That sobered them up. As many immortals as there had been falling in love lately, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“I’ll do it,” Sarah said.
Roland’s head snapped around. “What?”
She shrugged. “I’ll do it. I’m as strong and as fast as you are.”
“Awesome!” Sheldon exclaimed, drawing everyone’s gaze. “Chick-on-chick action!”
Cam popped him on the back of the head.
Étienne rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Sarah. “I appreciate the offer, but you aren’t a healer.”
“Oh. Right. I was thinking of the strength part and forgot it might be because he’s a powerful healer.”
Seth and David entered from the kitchen, carrying huge platters of baked cornish hens and filling the room with a mouthwateringly delicious aroma.
Étienne abandoned trying to convince Roland and turned to Seth. “Couldn’t you transform her, Seth?”
“No.” He placed the platter on the ever-growing dining table and turned to face them. “Nor can David.”
David nodded as he did the same.
“Why?”
“We’re older and more powerful than all of you,” Seth reminded him. “We don’t know which of those factors—age or being a powerful healer—causes immortals turned by Roland to be stronger than expected. However, since David and I possess both, chances are excellent that Krysta would be as strong and as powerful as we are if one of us transformed her.”
Sarah arched an eyebrow. “So? What’s wrong with that?”
Jenna crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, chin rising.
“Don’t even go there,” Seth said. “It isn’t a misogynistic thing. I don’t know a single immortal male who isn’t drawn to strong women.”
“Yourself included?” Sarah asked.
“Of course.”
“You hear that, ladies?” she said, a speculative gleam entering her eyes. “We need to find Seth a good, strong woman.”
The women responded with amusing enthusiasm.
“Do you like your women tall or short?”
“Slender or full-figured?”
“She’ll have to be a gifted one, so she can be transformed.”
“Or an immortal. There are other female immortals, aren’t there?”
“I’m sure there are.”
“Hey, I bet we could get Chris to give us a list of them.”
“Or maybe we could ask around on the website. Is there a Personals section on the website? We could post a single and looking for ad for him.”
Seth turned a little green and looked to their husbands. “Um . . . a little help?”
The men raised their hands in a What can we do? It’s out of our hands gesture.
“Anyway,” Seth hurried to interrupt them. “We can’t have a youngster running around with the power we wield. I know we make it look easy, but David and I have had thousands of years to accustom ourselves to it and learn control.”
Étienne sighed. So much for Krysta being as strong as possible. He met her gaze and found excitement rather than disappointment there.
“Looks like it’s going to be you,” she said with a grin, adding several tiny hand claps. “Yay!”
He laughed and shook his head. “I’ll let you choose the time and place.”
“Actually,” David spoke up, “you should do it here, where I can be available to assist you.”
Sarah nodded. “He helped me when I transformed. I don’t remember much about it beyond being submerged in a bathtub full of ice and water with Roland and seeing David leaning over me, but I know he helped me.”
Krysta bit her lip. “How bad does this whole transformation thing get?”
Sarah came forward and stood next to her. “I’ll tell you all about it after dinner.”
“Thank you.”
The front door opened. Bastien, Melanie, and Sean entered.
Étienne took Krysta’s hand. “You really aren’t disappointed?”
She shook her head and squeezed his hand. “You know why I wanted it to be you.”
He did. And recalling it made him hard again, so he hurriedly escorted her to the table, where everyone gathered around to enjoy the sumptuous meal Seth and David had miraculously found time to prepare.
Chapter 16
As the meal drew to a close, Seth looked around the table. “Seconds, and Sean, I’d like you to leave us for a few moments. Please adjourn to the training room. You’ll find a selection of desserts and refreshments awaiting you. Spar. Gorge. Gossip. Do whatever makes you happy. We’ll let you know when our business here is concluded.”
Surprised looks were exchanged all around. Immortals visually consulted each other and found no answers as the Seconds rose, pushed their chairs close to the table, and headed for the hallway without comment.
Ami rose.
Seth touched her arm. “I’d like you to stay, sweetheart.”
Swallowing hard, she retook her seat.
Marcus wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.
Jenna cleared her throat. “I’m not sure what I should do here. I’m immortal, but I don’t hunt vampires yet, so . . . should I leave or stay?”
“Please, stay,” David said. “Your input will be particularly important in the matter we wish to discuss.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Really?” She glanced at Richart, who shrugged.
“Krysta,” Seth added. “You’ll be immortal within the week, so you may stay as well.”
“Darnell, you stay, too,” David continued.
Darnell nodded, then called to the others, “Close the doors to the basement and the training room so we won’t have to listen to Sheldon get his ass kicked.”
“Oh, ha ha,” Sheldon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Wait. You meant in a sparring session, right?”
Cam nudged him along.
Étienne wondered what the hell was going on. Seth had never done this before. Seconds were always privy to the business of immortals. They needed to be aware of every threat in order to better serve and protect them. What could Seth not want them to know?
The door to the basement closed. Boots tromped down stairs. The door to the training room closed.
“What do you think is going on?” he heard Sheldon ask.
“They can hear you, genius,” Cam reminded him.
“Oh. Right.”
Richart sighed and rolled his eyes.
Soon conversation began to flow below. Movies. Books. The latest goings-on at the network.
Here at the table no one spoke.
The tension rose. All present, like Étienne, believed an ax was about to fall.
At last, Seth spoke. “A situation has arisen. Something unprecedented. Something that has left even David and I uncertain how to proceed.”
Roland shifted slightly. “I thought you two had seen and done it all.”
“So did we. What we discuss here will remain between those seated at this table. Do not share this with your Seconds or with any other mortal members of the network. Torture will not extract this information from immortals. It will, however, draw it from most mortals. Considering the many enemies we have faced in the last few years, we cannot take that risk.”
All nodded.
What the hell was Seth going to tell them?
“I’ve misled you. I did it intentionally for the reason I just disclosed. I have kept from you a secret that was not my own to share and intended to keep it from you longer, but circumstances have eliminated any further hope of maintaining silence.”
Roland leaned forward. “Any secret you share with us will be guarded with our lives. Should anyone here betray you, I will take care of him or her myself.”