my van, loafers.” This was Eli, one of Connor’s uncles.
Connor pushed off the van, nodded at him. “Uncle.”
“Whelp.” He looked at me, nodded. “Vampire.”
“Wolf,” I said, and he smirked.
“Everything loaded?”
“And ready,” Connor said. “Strange thing—I didn’t see you packing beans.”
“I’m management,” he said and opened the driver’s side door.
“I believe that’s my cue to find something else to do,” Daniel said and glanced at me. “Good to meet you.”
“And you. Thanks again for the help.”
“You’re welcome. Prince,” Daniel said again and walked back to the building.
“He seems cool,” I said, as we moved away from the van, lest Eli run us down to get the food on the road.
“Dan is good Pack,” Connor said. He leaned toward me, so I caught the scene of his cologne, woodsy and warm. “And he’s an incorrigible flirt.”
“Is that a statement or a warning?”
“Yes.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s fine. But, seriously, make sure he buys a good coat.”
* * *
* * *
It would take a month, I guessed, before I’d be able to wash the smoke and paprika and molasses out of the jumpsuit.
“Come with me,” Connor said when the van was gone.
“Only if you have a frosty margarita and a hot bath,” I said, rolling my shoulder.
“How is it?” he asked.
“Healing, but slowly. I’m not sure if this extra workout will keep it from stiffening up, or make it worse.”
“Then I’ll make it up to you. I don’t have baths or margaritas. But how about barbecue and a hot shifter?”
“I could probably manage that.”
“Good.” He took my hand, led me through the loading bay and into a quiet hallway lit by the glow of the tea light candles used to warm chafing dishes. Two disposable plates of food flanked the candles, their compartments filled with meats and sides.
I looked up at him, eyes sparkling. “We’re getting our romantic dinner after all.”
“I wasn’t sure how long two dogs would last you, and I didn’t want you to start biting my relatives.”
“Wrong species,” I said. “I don’t bite shifters.”
“Oh, we’ll see about that,” he said with a grin. “Not as nice as I had planned for tonight, and none of the baguettes you were going to make from scratch.” He paused, looked at me. “I forgot to ask—did you make them?”
“Let us never speak of it again. But do let us speak of dinner, because I’m starving.”
* * *
* * *
The barbecue was, of course, delicious. We ate like hungry kids who’d snuck forbidden candy—stuffing in the food as quickly as possible, lest someone come to take it away, and grinning the entire time.
When we were done, we leaned back against the wall, legs stretched in front of us.
“You do know how to show a girl a good time.”
“Just wait until January. You’re going to love grilling burgers outside when it’s twenty degrees below zero.”
I slid him a glance. “Is that a dare?”
“You think you can handle it?”
“Recall that I had to shovel the Cadogan House sidewalk. Until I saved enough money to pay someone to do it.”
“Always strategizing,” he said and climbed to his feet.
“It’s the vampire way.”
He checked his watch. “About two hours until dawn,” he said, then offered me a hand, pulled me up. “Now that we’ve done our penance and refueled, let’s go see the boss.”
“We already talked to Berna,” I pointed out.
“Hilarious. And maybe don’t mention that to the Apex.”
* * *
* * *
We found him in the lounge behind the public bar, where the Pack’s senior members handled shifter business or played cards, or both, depending on the business.
There were four shifters in the room now. Miranda, two men I didn’t recognize, and last but never least, Gabriel Keene, the Apex of the North American Central Pack.
He sat at the head of a well-worn table, booted ankles crossed on the tabletop, arms folded. He seemed to take up more space in the room than he physically occupied. Power given substance. I wondered how much of that was being Apex, and how much was just him.
Gabriel’s gaze was on a screen on the opposite wall. And on that screen, in brilliant color, Connor and I fought side by side against the AAM.
“Well,” Gabriel said, without shifting his gaze. “You two certainly had an evening.”
“Fucking vampires,” Miranda muttered, smiling mirthlessly at me while she said it.
With a sigh, Gabriel dropped his feet to the floor, looked back at me and Connor. “I suppose we need to have a conversation.”
“All right,” Connor said, voice all smooth confidence.