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Without a doubt, she might try, if she felt I was a serious threat.
Etta had gone from being openly against her Master allowing me into a meeting to crazy, animal sex, though. There was an attraction — one I haven’t felt with anyone else. Ever.
I’ve heard people talk about being in love all my life, and I’d decided it was some made-up feeling. I’ve been physically attracted to women before — lots of women — but I’ve never felt my aura try to join with theirs, never felt our heart chakras reaching out to each other, never been distracted by a woman even when she isn’t in the damned room.
“You’re probably right,” I told Chrystle, “but this isn’t a game, and I have to see it through. I’m going to call Kirsten now.”
“The cameras you put across the street from Marco’s new home tell me no one has come and gone using the street. There’s a hawk hanging out on the property that I feel certain is a shifter.”
“Good to know. Anything I can offer Kirsten? Information she won’t know?”
“The bikers are using Duke’s antique Mustang to round people up and bring them to their compound. Cora’s beta has an older Jeep, and he and Mac are on their way to her. She likely knows the latter, but might not know about the Mustang.”
I disconnected and called Kirsten. When she didn’t answer, I sent her a text. When you have time, I’d like to speak with you.
Chapter 19
Etta
“I need to understand why you were so close,” I told Venom as he pulled out of the axe establishment’s parking lot.
“Our master tasked me with staying close enough I could get to you quickly, should you telepath or call for assistance, or should he pick up on the fact you were in danger or distress.”
“And he told you not to tell me?”
“He did.”
Right. I’d talk to Marco about it later, but Venom had only been following orders. “Thank you for retrieving me with as little drama as possible.” I’d made a few humans forget he’d practically dragged me out of the building, but no need in mentioning that. “First steps?”
“Getting us to TBC without incident. Officially, no one is to drive a vehicle made since nineteen ninety-nine until we figure out for sure which ones can be hacked and which cannot, but Josef felt it worth the risk for me to get you to TBC since it should take less than five minutes. If the car begins to drive itself, I’m to drive head-on into something before the accelerator has time to pick up speed. Once we arrive at TBC, we’re stuck there until someone brings us an older vehicle.”
“Do we know everyone’s status? Are we certain only Marco and Cora have been actively attacked?”
“Last I heard, but I’m sure we’ll find out more once we’re in the building. Patience is at the coterie house; Josef is at the downtown TBC.”
I telepathically checked in with Josef and discovered he’d made all the customers in the downtown billiard club wish to leave, and he was making those arriving as customers decide not to come in as they approached. His cop was checking our people in as they arrived, and the kitchen was feeding the humans and shifters. Our bar on campus isn’t secure for lockdowns, and the manager was working to get it closed so our people could move from there to the downtown TBC. It was staffed by shifters without any vampires at the moment, so they weren’t able to use mind control to get everyone to leave.
Status of our security staff? I asked him.
Evan is at the coterie house with enough staff to fully secure the property. We’re moving more security people to both TBC locations, and we’re keeping the Hamilton Place location open for business, for now. The Diamond Club has enough security, and it’s staying open to those already inside as well, though they’re turning new patrons away by telling them it’s a packed house and the fire code won’t allow them to admit more people.
I’d had to decide whether to erase some of what happened between Evan and me to keep things from being awkward, but when he came up on my feeding schedule, things had worked themselves out. I sat on his face and drank from one of the many arteries near a man’s dick, filled him with a hard-on chemical, and made it clear to him he wasn’t going to orgasm until he’d gotten me off with his mouth. After I’d had a much better-than-average orgasm, I gave him the cocktails so he’d have one as well, and I deep-throated him while he had it, which means I also got to drink down that part of his essence as well. I understand Marco fucked his ass during his scheduled feeding, so I’m planning to wear a dildo and do the same, the next time he comes up on my calendar. Meanwhile, Evan loves his job and is committed to the safety of the coterie, so it all seems to be working out.
Venom and I made it to TBC without incident, and we went in a side door and straight downstairs. He followed me to my office and sat on my loveseat.
“Marco doesn’t want to bring Kelsey into it,” Venom told me. His look told me he disagreed with this decision, but he wasn’t going to second-guess our Master in the middle of a crisis.
Kelsey was our best hacker, but she worked for Drake Security and was housed with their people. Nathan, one of the owners of Drake Security, was already going to know everything Cora knew, so why would Marco want to keep Kelsey out of it?
I understood, and figured it wise to let Venom in on the possible reasons. “You’re wondering why he isn’t using our best hacker? If we find out who did it, and Marco wants to handle it without clueing the Drake people in, it’ll be better if Kelsey doesn’t know. Or, it’s possible he knows Nathan will assign it to her, and he’s contacted her telepathically to let her know we need the information a few hours before she hands it over to her employers. I’m certain Marco has his reasons, and I’m not of a mind to ask him for them.”
He gave me a half smile. “Yeah, neither am I, but it seemed a waste of good resources. Both of those scenarios make sense. It wasn’t so much me not trusting his judgment as wanting to offer constructive suggestions, should he not be thinking clearly.”
“It’ll take more than this to shake him. I’m sure he’s pissed, but that’ll only sharpen his resolve and his clarity. Is there anything you picked up while tailing me that I need to be aware of?”
“I’ve put trackers on the slayer’s vehicles while ya’ll were inside various places — a couple of times. He has land with a garage on it. I have our satellites aimed at it, and I can’t figure out how he gets away, but I’m certain he does. My best guess is there’s a portal on the property. He can fuck with his body temperature, I believe, because I can’t even get a handle on him with the infrared cams.”
I couldn’t help my smile. “He’s invited me to his actual home in New Hampshire, a few weeks out. I’ll likely eventually know where his actual home is here as well. I’m going to ask Marco to stop trying to spy on him. First, because it does no good, but second, because I need to be able to honestly tell him I’ve done so. Marco will do as he wishes, of course, but I need to make the request.”
