“But true,” he said. “Walter gets a love life and we get to keep our independence.”
“A unit on guard next door and Shiloh living upstairs isnotindependence.”
“But it’s better than being forced back to Asheville and the coven and royal responsibilities.”
“What does the unit think about it?” I made a fist. Still didn’t hurt.
“They’re retiring. They say they’re old.”
I snorted. It was a sound Aunt Jane might make. “They sip vamp blood for healing on a regular basis,” I said. “Their bodies are twenty years younger than their true age.”
EJ shrugged, as if he too found the decisions of old people, weird. “They and their families are willing to move here. They wouldn’t be here as a group except as needed. Two per shift, with Shiloh taking the brunt of nighttime security, just like Walter did.”
“I don’t like Shiloh taking over Walter’s apartment.” EJ didn’t reply so I added, “She’ll have lovers and probably live-in blood donors. She’ll never be discreet.” Cousin Wacko would be on top of us. Literally.
“Plus,” I said, “she stole my DNA and used my staff. That can’t happen again. I’ll have to put a lock on the staff.” I liftedmy hands, all glowy and white. Both cats leaped on them, rolling as if my hands were catnip. “She knows what our magic did at the mission. She’s the queen’sassassin.”
“She gave us the Rule of Three,” EJ said slowly. “Like a mini-coven.”
“You’re trying to say you like the idea of having an Everhart around.”
“Actually, yes. She doesn’t want to be part of the main coven either. And we already know our magics are compatible.”
I scowled at EJ, thinking, as I batted at the cats. Aurora batted back, grabbing my hand with all four legs. Borealis got the zoomies, running up the walls to the counters. Two steel bowls went flying, and clattered to the floor.
“Better not have dented that,” I said to Borealis. “Cats,” I said to EJ.
George farted in his sleep.
“Dogs,” EJ said. “Not saying it’s perfect. But we wouldn’t be under royal orders.”
“Piece by piece, we’re losing our independence.”
“Piece by piece we take it back. By making our own family. Walter could have gone back to the queen and Grampa and still gotten the trade for Nyoka. You know Mom and Dad would have taken on the challenge. He took the MOC position to stay near us and still give us our freedom.” EJ’s mouth softened. “He never showed it, but the old man loves us.”
“So…we invite him for holidays?”
“We include him in our Chat-town family. And the queen’s banner comes down from our building and goes up at Asshat’s old place.”
That suited meverywell. “Shoulda led with that.”
“What do you think?”
I tilted my head one way, then the other, weighing it. “I’m in if you are.”
“I’m in. We need to practice using our magic together. All our workings will be more effective.Healingworkings,assaultworkings, everything. As long as the military doesn’t get wind of what happened during the storm.”
“Fingers crossed,” I said. I handed the tablet to EJ. “I’m for a nap. Villetti will be here in a few hours.”
“You were supposed to go dancing with your friends.”
“I invited them over. We can dance here.”
“Oh God. I’ll make myself scarce.”
I laughed. EJ got up and, oddly, leaned over and kissed the top of my head. I used to do that to him, until he got too old to allow girl-kisses. Without another word, he deactivated Protocol Fuck Off and left my apartment.
Outside, Ivyanna Holmes lifted off for transport to vamp central for healing, and Nyoka took Amy Lynn Brown’s place in the dead-box for transport and incarceration. The blood donors joined the unit, waiting until sunset to feed the vamps. It was nearly sunrise.
