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Desmond was using a credit card to pick Kellen’s lock when I came up behind him. Gently I pushed him to the side and pulled a bobby pin out of my hair. I’d started to wear them more frequently in recent months, having discovered how handy they could be. The folks at Goody could make a killing if they did a new campaign: Keeps bangs out of your eyes. Creates fancy updos. Picks locks in seconds. Maybe that last one was only a selling feature for a niche market, but I was putting it to good use.
One of the many questionable skills I’d learned from my human mentor.
It took a half-minute longer than it normally would have because Desmond kept questioning where I’d learned to do the various and sundry illegal activities I demonstrated a gift for.
“Some teenage girls learn to put on slutty makeup and read sex tips in Cosmo. I learned to pick locks and kill vampires. ” The lock clicked open as if to illustrate my point, and I turned the knob while repinning my bangs. I’d have to get a haircut soon, but there were a lot of other things on my to-do list above trim bangs. Simple stuff. 1. Find missing ex-sister-in-law-to-be. 2. Win back ex-boyfriend. 3. Find out if immortal beneficiary is homicidal maniac. 4. Tribunal session.
“Oh fuck. ” I thumped my fist against the doorframe.
“What?”
“We need to hurry. I may or may not be two hours late to a Tribunal meeting. ”
Chapter Fourteen
Kellen’s apartment told us practically nothing except that she was more of a slob than I was.
She’d recently gotten a phone call from a club called Eleven-B. There was no message, but it was the only unfamiliar message on her home phone and it came on Sunday. Something to look at once I got the noose of a Tribunal session off my neck.
I had no time to change, and I knew I’d catch hell for it, but it was either show up casual or not show up at all.
When I burst through the double doors leading into the Tribunal chambers, the look Juan Carlos gave me implied I might have been better off choosing the not at all option.
“Honestly, Secret. ” Sig, the leader of the Tribunal, looked ten times more casual than I did, considering he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Or shoes. I didn’t think he was chiding my wardrobe, however.
“I know, I know. I’m sorry. ”
“You will be,” Juan Carlos muttered. I ignored him. Muted threats were all he had, since it was completely forbidden for him to lay a hand on me. Unfortunately the same was true in reverse, because I had a silver katana at home I’d love to introduce him to the business end of.
“Might it be possible,” Sig continued, “for you to take this position seriously? Maybe even for a week straight?”
“It’s been a busy week. ”
“A busy week in a busy month,” he said. “We’re well aware. ”
“Oh. ” So the busy excuse wasn’t going to fly. Not that I’d thought it would.
“That’s why you’re here. ” When Juan Carlos spoke to me, he tended to look right through me, but this time he was meeting my gaze directly, and it gave me the willies. His cleft upper lip sneered more than usual, and he looked…pleased.
Shit.
The Spanish third of our Tribunal was never happy, and I didn’t like that his satisfaction was being aimed in my direction. It freaked me out. I moved to take my seat next to Sig, but the Finnish master vampire raised a hand to stop me.
“We’re going for a walk. ”
The last time Sig had taken me for a walk in the council headquarters I hadn’t enjoyed it much. Unfortunately then, as I suspected would be true now, the walk wasn’t optional. Nothing was really optional with Sig.
Sig rose, all six and a half feet of pale blondness and lean muscle. He was imposing as hell, but I’d learned not to fear him. Or, more accurately, I’d learned fearing him was a pointless endeavor. If he was going to kill me, it was inevitable, so why fear it?
My throat constricted. I’d almost convinced myself of my bravery until he put a hand on my shoulder and guided me back towards the entrance.
“Am I fired?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“You know that’s impossible. ”
“So…what’s up?”
“We’re taking you to Monica. ”
