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Silence dominated the room.

It was possible Brianna’s mouth fell open.

“Have you ever met him?” Trista asked. Her tone was unreadable, almost cautious.

Jasen inclined his head marginally. “Years ago.”

“Do you trust him?”

Jasen shrugged faintly. “I wouldn’t kill him on sight.”

Brianna flicked her gaze back to her mother once more. For Jasen that was practically a screaming approval. She was curious as to her mother’s reaction.

Trista pursed her lips in a gesture of thought for a moment. “I want you at the airport when he lands. The vampires there won’t kill him if Kendall speaks on his behalf, but your authority will be more … impactful. You are to be his contact. I want no one else to know it was Kendall who reached out to him. And make sure he understands, he is to kill no unauthorized vampire, no exceptions.”

Brianna’s eyes widened. Just like that, her mother was choosing to protect Kendall?

Joe shifted his weight.

Trista sighed as if she were greatly burdened. “No vampire or werewolf. We are in an allegiance, I suppose it would look bad if the Slayer we called in went on a canine killing spree.”

Jasen turned to leave. “Have Kendall text me the Gate number. Tell her I’ll meet her there.”

“Oh, one more thing,” Trista said as Jasen reached to open the door.

Brianna looked curiously toward her mother once more. What else was there? Would she tell Jasen to kill the Slayer as soon as the job was done?

Trista shifted her gaze across the room, barely acknowledging Brianna, before continuing. “Take Joseph with you.”

For the second time in as many minutes, Brianna was stunned.

She heard Jasen’s feet move over the ground, just enough to indicate he’d shifted his position.

It was Joe who asked the burning question. “Why me?”

Trista reclaimed her favorite chair and crossed one leg over the other. “Would you prefer to stay cooped up here, sheltered by me and kept alive only because my daughter protects you? Or would you like to leave an impact?”

“Mother,” Brianna whispered, surprised and yet still somewhat confused. Was she offering Joe membership into the Family? Or merely providing him yet another chance to audition?

Though she’d surely heard Brianna’s murmur, Trista kept her stare on Joe. “You’ve impressed me thus far, Joseph. Continue to do so, and perhaps I’ll let you stay. Now go, and for Brianna’s sake, keep watch over Kendall.”

Brianna’s chest was tight with swirling, colliding emotions. She turned and quickly moved to wrap her arms around Joe’s shoulders. “You’ll be fine. Trust Jasen.” She pulled back and offered him a smile.

Joe’s lips twitched, though she caught a flicker of unease in his dark eyes. He inclined his head, looked back to Trista, and said, “Thank you.”

As Joe moved to join Jasen, Jasen grunted and said, “Let’s get going.”

No one moved until the door was solidly shut behind them again.

Brianna let out a breath.

“Come and sit down, Brianna,” Trista said. “You look dizzy.”

If it were possible for her to be dizzy, without being poisoned in some way, she might say she was. Brianna moved to her chair and sank down.

“Don’t misunderstand me,” Trista said without turning to face her. “I’m still furious at that girl.”

Brianna closed her eyes. Her mother’s tone was calm, so she chose to wait to see if there was more to that statement.