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“But today’s little performance frankly takes the cake,” Black snapped. “I don’t give a shit what crazy, seer-vampire shit you’re going through right now. I don’t care if his venom is making you nuts… wewarnedyou about that shit.Iwarned you about that shit. I warned you personally, and in great detail, what vampire venom can do to a seer.”

He raised a finger when Jem opened his mouth.

“This is akid,”Black growled.

He pointed in the rough direction of the penthouse, where Mika had taken Aura.

“A damaged, deeply screwed-upkidwho’s been living as a prisoner, not to mention being raped and tortureddaily,for at least a year, by multiple humans… probably closer to two or even three years. We won’t even know the extent of it until they’ve gone through all of the tapes, but the recordings so far are making everyone sick. As in, the team will likely need fuckingtherapyby the time they’re finished…”

“I don’t need to hear––” Jem began coldly.

“Youdoneed to hear it.” Black’s voice grew harsher. “Nick found her,” he growled. “Do you hear me?Nick found her.His was the first friendly face she’d seen, likely in all that time. She’s been a little weird with the doc, too, but she sees Nick as some kind ofgaos-damned savior. You need tocalm downabout that, and not make it about yourself, or about you and Nick. She only sexualized it because that’s likely the only way she knows how to expressanythingafter everything she’s been through.”

Jem’s long jaw hardened.

He aimed his gaze out the nearby window of the penthouse office.

It happened to be the same office Black had been leaving vacant in case Miri wanted it. For the same reason, it only had minimal furniture inside: a desk, a few empty bookshelves, two armchairs, a couch, a random garbage can and an even more random coat rack by the door.

Most of the furniture had been arranged in front of a gas fireplace embedded in a brick-accented wall. Given the size of the high-ceilinged space, those few pieces only served to make it look bigger and more empty.

“You going off on a traumatized cub because you can’t control yourself is frankly prettygaos-damned bizarre, brother,” Black went on, when Jem refused to look at him. “It’s making me think, whatever’s going on, it’s not just run-of-the-mill mate-obsession-early-relationship psychosis crap. Which means, I want you talking to Yarli. I want you talking to the doc, too. I want you to see them both every day for a while. Professionally. Starting today… as in, right now. I’m reasonably sure the doc has a free time slot for a pain in the ass seer at exactly this moment, so start right the fuck there.”

Jem’s jaw visibly clenched, pushing out the muscle.

“…You’re suspended from duty until then, in case that wasn’t clear,” Black added coldly. “You can quit later, if you want, but it would be irresponsible of me to let you go anywhere until you talk this out with someone. Don’t go to Kiko or Dex to whine about it, either. I’ve already spoken to them, and Yarli and Manny, too. I can’t have you on my team like this. I won’t.”

Jem’s jaw muscle jutted out more.

Black felt Miri’s discomfort that time, too.

He felt her debating whether or not to say something in front of Jem.

Not you, too,he growled at her.Are you saying you disagree with me about any of this?

After the barest pause, she shook her head minutely.

No. No, I don’t disagree.She hesitated as she studied his eyes.I’m just not sure forcing Jem to talk to me is going to yield the results you want. It might just make him shut down more. You can’t really force that kind of thing, especially when––

Black shot a harder glare her way.

Instead of answering in her mind that time, Black spoke aloud.

“This isn’t a fucking debate,” he growled. “It’s agaos-damned order.” He glared back at Jem. “If Miriam isn’t the right person, then give me a name, brother. Or you can choose to talk to Yarli alone. I’ll set up a call with the two of you tonight.”

He glared at his wife a beat longer, then aimed that glare back at Jem.

“Pick whoever the fuck you want, but you’re talking tosomeone.Today. I’m not letting you remain here, in the same place as this child. Not if I can’t trust you not to do something to hurt her. Right now, Idon’ttrust that. And you wouldn’t either, if you were me.”

Jem’s complexion was so dark it was nearly purple.

His jaw still jutted strangely on that disconcertingly beautiful face, but he forced his eyes off Black’s when Black refused to back down, and nodded.

“Good,” Black growled. “Now get the fuck out of my sight.”

Jem didn’t hesitate. He turned on his heel and walked rapidly for the door.

Black raised his voice at the other seer’s back.