Page 48

“Uh–you’re human? You don’t have any fighting experience.” Hunter shot back a short list, voice tight. “We don’t even know how many of them will show up. The last thing I want is to send you directly into the line of fire.”

I watched Addison’s lips form a thin line and noted the set of her jaw. But there was an undercurrent of affection between them—worry, more than anything. Addison inhaled, dragging a hand through her hair.

“Hunter, I know you’re trying to protect me,” she said, voice taut. “But this isourcoven,ourfight, and if something goes wrong, I could–”

“–end up dead.” Hunter finished her sentence, fingers curling into fists at her sides. She took a step closer, dropping her voice so it was almost a plea. “I can’t risk that, Addison. I won’t.”

Even I felt a pang of sympathy for them, and I’d known them for all of ten minutes.

For a beat, the rest of the Leyore women paused, exchanging glances. River discreetly busied herself rearranging the trinkets on a nearby table, while Dylan and Sky whispered about flight times and infiltration details.

Jordan rubbed her temple like she had a headache forming there, and Maxine watched the two women with narrowed eyes—no doubt seeing something the rest of us didn’t.

“Hunter,” Addison said softly, “I’m not going to do something reckless. But I can’t just stand by, either.”

Hunter let out a frustrated sigh, arms dropping to her sides. “If we took the fight toSan Francisco,we could pick them off one by one,” she muttered, clearly refusing to let go of the idea of taking the fight to Maxine’s family’s territory. “It’s better to face them ontheirground than bring trouble to our city. At least then, there wouldn’t be civilians or–”

“And start a vampire turf war in someone else’s domain?” Jordan interjected sharply from across the room. She cast Hunter a stern look. “That’s the fastest way to get the entirety of the West Coast covens breathing down our necks. You know that.”

Hunter’s lips pressed into a thin, grim line. “It’s still safer than bringing them here.”

Addison touched Hunter’s arm gently, prompting her to meet her gaze. “You’re not going to shake me on this. If we’redoing it here, so be it.” She mustered a small smile. “I promise, I’ll be careful.”

For a second, Hunter looked torn, caught between terror and acceptance.

Finally, she inhaled, shoulders sagging in reluctant surrender. “Fine,” she gritted out, glancing at the rest of the group. “Addison can be the getaway driver or something. But that’sit. No going toe-to-toe with anyone.” She redirected a stern glare at Addison. “Understood?”

Addison rolled her eyes, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. “I’ll take what I can get,” she murmured, linking her arm through Hunter’s. “Thank you for letting me be there, at least.”

“‘Letting you’ is a strong phrase,” Hunter mumbled, but I saw the flash of relief in her eyes, that unspoken worry settling—just a fraction.

Soon, the final roles were sorted. River, Dylan, and Sky would head to San Francisco to arrange Grandpa’s “rescue” under the guise of my medical issues. Jordan and Hunter would stay behind in New York, ready to back Maxine when her family and Gregor arrived.

Addison was delegated as the “getaway driver,” Addison herself rolling her eyes dramatically at being relegated to driver status but ultimately shrugging in acceptance.

Iwould stay with Maxine, presumably to sell the act that I did indeed do what her family had asked of me—thus putting me directly in the line of fire if her family actually managed to sniff out the truth.

As the conversation shifted back to finalizing travel details, Addison leaned over to me with a conspiratorial grin. “Look at her,” she whispered, gesturing at Hunter with amusement. “Always so stoic, but she’s just a big softie underneath.”

I tried not to laugh too loudly, wincing when Hunter’s ears perked up in our direction.

“I can see that,” I whispered back, returning Addison’s smile. “She must really care about you.”

Addison’s cheeks warmed slightly and she covered a small giggle with her hand. I noticed then the glinting band of silver on her finger—a subtle loop that, come to think of it, matched the one on Hunter’s hand—before Addison turned away, attention snapping back to the discussion.

Maxine planted her hands on her hips. “Okay, folks, we have a plan. Let’s just… hope it works.” Her gaze flicked to me, softening slightly.

“Right,” I said, forcing a small grin. “And just so you know, my grandpa’s not the easiest man to fool, but if you get dramatic enough about my nonexistent asthma attack, he won’t hesitate.”

Jordan gave a wry laugh. “We can be dramatic. It’s kind of our specialty.”

I turned back to Maxine. She caught my questioning look and raised a brow. “Something on your mind?”

I hesitated, then let out a soft laugh, gesturing broadly at the room. “Just realizing… in some bizarre turn of events, I think you might just be the most normal person here.”

After the initial whirlwind, the group naturally fragmented. Addison tugged Hunter aside for a private chat, the two of them disappearing down an echoing corridor. Meanwhile, River linked arms with Jordan and Sky, guiding them toward a sunken seating area, discussing logistics in low voices.

I noticed Maxine step away from the cluster, her gaze flicking toward Dylan and Amara, who lingered nearby. With a nudge of curiosity, I followed.