Danny was relaxed as he could be, leaning against the thick stone railing, his body loose, belying what I knew roiled just underneath. He would not sleep until we found his mate. “I have sworn fealty to Jessica, with Callum’s blessing. Yes, it’s unusual. But then again, a female wolf in and of itself is unusual,” Danny said. “Have you not felt her power, mate? It deserves reverence. So I gave it.” He ended on a shrug. Like all wolves would kneel to the female.
“I’m not a Pack Alpha,” I added. “This was a special circumstance, as was my birth. With all the danger chasing me, we agreed it was imperative that I have wolves around me for protection. They decided to swear their fealty on their own. There was no pressure from my father. Tyler is next in line for Pack Alpha of the U.S. Territories. That doesn’t change.”
Nice save, Tyler told me. But he is not going to buy it for a minute. Your power is greater than mine. He’ll put two and two together soon enough.
But it’s true, I answered stubbornly. I can’t be a Pack Alpha and sit on the Coalition. My job is Enforcer, whether I like it or not. Before I could insist to Julian that I was telling the truth, my mate cut in.
“Jessica’s place is on the Coalition,” Rourke stated calmly. “You must’ve heard that news by now.” His words were a challenge. If Julian said no, he would be lying. If he said yes, he would admit to having information.
And just like that, everything was out in the open.
Julian opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted. “This must be where all the ingrates hang out,” Eudoxia stated in a bored tone as she strolled around the corner. “So we’ve decided to discuss the Coalition out in the open, have we? Well, don’t be droll, please go on.”
17
Eudoxia had a knack for popping in at the exact wrong time. But I was happy for the interruption at this particular wrong time. Now I could sit back and watch Julian deal with the hurricane that was Eudoxia.
Vampire Queen was dressed in a new gown, this one sky blue. She swept it in front of her as she sat down, her spine stick-straight, her small feet elegantly covered in shoes more expensive than my car. Julian had yet to respond, but Eudoxia had no problem filling the gap. “So, Julian,” she said, her voice full of pretentious humor, “what is the word here in Florence amongst the supernaturals about the Coalition? I spent the day outside of town in a small, yet regal, vampire Coterie, and they are atwitter about the news the Coalition is forming. Surely you have something? This is your city after all.”
Julian cleared his throat. “Yes, there has been some news, but I just took it for idle gossip.” He darted a glance at me and then back to Eudoxia.
Bullshit.
Lucas had already told us that my dealings were somewhat public knowledge, eagerly shared between wolves. I crossed my arms. “The new Coalition forming is pretty heady gossip to ignore,” I said. “It must’ve been swirling around for a while. I’m curious about what supernaturals are saying too. I’m also wondering why Florence, in particular, happens to be the chosen place. What’s special about this city?”
“Florence has always been a draw for supernaturals all over the world.” Julian struggled to keep his voice relaxed. If he gripped his wineglass any tighter, it would explode. “We are a city of magic, and proud of it. Many different Sects call this place home. It’s a natural converging place.”
“We did run into a witch today,” I agreed. “But we figured we’d encounter many more supes. But, to our surprise, the city was empty. This runs contradictory to what you were just saying. If Florence is a hub, it should be filled with supernatural activity. Is there a ban within the city limits we don’t know about?”
Julian looked even more uncomfortable. “Florence is my city, under my jurisdiction. All supernaturals know that. Seeing that you were set to arrive today, I had the city cleared for your safety.”
All except for one lone witch.
That was a big mistake, Julian.
I cocked my head, affecting a confused look. “We never informed you that I was in any danger, so what gave you the idea you needed to clear the entire city and not tell us about it? That must have put a lot of supes out. Being forced to leave your home is inconvenient.”
When he didn’t readily respond, Eudoxia once again filled in, glee infusing her voice. She wasn’t picky about whose discomfort she enjoyed. “The vampires had lots to say.” She shot a glance in my direction. “Shall I tell you about it?”
“Of course,” I answered. “After all, in a very short while we will be sharing all of our information”—and power—“as we take our positions on the Coalition together.” That was for Julian’s benefit. He had to know Eudoxia was slated for a seat, though he likely didn’t know it was the fae seat.
I wasn’t going to mention that part.
Eudoxia gave me a steely glare. “You need not remind me of my duties, ignorant wolf.” Well, so much for any civility we’d just cultivated. “The vampires have detected the presence of a few extremely powerful and extremely secretive supernaturals in the area.” I glanced at Ray. He gave me a short nod. The magic signature he’d detected across the border of Julian’s land must’ve belonged to one of them. “It’s rumored that these supernaturals only come into our realm when there’s a big shift in power. They are the ones in charge of passing the baton, so to speak. It seems the swearing in of the Coalition will be soon, and everyone is aflutter.”
“These powerful supernaturals, do you know what kind of supes they are?” I asked. Since one was basically camped in our backyard, it would be nice to know.
“They’ve only heard rumors, of course. The last swearing was too long ago for most to remember,” she answered. “But I believe them both to be celestial. Two birds of a different feather—one dark and one light.”
When Eudoxia mentioned the word celestial, I had to work hard to scour my brain, which was more difficult than you’d think. Steering the conversation away from anything that had to do with angels, I asked, “Did the vampires mention a specific time frame when everything might come together?”
Eudoxia waved her hand, barely refraining from rolling her eyes. “No one would know that exactly, but the agreement is soon.” She glanced casually at Julian. “Very soon. I would assume when all Coalition members have gathered.”
“We’re missing a few key players,” I said. “It can’t start until everyone’s together.”
The Vampire Queen settled back in her chair. It was hard for her to achieve a casual demeanor, but she was trying. “The rumors are that two of the missing supernaturals are already here in Florence.” She raised a single eyebrow like a champ in Julian’s direction. “Have you taken note of that, Julian?” She swished her hand out in front of her before he had a chance to answer. “But of course you have. Or you wouldn’t be an all-powerful Alpha who’s in control of this city and every supernatural in it. Isn’t that correct?” Eudoxia challenged.
If he said no, he’d look weak.