Blood and Blade (Goddess with a Blade #6) - Lauren Dane Page 0,26

hired guns. I have long felt we needed to underline that and get rid of or yank those Hunters who’re riding that line too closely back. Things are changing. We need to change with the times or lose our way.”

He nodded, agreeing. Good. He’d tell her if he thought she was wrong. Or too wrong.

“Apropos of that, I’m going to suggest we always work in teams of at least two. Too many people have gone missing. Too many witches kidnapped and drained. Too many Vampires being Made without permission. Things are in flux. We’ll need a real presence and I want everyone in the field to be as safe as possible. Hunters are human for the most part. We need to raise our security up to where we can meet that sort of threat level.”

They spoke of setting up a network of cross training with other Hunters across the United States. Rowan let the details pull her along. It felt as if she was actually doing something instead of constantly reacting to things.

Things were unfinished. There was yet another layer to this whole damned mess she’d been wading in since she’d first dealt with the Blood Front only a year prior.

Only a year. It had felt like a century since that moment she’d met Enyo and the other Vampires who were out to destroy the Treaty that held the peace between the paranormal groups and protected humans in the bargain.

Each time she’d thought they were finally done, that they’d lopped off the head of whatever group that was behind so many disappearances and murders, there was yet another level. Killing Lyr the week before had been a major step. She felt that to her toes. But it hadn’t been the end.

There would always be problems. Always threats. Always things she’d have to investigate, Vampires she’d have to stake, people she’d need to insult. But this hurtling from one death to the next, scrabbling to stay alive and keep those she loved the same, had exhausted her.

“The end is coming,” she told David. “Yes, we’ll be investigating some other nonsense next month but we’re so close to figuring out just who the fuck is behind all this Blood Front and magic stuff I can nearly taste it.”

“I can’t say I’ll be complaining about something new to be worried about. Do you think this is the last of the Blood Front?” David asked. “Every time we think they’re done, they return.”

“Like herpes.” Rowan snorted. “There are always going to be groups like Blood Front. Making yourself feel better at the expense of someone else is a pretty popular game. Humans love it too, but Vampires are champions. They bitch on a professional level. So as they sit around and complain, they’ll always return to humans and how they should be free to feed and Make as they choose. It might have a new name the next time, but the message is always the same. However, I think once we take out whoever is at the head of this conspiracy the balance will shift greatly.”

“And that is your gift and your path,” Clive murmured as he bent to kiss her temple, phone calls over for at least the time being. He settled at her side and spoke in a normal tone. “The balance here will be hard fought.”

“It always is. Balance is achieved through struggle and painful lessons. It happens because things have slid so far out of alignment it takes a violent correction to find true north again.”

Clive took her hand a moment and squeezed. “Well said. And I have the permission to investigate in England. He wouldn’t go beyond that without more details from me and I’m not willing to give those details to him yet.”

“I don’t think Warren is Blood Front,” Rowan told him.

“Neither do I. But there are those within his organization who are and they’re the ones leaking tactical information to our enemies. I trust Warren. Within limits.” Clive flicked his gaze over her with a faint, feral smile. “But I don’t trust anyone else working for him.”

Fair enough.

“The sun is coming. Lie with me for a while,” he said. “Put aside work and just be with me.”

“Why are you being so sweet to me?” she asked him once they were alone. She closed the door at her back. “It’d better not be because you want to tell me there’s no use me heading out to investigate this black market Vampire. If you do, I’m going to punch