I was the only one without a role to play. If the meeting didn’t start soon, I was leaving. I wanted to be there for Layla if she needed me. I also wanted to see my kids.
The sound of Webb banging on his laptop keys competed with the earsplitting thunderclaps outside the conference room window. A summer storm was raging over the city, producing a dazzling show of lightning that illuminated the ominous darkened sky.
It was midafternoon, and traffic was stopped on the street below and also jammed the freeway farther in the distance.
From where I stood high above the city, I imagined the fragrant odors of damp vegetation and petrichor that churned up during the first drops of rain—scents I loved.
Webb sauntered over, slipping his hands into the pockets of his black cargo pants. “I just love thunderstorms. They energize me.” He had the ability to manipulate water, earth, and fire but not air.
Those of us who had elemental powers needed Mother Nature to keep our abilities sharp and deadly.
I stared out at the rain coming down in sheets as pedestrians scurried to flee the harsh weather.
“Did you ever think that the entire world of humans would one day know that we existed?” Some had known about us but not the entire world’s population.
“It was just a matter of time,” he said. “And no matter how much we planned for something like this, we really aren’t ready. Our disaster-preparedness guide certainly helped our soldiers and families on the naval base. But we have a long road ahead to bridge the gap between us and humans. Hell, we’re just starting. I believe it will be easier now that your father is in charge and the Council of Elders has been disbanded.”
“And what about the two elders who were caught working for our enemies?” I asked. “My dad said the evidence against them had been astounding.”
“Those two have been shipped to our prison in Puerto Rico,” Webb said. “The other elders who were on the council are no longer a part of our governmental team. We’re watching them closely though.”
A flash of lightning made me blink. “And the human government? Last I heard, they wanted to eradicate all vampires.”
He chuckled. “They can try. But they won’t—at least not in the foreseeable future. We’ve agreed to work together to show unity, and that includes taking down Adam Emery.”
I gave my brother-in-law a sidelong glance. He hardly showed signs of fatigue, even during the worst of times. But his skin was pasty white. I could also feel the emotions that were keeping his shoulders stiff and his jaw tight.
All of us were walking time bombs, ready to explode at the next round of bad news or death of our brethren. I wanted to believe we were immune to the feelings that came with death or the pain we felt seeing someone we cared about grieve and suffer. But as vampires, our emotions were heightened to a level that could decimate us if we allowed them to take over our psyches. I had it even worse. I was an empath, and the emotion of others hit me like a Mack truck speeding down a highway at two hundred miles an hour.
Silence hung over us and was only broken by the rumble of thunder and the flash of lightning. Both of us were deep in thought as we watched Mother Nature unleash her fury across the sky.
“Tell me about Sacred Flame Academy,” Webb said.
“There’s not much to tell. Layla and I were only there for a few hours, if that. However, the campus is secluded in the mountains in the state of Washington. School wasn’t in session, but there were guards at the gate.”
He crossed an arm over his chest and clasped his other arm. “As much as I want to keep Abbey close, I can’t. Jo can’t either. Abbey needs to be around people like her and to learn from those who can teach her how to handle her craft. Alia told us that Abbey’s magic was out of control when she unleashed her powers on those two vampires she killed. Sadly, Jordyn got caught in Abbey’s crossfire, which was why Jordyn suffered more than just gunshot wounds.”
“Maybe Agnes can help Abbey,” I said. “Agnes did a great job of schooling Layla, which is the only reason we’re here.”
Although it sounded to me like Abbey had stronger powers than Layla. Then again, I couldn’t compare the two. Abbey had a vampire father. Layla didn’t.
“Regardless,” Webb said, “It’s time that Abbey is around others her age with similar supernatural abilities, and she needs that social structure.”
“Sometimes I wonder why Abbey isn’t considered inhuman like my kids.”
He guffawed. “I asked Doc that question just this morning.”
I could feel my forehead creasing. “And?”
He threaded his hands through his brown hair. “It’s not just magic that categorizes your children as inhuman but the fact that their growth process is faster and they’re drinking blood as babies. And if Doc is correct, your children will have fangs, either when they start teething or when their adult teeth grow in. Abbey certainly doesn’t fall into those two categories.”
Shaking my head, I let out a hearty laugh. “Teething and fangs will be a challenge.” I had no idea how to deal with a teething baby, but I guessed I would eventually find out.
Tripp waltzed in, sandy-blond hair tied at the nape of his neck, bronze eyes clear as if he’d taken a power nap, and he set his laptop on the table. “Webb, have you filled Sam in on the Midnight Raiders and the Mystic yet?”
I returned to my seat across from Tripp. “I remember the name Midnight Raiders. One shifter on Rebekah’s team brought them up. What do they have to do with the Mystic?”
Webb flipped through several written pages of his notepad as he dropped into his chair. “Captain Greer of the Midnight Raiders leads a small unit within the Marine Special Forces. Her secret tactical squad of witches polices the witch community and keeps wars from breaking out among their kind. Much like us. Word has spread to her about Maeve Monroe and the way she’d planned to become the Mystic. The captain is also aware of the prophecies related to the Monroe witches.”
