do it,” Caine murmured. “If he doesn’t get a rise out of you, there’s no more fun to be had, and he’ll let it go.”
“He’s also right here, listening to you.” Finn tipped the bottle to his lips and chugged several deep mouthfuls of beer. “Don’t you pay him any attention, Nix. I like calling you ‘little cousin.’ And just think, if our parents ever get around to getting married, I can call you ‘little sister.’”
“Aargh.” Nix struggled off her husband’s lap and glared at Finn, though he could see humor lurking in her eyes. “You are a pain in my ass, you know that?” She sidestepped Caine’s attempt to haul her back down. “I’m going to make myself a grilled cheese sandwich and some tomato soup. You”—she pointed at Finn—“can go out to eat. And you,” she said to her husband, her expression softening, “can come get a bite whenever you want to.”
Finn watched her walk away. He was used to rubbing Nix the wrong way, and he ordinarily didn’t care what she or anyone else thought about him. But he cared what Keira thought. She was light to his darkness, a breath of fresh air in the squalidness he found himself in day after day. He had to battle back unfamiliar guilt at deceiving her. What a mess he was in.
“There’s something else you should know,” Caine said.
“There usually is.” Finn finished his beer and leaned forward to put it on the coffee table. Then he sat back and crossed his legs, resting his ankle on the opposite knee.
“Liuz is Tori Joseph’s cousin.”
Finn shifted against the sofa. “I’m sure I misheard you. What the hell did you say?”
“Stefan Liuz, known as Natchook ot Renz in the other dimension, was a cousin to Sirina lan Maro. After the rift, Sirina became Victoria Joseph.”
“And you didn’t think I should know that little fact when you asked me to infiltrate the group?” Finn pushed to his feet. “And you were worried about maintaining secrecy with me. I don’t see how Tori will sit back and let her cousin be captured. She has to know he won’t let himself be taken alive.”
Caine shook his head. “No, he won’t. But Tori’s learned her lesson. She won’t interfere in what has to be done.”
“What do you mean?”
The vampire glanced toward the kitchen. “Natchook…Liuz is the one who caused Nix to be turned.”
Finn had heard the story, or part of it at any rate. He’d known that Nix had been attacked and that Caine had turned her in order to save her life. He hadn’t known that Stefan Liuz was the one who’d savaged her. “And Tori knows this?”
“She does now.” Caine took a breath and blew it out. “Her brother went rogue a few months back and killed or turned half a dozen people or so. Including Dante MacMillan’s sister.”
Finn let out a low whistle. “I’d heard about all of that when it was happening, of course. Liuz was involved?”
Caine nodded. “Tori’s brother was doing it as a way to prove his worth to Liuz.” He sighed again. “Believe me, she knows better than to stand in the way. Liuz has been responsible for the loss of many lives in his quest for power, and there’s only one penalty to pay.”
Death.
Still, Finn sensed some hesitation on Caine’s part. “You’re not sure of her, are you?”
He met Finn’s eyes. “She loves her cousin. On some level she has to be thinking of a way to get him out of this. I know I would be.”
“Uh-huh.” He stared at Caine. “Is there anything else I should know?”
Caine shrugged. “Not that I know of.”
Before Finn could reply, his cell began to play “Highway to Hell.” He tugged his phone from his back pocket and connected the call. “Dad,” he greeted.
“I assume you’ve heard Deoul’s been killed.” Lucifer’s voice was terse.
“Yeah, Caine told me.”
“You’re with him?”
Finn rubbed his brow. “I’m over at his house.”
“Let him know that Caladh has been put in place as interim president until formal voting can be scheduled.”
“That was quick,” Finn muttered. “Both the action and you finding out about it.”
Lucifer laughed. “You know I have people everywhere, son. Anyone who thinks I don’t know what’s going on would be mistaken.”
And that made Finn wonder something else. “Which begs the question: How long have you known about this rogue group?”
His father didn’t respond right away. When he did, it was only to say, “I’ve known awhile. It doesn’t matter how long, does it? I