Every Breath You Take
Delores
I look around the dining car carefully, noting any preds who make my bunny ears metaphorically twitch.
We kept up with the outside world a little from the clutch’s hidden compound, but our focus was more on examining their library for history about the time before the Treaty, and how our world interacted with the magical beings.
Nothing we read convinced me that the Society family ancestors didn’t purposefully provoke incidents in order to grab power across the globe.
It was simply too convenient that everything following the Treaty relegated half the remaining population to a lower caste and redistributed industry that was formerly dominated by Fae and other casters to the leaders of the preds.
Capitalism is a bane to society no matter who is running the machine, I suppose.
“You're thinking so hard that I expect steam to come out of your ears, snack size.”
My expression is guilty as I look at Aubrey across the table.
He’s bemused as he sips his scotch while Rennie is scribbling in a notebook.
“Maybe? Figuring out that there wasn’t really a reason besides greed to ban people from this world sits poorly with me.
Not that our new shadowy friend’s response is any better—she’s obviously off her fucking nut—but her kind have a valid point. ”
“Rarely in life is anything black and white, cherie,” the gargoyle murmurs as he continues writing in his little book.
“And if you consider what was done after the agreement to anyone who remained, can you say without reservation that any reason would be satisfactory? I doubt it, as hate is a poison that cannot be excused.”
Felix leans back in his chair, ruffling his paper loudly, and we turn to look at him.
“Our poetic friend is being too vague. I believe the question is: would it be okay to do such atrocities if we were reacting to the ones done to us? What if those terrible things were not truly the acts of our enemies, but seeds of dissent planted by those who wished to ascend to power?”
“An eye for an eye makes the world go blind,” Fitz adds, and then grins at me. “But you’d make a sexy pirate, Baby Girl. Don’t think for a minute that I wouldn’t keep you as my wench if vengeance boomeranged back to you that way.”
He means well, of course, despite the weird connotation that he’d be fine with me missing an eye because I’d be hot in an eyepatch.
“Fitzy, you’re always here to make us lighten up a little, and I love you for it.” I lean into him, nibbling his earlobe as I whisper, “And yes, you can find a pirate costume later.”
His eyes light up, and he practically booty dances with joy in his seat.
The others look at me as if I’m encouraging an addict, but that’s okay.
Part of knowing how Fitz’s mind works is that people don’t take him seriously, which bothers him, but also he wants to be a clown so they laugh.
I take everything he says as if it’s gospel, and adjust once I know he’s being silly for effect.
It has the distinct benefit of his feeling validated all the time when I’m around, and that calms his hyper-activity down a little. Win-win, if you ask me.
“So we’ll eat here, hang out a bit, and then what? Last time we got on close enough to bedtime, but we’re on the train early now.” Chess smiles softly at me, his eyes telling me he knows what I just did for our mate.
“Perhaps some of us stay here and putz around while others snoop,” Renard says as he looks up from his writing. “I noticed that in this elite car there are quite a few people of interest.”
Nodding, Felix cuts his eyes to the back left corner where there’s a snooty-looking dude with glasses and a well-tailored suit surrounded by beefy dudes in black.
“That’s Silas Vesper. He’s the Director of Marketing don’t you agree? ”
“Actually… I do.” The elder twin looks at Chessie, his eyes narrowed as he inspects the cheetah. “Do you think you can do this? I don’t want to put you in danger, but our stony friend is right about who is innocuous enough to roam the cars without drawing too much attention.”
Chessie nods, reaching up to tie his hair in a loose knot. “I can do it, Felix. Plus, if I take India’s cabin, I’ll know what to look for. It might not be as obvious to others.”
“I assume I’m looking for financial documents, Society or business docs that reveal shady things, and all that, oui? I can photograph everything, and we will examine it later in the day.” Renard winks at me, his face full of mischief.
I’m not thrilled to have either of them at risk and alone, but I wasn’t kidding about taking minor risks when the reward might be worth it.
We’re running out of time to get this damn Society bullshit solved before the Fae lady pushes the preds to declare war publicly.
“Please be careful,” I murmur to them. “Do not take unnecessary chances. I can’t lose either of you. ”
Aubrey and Fitz give their mates stern looks that I guess are the ‘dudes in public’ version of my sentiment, and I watch as my guys rise to leave.
Chessie stretches and then heads for the bar, perching on a stool close to the section where the Shirdal chick is located.
Rennie passes the Vesper guy completely, exiting the dining car with purpose.
I guess he’s planning to find out where the tech snake is staying without being present here.
“So what are we doing then?” Fitz says as he grabs my hand. “I could go for some food with our hot goss. No one ordered before we got distracted by our Sherlocking.”
Felix rolls his eyes, but waves a server over.
Once we’ve placed orders for fresh drinks and food, the elder twin scratches his chin.
“You know, it’s possible these people are plants for us, too.
Awfully big nukes to drive tiny nails by sending such high-profile people, but it’s possible.
Have you heard anything about Lucille recently? ”
Making a face, I reply, “No. There was a snide voicemail about her not knowing where I went this summer and how I shouldn’t expect her to support me if I’m not willing to play the game properly… but nothing substantive.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Aubrey says firmly. “You do not have to bow to her wishes anymore—not with us as your mates.”
“Most of us…” Fitz says with a sly grin. “C’mon, big guy! You've gotta get with the program!”
I elbow the tiger hard. “Leave Aubrey alone, Fitz. Everyone moves at their own pace, and I care about all of you equally, but in different ways. Don’t be a shit-stirrer because you hate that Felix wouldn’t let you pretend to be James Bone.”
“But Baby Girl, I’m fucking amazing at spy shit—you know that!”
“Fitzgerald, this is not the time or place for your theatrics. Look at how everyone in this car is not acting like a sugar-addled toddler.” The dragon chuckles and arches a brow.
“Now convince me you could zoom around the train without humming spy music or get noticed when you’re trying to find out what cabin they are in. ”
Glaring, Fitz sighs dramatically. “Fine. Fancy Pants Land is not my optimal secret agent environment. You win, Caliente Caiman.”
Turning in my seat, I pull the pouty tiger closer and kiss his lips lightly.
“Admitting our weaknesses is as important as using our strengths to get what we need, baby. Aubrey isn’t gentle with his criticism, but even I know that you and I weren’t the fit for this mission.
But we will be for others, and when we do, it’ll be a blast.”
“Like that damned vampire nest area at l’Academie,” Felix says.
“We’ll have to go back and check it again when we get back.
If the supposed bloodsuckers were gone before, we have no idea if they’ve returned just like us.
Knowing they might have been in some of the places our friends visited made me nervous before, but imagining them returning to the school quietly is worse. ”
“That’s going on the new planner board when Chessie sets it up,” I say with a grimace. “I don’t know how fast we’ll get to it because we’re going to cut it close to the start of the semester…”
“But we won’t forget, and we won’t let some Lost Bats rejects catch us unaware,” Fitz declares.
Aubrey looks pained, and I chuckle softly. My men bicker, but they love each other and me, so it’s never as dramatic as they make it out to be.
If only that were the case about my enemies—they’re always worse than I imagine.