“We’ve got a problem,” Drake announced, glancing from Angelica to me. “Oh good, you're practicing. You’re gonna need that.”
“Huh, say what now?” Angelica dropped her hands and moved over to my brother. “I’m going to need what?”
Drake ignored her and looked at me. “Vincent wants Piper to start hunting again.”
“He wants what now?” I gaped at him and then darted a look at Angelica before lowering my voice so she couldn’t hear me. “She can’t do that. They’ll kill her.”
“Her, is standing right here,” Angelica shoved in between us with a glare. “And her agrees. This was supposed to be a low danger job.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not going out to hunt vampires.”
“You’re not,” I told her with a reassuring smile, then to my brother. “She’s not, right? I mean what happened to finding the council? She can’t do that and fight vampires.”
Drake wrapped his arms around himself, gripping his elbows in either hand. “Apparently, she can. Cause they are under the impression that Piper’s not actually figuring out where the council is located.”
I narrowed my gaze on him. “And where would they get that idea from?”
Drake rolled his neck and dragged a hand over his head. “From me.”
“What?” I gaped, smacking him over the side of the head. “Why would you even tell them that? The whole point is to keep Piper away from them, not closer to them.”
Drake shot me a glare before turning his attention back to Angelica. “Look, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that they’re on their way over here now to pick Piper up.”
“What?” Angelica’s voice rose to a sharp pitch. “Pick me up to do what?”
Grimacing, Drake shrugged. “To fight vampires of course.”
Angelica’s mouth turned into an o-shape while she backed up and shook her head. “Ooooh, no no no. I did not sign up for this. I can’t fight vampires. I can’t even kill the spider in my bedroom at home. I just let my cat deal with them.”
“But you have to,” Drake implored, grabbing her hands with both his hands. “If you don’t then they’ll find out that Piper isn’t really here and then she’ll be in danger from both sides.” He held her hands tightly, locking eyes with her. “Please. Do it for us. Do it for our unborn child.”
I knew that look on Drake’s face. He was trying to use his persuasion powers on her which in most cases I would have been against. Forcing someone to do something against their will, especially something this dangerous, would be a big no-no in my book...but it’s Piper. And there were so many lines I would cross to keep her and our baby safe.”
Unfortunately, Angelica didn’t think the same.
“Don’t you try to vampire magic woo me.” Her hand swung out and smacked Drake across the face. She cried out and grabbed her hand. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What is your face made out of, bricks?”
Drake sighed and glanced over at me. “Hey, it was worth a shot.”
A throat cleared at the training room door. We all turned to see Wynn standing in the doorway. “I’m not sure if you were aware but there are several frightening looking hunters standing in our foyer waiting for Piper to join them.”
“Shit. They’re already here?” Drake dragged his hands down his face in what would normally have been a comical way if the situation wasn’t more crucial.
“Well, you can just tell them to fuck off,” Angelica jumped in with a scowl. “I’m not going anywhere with them.”
I sighed and turned to her. “Look, I know it’s scary but it’s easy, I promise. Just cut the head, stab the heart, easy peasy. And if nothing else, hide in the back and pretend.”
Angelica gave me a skeptical look. “If it’s so easy, why aren’t more of you dead?”
I clicked my fingers and smacked my fist into my hand before a thought came to me. “Okay, how about this. We will pay you double?” Angelica arched a brow at me. “Okay, triple. We will triple your pay.”
“Hey, now.” Drake smacked me on the arm. “Offer her hazard pay.”
I bobbed my gaze from Drake to Angelica. “Yeah, triple pay plus hazard pay.”
Angelica pressed her lips tightly together and frowned. Her forehead scrunching together as she thought about our offer. After a long drawn out moment that felt like a lifetime, Angelica clicked her tongue and fake shot at me with her thumb and finger. “You got a deal. Let’s go kill some vamps.”
I sagged in relief as Angelica skipped out of the training room.
Drake shot a look at the empty doorway and then back to me with a worried frown. “How long do you give it before they figure out she’s not really Piper?”
I glanced where he stared and reluctantly responded, “If we’re lucky...more than five minutes.”