Had something happened while he'd been gone?Elijah had mentioned the board several times now.
* * * *
Thano looked out over the faces gathered on the gravel road outside Romeo's house.Now when Eli wasn't here, he almost wished they'd been in the clearing where they always were when they had meetings.He didn't care what Romeo's coven thought about how they did things at the ranch.He'd included humans because he wanted Eli's input.
“There were people by Eli's shop."Emeric was the first to speak, not something he normally did.He rarely spoke at all during meetings unless it was to clarify something he wasn't sure he'd understood right.
“Doing what?"If they'd been inside Eli's shop without his permission, Thano would hunt them down.
“I'm not sure.I didn't want to risk being seen, and I was in a bit of a hurry to get back here, but they fastened a paper on the door and a man with a gun had a--" He looked at Romeo and gestured with his hand, mimicking opening something.“--unfolding seat."
“Folding stool?"Romeo frowned.
“Pretty small, black fabric."Emeric gestured again, and Thano breathed in deep.What kind of chair the idiot had was irrelevant.
Romeo nodded.“Sounds like a folding stool or camping stool or whatever we want to call them."
“It doesn't matter what we call them."Thano tried hard not to snarl.“Couldn't you see what it said on the paper?"
“Wait."Teresa held up a hand.Of everyone in Romeo's coven, she was the one he liked the least.Maria was kind, Alice was in her own world, and Lorenzo was a good mate who mostly focused on making Alice happy, but Teresa--She complained a lot, and she often blamed Romeo for things going wrong in her life.He wasn't sure he'd grant her a permanent stay at the ranch if it came to that.
“No one is allowed papers."
“The board has papers."Thano's tone was clipped.“If there is a paper on Eli's door, it'll be from the board."
She looked like she wanted to argue, but Thano had been on the board, she hadn't.
Emeric grimaced.“I didn't read the paper."
“Whatever it says, it sounds as if they've put a guard outside Eli's shop."Romeo hooked his arm in Ciar's.The easy touch made Thano's chest ache.“Maybe it isn't a bad thing, maybe he's there to keep people from looting."
“From what?"Byrd frowned at Romeo.
“Stealing.Maybe someone heard Eli was out of town and figured they could get away with stealing food."
“But you're not allowed to steal."Byrd looked at Thano.“You always tell us we're not allowed to steal."
Great.Thano gave Romeo a narrow-eyed look.The crows would've picked every shiny thing from his house before he'd arrived if Thano hadn't enforced a no-stealing policy.
“Oh no, you're not allowed to steal, and the punishment is harsh."Romeo looked at Thano as if asking if he was saying the right thing.Thano gave him a minuscule nod.
“But sometimes when people are desperate, they do stupid things.We've read books about people stealing, right?"
“Shinys, not food."
Thano sighed.
“True."Romeo smiled.“You can't eat shinys, though.If you're hungry, it's better to steal food."
Teresa looked at Byrd as if he was stupid.He wasn't, he was a crow.
“If someone steals from Eli's shop, the vampires will deal with it."
Byrd didn't look pleased with Thano's decision, but right now only vampires were allowed into town.He met Emeric's gaze.“Can someone keep an eye on Eli's shop?"
“Sure, I'll go back after the meeting."
“Good.Keep your distance unless someone breaks in."He didn't want to put Emeric in danger.
