"You'd be doing whatever team administrators do," Katerina added with a light chuckle. "Which, honestly, we're all still figuring out as we go. But I know you're organized and detail-oriented – perfect qualities for this role."
"I'd love to!" Harper exclaimed, unable to contain her enthusiasm. She could hardly wait to get her hands on everything and begin organizing immediately!
Harper's excitement bubbled over as she considered her new role as team administrator. She turned to Aleksei, her newfound enthusiasm overcoming the intimidation she would have otherwise felt, dealing with this ancient, clearly powerful vampire.
"I should give you my contact information," she said, fumbling in her purse for a business card.
He inclined his head, his impassive demeanor thawing a touch. "That seems sensible. I'll forward you the list once it's assembled."
As Harper handed over her card, Tyr sidled closer, a roguish grin spreading across his face. "You know, I wouldn't mind having your number too, little fox. For... security purposes, of course."
Harper blinked, caught off guard by the vampire's sudden flirtation. Before she could formulate a response, Tobi jabbed his twin sharply in the ribs.
"Knock it off, you idiot," Tobi hissed, rolling his eyes. "We're here on business, not to pick up dates."
Tyr yelped, rubbing his side dramatically. "Hey! I was just being friendly. No need to get violent."
"Friendly, my foot," Tobi retorted. "You were about as subtle as a brick through a window. Besides, she's mated, duh."
He indicated Nathan with a nod of his head, and the twins continued their good-natured bickering, their voices rising and falling in a familiar rhythm that suggested this was a common occurrence between them. Harper found herself struggling to maintain a straight face as she watched their antics.
Beside her, Katerina and Jacinth were having no such compunctions. Katerina's shoulders shook with silent laughter, while Jacinth's musical giggle filled the air. Harper glanced at them, her own amusement bubbling up, and soon all three women were giggling uncontrollably. Even Nathan was grinning widely.
"Are they always like this?" Harper managed to ask between fits of laughter, gesturing at the squabbling vampires.
Jacinth wiped a tear from her eye, her voice still tinged with mirth. "Oh, you have no idea. They've been at it for centuries, from what I hear from Alyssa and Remi."
Katerina nodded, her golden eyes dancing with amusement. "It's like watching an old married couple, isn't it?"
Katerina tapped on the table, bringing the meeting back to order. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to the Maine Coon shifter.
"Alright, everyone," Katerina began, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "I need to update you on our immediate plans. Troy and I are heading to the network studio tomorrow afternoon for my appearance on the talk show."
Harper felt a flutter of nervous excitement in her stomach. This was it – the moment that would change everything for their community.
Remi, however, all but bounced in his seat, his brown eyes sparkling with an almost childlike enthusiasm despite being centuries old. "This is going to be so awesome!" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together with glee. "I mean, you're going on national television! This is huge! Historical! Epic!"
Tobi and Tyr exchanged identical looks of exasperation before rolling their eyes in perfect synchronization. Harper had to bite back a smile at their matching expressions - it was uncanny how alike they were, even in their mannerisms.
Jacinth reached over and smacked Remi on the back of his head, making him yelp. "This isn't some entertainment show for your amusement," she scolded, though Harper caught the hint of affection in her tone. "This is serious business."
The Djinn is young, Reyna commented in Harper's mind, clearly referring to Remi's enthusiasm.He is not grown, yet no longer kit.Okay, that was interesting. He had to be at least several hundred years, if he was around back in the sixteenth century. That didn't seem young to her.Young,Reyna stressed.
Curious, Harper questioned her.How do you know?
Reyna gave the mental equivalent of a shrug.He is young, she repeated once more, and Harper gave it up. She'd try to find out more later, when in not the middle of a crucial meeting.
Katerina was continuing, her golden eyes scanning the room. "During the talk show, I'll be discussing what it means to be a shifter. And yes, I'll be shifting on camera, and Troy will be talking about what it was like, finding out about shifters. My sister, Melanthe, will be there as well, with her twins, who are just a year old. We're going for relatability."
Harper watched as Jake's brow furrowed, his expression shifting from thoughtful to concerned.
"Wait a minute," he said, straightening in his chair. "I thought we agreed no children would be revealed during the initial disclosure. The risk is too high."
Katerina held up a hand, her golden eyes steady and calm. "We had a family discussion about this. Melanthe's situation is unique. As a Kazakis, she was going to be revealed anyway – there's no way to keep her heritage secret when the whole family is going public."
Harper could see the logic in this. The Kazakis family was tight-knit, and their restaurant was a cornerstone of the community. Trying to keep part of the family hidden while others went public would be nearly impossible.
"Besides," Katerina continued, "the twins are only a year old. It'll be years before they're ready for school, and right now they spend most of their time in kitten form anyway. Melanthe feels this is actually the perfect time to introduce them."
