Chapter 39

“We’re going to need help.” Alaric glanced from Brome to Hope. They both nodded.

“Help with what?” Remi set the empty glass down and leaned on the counter.

“The confrontation may be somewhat trickier than we planned,” Leontes said quietly.

Attis’ head snapped around. “Confrontation?” He glanced at Pascal, who was smiling. “I’m in.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Pascal perched on the edge of the bar, “when?”

“Tomorrow night. We can’t wait until they have the chance to plot further.” Leontes answered, even though he stood there with his arms crossed and looked at the floor.

Vie went over and stood in front of Brome. “What kind of help are you thinking?”

“Several factions.” He smiled down at her, “Would you like to take part?”

“Oh yeah,” Vie smiled in a way Remi had never seen before.

“I think we should move Remi somewhere safe until this is resolved.” Remi jolted and turned to glare at Darien. How could he even suggest she run and hide? “I’m not going anywhere.”

“We don’t know what we’re up against, Remi…”

Ignoring him, she turned to Brome. “I thought magic and stuff didn’t work on me?”

Darien wasn’t going to let her pass the decision off to anyone else. “You can still be physically hurt.”

She scowled at him. “So, can anyone here.”

Sighing, Darien glanced around, and when no one showed signs of helping, he stepped over to stand in across from her. “We all heal a little differently.”

Looking around at the various paras in the room, she knew it was true, but she didn’t care. Pushing away from the bar, she walked around it to stand almost on his toes and look up into his eyes. They still weren’t back to his soft, dark brown ones. “I’m not running and hiding.” She said it slowly in the calmest voice she could manage. She watched his eyes streak with yellow as he clenched his jaw.

“Remi…”

Placing a hand on his chest, she searched his eyes, “I am not staying here like a good little Keeper or whatever…” She looked around at the others and then back to him. “If all of you are going to risk your well-being for me, I’m going.” His teeth clicked together. “So, if you don’t want anything to happen to me, be really good with whatever mad skills you have.”

Darien growled deep in his chest, but he didn’t say a word.

Remi knew him well enough to know the conversation wasn’t over. He would wait until she was alone and then try again.

“We’re going to have to call Nadine and…”

“Don’t say Iris,” Alaric whispered.

Vie grinned. “Definitely, Iris. Betany, and the twins too.”

“Better make those calls now,” Finn waved his hand around, “some of us don’t do daytime meetings.”

Vie nodded and pulled her phone out.

“I’ll call Nadine and Betany,” Cait offered and went over to the phone.

Remi crossed her arms over her chest and watched the others stand closer, talking quietly. She knew they were probably discussing strategy, but she needed a moment…or ten. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t figure out why Margo was involved. Sure, they hadn’t been great friends, and she’d fired her, but this was a little overreaction.

Watching the others, she realized Elaine was practically glowing. Come to think of it so were Leontes and her bartenders. What was it about vampires and battles? Turning, she looked for Emery. He sat at the other end of the bar with Finn, Baker, and Boden. They all stared at the council members, clearly not needing to be closer to hear them. Blowing out a breath, she went toward them.

Em’s attention was on her. She didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what his anxious expression meant. He wanted to go too.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said as she leaned against the stool beside him.

He smirked. “I feel the same way about you going.”

“I was going to ask you to stay here with Cait and watch over Serenity.”

Emery’s mouth twitched, “I think the Lewis boys can do that.”

She glanced at Boden. He nodded with a solemn expression on his face. Giving Emery a hard look for a few seconds, she tilted her head and made sure she kept her nerves in check before she spoke. “You and Finn won’t leave my sight the whole time, and if anything goes wrong, you both will high tail it back here and watch out for Cait.”

Finn’s mouth dropped open as his eyes filled with excitement.

“Deal,” Emery said in a serious tone.

“Yes.” Finn hissed under his breath.

“Remi.”

Turning, she watched Darien move in her direction. Biting her lip, she raised her eyebrows even though she knew what he was going to say.

“We need to talk.” His tone was somber.

“So, talk.”

He looked over her shoulder at the four watching them like they were on a stage.

Motioning to the corner, she waited for him to go first. “You’re not going to talk me out of going, Dare.”

Darien leaned back against the wall and looked down at her. She tried not to look right into his eyes because she knew they’d be all soft and pleading, and she didn’t want to give in.

“Is it wrong for me to want you safe?” His voice was soft and pleading.

Grinding her teeth, she took a deep breath and ignored that he wasn’t fighting fair. “I have to go. All of this is because of me. Mrs. Chaise, Mark, even the damn auditor. They are all dead because of me…”

Grasping her hips, he pulled her body close to his. “None of this is your fault.”

Trying not to focus on how good he smelled, which shouldn’t be right considering he’d just spent a few hours in his wolf suit, Remi rested her hands on his chest. “Whatever the reasoning behind any of this, none of it would be happening if it wasn’t for me.”

“Remi…”

Reaching up, she put her hand over his mouth. “There’s no way in hell I am going to be anywhere else when the rest of you are putting yourself in danger…for me.” His eyes searched hers. “Please, Darien, I need to do this.”

The next few seconds felt like an eternity. He stood there; she wasn’t even sure he was breathing. With a low growl deep in his chest, he dropped his hands away from her and tilted his head to the side. It was the closest to an agreement she was going to get. Before she could say anything else, he moved to the other end of the bar.

Everyone watched him. Boden leaned forward and looked at her for a moment, then spoke to Emery. “Was that a yes or a no?”

Vie grinned. “That was definitely a yes, and he’s not happy about it.”

“He can also hear you,” Darien added as he poured a drink of scotch.

Cait came out of the kitchen and gave Remi an abrupt nod. “Nadine and Betany will be here shortly.” She glanced at Darien, “And yes, they have someone bringing them, so they’re not alone.”

Remi tucked her hands in her back pockets. “Cait, go print up a sign to hang on the door before we open. We’re closed tomorrow night.”

Cait stopped. “Am I giving a reason?”

“Just say we’re closed for repairs.” She glanced at Darien, and he nodded.

Cait opened the kitchen door. “What are we repairing?”

Darien held up a glass of scotch for her. Not her preferred drink, but it would do. “The balance,” she told Cait.

“Okay,” she shoved the door open, “so, closed for repairs.”

Draining the glass, Remi stood there observing. Inside she was in knots. No, that was a lie. She was freaking right out. What did she know about any of this? Nothing. She didn’t know a thing about being a Keeper or what she was actually to do. Magic, mages, and spells she knew nothing about, demons and pawns even less. Until the last few days, all of that was something she thought could only be found in a novel.

Attis and Pascal were reliving their last battle with Finn. Remi couldn’t even stand to watch re-enactments on the history channel, never mind being in one. What would this be like? Again, she had no idea.

Darien came up to her and took the glass out of her hand, and then tilted her chin up, so she was looking at him. “Don’t worry, A ghrá. The council doesn’t fail.”

“It’s not them I’m worried about,” she confessed in a hushed tone.

Darien frowned, “Emery...”

Remi shook her head, “him either. I’m pretty sure vampires come with a built-in violence survival chip.”

His lips twitched. “It’s possible.” Lowering his face so it was only a breath away from hers, he held her eyes with a soft look. “You’ll be fine. I won’t allow anything but.”

Kissing her lips softly, he straightened and turned toward the kitchen. “I’m going to check out the windows upstairs and make sure nothing’s going on outside.”

Remi watched him leave. He always knew what she worried about. She shook her head; he always knew where her head was regardless of what it was. He also seemed to make her feel better.

“It must be bothersome to always have a male stand in your way.”

Surprised, Remi looked at Elaine. “He’s not really in my way,” she shrugged, “he may growl about things, but he’ll always have my back.” Remi realized she’d never thought of it that way, but it was true. Darien would always be there for her.

“I don’t believe in mates,” Elaine’s tone was mocking.

“So, you’ve never found yours?”

Elaine snorted. “I’ve never cared to look. Why limit yourself to one forever?”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” Glancing behind the cynical vampire, Remi saw that not only had Nadine, Betany, and Iris arrived, but they with Vie and Cait, all of them glaring at the back of Elaine’s head. Poor vampire better tread carefully, or she’d be in a whole mess of oh oh. She gave her the best fake smile she could manage. “I guess it would be trying to have the familiarity and comfort of one that has no other motive to be with you than who you are and no ulterior motive than your happiness.”

Elaine frowned. Remi ignored it and continued. “One that knows you as well as you know yourself. One that will go to any length to protect you and keep you safe.” She thought of Darien for a moment, and that familiar warmth filled her. “One that only has to look at you to make you shiver, knowing just a slight touch will make you explode...whose kiss always feels like that first passionate kiss.”

Now Elaine’s lovely face was marred with a venomous scowl.

“You should feel lucky to have escaped such a fate for so long.” Remi leaned back against the bar, trying to look nonchalant, when inside, she was thinking, ‘Bring it if you can, vampy.’ Elaine’s eyes narrowed, and normally Remi might stop, but she didn’t. Lately, she wasn’t sure what was going on. It was all foreign to her, but Darien? He was the one constant in her world. Sighing, she started walking away from Elaine. “Maybe you should write a book. You could call it how to be empty and miserable for all of eternity.” She glanced over her shoulder and shrugged, “Might be a best seller.”

Nodding to Nadine’s smirk as she passed her, Remi grinned back. “I’m going to check on Darien.”