He stared at her, pinning her with an oddly familiar look that arrowed through every carefully cultivated ounce of bravado. She hated him for that. And desperately wanted to bend him to her will. He shrugged. “Your consort isn’t capable of that?”

“He’s perfectly capable.”

Lord Moreau barely moved, but he was somehow closer. “Let him handle it, then, as I am incapable of bearing this crush much longer. How soon do you want the issue with the comarré resolved?”

Business it was, then. “As soon as possible.”

“Do you want her alive?”

“Yes.” Even though he was going to help her, she wanted to jab at him. To prove to both of them that he was no one special. “You won’t succeed, you know.”

He smiled ever so slightly. “You should really work on those trust issues.”

She picked up her skirts again. “I have to go.”

“I want all the information you have on this comarré. Unless you want me to fail for a reason.”

She paused, the peculiar feeling of being bested unsettling her. She wasn’t quite ready to declare this battle over. “Fine. You may walk with me, Lord Moreau, and I will fill you in on this rogue comarré. That way when you fail, you will have no one to blame but yourself.”

Chapter Forty-Three

Hilda was gone. Lola hadn’t seen her since she’d run out of the bedroom. So be it. If the woman couldn’t handle her boss being a vampire, there was really no point in her remaining employed here.

Hector returned from her office and held out the phone she’d sent him to fetch. “Anything else I can do for you, my lady?”

“No, that’s fine.” She took the phone and pointed to the empty end of the sofa. “Come sit.” The den was the darkest room in the house with its north-facing windows sheltered by large palms and overgrown palmettos. The potion Luciano had given her was keeping her awake like he’d said it would, but the sun’s presence still made her skin itch. She shuddered. “Once the helioglazing is done, I won’t be such a prisoner in my own home. I hate feeling so dependent.”

Hector looked crestfallen as he sat.

She smiled at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll still need you.”

Happy with that, he picked up an e-reader off the coffee table and settled his back against the sofa’s high arm. His feet stretched toward her, the tops covered in a constellation of gold stars. For the briefest of seconds, she wondered how much that had hurt, but the thought slipped out of her mind as quickly as it had entered. She punched her office number into the phone and waited.

“Mayor Diaz-White’s office. Valerie speaking.”

“Valerie, it’s Lola. I’m working from home today. Can you let general reception answer the phone? I need you to come over here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lola sighed at Valerie’s terse response. “I’m dropping the curfew and I need you to help me draft the announcement.”

“You are? That’s great. What changed your mind, if you don’t mind me asking? Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy you’re dropping it. Just curious.”

“I’ll explain when you get here. There’s one more thing.”

“Sure, anything.”

“I need you to bring John Havoc with you. Can you arrange that? I’d like to make things right with him.”

She answered with a smile in her voice. “I’d be happy to arrange that. Be there as soon as I can.”

“Thank you.” Lola hung up and held the phone to her chest. If this went as poorly as things had gone with Creek, she’d be looking for a new administrative assistant tomorrow. But Valerie wouldn’t react that way, would she?

Lola stood and paced to the bookshelf that held more plaques and awards than books. Maybe John was the one she should be worried about. Vampires and varcolai weren’t supposed to get along, but John wasn’t just any shifter. He was a friend. Or had been.

A heartfelt apology and they’d be back on solid footing, wouldn’t they?

Or was that wishful thinking? Exactly how much animosity was there between the varcolai and the vampires?

Nerves skipped over her skin along with a sudden vision of John attacking her. She shook her head and went to the bar to pour a shot of rum, wondering just how big a mistake she’d made by asking Valerie to bring a potential enemy into her home.

“Mr. Silva.” Doc stared at the man, mentally sizing him up. Rodrigo was shorter, but maybe a little more muscled. Doc definitely had him on reach. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

“I already know about the challenge. Heaven called me a day ago. Told me what was going on. I know I missed the event, but I got here as quickly as I could. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for my daughter.”

Doc shot Omur a look before returning to Rodrigo. “That’s… very admirable.” Damn, this was going to suck. “You’re right that you missed the challenge.”

Rodrigo came a little farther in. “I wish to congratulate my daughter, but first, I want to speak to you.”

Congratulate her? Ouch. “What about?”

“This… other woman of yours.” He sat in the last empty chair in front of Doc’s desk and heaved out a tired sigh. He opened his mouth to speak, then glanced at Omur and Barasa. “These are your council members?”

“Yes.” Doc sat as well. “I’m in the process of replacing the third.”