Drink Deep (Chicagoland Vampires 5)

"I'm a guard now," I admitted, then frowned. "Wel , I'm acting as one. I haven't been official y appointed, as far as I'm aware. Either way, I'l be honest - it feels like a demotion."

"I could see that." Then his smile went a little too self-satisfied for my comfort. "As a guard captain, does that make me your superior?"

"It most definitely does not," I said, pointing a finger into his chest. "I need no additional bosses in my hierarchy, thank you very much."

"Just checking. Anyway, I'm sorry Cadogan's going through this crap. If not you, it would have been us or Navarre. The GP's just . . . wel , you know my theory on that."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again, debating what to say and how to get out what I needed to get out. I settled on a segue. "Can we talk about something?"

"Is it about my effervescence?"

"It's about the RG."

His eyebrows lifted in interest. "You do know how to get a boy's attention."

I looked away, then back at him again. "I think it's time I take some steps to protect the House. The GP is putting my col eagues, my friends, in danger. It's not right, and if there's something I can do to help, I'l do it. So, I'd like to join the Red Guard."

Jonah was quiet for a moment. "That's the only reason you should say yes. If you'd said yes for any other reason, I'd have said no."

I looked back at him. "Real y?"

"It's a twenty-year commitment, the RG, and it's a serious one. We don't want people who join because they have vendettas. We don't want people who join because they hate authority. We want protectors. Guardians. People who recognize injustice in the system and are moved to stop it."

"Those are good reasons."

"They are. And now I know your reasons are similar. I'l need to make a phone cal and to pass word up the chain, but for al intents and purposes, you're in." He smiled down at me, and this time there was something more serious in his eyes. Not flirty. Not friendly. Partnership.

"We wil work together," he said. "It's a close relationship, and has to be a trusting one. Can you trust me?"

I looked at him for a moment, not wanting to give an answer without having given it earnest thought. I considered what I knew of him, and I considered the times he'd already had my back. At a rave in Streetervil e, when we'd saved a young human. At Claudia's, when he'd stepped in front of me to keep me out of harm's way.

He might have had his reservations, but he'd gone al in when it counted.

"I trust you," I said.

He nodded, and offered his hand. "Then I am deeply honored to welcome you, Merit, to the Red Guard."

"That's it?" Not that I'd imagined a sash and a parade, but it seemed worthy of at least a ceremony or a pinning or something.

"We'l put together a more formal ceremony after I advise Noah. That'l take a little time to arrange. In the meantime . .

." He wiggled his fingers, waiting for a handshake.

My promise already made, we shook on it.

In doing so, I pledged away my presumed loyalty to the GP. Frank might have intended to reduce my influence over the House. In fact, he'd only managed to bring me closer to my fel ow Novitiates and make me fight harder for them.

"This looks cozy."

We both looked behind us, where a tal , dark-haired vampire stood, arms crossed, barely hidden malice in his expression.

"Hel o, Morgan," I said, thinking Paul would probably appreciate his sense of dramatics.

Morgan Greer, Master of Navarre House,was unquestionably handsome - al uring in a dark, seductive way. His sense of humor balanced out his rakish good looks, but his immaturity negated both, in my opinion. By al accounts, he had everything a Master could wish for -

health, looks, money, and power. But he had the attitude of a sulking, bitter teenager.

Tonight he wore a button-up shirt over snug jeans and boots. His dark, wavy hair hit his shoulders, and he looked like he hadn't shaved in a few weeks. His cheeks were supermodel gaunt, which added a sharp edge to his appeal.

I hadn't spoken with him since the deaths of Ethan and Celina; I wasn't sure how he felt about either, but I guessed the emotions would be mixed, at best. And tonight, he was in a position I hadn't seen before - he had a date.

The girl beside him was tal and thin, with long, dark hair and an exotic face. She'd paired dark leggings and an oversized top (undoubtedly from some couture boutique) with five-inch heels and chandelier earrings. She looked like a model on a go-see, and I felt a smal pang of jealousy before remembering that I couldn't care less.

His gaze grazed me, then Jonah, landing on me again with obvious disgust. "You don't waste any time, do you?"

Jonah must have felt the quick flash of magic I threw into the air, because he put a warning hand on my arm. I gave his hand a quick pat of reassurance.

"We're working," I said, trying to maintain my composure and not get into a screaming match with an emotional y stunted vampire.

"I'm sure. What's the occasion?"

There was enough snark in his voice that I couldn't tel if he was trying to harass me, or was honestly clueless about events in Chicago.

"Surely you didn't miss the bit about the lake turning blake on?ck and the sky turning red?"

"That has nothing to do with us."

Ah, so that was his game - wil ful ignorance. He knew the facts, but he was playing GP pet and pretending it had nothing to do with vampires.

"Just because vampires haven't caused the problems doesn't mean we don't have a role in fixing them."

"Why should we? Why shouldn't we focus on our own Houses?"

Apparently proud of his answer, the girl at his side offered me a cocky eyebrow.

"Because if the city fal s," Jonah said, "the Houses fal with it."

"Chicago isn't going to fal ," Morgan said.

Jonah stepped forward. "Because the other Houses take up the slack." The implication in his statement was clear -

Navarre wasn't doing its part.

Morgan's cheeks flushed. "You have no idea what my House is or isn't doing for this city."

"That's exactly my point," Jonah said. "We have no idea, although there's certainly nothing we can see right now."

"Recal your place, vampire," Morgan bit out. It was the same warning Ethan had offered to Morgan when Morgan got mouthy. Unlike Ethan, Morgan didn't quite carry it off.

"With al due respect, Mr. Greer, I owe my al egiance to Scott and Grey House. If you have concerns about my obedience, you can take it up with him."