Page 95 of Wedlock

“And how do you propose to get her number?” He sighs. “Since the only one who knows how to reach her is the vampire you claim has disappeared? And before you ask, there’s no fucking chance I’m asking him for it.”

“I already have it. I’ve known how to contact her for some time, I just haven’t acted on it.”

“Then why the charade of having Jag deliver messages for you?” Wolf scowls.

‘Because I didn’t knowwhereshe was, and I wanted to see if they were together,” I shrug, “and give them the opportunity to be so,without interference, if that’s what she wanted. I know now that Jag isn’t who she wants.”

“She sure as shit doesn’t want you either,” Wolf chortles.

I raise my glass to him.

“Not yet.”

73

Yin shakes her finger at me where I stand, hands on hips, glaring at her.

“Don’t even start with me,” she snaps. “You went to that vampire’s lair against my strongest advice. Going to the Vatican doesn’t even compare.”

“Are you nuts? The Vatican isfullof vampires. I only put myself in danger with one; you risked your life against hundreds. And by contacting Phil you risked our security.”

“And you didn’t?” She narrows her eyes at me. “Can you be sure you didn’t slip up or give away any information unintentionally?”

“No,” I throw my hands up into the air, “I told you, I’m always one step behind with their games, especially Eleanor’s. But I didn’t stick around for days pushing my luck.”

“Three days,” she sighs, “I was in and out. No one saw me, no one questioned me. You know how good my disguises are.”

I can’t help but ask.

“What did you go as?”

“A little old, wizened priest. So ancient and feeble I barely registered with most people. The elderly are invisible.”

“Yes,” I sigh. “So was the risk worth it?”

“Was it?” She throws back at me.

“I had to be convincing that Tiger was mine,” I nod, thinking through my visit to the castle and my reason for going, although knowing there was another reason I’d barely acknowledged to myself, let alone would confess to Yin. “I had to show I was devastated by his illness, as any mother would be. As it turned out, I saved his life. I also discovered Eleanor knows about our ruse; she knows Tiger isn’t mine. So, yeah, it was worth it. Falcon still has an heir and no need to hunt me down.”

“An heir his mother knows is a bastard,” she shakes her head, “this can’t be good.”

“It’s not like it would be the first time she’s raised one of those,” I shrug. “I threatened to tell the Queen she was a part of The Free Men if she disclosed the baby swap.”

“You did what?”

“I wouldn’t actually do it,” I groan, “it was just the only card I had.”

“No,” she shakes her head, “you could have threatened to tell the Queen that Eleanor had rigged The Games. Revealing you know she has ties with The Free Men was another slip-up. She’ll bemore careful now; it’ll be harder to find out what she’s actually planning.”

“Shit.”

“Anyway,” she sighs, “yes,mytrip was worth it. I know now why Falcon and the Princess didn’t like the taste of your blood.”

“Go on.”

“You have fairy blood.”

“Oh, fuck off.”