Page 76 of Beast

“I am not cleaning that up,” Taggart says, taking a stepback. “I told you we should have put down a tarp.”

Julian crosses his arms over his chest and leans negligentlyagainst the wall beside them. “He didn’t come here to fight. He came here totalk to you. He has information.”

“I don’t care about his information. This motherfucker hastried to kill me twice. I don’t think I trust him to tell me the truth.” Anasty thought runs through my head. Kaja. I sent Kaja to the bar alone. “If youtook my consort, I swear they will be picking up pieces of you for weeks.”

Now Julian doesn’t look so unconcerned. “Back down,Dellacourt. I don’t give a shit if you don’t trust him, but don’t you dareaccuse me of allowing a consort to be abused in my club.”

The club owner and, if rumors are true, mobster, is frowningferociously, his fangs out. Julian Lodge can be a friend or a foe. My choice.

And I have an easy way to check on my consort. Hopefully thewhole telepathic thing works when I don’t have my mouth on her pussy. Kaja?

I feel her surprise, and her deep satisfaction, at theconnection. Yes?

How do I put this without scaring her? You don’t happento be surrounded by mercenaries? I was never good with subtlety.

And she is smiling. I can’t see her, but I feel that smile. No.I am surrounded by liquor, however. I like margaritas, Dante. They taste good.

Behave, love. I want to be there with her as shetries tequila for the first time, but I shut down our connection. She’s safe. Iallow the fucker-asshat-cocksucker to fall to the ground and turn to Julian andTaggart.

“So, you’re willing to vouch for him?”

Tag nods, and the tension in the room seems to deflate.“Yeah, I worked with him when I was in the military. He’s a proud dumbass whoshould have come to me when he cashed out, but no, he had to form his own crewand take on a bunch of shitty jobs to prove he could.”

Julian’s fangs recede. “Many of those jobs were for me. He’sdone good work for me over the years, including retrieving my promised consortfrom the Seelie plane a few years back. Though he brought along an extra bit ofbaggage.”

Roan’s hand is on his throat, massaging it. “Well, Icouldn’t kill the young man. He wouldn’t allow your consort to go without him.He’s lucky you’re a vampire with an open mind.”

Julian smiles, a genuine, affectionate smile. “I’ve forgivenyou for that bit of business, Roan. It all worked out in the end and after thisis over, Roan’s decided to join the team.”

“Well, I am sick of working for unsavory characters,” Roanadmits. “Taggart can’t be worse.”

“I can try,” Taggart quips. “And I plan on you working withthe Unseelie, so you might want to rethink your stance on unsavory characters.”

I really only heard one thing in that exchange. “You can geton the Seelie plane?”

“See, I told you he can learn,” Taggart says. “Roan and hismen can get on and off the Seelie plane. They’ve been smuggling for years now.”

“It isn’t hard, if you know where to go,” Roan says, hisvoice still raspy. “And who to kill.”

Julian steps back. “I thought he might prove useful to you,Dellacourt. You see, I know something the rest of the world doesn’t know yet.According to Taggart’s sources, the Council is meeting secretly tonight.They’re voting on a resolution concerning Torin and his place on the Seeliethrone.”

My stomach takes a deep dive. “We’re going to lose.”

Julian nods, his mouth a grim line. “Yes, I believe so. Ithink that by morning, the Vampire plane will officially open negotiations withKing Torin, and your cousins will become the most hunted men on all theplanes.”

It’s happening too fast. Gods, it’s been thirteen years andit’s still happening too fast.

“I have more bad news,” Taggart says. “I got a call from aman I have on the inside at the door that separates our plane from the Refugeeplane. Your cousins are on their way to the Vampire plane. They’ll be here in acouple of hours.”

They’ll be walking into a trap. “They haven’t called. Idon’t know how to stop them.”

“Calm down,” Roan says. “They’re smart and apparently cancall the trees to their aid.”

But there aren’t any trees on this plane for Cian to workwith. He might find the occasional houseplant, but he’ll have to be on thesurface to find trees. This fight isn’t going to happen on the surface. This isall about the royals and their lack of available consorts.

Torin is going to win.

“I have to find them.” I’ll get on a bike and head for thesouth door. I know the route they’ll take.