by Erin R Flynn
“You have quite the clubhouse here, Thomas,” Galvin chuckled, pouring himself a drink.
“Yeah, you should see the price tag for it, so it’s very generous my partner lets us use it.” I stretched as I headed to the showers, needing it. Leaving my clothes on a bench after I undressed, I waited for the water to heat up before getting under it, enjoying it and the quiet moment.
“You wished to have pre-negotiations sex to remind me you’re on the FBI side?” Apollo murmured as he joined me.
I turned around and raised an eyebrow. “I gave you a look like we needed to talk. You’re the one who joined me where I’d be naked. You’re the one getting undressed all on his own.”
“Fine, I hoped that was what you wanted,” he admitted. “Is it not?”
“No, I don’t whore myself out for the FBI,” I chuckled, keeping my tone light given I’d played a call girl on cases. “That doesn’t mean I won’t remind you that we had fun and screwing me professionally will not give you a repeat of screwing me. I don’t touch stoves that burn me ever again.”
“May I join you?” he asked when he was naked.
“Yes, but I’m not actually in the mood for sex,” I warned, looking away when understanding filled his eyes.
“I would never be so crass with your boss waiting for us,” he murmured, moving under the water and boxing me against the tiles. “Merely a few kisses we’ll both enjoy.”
“Gladly,” I purred, kissing him deeply as I fed, accepting his invitation. His hands roamed my body, getting them soaped up under the guise of washing me, but I let him. He was sexy as could be, so really it wasn’t any hardship. “Galvin’s a good man, Apollo. He’s gone to bat for our division and helping paranormals. He was a big influence in getting this law in Texas squashed. He wants to expand as much as we do.”
“So don’t piss him off with my normal vampire games,” he surmised, kissing my neck. “Let me?” I flinched, and he sighed. “I know there are drinks served here with your blood. I want to taste it warm from you. A few drops. That is all.”
I pressed my lips against his ear. “Only if you’re on your knees worshipping me as you should for asking that of me. Do you want a few drops from down there, Apollo?”
Apparently he did, and apparently I really did like being bit there like my nipples. I had thought it was all the crazy with Igor and my siren taking over… But no. I was a bit kinky it seemed.
“Will you promise to always be good to him?” he asked me while he was still on my knees.
I didn’t play the game and pretend I didn’t know who he was talking about. “Yes. He knows he won’t ever be my main lover, and I think he prefers that. I will protect him and give him the freedom to do what he wants even if he’s tied to me for eternity. It’s up to him what he wants. I’m glad you guys had fun, but he was clear he couldn’t go back to you. I think getting burned by someone in authority will keep him from ever wanting to be truly mine.”
“He said the same to me in private,” he admitted as he stood, licking his lips in a very alluring way given what he’d been doing. “Thank you for giving him what I could not.”
“You’re welcome, and I’m glad you care, but I’m doing it for him.”
“I know, which is why you are truly a rare woman, and an even rarer paranormal.” His tone had the tint of something sounding like I was naive, but I ignored it and took the compliment.
I had enough trouble sleeping at night. I didn’t need to do anything I knew would add to that. We finished and rejoined everyone, Goran giving us a look of lust like he’d missed out on something.
“We weren’t having sex in the shower while you guys waited,” I drawled, wanting to say it for Galvin too. “He had a few questions on structure differences. Like I care if we did it showering? I get on stage completely naked now.”
“I’m so going to love living here,” Carter groaned, giving me a look like he wanted to eat me instead of the pizza. I gestured for him to join me in getting a drink. “Mistress, did I offend you?”
“No, not at all, but I want to be very clear on something,” I muttered as I poured a Coke, waiting until he nodded. “I enjoyed last night—immensely. I’d be open for a repeat and maybe a lot of them—”
“But the moment you let go and just enjoyed what you wanted, not caring for the prude thoughts in your head, your world blew up, and now the last thing you want is another steady boyfriend,” he said, his tone gentle, but that meant he knew a lot more than I was comfortable with.
Then again, I was uncomfortable with all they knew. I gave a slight nod, studying him carefully.
He set down my drink, moving his arm around me and kissing me breathless. “Mistress, it would be my greatest honor to enjoy as many repeats as you will allow me, but I fully intend to relish in this freedom you offer, have given Zlat and Goran. For centuries maybe.”
I searched his eyes and after a moment comprehended what he was saying. People under council members had to be just as careful for the games and bullshit. They’d had to watch every step, every move, and every emotion for thousands of years. Wow, talk about tiring.
“Good. I cannot take anyone’s feelings and might just have fun for awhile as well.”
“Please put my number on speed dial,” he chuckled, giving me another kiss.
Well, that was easier than I had thought. Maybe that was the right move for a while… Nothing but easy.
“Won’t you get a new number moving here?” I teased him, moving my hands to his ass. “Maybe you’ll just have to keep an eye on me to suggest when I’m free?”
He pressed his lips against my ear and whispered exactly what he wanted to do to me with all of him and not just an eye. Dear god, those old vampires had mouths on them. I was one big hormone as we rejoined the others.
Until I felt the emotions of the meeting. I sighed, sitting down at the table with my pizza, ready to hold hands of the “adults” who were several pay grades above me or centuries old. Because that should totally be my job.
Things got a bit heated when Apollo demanded some sort of signed protection that wouldn’t have people working for my division of the FBI transferred or used as others saw fit from the president. Galvin looked at me like that was a crazy demand, but I just shrugged.
“I’d like that too, sir.” I sighed when he frowned. “I trust you . You will not always be the boss to handle this. In my perfect world you’d get promoted, run the FBI forever. But that’s not likely. You’re young and high up. You’ll probably go into politics, and then we’re stuck with the next person who could hate paranormals and we’re screwed. There is a reason so many still hide.
“Hell, most are recommending it with how far things got in Texas. You saw how even Axel wouldn’t give a last name or more information. People try for the Mojave Desert facility every other day. We’re talking about bringing ancient vampires into the spotlight, so the most deadly and dangerous ones who want to do good, but will be probably the most hated. There are not enough assurances in place.
“Not after what the other agencies pulled. Alena worked stuff for me and mine in Greece, but what about the others? They’re going to leave the protection of the International Vampire Council to come here, be under me and risk the next wave of unrest and desire for lab rats? We can’t even put a team in Memphis to protect the paranormals there after the county cops were mounting heads of their shifter kills.”
“I’m working on that,” he interjected. “And Memphis was a big help—as horrible as that sounds. So far what your office has done is get a lot of other paranormals in line. It scared the far right and haters to throw more into protection from you. This was the first big mess that showed how badly all of you need the protection.”
I held off Apollo for a minute. “And what about all the human cases we solved in Vegas?” Galvin winced, and I nodded. “Right, that wasn’t made big because no one’s going to praise us making the regular FBI look bad. And the terrorists?”
He shrugged. “
They wanted American citizens. All law enforcement took a lot of flak for allowing a cell to form here, letting any of them in.”
“Great, so everyone’s so busy throwing blame around we never got the credit for the cleanup. We’re honest that we’re policing our own, and that makes us need it more, but anytime we defend paranormals and protect them, it’s no big unless it’s from humans. It’s a blip on no one’s radar because it’s paranormal violence against paranormals.”
He shrugged. “The other side has played better politics. Most paranormals act very aloof or throw around their age, treating humans like ants or completely ignorant to their own world. It’s not a great honey lure to make friends. This club has done more than most any of the shows or fun in Vegas.”
“Because that’s still them watching us,” Apollo muttered, nodding. “This is a mingling. The cook-off was a mingling. There has to be more instances of common ground and blending. We understand that.” He chuckled when we shot him disbelieving looks. “We do. It’s simply dangerous . Queen Laila has put her face out there now, and even I know just about every hate group has people surveilling Caesar’s for the next time she might leave.
“And there’s no recourse against that. Chief Thomas made one of the first major moves in Memphis since the world found out about us. We’re tired of being so hunted and unprotected. I do not mean only here. If order and clearer lines aren’t drawn and upheld, there will be a shift that people won’t like, as we are not weak nor will we keep enduring this abuse.”
“I understand,” Galvin accepted, not taking it as a threat, but a warning he would be smart to pass along. “Just so we’re clear though, we don’t need your actual approval.”
I winced, noting when Apollo’s face turned red. “No, but they can decree they’re against it and no vampire would touch it then for fear of going against them. They’ve wisely done it in other areas. There’s a lot behind the scenes they keep the lids on.”
“Yes, but much more of it without better protection or more assurances and people will stop caring about that.” He rattled off in Greek when even I gave him a confused look. “The company, an actual company, was letting people taint the blood supply to the Memphis coven. That was why they would not get involved. And who would they tell? Was that not already illegal? We have many reports like this always.”
“People need to start telling us this,” I interjected. “I don’t care if it’s for all over the country. We can field the calls to the right places or put in the requests to go handle the situation like we did there. I get there wasn’t the right help before, but we’re getting better . Only if people report it. Once I got the list from Virgil of what was suspected could I go up the chain, and we were there a few weeks later.”
“I understand, but that has only been since you have been in charge. Many have faith in you , Seraphine, not the FBI or this government. That also makes it more dangerous for you as you know. Alpha Lyon coming to subjugate you, twist old wolf laws to forcibly mate you, take everything you have fixed and built and wield it like a boy taking a car he could not handle for a ride. And at the behest of a wolf elder because of his sexism?
“To keep wolves in the dark and doing things as they want instead of by the rules we want enforced on both sides? Under that law he was to solidify his takeover with a pup of his pack’s blood. Do you understand what that means? They could have raped you indefinitely. All of Milwaukee. All those wolves whenever they wanted until you bore a pup and it be legal .”
“I get it,” I snapped, clearing my throat. “No, I didn’t know that part, but yes, I understood how bad it was. It’s been handled, and it didn’t happen. I get how dangerous my position is and the growing types of threats against me and mine. A witch snuck in here last night and drugged the people closest to me with I don’t even know what, but Nina believes the goal was for them to screw me to death and then tear each other apart. I get it .”
“I apologize,” he murmured, reaching over and rubbing my arm. “I say this not to upset you or pour salt in your newest wound. I say it so your brass understands there is more than politics on the line here and you risk it because you feel this is right. You risk so much to help those they should be helping and have failed. They need to take this seriously because it is not something that will be tolerated for much longer.”
“I understand,” Galvin accepted, bobbing his head. “I will take this directly to the director and he can apprise the president directly. I believe after seeing just how much can be brought to the table after this raid, and the lives having this structure in place will save, I truly have high hopes.”
“Good, then I will also add the decision the council has made about how well this area is doing and handling the protection of our people—American or not.” He smiled at Goran who was sitting across from him, taking in the discussion with interest. “You’ve been voted as the new advisor of the Midwest region of this country.”
“What?” he breathed, dropping his fork and the pizza on it.
Apollo chuckled, shaking his head. “I never tire of your reactions. Yes, Goran, you are the oldest vampire in America now, this region specifically, and you have repeatedly said you wish to remain here, head this idea even. I knew why you were calling me here. We have eyes and ears everywhere, and the raid you were on was quite successful, and that was without you fully trained.
“How you and Chief Thomas decide to handle whatever going forward, or if Carter would lead the teams and you manage, is at your discretion. The position opened because the last one was an idiot and didn’t ask for help in a sticky situation outside his area and got dead. The advisor positions were mostly a joke, a checks and balance no one cared about, mainly placating the governments who wanted them.
“But as Chief Thomas has repeatedly stated, governing isn’t just passing judgement and putting the fear of the council into our people, but helping them when they need it. This is our step in helping. You have stood at the side of a corrupt councilman for thousands of years, even before he was on the council. You have seen how bad the system can work. We thought you’d like to be part of the change.”
“You sneaky son of a bitch!” I burst out laughing, wiping under my eyes when I finally started to calm down. Most everyone was giving me shocked or appalled looks, but Apollo looked cautiously optimistic I really understood. “You don’t think I talked to Carter?”
“No, I absolutely thought you would,” he confirmed, twirling his drink with his fingers, balancing it in a masterful way.
“You brought twenty of your best to a friendly meeting eyes would be on, knowing I would never challenge you after Igor came with his batshit craziness and died. If another one did, it would mean I was the problem and a problem you would need to deal with, so we both know you could have come without any security because there was no worry from me.”
“You planned to support this idea all along,” Goran guessed, his eyes going wide. “But you couldn’t publicly in case the government screwed us, one of the few governments that accept us, because the council would have to make a move if you did. Why challenge Seraphine for me?”
He gave Goran a sad smile. “Because you might be the perfect man for this job and to help our people, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you or want you at my side, Goran. You were meant to be a leader, but unlike a thousand years ago, now I could give you both, I could give you the choice of what you truly want.
“The moment you admitted to me months ago that she had not sovereigned you yet, as cautious as she is kind, I knew this was the move to make. The advisor died before Igor came. It was his actual job to tour the area and decide on a new one, but instead he dropped his duty to try for the rabbits, and here you ended up. Here you want to stay. I believe it was fate—as do others on the council—that you landed here to help her.
“She is too new to do this alone, and while her council helps, the fairy queen is stepping up, they are not here nor are we. Now one of us will be. Your power surpasses mine�
�” He threw back his head and laughed when we both winced. “Oh children, you did not pull any fast ones on the adults. We know more than you ever think. So yes, you have our support, but it is not something we will announce without better security and assurances in place.”
“I will convey that to my superiors,” Galvin muttered, glancing between us and then shaking his head. “And I thought the damn FBI was underhanded.” He slid out of the booth as he wiped his mouth. “I will leave you to lay into him some more while I update the director and inform him I’m extending my stay a bit.”
“You are?” I asked, not able to make it sound like I was happy about that.
He smirked at me. “I like to have fun too, Thomas. Everyone has been talking about this club on the regular nights and yes, I want to see it. Plus, these dominance fights that are being streamed this weekend sound like lots of fun. Something a lot of people would watch and want to see. So nicely done.”
“It wasn’t my idea actually. I have smart Betas.” I swallowed a wince, thinking about what they had said to me the night before and that mess I needed to handle. “Well, I’ll make sure we save you a ticket, but I don’t know if the restaurant or club is booked.”
“I already have my reservation and ticket,” he promised. “I was going to leave Saturday night, but I think I’ll stay until Monday.”
“Oh, your wife is going to hate me,” I sighed, shaking my head. Was there just a line now, or did I need one of those deli counter ticket dispensers?
“She’s used to this and work being extended. I have a feeling the news is booming with the raid, so she’ll understand. I’d like to make sure I’m on top of that too. Goodnight, everyone, and Happy New Year. I will see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, sir.” Everyone else said goodbye, and he left, most of us giving a sigh of relief that things had gone well and he seemed to be leaving happy.
It didn’t always end like that, so it was nice it did for once.
“And we’re fine with the true number of vampires Vlad has, as we’re recommending more Masters add to their covens as you are your pack by getting important bloodlines out of dangerous areas,” Apollo said evenly. He focused on his pizza like he’d been commenting on the weather and not completely busted Vlad—and me for covering for him—on the dangerous numbers of warriors he had.