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“What’s new,” Asher said, inspecting his nails. Was he nudging dried blood from underneath them? I wrinkled my nose. “Everyone loves talking about us.”

“About her.” Calliope twitched her head toward me. “Questions about who she is. Where she’s from?—"

“Of course there are questions. She’s the first human we haven’t killed within a few hours,” Jax said oh so casually.

I gasped.

“Worry not, Pet. None of them mattered.” He smirked. “You should have seen the one that pissed Ren off for asking him to whisper sweet nothings in Japanese and he ‘accidently’ snapped her neck.” Asher’s air quotes didn’t make me feel good.

“You could chalk it up to how you guys have kept her, but there have been whispers about Wrenhaven talking to other Sires.”

“We’ve had no issues with them.” Tobias crossed his arms, stepping forward so we were side to side. “They have jurisdiction in half of Oregon.”

“They want to expand.”

Tobias scratched his chin.

“That’s why I invited Charles Foxbrooke and the Burrow Sire.” She lowered her voice and looked behind her. The noisiness from downstairs continued. “I heard they’ve been approached by Wrenhaven.”

Heaviness accumulated in my stomach. This all sounded too dangerous. If they were digging around about me . . . what if they discovered Peter’s existence? I swayed.

Jax’s arm curled around my waist. I clutched onto him, leaning all my weight against him. I wanted to ask but I would save it until we were safe and away from all vampires.

“You’re not fooling anyone. You’re playing both sides,” Ren drawled. Her eyes flicked to the side and she acted like she hadn’t heard him.

“That goes against the treaty.” Jax’s chest vibrated under my ear.

“They are not planning to go against anything. They want to catch one of you in a mistake, a slip up, some way in order to call a council.” She focused on me. “And they think this girl is the way to get to you.” I pressed tighter against Jax. His palm pressed into my spine.

“Such sweet devotion.” She sighed with a mocking smile. “Your human truly looooves you, doesn't she?” Her focus turned to me. “They won’t keep you long term. You should have taken my offer.” She clicked her teeth disappointedly.

“Ah. Yes, your offer. You want the ring so desperately you’ve orchestrated a plant in our house?” Jax scoffed.

Calliope scowled, obviously confused.

“No,” she said slowly. “When I found out she was staying with you, I hunted her down to threaten her.”

“Threaten her with what?” Asher said, tensing like he’d been hit.

“Your safety.” She waved her hand, encapsulating all the men with one motion. She sighed. “She did not take the bait.”

“She was protecting us,” Tobias said, head tilted as he focused on Calliope. She sighed and glared at the mind-reader.

“Leave them alone,” she cried out in a high-pitched voice. I scowled.

“I don’t sound like that,” I said through gritted teeth. Calliope rolled her eyes.

“You wanted to protect us?” Jax asked. His voice lowered with huskiness, with emotion.

“I would have never betrayed you guys. I said it.” Over and over. I almost added, but it seemed redundant.

“Calliope,” Ren said conversationally. He was then next to her, yanking her head back so her throat strained. “I’m going to rip your head off.”

She squalled. “I can be an asset. And I could have spread news far and wide that you have a human that is not able to be compelled, but I didn’t because I’m on your side, Ren.”

I should tell them about Alistair knowing, but this was definitely a bad time.

He scoffed and sucker punched her right in the mouth. Blood squirted from her lip and she yelped, clasping her face. Jax held me tighter than he’d ever held me before. His expression rippled and tensed. I could almost see cogs turning in his head.