Dance Around - Susi Hawke Page 0,38

believe it once I saw it happen. Until then, I would remain skeptical at best. When there was a break in conversation, Dear motioned between me and Morty. "What I want to know is why both of you knew so much about COME and never told us. Don't think I didn't hear Sir Alfred talk about you having appeared before them previously, Gil. And apparently you were something of a nuisance, if they banned you from showing up for ten years."

Morty rushed to my defense, which didn't entirely surprise me. Morty wasn't a bad guy, simply a slightly sketchy one, who would always work whatever angle was best for him. Fair enough, I supposed. "Gil couldn't tell you guys. If he and Dan had claimed each other sooner, he could've told his bonded mate. Especially since they're true mates who can't keep secrets from each other."

I looked around the table at Dan and his brothers. "Remember the fancy guestbook we signed on our way into the chamber? It's been spelled with an ironclad nondisclosure agreement. Anything you witness in there can't be shared with anyone who wasn't present, except for a mate. The bond is the only thing stronger than the spell. Try telling someone, I dare you. The beauty of it is you physically won't be able to. You can't write it down or type it. I tried sign language, and my hands wouldn't move."

Morty shrugged. "We never know what might get out, and it's best not to risk it. Between the thirteen council members, there's some pretty strong magic. Breaking a spell created by COME would be impossible for anyone short of a minor deity or some shit. And even then, they'd find undoing it was trickier than expected. The spell’s not simply heavy magic—it's old and pure magic. A mix of elemental, blood, and whatever other sorcery they threw into the mix. It's the ultimate NDA."

"It’s unfair to make us sign without telling us." Dear pouted, but he knew as well as I did that nobody would've believed us if we had been able to spill the beans.

Wrinkling my nose, I shook my head. "Let it go, Dear. Look at it this way—at least you were able to tell Sacha about the fauns and their swinging schlongs."

Dear cracked a grin. "Not like he believed me. Which further proves you have a point about COME. What's the point of informing people if they won't believe you? Whatever. I'm gonna go find Nathaniel and make him show me his smooth moves on the dance floor."

As he got up and walked away, we all looked over to the area of the side yard, where one of my brothers had set up the DJ booth, and the brood had already been dancing for the past hour. Who cared if it was a grassy lawn instead of an actual floor? Anywhere the brood decided to get down was automatically a dance area.

Morty seemed in no rush to leave. Which was fine, I supposed. I still didn't get why we'd felt the need to invite him to the official vote on the family merger, but the Morenos wanted him there. Dan’s best answer was Morty wouldn’t be able to play us against each other in the future if he witnessed us joining forces. It was a good enough explanation, but I suspected they didn't dislike Morty quite as much as they pretended. Unless maybe they didn't realize it themselves. A possibility.

The vote had been unanimously in favor of a merger, and we were now officially the Blythe-Moreno Guild of Assassins and Ninjas. Kind of a mouthful, in my opinion. I figured we would probably go with The Guild and leave the full name for legal documents and intimidation tactics. Also, it looked really fancy on the new business cards I'd ordered this morning in anticipation of the “yes” vote I knew we'd be getting.

Morty caught my attention. "So if you're going to be in charge now, do I only call you when I need someone on a job? Which leads me to another question—am I your handler, or am I going to become a source you tap for work opportunities?"

I turned to Nash. Though I was also chosen to lead the new guild in the same way I had the brood, Nash led the elite squad. Though we were under one umbrella and would consult each other, he had the final say-so on squad members—whether they were a Moreno or a Blythe. Openings