Page 39 of Hextreme Measures

“Well, they shouldn’t have been invited.” She sent a pointed look toward Madeline, as if blaming the other woman.

“I didn’t invite them,” Madeline shot back. “Plus, they weren’t Zach’s ex-girlfriends. They were banshees. If anything, one of them was probably looking for Zeke.”

Sully’s father didn’t have the grace to be abashed. He just shrugged. “Stranger things have happened,” he confirmed.

Marie looked appalled. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ofelia barked. “Although, since we’re with you anyway, I need background on the two women who were scratched and the men who were transported to the hospital.”

“Why do you need information on them?” Marie asked, suddenly suspicious.

“Because the banshees are looking for angry women to absorb into their group, and they’re looking for men who have enraged women to kill.”

Marie tapped her fingers on top of the table. “I’m not sure I understand.”

Thankfully, the server picked that moment to approach their table. “Let me tell you about our menu,” she offered. She didn’t ask if they wanted to hear about it. She was going to run her spiel regardless.

Since they couldn’t talk about the banshee in the room — Ofelia really wanted to — she focused on her menu. Nothing sounded good.

“Ugh. This is just gross,” she complained to Sully, earning a dark look from the server, who had the restraint not to flip her the bird or bash her over the head with a pitcher of water.

“Okay,” the server said as she was wrapping up. “What can I get everybody?”

To Ofelia’s surprise, half of the table jumped into ordering with gusto. When she realized the others were going to embrace the whole ordeal — the three-hour torture that was an Emeril’s tasting menu — she jumped into action.

“Hey.” She crooked her finger so the server would move closer. “We need to have a talk.” Ofelia waited until the server had locked gazes with her to cast her spell. “Exaudio,” she hissed.

The server’s gaze went blank.

“You’re going to speed up this meal so it lasts one hour at the most,” Ofelia warned. “Nobody is sitting through three hours of food. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” the server replied, her voice dazed. “I understand.”

“Great.”

“Excuse me,” Madeline interjected. “This is an experience. It lasts three hours for a reason.”

“We don’t have three hours,” Sully replied. “Angelique was infected last night. We’re on a mission to save her. This whole thing is not something we’re going to engage in.”

Marie’s shoulders jerked. “What do you mean she was infected?”

“We’re ordering first,” Ofelia replied. “You’re going to be fast about it. I don’t want to hear a word of complaint. Get your orders lined up in your heads.” She turned back to the server. “We’re very important people.” She gestured toward Zeke and Madeline. “These are two of the most important people in the state. They need to be fed fast.”

“Of course.” The server puffed herself out. “I’m ready.”

“Great.” Ofelia scanned the seven courses. There were only choices for a few of them. “I will have the boudin and the wagyu.” She frowned. “Honestly, you cannot serve sweetbreads. That’s just disgusting. And no choice on the trout and caviar? You people are monsters.”

The server was so firmly under Ofelia’s spell that she started nodding. “Right? The whole thing is disgusting.”

“Great. I’m glad you agree. Take our orders fast.” Ofelia turned to Sully. “We’re getting good food on our way home.”

He smirked. “Of course we are.”

NOBODY IN THE KITCHEN WAS HAPPY about the truncated food delivery, but the server had warned them that Zeke was very important. That meant not making him angry. Everybody from the kitchen visited him to suck up, something Zeke reveled in. Everybody else at the table was agitated. They were also invested in Angelique’s story.

Sully filled them in, although he didn’t go into a lot of detail. He left out where Angelique was being kept and what they’d done so far to protect her. He also left out the specifics of his investigation and left it vague when it came to how everything was coming together. When he was finished, nobody said anything for a long time.

Felix was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. “Is Angelique going to be okay?” he asked.