.