Chapter 12 #2
“You want to go looking for people who will become demons after what happened at the coven with the one we had to put down,” Rita whispered, pain filling the room.
“Yes. We can’t handle it now, but it’s on the agenda.
It’s a big agenda. We can eventually do it with the help you’re bringing in and getting the right people.
We can do this. We have to. Also, helping Ricco the other day—we can do what we did in Germany originally to make this all happen, but they need it in Rome.
How powerful would their alliance be with us then? ”
“Diamond,” Elijah muttered. “Beyond that. But you also risk the other side of people forcing demons to do it—”
“As opposed to now?” I countered.
“Right, but one demon—unless you—can’t do that much. It takes precision and a team,” Ally muttered. “The team we have here and how we—we’d need to train a team like us. What we did and how to work it all. But yes, to help the ancients—the right ancients, it would be priceless.”
“Yes, but other ancient groups would come for us to make us want to do the same for them,” Elijah argued.
I gave him the look he deserved, glad when others did too.
“We’re not putting up billboards offering the services.
That would get us caught by others. We work with them like we have with Ricco.
We have a treaty with Ricco that we’ll help them for a price and blah, blah, blah.
I know I’m a hammer swinging too wildly, but this is a scalpel precision idea. ”
“We’d need to discuss it further,” Elijah said after a moment. “But it’s needed now for us. We should have it more for certain clubs and to work the areas. In Germany even. Too many outside influences are paying to try and take down our economy and make us bend to their will.”
“We agree and that is how part of this came up,” I told him, gesturing between myself and Ally.
“Tracey will be my director of club security, IDs, and papers. That will tie into Ally and Arthur’s work.
We need a department getting people reinvented, but the legwork and actual assignment of those documents will solely stay with Tracey. ”
“Because he has that level of experience and we can’t have it tied to the German government,” Arthur checked, nodding when I did.
“Kyria will be my director of dancers and yes, we are starting with a full audit of their routines,” I continued.
“And yes, I heard about using my routines. It will now be a monthly fee and they can only use certain ones, unlimited. Making sure the same people at the club aren’t using them. Time to move them on.”
“And you’re going to make new ones?” Natalia asked hopefully.
“Yes, I plan to during this case on my downtime,” I drawled.
“Wonderful, I will work with Kyria on her promotion announcement and getting in touch with…” She chuckled when I just waved her off on the details. I didn’t care. Whatever.
“Kyria will also be in charge of the safe house moms. The safe houses will always be under her purview, and she will have a budget for that. Anyone who feels unsafe can stay there for any reason. A demon or shifter that works for us and is being hassled in their lives. They can stay there. Ones we rescue. I also want to have a transition period—”
“When we reinvent ourselves instead of jumping into a whole new life. Yes, good, much better than flipping a switch since most aren’t good actors and mess up,” Rita said with annoyance.
Mostly at herself. She was very vocal that she was one of the worst at keeping her covers and new life straight each time her IDs had to be changed.
I smiled at Elijah. “You’re everything legal.
Corporate legal which just got more complicated.
Demon legal with ISLE. All the councils legal now.
Shifter laws—all that fun, fun bullshit we hate.
You’re also Germany legal with legislation—new legislation we’re trying to implement or reasons to fight against the bullshit stuff.
I think you’re trying to kick some judges out or—”
“Yes, and always a good time and yes, I will need more personnel. A lot,” he grumbled.
“I want to request funding to send a lot of our recovered demons to law schools around the world for long-term plans. I think we should have one legal in every country at all times. With a background. You keep getting into trouble in different countries after all.”
“Done,” I said easily. I shrugged when they all seemed shocked.
“It’s not like we can’t afford it. Hell, I’ll go play some illegal poker and win a bunch more houses and condos to sell for millions and yeah, send whomever to school.
Give all the ones we rescued better lives.
College—whatever they want as long as they don’t fuck us over in the end. ”
“Yeah, the ones who forget years later how much we helped them always hurt the worst,” Natalia said gently, knowing I was talking about Lisa. The club manager from the Jackson club we’d just had to handle was… Yeah, it stung.
We hadn’t rescued her like we had others, but we’d always been fair to her. She thought she was better than everyone else and wanted more than she worked for or deserved and screwed so many people in the process.
What a piece of shit and so destructive to herself and others. It really made me sick that there were people like that in the world. More than that, she would never understand that she was actually the villain of it all, not the victim.
That was truly the most pathetic part of it all.
“The six between Ally and Arthur we can discuss and add to, decide who is under whom, or just you both handle all six,” I prefaced, moving into that part now.
“First, intelligence. Not the German intelligence. None of this is Germany’s infrastructure.
We are the structure behind the structure.
We are not changing that and let me be clear. ”
“You want more of our people in the military as eyes and spies for us,” Ally muttered, jotting down notes.
“We agree. We’re not getting the same level of intel, and I think we need more of your genius to spy on others.
We need more information to stay ahead. We’re barely going to pull off putting in our next person in power. ”
That was pushing it, especially when we still had a few more years and people were fickle.
“Yes, spies in Germany—especially the military and government organizations to get us more intel so we don’t risk a coup,” I confirmed.
“We also need to develop more relationships in other councils—like with Gavin or Bain’s mom.
And other governments. The magics behind the French government have done an impressive job. ”
“We did want to develop that better before we came out, but everything always falls to the side too fast,” Joshua muttered. “What else?”
“The public at large,” I answered. “Here in Germany and around. We were blindsided by that group that popped up and had a lot of power suddenly that was outside-funded. We’re seeing more of that from other governments to interfere and we will see more of it still.
Also, around the clubs. We need to put normal demons into good positions to keep their ears open. ”
“And subsidize their incomes because baristas make shit, but the ones at certain health clubs hear a lot of good information,” Elijah muttered, giving me an impressed look. “Done. Even if it’s striking out, it’s good training for people to adapt and—done.”
I was glad when they all agreed.
“Next is public relations,” I told them, knowing they would all agree that would be a category.
Maybe just not exactly how I saw it.
“Corporate has its own public relations,” I confirmed.
“This needs to be for the leader we have in power and the next one. The party and everything behind the scenes for the German government. Yes, the legislation we want to put in place, yada yada. Social media doing better. We’re always so focused on being so careful, but we have to do it better.
“Now we can with help. Also, with our council. PR to show demons we’re the real deal and getting the word out. Yes, we’re going to need friends, but we’re making headway with the vampires and at least some fighting us less and realizing they can’t shove us back in the box. We know the goals.
“But also better PR for supes in general in case we’re ever outed as being one.
Obviously, we’re taking it to heart that we’re going to not be demons, but Nephilim, and we need to start working on that branding.
” I hurried on when several people flinched.
“No, I’m not even suggesting we out us. I cannot even consider that.
“It’s probably a discussion to truly have in a few decades or like a century.” I couldn’t even hide the sarcasm in my tone but whatever. “All of this is about being better prepared and ready for problems because they’re always around the corner. We know this.”
“So young to be so jaded,” Natalia teased.
“Doesn’t make me wrong,” I drawled.
“Unfortunately not,” she agreed. “I like the PR aspect about getting word out to demons that we’re real. That is important. That can be these extra ancient demons and even some unpaid overtime to spread the word. We also need to get feedings ramped up so…”
She chuckled when I tapped my nose, then gave me a wink like she knew I would have it covered.
I wasn’t sure I deserved that much faith, but as someone who struggled to feed because I was so different, it was always front of my mind.
“Health and social services,” I said as I read what was next, giving Natalia a wink back. “Feedings. Ramping up feedings and how to—” I nodded when they all chuckled.
“I’m just that insightful,” Natalia purred.
“You know me well,” I praised. “We have the same goals.
But yeah, big one. That will also tie into your calendars.
More events, more everything so we can get it all handled safely, especially with so many rescues.
Also counseling. Trauma counselors and more.
And quality of life. Are they trapped in their situation pretending to be human?
“Could reinventing themselves early get them somewhere better and just not the next one we have to save? So help them from what they’ve suffered and get them the tools to see there is more to life like we’ve had.” I cleared my throat when we all got a bit emotional.
“Yeah, we’ve done that,” Ally whispered with a smile. “We can do more and help so many. We will, Jasmine.”
“We will,” several agreed.
We had to. It was worth all the fighting and pain if we did.
“New demons and education,” I continued.
“Yes, location, if we can figure out how with angels or—if that fucking vamp did, we can do. We know what to look for better than anyone. We just need more people to help, and now that we have more people coming in, we can fucking employ them to find our lost and clueless so they never suffer like we did.”
Like I had.
I was glad when no one pushed on it and let me move on.
“Power training. Too many are clueless and need to be worked with who aren’t even newbs.
So many who were rescued have no idea about themselves.
Also, education. About us. About councils.
Other supes. I’ve still had some ask me about Mason’s fucking wand and it wasn’t a cock joke. ”
Relief filled me when several sighed or groaned.
Yeah, we had to do better.
“But also Elijah’s idea of continuing education to help demons as a people.
Others do it. The wolf council has scholarship programs and so do packs.
We can too,” I muttered as I scrolled down my notes and list. “Bureaucratic.
Licenses—behind the scenes for Germany but also beyond their IDs and papers.
“Who should have a business license or learn to fucking drive where they’re living.
A few ancients want driver’s licenses and admit they have no idea how to drive fucking cars they’ve been so in the dark.
So like yeah, not giving them one to have to explain how that came about or whatever.
But also whatever we should license as council.
“Tying into that, life transition. Eventually, I think we need like a six-month transfer period from one cover to the other. Whatever is needed for reinvention which can tie into education as well and with me in IDs and Elijah for legal. Counseling and quality of life. All of it tying in and giving people multiple avenues sometimes to get help or figure things out.”
“Go back to that six-months idea?” Ally cut in.
I sighed and scrubbed my hands over my face and gave her a tired look. “I haven’t worked it all out yet.” I winced when Elijah flicked me on the forehead. “I’m sorry. I forgot about the meeting and—”
“That’s not why he did it,” Natalia said gently. “Jasmine, you’re pulled in more directions than Arthur and Ally. Even Elijah is law, legal, and rules. No one—you’re the boss, but stop saying it’s all on you. Tell us where you’re at. Please.”
I nodded but looked back at Ally. “I want to establish some type of program to get demons better acclimated. Maybe offer it if they’re in good standing with our council.
A six-month program to help disentangle them from one life to the next—financials, all of it—while they are the ‘parent’ to one of the safe houses.
“Get that decompression time instead of always so on. Always pretending to be what we weren’t born as.
It’s a miracle we’re not all psychos with switching and having to—I mean, I know that’s a joke coming from me and all my covers, but I hear others and how hard it can be to switch.
I feel it too, and—I have no idea my identity as the owner. ”
“First, it is a good idea, but we just used to move,” Ally said gently.
“I left the country for a century and lived in other countries. This is a problem now with technology. But you are a genius because it’s a smart plan.
Even have them be invisible for a year with diplomatic immunity to help us as payment for completely transitioning their lives. ”
“Yeah, but I thought give them time to…” I looked to Elijah to help.
Shock rocked him in a rare way. He chuckled when I flinched but leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I’m so proud of you, Angela. So damn proud. Never forget this moment and how you have grown. Truly, you are—so proud.”
He really was my dad in some ways because no one could make me flush like he did when he praised me.