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Nerissa leaned against the counter, a frown on her face. “You think he’s slipping more into the predator side of his nature? That seems out of character with what you’ve told me about him.”
I jerked my head up. It couldn’t be true. Wade, of all vampires? Turning into a badass?
“No,” I said quickly. Too quickly. I caught the panic in my voice. “At least, I don’t think so.”
The geeky glasses had vanished, yes. And sure, he was wearing a shiny replica of Jim Morrison’s pants. But moving into the shadows? I shook my head.
“I know he’s worried that Terrance will win. And if Terrance prevails, all the work the VA club’s done over the past few years goes down the drain. Maybe I overreacted. Wade’s just facing reality. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I’m a liability now. I’m controversial.” It stung even more to admit I could see his side of things, but I couldn’t deny reality.
“Shit,” she said. “I’m sorry.” She held out one hand, and I took it, just lightly holding her fingers.
“So that’s my news. What did you want to tell me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, life just gets better and better. The Council of Elders held a meeting tonight and asked me to attend. I came directly here afterward. You know, right, that since Zachary’s going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of the summer, and since his bid for City Council is pretty much toast, Venus the Moon Child is serious about wanting me to run in his place?”
“Right, but I also thought the COE had debated shelving the idea for a while because you’re so against outing yourself as a Supe.” Nerissa was in the closet about being a Were. Passing had helped her career over the years.
“Yeah, I thought the issue was off the table, too, but apparently not. The council met again and discussed it at length. Venus thinks it will be good for the community. And if the state fires me when I come out, we can slam them with a law-suit under the new anti-Supe discrimination laws going into effect. When the government scrambled to give Earthside Fae rights, they had to extend the same to the Weres. So if I come out now, theoretically they can’t touch my job.” She fidgeted.
The Fae first. Supes second. Vampires—maybe sometime in the future. The government had never been known for an equity-for-all stance. I gazed into her eyes. Flickering indecision stared back at me.
“You don’t want to run, do you?”
Nerissa shook her head. “I never did. I don’t want the responsibility. The campaign will eat up all my free time. I won’t have a moment to myself, especially if I keep working, and I plan to keep working. I like my job too much to give it up. And that means . . .” She glanced up at me. “I won’t have much time for my friends. Or lovers.”
I blinked. “You aren’t walking down Wade’s road, are you?”
“Not at all,” she said, and by the tone in her voice and the strained look in her eyes, I believed her. “If they told me to break off with you just because you’re a vampire, I’d tell the council to screw itself. Venus knows we’re lovers, and he’s okay with it. And Venus practically rules the Puma Pride at this point. No, the problem is that if I accept the challenge, I’ll have to spend every spare moment campaigning. By the time you get up for the night, I’ll be exhausted. And I don’t have the luxury of getting by with just three or four hours of sleep.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears. I leaned over as she sat there, pants in one hand, her other hand clenched in a fist, and kissed the salty drops away.
“Why do it, then?” I asked, but I already knew the answer. She was a member of the Puma Pride. She had an obligation to her tribe members. She owed them allegiance. And sometimes—as with our fight against the demons—the greater good came before personal desire.
She opened her mouth to speak, but I brushed my fingers across her lips.
“Don’t even bother,” I whispered. “I understand.”
I gently backed away and slipped into my boots, zipping them up after checking to make sure the stilettos were still firmly in place. I went through a lot of heels, considering how much I put my footwear through, what with all the fighting and running I did.
“You know that I care about you. You know that I love being with you. And you know that I don’t expect anything from you.”
She ducked her head, a faint smile emerging to light up her face. “Yeah. I feel the same. Which means we’re perfect for each other, and we’ll probably end up growing old together.”
The thought crossed my mind that I’d live long, long after she died, if I wanted to, but I chose to keep quiet. No sense bringing more gloom and doom to the conversation.
“I’m going to have to put my own life on hold. The Council of Elders wants an answer tomorrow. At least they gave me the illusion of free choice.” She picked up her handbag and slipped the strap over her shoulder.
“Out of curiosity, what happens if you refuse?” I had no idea how the politics in her Pride worked. All I knew was that most Weres were big on honor and respecting their elders.
“They’d slowly cut me out of everything that matters. I’d find myself living on the periphery. I’d be part of the Pride in name only. Eventually I’d end up leaving. Hell, the only reason Zach’s still there is because he’s on the Council of Elders. Venus backs him up, so the others have grudgingly kept him in the loop. But once you spurn the council, it’s only a matter of time until you find yourself alone and ignored.” With a pause, she raised her head. “I’m not ready to leave that all behind.”
“I get it,” I said. And I did. She finished dressing in silence, and I walked her to the door. “We’ll do what we can. I can come out and visit you more often. I can be there when you get home, maybe once a week. We’ll figure something out.”
When she didn’t answer, I slowly hovered up to gaze at her, eye level, and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. “It’s not like we won’t ever see each other. And listen—we’re free agents. I know you. You’re sexual, like Camille. If you need Venus, or anyone else . . . I have no problem.”
“The same goes for you, I hope you know. I’m not the jealous type. At least . . .” Nerissa leaned against the doorframe and ran her perfectly polished nail down my cheek. “I’ve been thinking. I don’t want to lose you, Menolly. Men come and go, but you’re my girlfriend. So . . . how about we go exclusive—meaning no other women?”
Feeling oddly cherished, I smiled. That kind of exclusivity I could live with. “No other women, it is.”
