Grace Sadler elbowed Brigid out of the way. “Hello, Moira. How’s it going with the vampire?” She perched red cats-eyed glasses atop her sunshine-colored hair, wiggling her arched eyebrows. “Are you playing somewhere tropical?” Although several hundred years old, Grace could give any model alive a run for her money. She’d dated her share of vampires and had yet to settle down.
Brigid nudged Grace to the side. “Stop harassing my daughter, Grace. We need to double-check the security on this server before Moira tells us where she is.” Her eyes, a darker green than Moira’s, flashed bright with concern.
“Why?” Moira adjusted the camera to better view both women.
Brigid shrugged. “Safety. Whoever is yanking people out of their spaces must first know their location. It’s like when a vampire teleports ... the few who do. They have to know where they’re going first. They don’t just shoot themselves out into the world.”
Realization slapped Moira hard. “So that’s why you wanted me out of the country—where you knew Conn would hide me.” Anger and hurt lowered her voice.
Her mother flushed. “Yes, initially that was my plan. I know you’re an excellent enforcer, but you’re still my daughter.” She rubbed a hand across her eyes, then leaned down to type quickly. “Okay ... this line is secure ... we can talk. The family is safe, but you’re the Seventh. Whoever’s after us has already tried for you.”
“I have a job to do.” At least until the dreaded day she joined the council. Why couldn’t anyone understand that fact?
“Yes.” Brigid sighed. “Whether you like it or not, keeping yourself safe is what the Nine wants from you right now. Ah, and, in addition, I want to send Brenna to you to protect.”
Moira’s heart stopped. She opened her mouth but words refused to find sound. A rushing filled her ears.
Brenna rolled her eyes. “Not going to happen.” She typed, her concentration trained downward. “I have a pretty good battle plan set up against the demons. I was hoping you’d give it to Dage”—her Celtic pendant dangled in front of the viewfinder—“assuming we’re not aligning with the demons, of course.” Her smile lacked humor while her eyes sparked irritation. “The e-mail should be incoming.”
It didn’t make any sense for her mother to want to send Brenna to her. The Nine protected their own. “They don’t want to send you here.” Moira’s mind raced as she faced her mother. “Do you?”
Sorrow filled Brigid’s eyes. “No.”
“You said that because you want my location.” Moira’s voice cracked as she suddenly understood. “That’s why the Nine sent me to fetch Simone. You knew Conn would bring me here.” To the king’s headquarters. “You set this up so I could infiltrate their compound, and you didn’t even have the courtesy to tell me!”
Brenna sat back, fire lighting her eyes. “What is going on?” Her gaze hardened. “The world is going to hell. The Nine is in an uproar over the missing members, my economic council is trying to figure out how to keep people from starving, and something’s up with the local shifters. Yet, you’re all not saying anything.”
Moira’s mind spun. “The Nine has withdrawn from the Realm.” Conn now had a bounty on his head. For all intents and purposes, she was a bounty hunter employed by the Coven Nine. Duty was about to rip her to shreds.
Grace slid an arm around Brigid’s shoulders. “We’ve only taken a preliminary vote, Moira. The official one isn’t until tonight, so you have some time.”
“Time for what?” Time to plan how to destroy the Realm from the inside? To plan a way to take Conn’s head ... as if she could?
He’d been fighting for three hundred years longer than she had. His experience outdid hers, by far. The man trusted her. Well, he probably trusted her. The only time he let down his guard with her was ... when naked. She might have given her pledge to the Nine, but she hadn’t given her soul.
It was coming down to more than what she wanted to do for a living. The decisions she faced would determine who she became.
“The demons will want Janie. As do the Kurjans, and anyone aligning with them.” She faced her mother, ignoring Grace. “Putting the Kayrs family in danger threatens that child, that little girl, Mother.”
“I know.” Brigid’s lips trembled. “We’re meeting again tonight, Moira. I’m doing what I can.”
Her mother would vote against withdrawal. From the tightening of Grace’s jaw, she’d probably vote in favor. Simone and Trevan, probably in favor. That left Peter and Viv. If they voted against, there would be a tie. “I’ll join the Coven Nine to avoid war.” She glanced to the side where Brenna sat, her face frozen. “Go through the canons to see if there’s any way to avoid this.”
Brenna nodded. “I will. Withdrawing from the Realm is a huge mistake.” She frowned, straightening and wrinkling her nose. “What is that smell?”
Grace dropped her glasses into place on her nose, biting her lip. “I don’t know. Is something on fire?”
“Smells like ozone,” Brigid murmured, glancing around.
Ozone? Panic ripped through Moira. “Get out of there. Get out, now!” She leaped to her feet, knocking the computer mouse to the floor.
“What—” Brenna started, then gasped. Her head swiveled around toward a mass of air beginning to swirl. Papers billowed up. A chair crashed against a far wall.
“Get down!” Brigid yelled, grabbing Brenna and ducking out of camera range.
Moira’s heart pounded against her ribs. She clutched both hands to the desk. “Grace, get down!”
Grace swiveled toward the side, her glasses flying off her face. She bounced to run. The swirling vortex shot forward, enclosing her like a winter coat. Crying out, her eyes wide in panic, she reached for the computer. As if the air had a mouth, it swallowed.
Grace disappeared.
Moira clapped her hand over her lips. Oh God. She had to get home. “Mom! Brenna?” She leaned closer to the computer, squinting to see. Papers and what looked like a stapler settled hard on the table.
Brenna stood, pulling Brigid up. Armed guards ran into camera range. Brigid angled toward the camera, her face stark white, her eyes wide. “Stay where you are, Moira. The Nine needs to handle this. Don’t do anything until you hear from me. We’ll be in touch.” The computer went dark.
Moira backed away. The Nine? At this point it was the Five. She needed to hurry home and help. She whirled when the door opened and Conn stalked inside. “I have to get out of here.”
He reached her in two strides. Broad hands ran down her arms, spreading warmth through her limbs. He captured her gaze, concern bracketing his mouth with harsh lines. “What’s wrong?”
“I was on a conference with my mother. They took Grace.” Fear exploded in Moira’s chest. The room fuzzed. She swayed. Conn kept her upright, his hold gentle and solid. Then fury coated her vision red. They were working through the council members one by one. Her mother or aunt would be next. “The bastards.” Temper shot heat up her spine, making her fingers tingle. Electricity sparked blue along her skin like a match to oil.
Conn hissed, releasing her to clench and unclench his burned hands. “Control it, sweetheart.”
A haze descended across her eyes. They’d taken another member of the Nine—through some damn portal. The earth rumbled in shared anger. She lifted her hands, palms out. “I need to go. Now.”
“No.” Conn grabbed her again, shaking her words to a stop. “Right now you’re secure. You will remain so.”
She shoved him. Hard. He didn’t move. “I’m an enforcer. Someone just kidnapped a member of the Nine.” But they wanted her. She knew they did. More important, if she left headquarters, Conn could relocate his family without her knowledge. If she were taken, no matter what happened, the Kayrs family would be safe. Then she wouldn’t have to choose between her loyalty to her people and her loyalty to Conn. Besides, she had a job to do. “I’m not going to let you keep me here when I could be actively searching for the bastards taking my people.”