This is where we have our family business meetings. Renata schedules them, far too frequently in my opinion. Tudor, our Creator, is the president. Renata is the CEO of the legal side of our operation, and Lexi is the vice-president of marketing. I, of course, run the illicit side of the business. Together, we form a quorum.
There are two others in the boardroom tonight: our executive assistant, who takes minutes dutifully on her laptop; and another vampire, wearing a red traveling cape and a smug expression on her pale face.
“What’sshedoing here?” I ask, nodding toward the vampire in the red cape. “This is a private board meeting. Family only.”
Tudor narrows his violet eyes in my direction. “Celine, be nice.Oana is my special guest. And she has crucial knowledge that we should all be privy to.” He turns to the executive assistant. “Strike this from the minutes.”
We all quiet down, looking curiously at the vampire. I know her, she’s part of the northern vampire alliance. But she must have very interesting information if Tudor has brought her into one of our board meetings.
She wastes no time, flashing a sly smile as she reports her news. “I know where the Arundel wolf shifters are being held. And I know how they can be broken out.”
“Why would we want to break the wolf shifters out of the Cave?” I ask. “We have no loyalty to them.”
Renata nods. “The witches would be furious…”
“The Hecate coven needs to be taken down a peg,” says Tudor sharply. He sits up in his leather boardroom chair, looking elegant in his well-tailored, dark blue suit.
Uh oh. I know this tone. Renata and I share a glance.
Our Creator continues. “I’ve never enjoyed partnering with Lavinia Nox and the Hecate coven. Those kitchen witches believe that they own the entire northern region. They think they’re so much better than all of us…so high and mighty, with their witch council and their pretentious ideals. But do you think they would support us if we needed them? Absolutely not. They turned against the Arundel wolves the second they realized the panthers would have stronger numbers for their alliance.”
“So what does that have to do with us?” I say.
“I asked Oana to do some intelligence,” he continues. “I think that the Arundel shifter pack would be our allies…if we decide to break away from the Hecate coven and the Triple Council.”
“Breakawayfrom the Triple Council?” Renata gasps.
“Yes,” Tudor looks to each of us, a sparkle in his eyes. “It’s time to make a big move. The Hecate witches are complacent. They’ve grown too comfortable in their power. And they’re distracted with the opening of that new magic academy, the one that Amrita is starting. They won’t be expecting this.”
I shake my head. “Father…”
“Oana will stay at the hotel, in one of our guest suites. Her protection isimperative. The witches will be keeping an eye out for her. I believe they already have spies stationed here.”
I almost roll my eyes. Tudor is being completely paranoid. This happens to older vampires sometimes. Immortality starts to get boring after several hundred years, so they create drama and intrigue. Luckily, I have my mafia to run, and that keeps me engaged. Tudor has been stepping back from the day-to-day end of the operations, but I’m concerned that he’s becoming out-of-touch.
“The Hecate witches might be suspicious,” Oana says. “They almost caught me when I was at the Cave. I have a young progeny, who’s safely hidden with one of our vampire allies. She’ll be attending the new academy when it opens in the fall. Tudor and I want to have several vampires on the inside if our plan is going to work.”
“How old is your progeny?” asks Renata.
“Only a few years, just a newborn.”
“It’s excellent timing,” says Tudor, bringing his fingertips together as he schemes. “The perfect age for her to enroll. Lexi, I was thinking about sending you-”
“I’m not going away toboarding school,” Lexi pouts. “I’m not a baby! I’m a hundred years old!”
“Fine,” Tudor snaps. “Perhaps it’s time I create another progeny. I’ll be teaching at the academy, but it would be beneficial to have another vampire as a student on the inside.”
Renata rubs her temples. “Thelastthing I need is another little sister…”
I agree with her, but I hold my tongue. Tudor is going to do whatever he wants to do, just like he always has. But I don’t like the way this is going. Since the end of the Wicked Wars, things have been easier for us. The peace between the witch covens has allowed us to focus on our business. I already have enough on my plate with the other vampire gangs, I don’t need to worry about some stupid witch politics.
Unfortunately, it’s not up to me.
Tudor leans back in his chair, an unsettling expression across his prim features.
SOMEWHERE MORE PRIVATE
Celine
