Page 59

“He isn’t wrong to worry. On the one hand, I get that being under someone who appreciates that the people under her will think for themselves and tell her if they think she’s wrong is better than being under a tyrant, but on the other hand, what she did was…” It was hard for Genie to say it was wrong, because it had taught her something about herself, it had shown Brooke something the vampire thought was important, and she had a sneaking suspicion it’d also been intended as some kind of message or lesson for Dev. And yet, she couldn’t say it was right, either.

“Brooke is different from the other really old and powerful vampires,” Remy told her. “In some ways, she seems to have hung onto more of her humanity, but in other ways, she has less. I love, adore, and respect her, but she also scares me, sometimes.”

“I liked her, before. I don’t know her well enough to respect her, but she has Dev’s respect, and I think a lot of him, so she had my respect as well. Before.”

“Brooke sponsors this Christmas Carnival thing every year from Thanksgiving weekend until New Years, even the year after the big battle, which everyone thought was crazy, but she did it anyway, and people came.” He shrugged. “Not important. What is, though, is that the Wednesday or Thursday before Christmas, she closes it to the public and invites everyone from the coterieand all of her allies to come for free. She’s specifically invited you, this year. I know it’s hard to see now, but she likes you. Regardless, she’s going to work it so the twins are there as well, so they get a night out for fun.”

“If I hadn’t stood up to her? Would she send me away and not allow me a relationship with Dev and the twins?” She’d asked Dev, but she wanted Remy’s take on it, too.

Remy shook his head. “It wasn’t that kind of a test, where you either win or lose, pass or fail. Standing up to her means she’s comfortable with you and Dev being equals, rather than Dev holding the reins and making all the decisions.”

She shook her head, and he said, “Have you ever ridden horses?”

“Just once, at this summer camp I went to, but I didn’t enjoy it.”

“Back when riding horses was the primary mode of transportation, if a horse threw you then it was imperative you get right back on — not only to show that particular horse that throwing you wasn’t going to work, but because if you didn’t, then the next time you needed to go somewhere you’d be terrified, and the horse you were riding would scent it and probably wouldn’t cooperate. Getting right back on kept that from happening.”

She shook her head again, but told him, “I’ll talk to Dev. If the twins are going, I feel like I should, too.”

He took a deep breath. “I smell some bruising, and my inner bear won’t let it go without me checking in with you. Are you okay?”

“I am. Everything has been consensual.”

It seemed all three of her men — who’d been pirates the night before — enjoyed torturing the bar wench’s breasts, which was fine, because Genielovedthe way they played with them. Things had moved from the tub to the bed once they’d gottenElijah sorted out, and she’d been well-fucked and exhausted by the time they finished.

They’d have to play ping-pong another time.

Chapter Thirty

Dev waited in Genie’s apartment for her to come home, the bacon and sausage cooked, the gravy made and on low heat, biscuits about to come out of the oven, and eggs scrambled in a bowl, ready to go onto the burner as soon as he heard her car pull into the apartment complex.

Some night-shift people preferred to move their meals around, so they ate breakfast when they woke and dinner after work, but he’d learned his little owlet loved breakfast anytime. He’d cooked steaks and veggies for her the morning before, and she’d been thrilled to walk into her apartment with food already prepared.

Part of caring for someone meant making sure they had plenty to eat, and his little owl could stand to put some pounds on. He’d never tell her that, though. He loved her just as she was, but she worked so hard, and he thought she needed more calories.

Her car pulled in, and he dumped the eggs into the pan. He heard her talking to someone outside and assumed it was a neighbor. However, when she opened the front door, he scented a wolf and another owl, and it was all he could do to stay relaxed when she walked in with Mad Dog and Frost — two of the bikers. Mad Dog was the president, and Dev had the idea Frost looked out for her because she was a tiny owl to his huge one.

“Gentlemen.” He gave them his friendliest smile, though he felt it change to truly happy when Genie pulled away from them and came to him for a quick kiss.

“Thanks so much for breakfast. Stay with the eggs. I’m going to shower and change before we eat.”

She went into the bathroom, and Dev turned his back on the men to stir the eggs. “Something I can do for the two of you?”

“We’d like to meet the twin cougars,” Mad Dog told him.

“Ideally,” Frost said, “we’d like to see the four of you together. Genie tells us they’re still being heavily supervised, which makes us wonder how safe she is with them.”

“She saved Elijah’s life. Both of them see her as safety, as someone who sees them as people and not property. They aren’t going to hurt her.”

“We’ve been invited to the Christmas Carnival,” Mad Dog said. Some of us will be acting as security until midnight, so your people can enjoy themselves. I’d like to officially request the four of you meet with members of the RTMC from both Chattanooga and Birmingham.” He put his hands in his pockets, a sign he was trying to tone down the aggression already present. “Khan and a few others from our local chapter have expressed an interest in meeting all of you. Genie hasn’t been with us long, but many of us feel protective over her. Also, Duke in Chattanooga will need to see all of you together before he signs off on anything. They’re a lot closer to her up there, and they aren’t pleased we sent her to Brooke in the first place. Their deal with the Chattanooga Master Vampire doesn’t include sending food as proof of fealty.”

Dev shook his head, “You know as well as I do that isn’t why you send food for Brooke.”

Originally, it’d been exactly that, but some of the bikers had grown fond of Brooke, and the feeling was mutual. It was an expression of friendship, now.

“Kitty and Squatch were out of town, and Genie volunteered,” Mad Dog said.

Dev wanted to ask how much they’d paid her forvolunteering, but it was in poor form and he needed to think politically.