The sizzling sound alerted me that Taran had zapped him. She flipped out. “Everyone out before I jolt the shit out of you!”
There was a collective groan from the wolves in the room before I heard the shuffle of feet exiting. “Are you all right, Ceel?” Shayna asked.
“No. But I will be,” I answered, though I knew it was a total lie.
• • •
“Good morning, Misha.”
He was wearing his black silk pajama bottoms. And judging by the four exhausted and extremely pleased-looking women caressing him, he probably hadn’t slept a wink.
“The Elder Anara contacted me this morning. You have the assignment you claim your beast so desperately needs.” He paused to chuckle at the cringe-worthy suggestion Tramp Numero Uno whispered in his ear. “You will fly with a group of my vampires to Nicaragua today. A Tribe nest has been discovered. We need you to destroy it and the Tribemaster.”
A Tribe nest was where a Tribemaster bred with human women to make demon children for his army. I still had nightmares from my first encounter. These poor women were forced to carry the monsters to term and then died à la Alien-esque delivery. It wasn’t going to be an easy assignment, yet I was more than willing to take it. The supernatural war had claimed many innocents, and I’d grown sick of it. Even if Misha hadn’t recruited me and the Tribe hadn’t targeted me specifically, I still would have fought to take those ass**les down.
The task itself wasn’t what bothered me. I’d trained for it. What upset me was Misha’s callousness. His cold, dismissive tone coupled with kissing that leggy blonde . . . He had some nerve. It’s not like I’d expected he’d join me on assignments. After all, masters and Elders, like military generals, fought only when there was no other choice. Still, Misha didn’t have to behave like an idiot.
“Misha, I’d like to talk to you about last night—in private.”
Misha didn’t acknowledge me, but the brunette licking his chest stopped long enough to glare and speak for him. “Misha doesn’t have time for a little girl when he has women to keep him occupied.”
Okay, sister, you’re pissing me off. “What kind of women are you if he needs four of you to replace one of me?”
Misha tensed but still wouldn’t look at me. And except for the one kissing his lips, the remaining “women” scowled at me. Knocking them into oblivion would have accomplished nothing. They were only human—stupid, slutty, and probably diseased, but human nonetheless. Besides, Misha was just as responsible for their actions.
“Fine, Misha. If you don’t want to talk about last night, we won’t. Just tell me, is there anything else I need to know about the mission?” He finished his kiss and then began another one with a different groupie. The little patience I had left quickly disappeared. “I asked you if there was anything else,” I hissed.
“No. You will receive further instructions half past the hour. Go pack. Breakfast will be brought to the guesthouse. You are excused now.” He motioned me toward the door and returned to his entourage.
My rage forced my claws out. I turned and stormed out. Between Misha and everything going on with Aric, I had a lot of anger to unleash. The Tribesmen wouldn’t know what hit them.
• • •
Screw Misha, screw Barbara, and screw this whole stupid mess. I called my sisters to inform them of my absence, but couldn’t reach them. I did finally end up talking to them—on the plane.
I jumped out of my seat when they boarded Misha’s private jet. They smiled and waved, and apparently had been shopping. They slipped off their long coats to reveal matching camouflage tanks and cargo pants. They even wore army boots. I think they were trying for military chic, but the results were more like Special Forces Barbie. Taran sat down as if she owned the plane, tossed back her dark hair, and began applying another coat of lip gloss. God forbid we take on demons with chapped lips.
Emme tried to give me a small smile, but when she caught my not so cheery expression, she quickly sat next to Taran and shrank back into her seat.
“What the hell are you three doing here?”
Shayna finished adjusting her ponytail and grinned like I was the flight attendant welcoming her on board. “Misha called and told us you were going on another assignment. We’ve missed your last few so we asked him if we could come along.” She tugged on the strap of her tank top as it fell off her right shoulder. Unlike Taran, she didn’t have the goods to fill out her stretchy shirt.
If Misha had arrived I would’ve staked him in the ass. “It’s more like he manipulated you into coming along!”
Taran closed her compact and huffed. “No shit, Celia. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to help.” She eyed me up and down. “Why the hell are you dressed like that? Aren’t we headed for a jungle?”
The vamps and I wore shorts and T-shirts. I rubbed my temples to fight off the headache pummeling my brain with each passing second. “The plane is not going to drop us in the jungle. We still have to drive by jeep to the Bosawás Reserve. We’re trying not to stand out. But forget how I’m dressed. Are you out of your minds? There’s no way you’re coming!”