It was about time to close for lunch, anyway. After flipping the sign to closed, we headed to my office.
Moira twirled her finger. “Assume the position.”
I turned around and tugged my shirt off. This wasn’t the first time Moira picked glass or thorns or burrs from my skin, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be the last. The vampire hummed, her cool fingers skimming down my back, pressing in certain areas, before moving to my hips.
“Hmm. Tug your pants a little lower.”
“Your obsession with me is getting a little weird,” I drawled.
Moira laughed. “Yes, skinny pale asses totally do it for me.”
I tugged the side of my joggers down. Moira pressed a few more places, then clicked her tongue. “Nada,” she pronounced. “Should we be worried about that?”
“I didn’t sense anything in the house.” I pulled my shirt back on and fixed my joggers. “Maybe Mom showed up?” She could erase every trace of her scent if she wanted to.
“Yeah, but she digs through your shit because she’s a nosy bitch. You’d know if she’d been there.”
“True.” Mom had no ability to be stealthy. She moved through the world like she had the right to be anywhere at all, and the concept of private property did not compute in her fae brain.
“Plus, she wouldn’t heal you without making you pay for it.”
“Also true.” I slumped onto the couch and kicked my feet up. “So what happened? Did I fully absorb the glass and turn it to slush or something?”
“Mmm. I’m more inclined to lean toward a benevolent fairy godmother.”
We laughed again. Benevolent fae was fairy-tale cinema marketing and not based in real life whatsoever.
A key in the lock turned and Moira’s head jerked toward the sound. Her eyes narrowed. “It’s Ash,” she said before she plopped down in one of the chairs.
He popped his head in a moment later and jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Thought you said the shop was destroyed?”
Moira grinned. “Our murderous Shifter Lord felt guilty. He paid to have everything fixed.”
Ash blanched. “In a period of twelve hours?”
“Try five or six. Almost everything was fixed before I got here this morning.”
The dryad and Moira exchanged a look I chose to ignore. He came in and took one of the other chairs. “I heard something I think you’ll be interested in.”
Moira sat forward, dark eyes gleaming. “Oooh. Gossip. Spill the tea, wood boy.”
Ash snorted. “As always, your nicknames are both demeaning and endearing.”
Moira grinned. “I try.”
“The Shifter Council met last night.” I met Ash’s eyes, and my stomach dropped to my toes.
“Oh shit,” I breathed.
Moira let out a cackle of laughter. “That was what the flower arrangements were for?” She put a hand over her mouth but couldn’t stop her belly laugh. “Oh, Evie. You beautiful idiot.”
“No wonder he was so pissed.” Guilt speared me. I knew there’d be important people at his banquet, but we usually heard rumors when the Council of Lords gathered. I assumed it was only local power and not Lords from all across the world.
“They’re fracturing,” Ash continued. “Rogue packs are beginning to form, and Caelan is under extreme pressure to either bring those to heel or expand his territory.”
“Or step down,” Moira murmured.
“Yes,” Ash confirmed. “Our Shifter Lord is progressive, and some in the Council don’t like his policies. The gathering was meant to be an informal peace summit.”
