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He obeyed, of course, and I drank down his lust for another ten minutes before a slave handler came to retrieve him.
Two hours later, I was called into a meeting. Me alone, without anyone else, and I was only given a ten-minute notice, when it would take at least five minutes to make my way to the atrium.
There was a knock on the door soon after I received the formal invitation, and I opened it to Bran, Holly, and Madeline.
“I thought you and I could walk to the show together, and that perhaps Etta might take our people on a tour of the grounds.” He met Etta’s gaze. “Particularly, the vineyards and the winery. Holly is most interested in the process.”
“I can do that, certainly,” Etta told him.
You aren’t going to put my people in danger, are you Bran?
Holly needs to see some buildings on the walk to the vineyards. Any activity that may or may not happen will be months from now, and will not in any way reflect on you or your people.
I met Furio’s gaze, and then Cora’s. “I’d like the bodyguards to be fully armed for this trek, though I don’t expect it to be more than a sightseeing trip. Bran, I believe you know everyone except the two male wolf shifters, Furio and Ranger. Furio is part of my security, and Ranger is Cora’s beta.
“Ranger and I have met, but Furio is new to town and I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet.”
“Furio, this is Bran, one of the strongest Lugat’s on the planet, and likely the richest. He lives on Signal Mountain. His companions are Holly and Madeline, vampire guard and…”
“Pleasure slave will work,” Bran said when I hesitated, “though she’s technically an indentured servant. Either way, both are mine in every way.” He met my gaze. “I’ll provide Madeline for your use two nights in thanks for your people showing mine around today. I would also be interested in swapping Furio for Madeline for another one to three nights.”
“Alas, Furio comes to me for primarily security. He feeds me in all the ways I consume power when necessary, but he isn’t a pleasure slave in any way, shape, or form. Etta enslaved a former member of our guard, and I’d be more than happy to invite you and Madeline to join me and the eagle slave for a night of fun in our coterie’s dungeon.”
Bran met Cora’s gaze a few seconds before nodding to me. “I would most enjoy such an evening. I don’t believe the Alpha Wolf would enjoy partaking, but she’s welcome to hang out with my Fluffy for the evening, and I’m certain he’ll enjoy cooking all her favorite foods.”
“It’s been much too long since I’ve had an opportunity to spend time with Fluffy,” Cora told Bran. “Should my schedule allow it, I’d love to take you up on that offer.”
Bran met my gaze, touched his own forehead near the temple, and tilted his head. At a guess, I opened the telepathic route again and asked, You wish to speak privately?
I’m hoping you’ll keep this connection open throughout the night, so you and I may speak privately as needed.
You’re aware of what they’re going to tell us?
The rumors say we’re going to learn of the skins everyone’s been gossiping about for years.
Bran took a deep breath. “I believe you and your companions have made use of Pio on this fine afternoon.”
You’re entrenched deeply enough in the establishment, one assumes you’re fully aware of all that’s going on.
One could assume, yes.
Then you understand why I needed an afternoon with the dolphin shifter. Did it work?
It did, yes. Still a hint of an unknown, but with the wolves and the dolphin, and the addition of whatever it is you get from Etta, no one will question your scent.
“We did,” Etta told Bran, answering the single statement he’d said out loud. “Almost makes me want to want to bid on the next dolphin to come to auction.”
“Dolphins are nearly impossible to house,” Bran told her, “which is why Pio will never go on the auction block, and I doubt any other dolphins serving such a term would, either. If you want to drink from a dolphin, you must rent Pio by the hour while on the Concilio’s grounds, or make one fall in love with you.” He looked back to me. “We should leave, lest we be so late as to draw attention.”
* * * *
Cora
I’ve met Holly a number of times at social functions, but I’ve never had an opportunity to spend time alone with her. I knew her history — a junkie with a tiny bit of Aos Sí in her family tree, so Abbott had taken her home with plans to rehabilitate her, but she’d been too much of a mess, so he’d given Bran a chance, since the two use completely different methods.
At the end of her time with Bran, he’d offered her a chance to stay with him and try to prove to him she’d make a good vampire. He’d shown her she had some talents, and from her perspective, for the first time ever, someone saw something good in her, so she’d stayed. She’s a vampire now, and by all accounts a bad-ass, trained in multiple martial arts styles as well as a wide range of weaponry, with the speed and strength of a Lugat vampire.
Once Marco left, I was the highest-ranking person in our party, so it was up to me to play the part of hostess, even though this was our suite and not our home.
