Wrath

Tristan nodded. “If they really want us to build an army, Rina and Sophia will send Char to us.”

As if on cue, the warlock’s mind signature entered the safe house, along with a few others belonging to Amadis. The others hung back in the foyer, but Charlotte made a beeline for my office. I waved my hand to open the door for her, and she strode in and up to me and wrapped her arms around me in a bear hug.

“I’m so sorry, Alexis,” she said. “I feel for you. I really do.”

She knew what it was like to lose her son to the Daemoni. Only, hers had chosen to go. Damn traitor.

She stepped back and assumed a soldier’s stance with her feet spread apart, her spine ramrod straight with her leather-clad chest out, and her hands clasped behind her back. Her straw-colored hair, which she’d cut boy- short after Kali announced that the previous seventy or so years of her life had been a scam, had grown out enough to be pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her sapphire blue eyes fell on me.

“At your service,” she said. “What’s the plan?”

“We’re still formulating one,” Tristan said from his perch on the edge of my desk. “We need a team, and we need to secure the safe house before we set out.”

“I brought people for the safe house on Sophia’s orders.” Charlotte’s posture softened, and she rocked on her feet. “They’ll take care of security for the whole colony so we have room here for any new converts we can make in the area.”

“Good. That’s checked off the list,” I said. “Now, what about our own team? We have the three of us. Who else?”

“We don’t want to be too numerous to be noticeable, but we need enough to protect ourselves,” Tristan said.

“Right,” Charlotte agreed. “You two are an excellent start, but we should have at least one Were, though two would be better. And a vampire or two.”

Tristan shifted his weight back and leaned against his hands on my desk. “I’m sure Sheree will volunteer.”

My stomach knotted with the idea of taking sweet Sheree on such a dangerous mission. “Shouldn’t she stay here for faith healing?”

“Do you really think she’ll stay?” Tristan asked with a brow raised. Probably not. She felt so indebted to us, and she also loved Dorian, which meant she’d be on our side when it came time to break away from the army.

“She could use the field experience,” Charlotte added. “And a big cat is always nice to have around.”

“Okay,” I relented. “So who else? Do you think Trevor, the werewolf, would come?”

“I’m sure he would for you,” Tristan said, “but he needs to stay for his pack. They’ll be dealing with enough, and he needs to be there to lead them.”

“Too bad Jax is so far away,” I muttered, missing the were-croc who’d helped us in Australia.

“Hmph,” Tristan grunted. “I’m sure he’d do anything for you. He’s already come this far for you once.”

“I don’t know if it’s fair to ask, though. He’d be completely out of his element. He’s stayed in the Outback for a reason.”

“We’re at war,” Charlotte said. “Every Amadis knows what that means. If they can fight, they will.”

“I don’t want anyone to feel obligated. Our team should want to be on it.” I began to pace again. “Let’s move on. Who else? What vamps?”

“Vanessa is an obvious one,” Tristan offered.

Charlotte chuckled. “That is one hell of story. Rumor has it she’s your sister. Lucas’s other daughter.”

“Rumor spreads fast.” I rolled my eyes. “But it’s true. At least, according to Lucas and Vanessa, but I don’t know if I trust her.”

“She’s here. She’s Amadis,” Tristan said. “She’ll be better with us than left behind. What better way to let her prove her loyalty?”

“And if she is loyal, she’ll be able to share insider secrets,” Charlotte pointed out.

I grimaced.

“You know she’s an excellent fighter,” Tristan pressed, irking me—why did he insist on Vanessa’s presence with us? Of course, they both made excellent points.

“Fine,” I huffed. “Vanessa. Who else?”

“I’m sure there’s another vamp or two out there who will accompany us,” Char said.

“You don’t think Rina will give up Solomon, will she?” I asked with a small trace of hope.

Charlotte snorted. “Not likely. He’s at the United Nations right now.”

Of course. I could see Solomon being a good diplomat.

“She might give us Julia, though,” Char said.

I cringed at the thought of the raven-haired vamp. She may have apologized for her actions, but she’d still been part of the accusers who almost banished Tristan from the Amadis. Julia wasn’t exactly my favorite vampire in the world.

“She probably won’t leave Rina’s side.” I hoped.

“If Rina asked her to, she would,” Tristan said.

I scowled at this truth. Julia would do anything for Rina, even lie down and die for her. But she remained far from my top choice as a travel companion, especially since our real mission was to rescue Dorian. She’d try to stop us, probably sabotage any attempt we made. Maybe even accuse us of treason again. Char followed Mom’s orders, but I hoped when the time came, she’d understand my need to go after Dorian. Maybe she wouldn’t go with us, but I didn’t think she’d try to stop us. Having a son herself, she’d understand. Unlike Julia. Plus, if Heather was with him, Charlotte would definitely do what it took to rescue the Norman girl. Again, unlike Julia. The vamp gave me the impression she was loyal to the Amadis, but not necessarily to humanity.

I paused in my tracks to tally up our roster. “We have the three of us, Sheree, if she wants to, and Vanessa. Do we really need anyone else? I don’t know who I would trust.”

“We need another mage,” Charlotte said. “I can’t do it all on my own. Not this kind of job, when I’ll be spending a lot of energy on converting, too.”

“What other warlocks do we have available?” I asked.

“None,” Charlotte answered.

I gaped at her. “None?”

“They’re all on assignment already. Some are protecting colonies and villages around the world. Others are guarding conversion teams.”

“Surely Rina and Mom will give us one!”

“They have.” Char smiled as she cocked her head to the side.

Oh. Right. I supposed if we only got one warlock, at least we had her.

“What other mage would you recommend?” I asked her as I resumed my pacing.

She tapped her fingers against her lips as she thought. “I don’t know who would be available. This mission is important, but the Amadis is already stretched thin. And covens are like packs—they stick close to each other. If we ask for one witch or wizard, they’ll all want to come.”

“So we need someone who’s not tied to a specific coven,” Tristan said.

Charlotte joined me in my pacing as she tried to think of a mage who could complement our team. Tristan moved around to the back of my desk, probably to get out of our way.

“Ahem.” The clearing of a throat sounded from the corridor. Damn. I should have had Charlotte muffle the room.

The warlock opened the door, and I lifted my head to see Blossom step into the office. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear.”

I stopped pacing and put my hands on my hips. “No way.”

Her face crumpled.

“Blossom, I love you dearly.” I walked over to her and took her hands into mine. “I really do. You’re my best friend. Which is why there’s absolutely no way I will ask you to do this.”

She flipped her blond hair back and squared her shoulders. “You don’t have to ask me. I’m volunteering.”

“It’s too dangerous.”