Page 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Shepard, Hugh, and several others arrived thirty minutes later. I’d cleaned up dinner, and Vena was napping in her room, which I was grateful for when I saw who the guests were.

“Piper? Robyn? What are you doing here?” I asked.

My friends looked equally shocked to see me.

“You know each other?” Hugh asked.

“Yes,” Piper said, flashing a happy yet nervous glance at Hugh. “Everly is a friend from college.” She glanced back at me. “Where’s Vena?”

“She broke her arm a few hours ago and is sleeping off the painkillers.”

“Sleeping them off?” Shepard asked. “Doesn’t she need them?”

“She’s got a very high pain tolerance. I think they gave her something, hoping to shut her up. It didn’t work. It made her worse.”

Shepard glanced at Anchor, who was standing by the island and nodded.

“I thought you guys were in Europe,” I said. “When did you get back?”

“About that…”

Hugh cleared his throat. “I believe we should sit down to have this discussion.”

We sat at the table, with Cross and Shepard sitting on each side of me and Hugh, Piper, and Robyn across from us. Three other agents stood behind them like their shadows.

“Despite the footage Vena captured and public awareness, the NC meetings haven’t stopped,” Hugh said. “With Shepard and Curran’s rings gone and Effora missing, we’re assuming the worst—that Orphia has three of the four stones. If Vivian is telling the truth, which we believe he is, we need to stop Orphia as soon as possible.

“Piper and Robyn, our youngest vampire hunters, have volunteered to attend the next meeting. They’ve registered separately and are waiting for their meetup call.”

Vampire hunters?

I glanced at Piper and Robyn, who seemed at ease with the assignment. How had Vena and I not known what they were up to? When they’d said they were going to Europe, I’d thought it was for a fun vacation. Obviously, that’d been a lie.

Did I really know them at all?

My gaze shifted from Piper to Hugh, and I noted an eerie resemblance between them. They both had the same honey blonde hair and hazel eyes that were more green than brown. Robyn was the opposite with dark hair and eyes.

I turned to Hugh. “You were watching us to keep us safe, and Vena and I still almost got hurt. What are you going to do to keep Piper and Robyn safe?”

Hugh smiled. “They might be our youngest hunters, but they’re well trained. I promise you, they’re more equipped to infiltrate these meetings than you or Vena were. We pulled them from the field just for this.”

“The field?” I echoed.

Robyn smiled. “There’s a lot we can’t tell you, but trust us when we say we know what we’re doing.”

“Orphia and her people will likely take more precautions after last night and Vivian’s video this morning,” Shepard said. “Are you sure the meetings will continue?”

“Positive,” Hugh said. “She’s after conversions. If a few meetings go bad, she won’t care about the casualties, which is why we need to get our people in there quickly. We’re hoping, at this next meeting, we’ll be able to capture a vampire or two to interrogate.”

“If she let every vampire know where she was, Cross would already know how to find her,” I said, a little impatient with Hugh.

“Everly’s right,” Cross said. “She wouldn’t let just anyone know.”

“The guy on the stage sounded like the guy on the phone when Vena got the meetup call. I think he was also the one our driver was talking to about the supposed no-shows along the route. If you capture anyone, that’s the guy you need.”

Hugh nodded. “Our hunters tracked the vampire who got him out of there but lost the trail after a few miles. They had a car waiting. We’ll be better prepared this time.

“Now that the Night Club scheme has been exposed, we’re hoping fewer people sign up for them, and we’ll get Piper and Robyn in sooner,” Hugh said.

As they discussed the plan's finer details, including werewolf backup, I set out cookies and water for everyone.

“I missed your cookies,” Piper said with a barely suppressed moan that made Robyn roll her eyes.

“That’s because you’re part Cookie Monster. Don’t think I didn’t see that the box of cookies you bought for emergencies yesterday is now empty in your car.”

Eventually, the meeting wrapped up. Hugh and his people got up to leave. Piper and Robyn stood as well but paused at the table.

Hugh paused as well. “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” Piper said. “If it’s okay, Robyn and I will find our own way back. We want to talk to Everly first.”

He nodded and looked at Cross and Shepard. “I’ll see the three of you at the studio at four-thirty. Dress professionally, and no kissing or hitting.”

When Hugh left, Shepard and Cross went to the living room to give me a little space with my friends. I pointed my finger accusingly at them.

Before I could say anything, Piper said, “We saw their first interview with Denise. It was pretty funny.”

“No changing topics. You both have a lot of explaining to do.”

Piper laughed and sat back down at the table. Robyn followed her lead.

“What do you want to know?” Piper asked. “I swear we weren’t keeping anything from you on purpose. We operate under secrecy for a reason.”

“I understand that, but you’re in college. What’s with the hunting?”

She waved it off as if it was no big deal. “Hugh is my dad. I was born into this. Robyn, too.”

Robyn nodded. “I come from a long line of vampire hunters.”

I slow-blinked at both of them as I wrapped my head around the fact that my friends had a history and ties to creatures I hadn’t even known were real before falling into Cross’s cave. Vena and I hadn’t had a clue.

“I would have never guessed in a million years,” I said.

Piper shrugged. “Sounds like you’ve been up to a lot during summer break, too.” She leaned forward then flicked her gaze to the living room. The questions in her eyes were as clear as if she’d asked them out loud.

“It’s been a long summer already,” I said. “Shepard is now my mate, and Cross is my…”

I didn’t know what to call him. Boyfriend seemed too weak of a word when I was already committed to him. Yet, fiancé or husband wasn’t right either.

“Vampire mate?” I said, unsure. “It’s still new, and I’m figuring things out as I go along, but I’m really happy. Well, not about the issues with vampires. Or the Effora issue.”

Piper and Robyn both grimaced at Effora’s name.

“She’s so horrible,” Piper said. “You should see some of the people who come out of her house. Some make it to the hospital, but others aren’t that lucky.”

Robyn nodded. “As far as I’m concerned, she’s no better than Orphia. They just go about their tyranny differently.”

I spoke a little bit about my encounters with her, except for the last one. I didn’t want to dwell on it.

“The bakery downstairs looks cool,” Piper said, switching the topic. She was always good at sensing when someone needed a break. “Are you and Vena finally going to get your dream?”

I smiled at her. “I think Vena’s dream might change after hearing about you two.”

Piper and Robyn left shortly after our conversation and told me to say hello to Vena for them.

“We’ll see you again soon,” Piper promised, giving me a hug.

“Text us when your opening day is, and we’ll be there,” Robyn said.

Cross stood to show them out.

“This is weird,” Piper said as she walked with Cross. “Normally, I’d be fighting a vampire, not walking civilly next to one.”

“I’ve heard of it before,” Robyn said. “But it’s uncommon. Why are you different?”

“A long, lonely existence made me willing to risk everything,” I heard Cross say.

Shepard wrapped his arms around me from behind.

“He’s okay,” he said.

“Are you a mind reader now?”

“No, I just know you worry about him. He has you, though, so he’s okay. Never doubt it.”

“And when he doesn’t have me?” I asked. “He’s very adamant that he doesn’t want any children to pass down the vampire gene, and I’ll eventually age and die, Shepard. What about then?”

“Is anyone meant to live forever, Everly? Even the fae, as long-lived as they are, die eventually. Death is part of life, and he knows it.”

“I just don’t want him to be alone.”

“He won’t be.” Shepard turned me in his arms and kissed my forehead. “But enough of this kind of thinking. We have decades to figure that out. What we need to think about now is what suit you want me to wear. I put Cross in charge of my wardrobe, which is frightening enough, and he has two options for you to pick from.”

Shepard led me to the closet and pulled out two suits that both looked nice. One was in a lighter brown that would complement Shepard’s skin tone, and the other was blue, which complemented his eyes.

“He didn’t want to do black suits. And I vetoed the burgundy, terra-cotta, and patterned suits. So this is what’s left.”

I bit my lip, trying to imagine Shepard in a patterned suit. It would need a lot of pattern to cross the breadth of his shoulders.

“Let’s go with the lighter brown. It looks less serious, which is what this live show is supposed to convey…the lighter side of your relationship.”

He thanked me, and I walked out of the closet to find Cross leaning against the counter.

“I preferred the lighter one as well. Thank you for convincing him.”

“I trust her taste, not yours,” Shepard called.

“If that were true, you wouldn’t have given me your measurements,” Cross said back.

“My estimation about his size was accurate, by the way,” Cross told me.

Shepard stuck his head out of the closet. “Out. Not you, Everly. You can help me with my tie.”

Helping involved a lot of sweet kisses and hugs, which I loved.

When he was finished, he styled his longish hair begrudgingly under Cross’ watchful eye in the bathroom.

“I’ve done my hair on my own for most of my thirty-three years. Go away.”

“Try not to look business. You’re trying for sexy. Appealing. I know it’s a stretch?—”

Cross caught the hairbrush Shepard threw and tossed it back to him.

“Everly, are you going to allow him to treat me this way?” Cross asked with a mock pout.

“Don’t pull me into your squabbling. I’m just here to spectate.” I smirked. “And for the eye candy.”

Shepard’s ass in those suit pants was drawing my gaze every time he moved.

Cross chuckled as Shepard glanced at me with golden eyes.

“Did I mention they want you to be part of this interview, too?” Shepard asked.

That wiped the smirk right off my face.

“Heck no.”

“Are you sure?” Cross asked. “You’d be a household name after today. Think of how the publicity now would help our bakery later.”

I frowned. “You’re playing dirty. You need to stop hanging out with Vena.”

He winked at me. “I had something tailored for you, too. Go look.”

Curious, I went to check the closet. Since everything was new to me, it took a while for me to find a pant-suit set in the same shade as Shepard’s in my section of the closet.

I grinned, loving the idea of couple outfits. Different, yet close enough to be intentional.

“What do you think?” Cross asked, stepping behind me.

“I love it. Thank you.”

Cross kissed the back of my neck. “You’re welcome. I have one more surprise for you, but after you get ready.”

I took a little extra time to do my makeup and hair. When I emerged from the bedroom, both men watched me hungrily. The shorter suit coat accentuated all my curves and gave me the illusion that I had longer legs than I did. The heels helped that, too.

“You look beautiful, Everly,” Shepard said. “I’m glad we picked the lighter suit.”

“Same,” I said. Then I looked at Cross, who hadn’t changed yet.

“I’ll be right back,” he said.

He blurred away as Shepard slowly walked around me. When he faced me again, his eyes were pure gold.

“I see that you like the view.”

“Very much.”

“What exactly do I need to know for this interview?” I asked.

“Nothing. Just be yourself. You’re the glue that binds Cross and I together.”

My eyes went wide. “We’re not talking about our relationship on the news.”

His hands closed over my shoulders, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

“We’ll only reveal whatever you’re comfortable with. Cross and I talked about it, and we think if you share that you woke him and worked for me that’s enough. We don’t need to go any deeper into what we feel for each other.”

I let out a relieved breath.

“Good. I’m still not sure how to tell my parents.”

“You have time. Don’t rush it.”

Cross blurred back into the living room, dressed in an identical suit and tie set as Shepard. They were adorable together, and it made my heart squeeze like it was being hugged by Cupid.

“Absolutely not,” Shepard said to Cross. “Either you change, or I do.”

I tugged on Shepard’s coat and stuck out my bottom lip a little. “But I like matching with both of you. I’m fair like that. How can I be the glue between you if we don’t all match?”

He groaned and darted in to suck my bottom lip into his mouth, which turned into a hot kiss that would have ended in disaster if not for Cross’ quick “Don’t touch her hair” warning.

I broke off the kiss and looked at Shepard’s hand, which was inches from my head.

“Do you know how much product is in my hair right now to get it to look like this?”

He grinned and kissed the tip of my nose. “I do. I can smell it.”

The door to Vena’s room opened, and Anchor crept out, closing it behind him.

“Looking good,” he said to all of us. “While you’re out, I’ll start dinner and keep the gremlin entertained. Put in a good word for the wolves, okay, Everly? I really need the Hunters to approve of me soon.”

I snorted. “They already do.” Then, my eyes went wide in understanding.

“Her arm will slow her down a few more days, but then I’m hers.”

Grinning, I hurried across the room to hug Anchor.

Shepard growled, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cross playfully clock him in the back of his head.

“I thought you said not the hair,” Shepard muttered.

“Hers, not yours.”

“Time to go,” Shepard said.

Cross held my hand on the way out, his thumb softly stroking my skin. My stomach was already a ball of nerves just thinking about having to be on TV. The last interview had gone horribly. And while I knew I would keep my cool better than Shepard had, I wasn’t sure I wanted Denise grilling me.

“It will be okay,” Cross said, sensing my nerves, as he opened the car door for me. “If not, you have a vampire and wolf with you. What could go wrong?”

“So many things.”

He chuckled and kissed my cheek before closing the door.

We arrived at the station to find out we’d have a different host this time. Craig Gloverson was a news anchor, not a talk show host like Denise. I hoped that meant their interview styles were different.

The news studio had the familiar long desk and the backdrop of the city along with several other dedicated spots for weather, sports, and even a kitchen area. Although I’d seen Craig on the news a few times, I rarely watched the entire five o’clock news program.

“How long is this segment going to be?” I asked the production assistant who had walked us in.

“It’s not a segment,” she said. “We’re using the whole five o’clock news for a special report.”

“The whole time?” I asked, the nerves getting the better of me.

She nodded with a smile. “Just be yourself, and it will be fine.”

I was pretty sure I heard something along those lines for Shepard and Cross’ interview as well, and it had not been fine.

I had thought we would be at the desk, but someone escorted us to an intimate interview area, kind of like the setup Denise had, but this one was branded to the news. The familiar audio guy mic’d Cross and Shepard first, then gave me instructions on how to do it so he wasn’t touching me.

Just when I thought my stomach might revolt, Craig walked on set. He had an arrogant stride and a cocky smile, but when he shook our hands and told us a little about what would happen, I felt marginally better.

Craig sat on one side, and the three of us sat on the other, with me between Cross and Shepard.

“Just look at me,” Craig said to us. “Don't worry about the cameras. They’ll do their thing. We’ll do ours.”

When the floor director started the countdown, I took a breath and waited as Craig talked to the camera, telling the viewers that the news would be on after the special report. He gave a little background information about his guests, a vampire and a werewolf, and why it was such a big deal.

The giant lights hanging from a grid on the ceiling were starting to get to me. Sweat beaded on my lower back.

“So, let’s introduce our guests,” Craig said. “Shepard Ulv, a werewolf; Brodier Cross, a vampire; and Everly Reid, a human. Welcome.”