Gwen followed Neo down the short hallway to the lift, wondering what it would take to get rid of Isla so she could get to know Neo a little better. His timing had been superb. Knocking on their door as she had been contemplating calling him about the codes. It was almost as if there was a connection between them already, though she knew it was impossible. After being trapped on the plane for hours, she needed to move and get a little exercise, and what better way than wandering the casino where they were staying? Remembering the codes, she repeated hers in her mind several times until she was confident she would remember it, then realized as the lift door opened onto the main floor, she'd been lost in her own head and hadn’t paid a bit of attention to what Neo was saying. Gwen had a feeling he was telling them things they would need to know. Glancing over, she caught Isla's eye, her bodyguard gave her a tiny nod and Gwen breathed easier. The other woman had noticed Gwen wasn't on top of things and had been paying attention.

“Is there somewhere specific you want to see, or a full tour?” Neo turned to watch them both once the three of them stepped off the lift.

“Nowhere in particular.” Gwen shrugged. “I just need to move some. Planes make me uncomfortable, especially long flights.”

“The full tour it is.” He clapped his hands once and rubbed them together as he scanned the room. “Let's go this way.”

Neo led them around the perimeter of the casino floor, telling them about every shop and point of interest as they passed it.

Gwen quickly stopped paying much attention to what was being said and what they were being shown. Isla was, and Gwen knew she'd fill her in later.

Look at the way he moves, her dragon's voice whispered through her mind. There's muscle you can't see. I bet he'll be dynamite in bed.

Will you knock that off? I know he's our mate, but I need to be able to think clearly around him too. And not just about sex. We are here for a reason, and it's not for a booty call.

But what if we could do both? Are you telling me you would give up a chance to be with our mate because it's not why we were sent?

No, that's not what I'm saying at all. Gwen was getting frustrated. Why couldn't her dragon see things her way just once?

Gwen had worked hard to get where she was. To be trusted with something as big as negotiating this tourism treaty, she wasn't going to blow her big chance by chasing a piece of ass. Not even her mate. The treaty agreement came first. It had to. Gwen wasn't going to forfeit the reputation she'd worked so hard to earn. Not for anyone. Not even a man who had the potential to be her perfect other half.

Shooing all thoughts of anything but work from her mind, Gwen looked around the large, loud room, filled with normals and supes alike. She frowned at the odd mix and started a mental list of things to bring up during treaty talks.

Much more quickly than Gwen anticipated, they had made their way around the perimeter and were once more at the lift where they'd began.

“Is there anything else I can show you?” Neo asked.

Gwen hadn't been paying attention for much of the tour so she remained silent for a few seconds as she tried to remember what they'd seen, or to think of what might be missing, or what she might need later. Nothing came to mind. Isla saved her from having to say anything by speaking up.

“Is there,” Isla glanced around, “somewhere quieter we can talk? I have some questions, if you don't mind.”

Neo pulled a phone from his pocket and checked the time. “Sure, why don't we go to the cafe? This time of day, there's a dining area that's closed. We can sit there, eat, and not have to worry about being overheard. You can ask whatever you like, and if I don't know the answers, I'll find them for you.”

Isla glanced at Gwen and when Gwen gave a slight nod, turned back to Neo. “That will be acceptable.”

Gwen forced herself to pay attention this time as Neo led them to the establishment he'd mentioned. Without stopping, he led them past the hostess and into the restaurant. There were fewer than a half-dozen patrons in a room that could easily sit eighty.

“Megan,” Neo spoke to the norm who was keeping busy filling sugar bins, “we're going to sit in here.” He motioned to a darkened room with a sign in the entrance that read 'Dining Room Closed.' “Will you bring us some water and menus?”

“Of course, sir.” The norm picked up her things and hurried away.

“This way.” Neo flipped a switch on the wall and the lights flickered a moment then lit, leaving the room as bright as the one they were in. Instead of moving the closed sign, Neo stepped around it and out of the way so Gwen and Isla could follow.

Neo motioned to the room with one arm, “Where would you like to sit?”

“My only preference is a chair, not a booth,” Gwen said.

“And I would prefer to face the entrance,” Isla put in.

Neo scanned the room for a moment then led them to a table near the center. “Any table would have let you keep an eye on the main entrance, but from here,” he set one hand on the back of a chair, “you'll be able to keep an eye on the door to the kitchen as well as the one back there, which goes to a maintenance room with several entrances.”

Isla lifted her brows and took the chair Neo offered without a word. Gwen had spent enough time with her to know it was Isla's impressed look.

“Which seat would you like?” Neo watched Gwen.

“This one is fine.” She chose the one closest to where she stood. It also happened to be next to Isla at the small round table. Neo pulled her chair out and waited as if he was going to help her move it closer again, but backed off when Gwen smiled and said, “Thank you.” Moving around the other side of the table, he sat opposite Gwen, on the other side of Isla.

It seemed as soon as they were seated, the norm, Megan Neo had called her, appeared with water and menus.

“Can I get you anything else to drink?” she asked after passing out menus.

“Just water for me.” Gwen opened her menu to look over the food options.

“Water for me as well,” Neo said.

“Can I get an Irn Bru?” Isla asked.

The waitress looked confused for a moment. “I'm sorry, I don't know what that is.”

“No worries. Just bring me -” Isla paused as her eyes scanned the menu for where the drinks were listed, “Pepsi, please.”

They placed their meal orders and the waitress left again when Neo cleared his throat. “What was it you wanted to discuss?” he looked back and forth from Gwen to Isla as he waited.

“I have some security concerns,” Isla said.

“All right. Care to elaborate?”

“All these people. I wasn't expecting anything this large. It is not possible to be sure there isn't one of us or another concealed among the,” she glanced around, “normals, looking to do ill.”

“I realize it is an issue in many cities, however, because we depend on human tourism, Las Vegas has strict regulations on what is allowed and where.”

Isla scowled.

“What do you mean?” Gwen frowned as she hadn't heard about any such regulations.

“It's not complicated. All casinos and resorts are off limits for anything that might reveal supes to the norms. Nothing is allowed anywhere it might reveal our existence.”

“All the supes in Las Vegas get along with no dissension?” Gwen was blown away. The different species of supernormals had never gotten along. Her clan had a long-standing antipathy with the local witches and wizards, which led to Gwen having a natural distrust of all witches, no matter where they were.

Neo chuckled. “No. Not by a long shot. We are just very careful to keep it out of the view of the normals.” They all fell quiet as the waitress delivered their food, and even once she was gone, they were silent for a few minutes as they ate.

“What you're telling me is, if our people remain in public areas, anywhere norms are, they should be relatively safe. Can you give me an example of where we might have to worry about other supes?”

“Anywhere away from the town, out in the desert where we sometimes go to shift, or even down in the tunnels. The ones we used on the way here.”

Gwen frowned again, trying to remember the details of the trip and where they had been, then remembered she’d fallen asleep. “If it's dangerous, why did you bring us through it?”

“There was little risk of anything happening, especially when we were in a group like we were. Most of the trouble is between locals, unless a visitor has trouble follow them here, or does something to offend one of the other Fractions. The biggest risk in the tunnels is getting lost. There is really very little risk here in Vegas.”

Isla watched Neo with narrowed eyes as she gauged the truth behind his words.

“I've heard rumors of supes disappearing here. Vanishing without a trace. Is there any truth to that?” Gwen had done her research and wondered if Neo would admit it. She hoped he would. Lying was something she abhorred, and while it might not be a deal breaker for either the treaty or the mating, it would make it hard for her to trust him in anything.

Neo stared down at his plate for a moment then met Gwen's gaze. “It's true. There have been several disappearances, but we think we have figured out who is behind them and we're working on taking care of the problem. In the meantime, basic precautions are recommended to all supes, locals and visitors alike.”

“What precautions are those?” Isla leaned back in here seat as she watched him with intense eyes.

“They're basic common sense, really. Stay in public areas when you're alone. If you need to go somewhere not so public, go together. At least two people, but more is better. All of the supes that have disappeared have been alone when they were taken.”

“You said 'we are recommending,' you mean the dragon clan?”

“The dragon and were Fractions, I'm sure of, possibly more.”

“You're sure of the weres?”

“I am. My sister's assistant recently mated the Alpha of the were Fraction. That’s helped things along as we forged an alliance with them.”

“Doesn't such an alliance put you on shaky ground with the shifters?” Gwen knew about the animosity between the two species. It ran long and deep.

“Not so far.” Neo shrugged. “Teya hinted about some tie between the two alphas, but I don't know the details.” They chatted about local hot spots and different casinos for the rest of the meal, then headed back to the elevator.

––––––––

AS THEY LEFT THE RESTAURANT, Gwen wondered again what it would take to get rid of her guard, even for just a while. “Does this place have a pool?” she asked as they waited for the lift to arrive.

“Of course. Every major hotel in Vegas has a pool. To be honest, most of the tiny ones too. Are you interested in swimming?”

“I love to swim, but back home you either have only a short time to swim or you brave near freezing waters.”

“That's not a problem here. The water gets a little cool in the winter, but not bad.”

“Where would I find the pool? And when is it open?”

“It's on the roof,” he pointed to a button on the lift panel, “and it's open twenty-four hours. You can swim any time you like.”

“That's good. Thank you.” The lift opened, revealing the hall on their floor. They exited and walked down the hallway in silence until Neo stopped in front of his door.

“Do you want me to stop by before our meeting tomorrow and show you where the conference rooms are?”

“That would be nice, what time?”

“The schedule Teya gave me says nine o'clock, so ten to nine?”

“Perfect. I'll be ready.”

“Have a good night.”

Gwen continued to the door of the room she shared with her guards, Isla already waited there, wondering if they would insist on going to the pool with her.