Now Julian didn’t look so unconcerned. “Back down, Dellacourt. I don’t give a shit if you don’t trust him, but don’t you dare accuse me of allowing a consort to be abused in my club.”
The club owner and, if rumors were true, mobster, was frowning ferociously, his fangs out. Julian Lodge could be a friend or a foe. Dante’s choice.
And he had a very easy way to check on his consort. Hopefully the whole telepathic thing worked when he didn’t have his mouth on her pussy. Kaja?
He felt her surprise, and her deep satisfaction, at the connection. Yes?
How did he put this without scaring her? You don’t happen to be surrounded by mercenaries? He’d never been good with subtlety.
And she was smiling. He couldn’t see her, but he felt that smile. No. I am surrounded by liquor, however. I like margaritas, Dante. They taste good.
Behave, love. He wanted to be there with her as she tried tequila, but he shut down their connection. She was safe. He let the fucker-asshat-cocksucker fall to the ground and turned to Julian.
“So, you’re willing to vouch for him?”
Julian’s fangs receded. “Yes. He’s done some very good work for me over the years, including retrieving my promised consort from the Seelie plane a few years back. Though he brought along an extra bit of baggage.”
Roan’s hand was on his throat. “Well, I couldn’t kill the young man. He wouldn’t allow your consort to go without him. He was very lucky you’re a vampire with an open mind.”
Julian smiled, a genuine, affectionate smile. “I’ve forgiven you for that bit of business, Roan. It all worked out in the end.”
“He can get on the Seelie plane?” Dante stepped back, possibilities swirling in his brain.
“See, you can learn,” Julian said. “Roan and his men can get on and off the Seelie plane.”
“It isn’t hard, if you know where to go,” Roan said, his voice still raspy. “And who to kill.”
Julian stepped back. “I thought he might prove useful to you, Dellacourt. You see, I know something the rest of the world doesn’t know yet. I know that the Council is meeting secretly tonight. I know that they’re voting on a resolution concerning Torin and his place on the Seelie throne.”
Dante’s stomach took a nosedive. “We’re going to lose.”
Julian nodded, his mouth a grim line. “Yes, I believe so. I think that by morning, the Vampire plane will officially open negotiations with King Torin, and your cousins will become the most hunted men on all the planes.”
It was happening too fast. Gods, it had been thirteen years, and it was still happening too fast.
“I have more bad news,” Julian said. “According to my sources, your cousins are on their way here, to the Vampire plane.”
They would be walking into a trap. “They haven’t called. I don’t know how to stop them.”
“Calm down,” Roan said. “They’re smart and apparently can call the trees to their aid.”
But there weren’t any trees on this plane for Cian to work with. He might find the occasional houseplant, but he would have to be on the surface to find trees. This fight wasn’t going to happen on the surface. This was all about the royals
and the lack of available consorts.
Torin was going to win.
“I have to find them.” He would get on a bike and head for the south door. He knew the route they would take.
“I already have men on it,” Julian said. “Look, I picked my side of this fight long ago. I’m related to the Unseelie king. He doesn’t want the true Seelie kings dead. Torin killed his daughter, my cousin. We’ve been looking for revenge ever since. Now, come into my office. Roan here has some things to go over with you. Your night is going to be rough, I’m afraid.”
Roan straightened his clothes. He looked odd out of camos, as though street clothes didn’t quite suit him. “I took a job I shouldn’t have taken. I made a mistake, but I’m here to make it right. What do you know about Chalen Palgrave?”
“I know he’s a douche bag who can’t run a company.” Why were they worried about someone like Chalen Palgrave? They had much bigger problems.
“He’s a douche bag who’s trying to kill you, your wife, and your cousins. He’s the man who hired me.”
Then he would be the man Dante killed. “Tell me everything.”