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"What business with Tate?" Ethan repeated, an edge of anger in his voice.
I bit back a smile, glad Catcher was the one Ethan was about to light into. That made a nice change.
Catcher stopped and turned back to Ethan. "Tate's staff has been calling the office," he said. "He's been asking questions about vampire leadership, about the Houses, about the Sentinel."
Since I was the only Sentinel in town, I perked up. "About me?"
Catcher nodded. "The General Assembly agreed to forgo vamp management legislation this year in lieu of investigation, to ensure that nothing too prejudicial was passed. But that wasn't too hard a choice, since greater Illinois doesn't have to deal with vampires in their midst - all the Houses are in Chicago. The City Council's getting antsy, though. I know you and Grey talked to your aldermen" - Ethan nodded at this - "but the rest of the council has concerns. There's talk about zoning, about curfews, regulations."
"And what's Tate's position on that stuff?" I asked.
Catcher shrugged. "Who the hell knows what Tate thinks?"
"And he still hasn't come to any of us," Ethan muttered, eyes on the ground, brow furrowed. "He hasn't talked to Scott or Morgan or me."
"He's probably not ready to talk to you in person," Catcher said. "Maybe doing his groundwork before he sets up that meeting?"
"Or he's keeping his distance on purpose," Ethan muttered. He shook his head in reprobation, then glanced at me. "What does he want to know about Merit?"
"Likes, dislikes, favorite flowers," Mallory put in.
"So not helping," I whispered.
"I'm not kidding. I think he's totally crushing you."
I snorted in disbelief. "Yeah. The mayor of Chicago is crushing on me. That's likely."
Unlike Ethan, I had met Tate, and though he'd seemed likable enough, there was no way he was crushing on me.
"He just wants information," Catcher said. "I think at this point it's a vague curiosity. And frankly, his interest could be related to her parentage, rather than her affiliation."
Ethan leaned toward me. "At least I know you aren't feeding Tate information, or you'd surely have ferreted that out."
I clenched my jaw at the insinuation, which he'd made before, that I was some kind of informational spigot between the House and Tate's office. I decided I'd been on the receiving end of one too many speeches and snarky comments today. I glanced at Catcher and asked the same favor he'd asked of us earlier. "Would you two give us a minute?"
Catcher looked between us, grinned cheekily. "Knock yourself out, kid. We'll be in the car."
I waited until the car doors were shut before I stepped forward, stopped within inches of Ethan's body. "Look. I know why you gave me that speech earlier today. I know you have an obligation to protect your vampires. But irrespective of the way that I was made, I have done everything that you've asked of me. I've taken training, I gave up my dissertation, I moved into the House, I got you in to see my father, I got you into the Breckenridge house, and I've dated the man you asked me to." I pointed at the house behind us. "And even though I was supposed to get a few hours free from the drama of Cadogan House tonight with said man, I followed you here because you requested it. At some point, Ethan, you might consider giving me a little credit."
I didn't wait for him to answer, but turned on my heel and went to the car. I opened the back door, climbed inside, and slammed it shut behind me.
Catcher caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. "Feel better?"
"Is he still standing there with that dumbstruck expression on his face?"
There was a pause while he checked, then a chuckle. "Yes, he is."
"Then, yes, I feel better."
The car was quiet on the ride north to Wicker Park, Ethan pissed at Catcher for not sharing information about Tate within his preferred time frame (i.e., immediately), Mallory napping in the backseat, apparently worn out by her magical exertions, and Catcher humming along with an ABBA marathon he'd found on an a.m. radio station.
We reached the brownstone and said our goodbyes. Catcher reminded me that I was scheduled to practice with him first thing tomorrow evening, and Mallory and I teared up at her transition to Apprentice Sorceress, at the fact that my time with her for the next six weeks would be largely limited to phone calls. But I trusted Catcher, and given that Celina was on the loose, I was glad Mal would be learning more about her gifts, her skills, her ability to wield magic. The more protection she had, the better I felt, and I was pretty sure Catcher felt the same.
Since we'd arrived separately, Ethan and I drove our respective cars back to Cadogan House - him in the sleek Mercedes, me in my boxy Volvo. I parked the Volvo on the street, glad I'd completed my round of obligations for the night so I could have at least a few hours to myself. But he met me in the foyer, cream-colored envelope in his hand. I adjusted my own armfuls of stuff - mail, shoes, sword - and took it from him.
"This was messengered to you," he said.
I opened it up. Inside was an invitation to a gala at my parents' house the next night. I made a face. Tonight had been long enough; it didn't look like tomorrow would afford much relief.
"Lovely," I said, then showed him the invite.
He read it over, then nodded. "I'll arrange for a dress. You have katana training with Catcher tomorrow?" At my nod, he nodded back. "Then we'll leave shortly after."
"What's on the agenda?"
Ethan turned and began walking back toward his office. I followed him, at least as far as the staircase.
"The agenda," he said when we paused, "is to continue our investigations. Your father is aware that we are interested in a threat involving the Breckenridges. Given what I know of him, it's likely he'll have done some checking of his own."
"You planned it," I said, thinking of the seeds he'd planted with my father. "Told him just enough about the Breckenridges, about the danger facing us, to make him want to ask questions." Although I wasn't thrilled about the thought of going home, I could appreciate a good strategy when I heard one. "That's not bad, Sullivan."
He gave me a dry look before turning toward his office. "I appreciate the vote of confidence. Until dusk," he said, and walked away.
Once in my room, I dumped my sword and my pile of mail, then kicked off my shoes. I'd left my cell phone in my room, since I'd planned to spend the evening with the only people likely to call me, but found a voice mail waiting.
