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Adam gave a quick round of introductions between the dragons and wolves. Outside of pack meetings, having two alphas in the same room was unique, even if they were two different species.
Imos and Luka eyed each other as they shook hands, but their friendly expressions made it clear they were both more intrigued than threatened.
“I told Adam on the way in that my pack is ready and waiting to provide whatever support you need,” Luka said as he pulled back a chair and sat.
His beta snagged a chocolate croissant before leaning against the wall and taking a bite.
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We’ve got another problem developing with the rogue shifter clan, so my attention will be split until action is required.” Luka motioned to his beta. “I brought Francisco to stand in when I cannot.”
His mouth full, Francisco raised his pastry in acknowledgment.
“What’s the issue there?” Thane asked, his eyebrows drawn together.
Unease trickled through our soul link, a fantastic perk we’d discovered after solidifying our bond. We could feel each other’s emotions, especially the stronger they got.
“A member of another pack got word of a meeting between their leader Rico and a vampire.”
I groaned. Not vampires again. All they ever seemed to do was cause trouble. “Do they have a new Master of Miami?”
Vampires had a more complex hierarchy than most Community species, the highest of which was a king and queen who presided over a continent. Master Vampires were a step below them and oversaw large metropolitan areas like Miami. Sometimes whole states.
“Yes, but I would not count on their support,” Adam said.
I snorted. “Oh, I definitely don’t count on it. I actually think it might be best not to include them at all.”
“Wouldn’t they see it as a slight?” Ivan asked, then shoveled another fork full of melon into his mouth. Thanks to my involvement in the Blood Trials, he’d become a bit of an expert on all things vampire.
Adam shook his head. “Not after what happened with Emilia. We must remain cautious with them until they or we can prove no other vampire is involved.”
Emilia, as in the Master Vampiress who had worked with Colin and Galina to overthrow my parents’ Mirfeniksan throne, then tried to get me unfairly killed in the Trials. She’d gotten what was coming to her.
Because the DEA had a rule against their involvement in otherworldly affairs, we couldn’t count on any other agency branches coming to our aid. Adam was risking his job by making an exception. We would have to make do with the Miami Community, minus the vampires of course.
“What about other witches?” Lena asked as she set down her empty mug. She’d devoured her fruit and croissant before Ivan had, which I was sure she’d rub in his face soon. “What did you call their groups? Covens?”
A sinking sensation dropped into my stomach. I still hadn’t heard from Kit. She might be preoccupied with her visit to her mother’s, but going this long without a reply wasn’t like her. Even when she was mad at me, she always replied.
Had something gone wrong at Octavia’s?
3
SUNDAY MORNING
My heart pounded as I looked over the stream of unanswered messages I’d sent to Kit and Angela the day before. “Adam, did Kit get a new phone while I was away?”
The archangel frowned. “I do not believe so.”
Rising panic wrenched at my insides, making it challenging to sit still. I excused myself and stepped outside the conference room, Lena and Thane on my heels.
The hallway continued to my left and opened into a generous office space for cubicles and desks. Fluorescent lights shone above our heads, reflecting off the white linoleum floor.
I called Kit and Angela’s phones, but both went straight to voicemail. Dread churned within my stomach, and I lowered the phone, my hand shaking. “Nothing.”
Thane wrapped his arms around me, comforting me with his warmth. “She told me she was okay, and we have to trust that she is.”
As much as I loved his positivity and wanted to agree, I knew something wasn’t right. I wiggled out of his grasp and shook my head. “Something’s wrong. I can feel it. We need to go to Octavia’s.”
