“Yes, let’s blame me for the fact that Dad and the wolves are teaming up with made vampires so they can wipe everyone else out of existence.” Hudson rolls his eyes. “What a wanker.”
“What does that have to do with us being the head of the Circle?” I ask Jaxon, though I definitely want to follow up on Hudson’s comment later, because it sounded very different from anything else I’ve heard.
“Gargoyles are peacekeepers,” Mekhi interjects. “If you and Jaxon take his parents’ place, you have a much better chance of keeping shit under control. Between Jaxon’s power and your ability to chill things out—”
“I can do that?” I interrupt.
“That’s what the old stories all say,” Rafael tells me. “Gargoyles were created to keep the balance among the factions.”
“Exactly. So when my parents abdicate, we can take their place and get things going back in the right direction,” Jaxon says seriously. “Which definitely includes avoiding war.”
“Yeah, like that’s going to happen.” Hudson rolls his eyes. “First of all, the only way dear old Dad would abdicate is if you severed his head from his body and then burned him, twice. And even then I’m not so sure. And secondly, who says sitting on the Circle is a good thing anyway? Jaxon may suddenly have this starry-eyed vision of how easy it will be to stop a war, but the truth is, it’s hard and it’s bloody brutal.” He speaks with assurance, like he knows what he’s talking about.
“Besides, it’s not like being on the Circle is such a good thing. I’d rather stay off the damn council and keep my mate safe than be on it and always have to worry about someone trying to kill her to take our place. Trust Jaxon to not give a shit about that part.”
“What if someone’s mate dies?” I ask. “How does that work?”
“Usually, that only happens if someone murders them,” Macy says. “Vampires are the only immortal creatures, but the rest of us tend to live a really long time.”
“You wouldn’t have to worry about that,” Jaxon insists. “No one will ever try to touch you once we lead the Circle. No one would dare.”
I don’t know how I feel about any of this, including the fact that Jaxon has apparently been making plans in his head for our future without consulting me at all. And the fact that he seems to think it’s going to be his job to take care of me for the rest of our lives. I mean, I’m okay with taking care of each other, but I’m not okay with being some kind of burden he’s responsible for.
No effing way. I’ll just have to double my efforts researching gargoyles. I don’t want to be anyone’s burden. I want to take care of myself.
Jaxon turns to discuss some particularly cool strategy with Mekhi, and I can’t stop my gaze from seeking out Hudson’s to see if he agrees with Jaxon that I need protecting.
“You could kick all our asses, Grace.” Hudson’s fathomless blue eyes never leave mine. “And then some.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. I don’t believe him even a little, but the tightness in my chest eases a little bit, anyway. I mean, if Hudson thinks I’m kick-ass, that’s gotta count for something, right?
“Damn straight it does.” Hudson grins at me, and I realize I’ve missed it in the time he’s been so quiet.
Before I can think much about that, though, Macy complains about a wolf she wants to teach a lesson. When she doesn’t elaborate, I remember she never answered my earlier question. “Macy? You’re not really competing, are you?”
Macy’s whole face lights up. “Of course I’m competing! This is the first year I can compete, and I can’t effing wait!”
“You go, girl,” Flint says as he drops down onto a chair at the end of the table beside Hudson, who gets up and leans against a nearby wall. “This year’s tournament is going to be epic.”
Flint holds a hand out for a fist bump, and Macy nearly swallows her tongue. Right before she bumps his fist hard enough to give herself a bruise. Apparently, some things never change…
“Completely epic,” Jaxon agrees. “When do we need to register our team by?”
“This Wednesday,” Flint says. He waits for a few seconds, then says oh so casually but not actually casually at all, “Do you guys have your team together yet, Jaxon?”
Jaxon eyes him for a few seconds, and at first I’m confused by what’s going