“Joe.” Steve walked over with his customary grin and swagger. He clapped a hand on Joe’s shoulder. “Don’t antagonize the pretty blonde. She’ll tie your dick in a knot, burn off that stupid haircut, and laugh at your pain.”
“But sir…”
A hard edge crept into Steve’s tone. “It’s good. Leave it.”
The man issued a curt nod and walked away with a stiff back.
“The mages and fae actually asked for a different sort of menu,” Steve said, gesturing toward the door and then walking with us. “They wanted more options for vegetables and didn’t like the meat so bloody. It was easier creating two eateries. Poor Joe thinks shifters are king and came to his own conclusions.”
I pointed at him as we walked out the door. “You’re tempting me to dash his dreams of being top of the food chain…”
Steve laughed. “Sure, just don’t get caught by Roger. He’s a bit wound up.”
“We’re all a bit wound up,” Penny muttered.
“Not me. I’m going to go find a pretty little fae and help her forget about her woes.” Steve winked and broke away right, sauntering across the grass to another sprawling, rustic building.
Deep night stretched overhead for about two miles, the stars plentiful and bright. Beyond that, the glow of the afternoon shone down. We’d stepped through the portal to a lightening sky, and with Roger’s approval, I’d created a cover for the vampires. Penny and Emery had strung up a protective ward that would give the vampires time to get to cover if someone should try to tear down my artificial night.
“Reagan,” Cahal said, his voice subdued in the fake night. “You interrupted the Seer. Why?”
I snapped my fingers, having completely forgotten about that. “Penny,” I said, walking us back to the rooms Roger had designated for us within a sprawling three-story apartment complex that resembled a bunch of log cabins stacked on top of one another. It was really weird and had obviously been here for a while. Roger had apparently inherited managing this place when he became alpha of the North American pack. “Remember that spell in the Mages’ Guild battle that judged if people were good or bad?”
Her face screwed up as she thought back. She nodded slowly. “I probably shouldn’t have cast it, though. It’s not for me, or magic, to judge who is good or bad. And really, are people either good…or bad? After being down in the Underworld and spending some time with your dad, I think everyone has the ability to be both.”
I twisted my mouth to the side. “Yeah, I guess,” I said in frustration. “It’s just…how are we going to get rid of the bad elves so the good elves, or someone else who knows how to rule, and the Realm can step forward?”
“You’re not planning on wiping them all out?” Cahal asked.
“You didn’t seem to have a problem wiping them all out today,” Penny said. “Or…yesterday? My sense of time is all over the place.”
“I mean, sure, if they are trying to kill me, I will absolutely destroy them.”
I reached the door to the confused apartment building and pulled it open, stepping to the side so the others could go through. Cahal grabbed the edge over my head and motioned me in. He never let a woman enter a doorway behind him, and I’d never asked if it was a gentlemanly thing, or he just didn’t trust women. Probably a bit of both, since he was hot but unattached. More than one gal had probably wanted to stick something in his back for breaking her heart, or just cling to those muscles.
“But if they put down their weapons and ask for mercy…if they agree to tear down the restrictions limiting the Underworld, then…” I shrugged. “It’s like what you just said, Penny—it’s not for me to play god. The Realm needs stability, and killing everyone isn’t a good way to achieve that.”
“You sound like a grownup,” Emery said.
“I know.” I grimaced. “Can we still be friends?”
“Oh, we’re friends now?” I could hear the laughter in his voice. “I thought I was just allowed to hang around because of Penny.”
“Don’t ruin it, or you’ll be on the outside again,” Penny murmured. She’d probably just elbowed him.
“It was spoken like a true leader,” Cahal said in a deep voice dripping with respect.
“Gross,” I replied, uncomfortable and not sure why.
I stopped at my door, number six, and noticed someone had stuck stickers to the sides of the metal number. Two additional sixes, three in all. Cute.
“I’ll see you all tomorrow.” I turned the handle and pushed, feeling Darius waiting for me within. He’d probably need blood, and I was eager to give it to him. While naked.
“Yup.” The others continued on, heading to their rooms down the hall.
Once inside, I closed the door and locked it. I doubted any vampires would be stupid enough to interrupt our slumber, but someone else might, and I wanted to buy myself a second to wake up before I confronted them. Everyone had spies; I couldn’t imagine the elves were any different.