“And you, Connlan?” Brigid spoke up, her head tilted to the side. “You’d align against your mate?”
Moira shuffled her feet. “Mother—”
“No.” Conn’s voice rang deep and true. “I would not align against my mate.” His smile lacked any semblance of humor. “I would, however, take her away from danger, away from you.”
Temper and amusement rose in Moira equally. “I believe that’s a debate for another day. For now, we need to find the missing coven members.”
The lights flared and the two screens went blank.
“Damn it,” Vivienne hissed. “What in the hell is wrong with the system?”
Grace shrugged, typing rapidly on a keyboard out of Moira’s sight. “We’re down again.” She rolled dark brown eyes at the leader. “I’ll take notes and e-mail them to Trevan and Simone. Let’s finish this meeting.”
Peter reclaimed his seat. “I’m not convinced we need to send our soldiers to train with the vampires. In addition, last time I checked, the Kurjans and the demons are at war with the Realm. If we withdraw, we’re no longer at war.”
Conn growled low. “You’ve been discussing the situation with the demons, have you?”
Moira frowned. “Of course not.” She focused on her aunt, waiting for Viv to agree.
She remained quiet.
Holy hell. Moira’s eyes widened. “You’ve been in negotiations with the demons? Seriously? They employ the worst mind warfare tactics imaginable. Surely we can’t be aligning with them.”
“The decisions of the Nine are private, Moira.” Vivienne’s jaw hardened. “If you’d like to take your rightful place up here and stop playing around with the enforcers, then do it.”
“That’s enough, Viv.” Moira’s mother pinned her sister with a glare. “My daughter has been one of the most successful enforcers in history these last thirty years. Don’t even think of downplaying her accomplishments.”
Yea. Go mom. Moira lifted her chin. “Aligning with the demons is preposterous.” Not to mention an incredibly bad decision. The demons screwed with their enemies’ brains ... they destroyed minds. While they might align themselves with the witches for a time, no doubt they’d turn at some point. The mere thought of her abilities in the hands of the demons crawled terror down her spine. “Such an alliance is tantamount to declaring war on the Realm.”
“I’m aware of that.” Vivienne glanced at Conn and back to Moira. “The Realm is weak. The Kurjans have been preparing for war for centuries, and now the demons have joined in. Not to mention the shifter clans coming after you since the king allowed Caleb Donovan back in the fold.”
Moira fought the urge to scream. She understood why Dage let his old friend, who came with numerous allies, back into the Realm. The man had been unjustly blamed for the death of a prophet centuries ago. Ironically enough, Caleb had been claimed by fate as a prophet last year. A fact she’d heard he was denying loudly and often.
Conn rolled his shoulders back. “The Realm isn’t weak, Councilwoman. Not by a long shot. While rejoining forces with Caleb angered the demons, as well a few shifting clans, the forces he brought with him strengthened us tenfold.”
Moira nodded. Caleb’s brother had mated with a lion shifter who’d been betrothed to a demon, angering several clans. He’d been fighting them along with the demons for a century. Currently he had Realm backing. “Let’s not forget Caleb is now a prophet for the Realm.” A position none of them would dispute.
Vivienne inclined her head. “We are so aware. The Nine must still consider all options.” She focused back on the enforcers. “For now, we need to solidify our power base. Kell, you go to Greece and escort Trevan here. Moira, please retrieve your cousin from New York.” Viv raised an eyebrow at Conn. “I assume you’ll be accompanying her?”
“You assume correct.”
Great. Moira frowned. “You want me to leave Ireland?” That didn’t make any sense. She eyed her mother, who stared back without expression. A warning set up at the base of Moira’s skull. She didn’t want to leave her homeland.
Viv grabbed a manila file, tapping it several times. “No. I want you to do your job as an enforcer and escort a member of the Coven Nine here to safety.”
Not much leeway there. Moira had Conn, her bitchy cousin, and her irritated aunt to deal with. What else could go wrong?
Chapter 7
The scent of lilac and musty books filled Conn’s nostrils as he glanced around Moira’s spacious office at the academy. “Do you also need to submit grades at the University of Dublin before we leave town?” His mate taught at both the human university and the witch center of higher learning. He ran his finger over a crystal ornament of a fairy perched in front of books on the shelf. He’d sent the priceless gem to Moira last year when she’d been promoted to full professor at the Quantum academy, a university known only to magic users.
Her shoulders jumped, as if she’d been expecting another question. “No. I turned the human grades in last week.” She licked a manila envelope, scrunching her nose afterwards. “Damn glue tastes horrible.”
Wheels from her chair squeaked when she pushed back from the alder-wood desk. Anyone in the hallway would know when she was sitting in her chair. Conn needed to teach her more about stealth. “You’d think with all the advancements in computers, we wouldn’t need to file a hard copy of grades with the dean.” She stood, rolling her eyes.
Conn snorted. “Magic users are notorious for hacking computers. Your dean is smart.” Celestial light glinted off the pretty figurine, and he turned toward the night. The shade slats revealed large windows overlooking a quaint courtyard bathed in moonlight. He’d held her hand under the moonlight a century ago as he’d led her away from the festivities—toward destiny.
“Good point.” Moira shuffled around two chairs piled high with thick, leather-bound books, her boots clipping across the ancient wooden floor.
He could see her as a scholar. Perhaps later she’d put on glasses and tie her hair up in a bun. A sexy librarian, waiting to be kidnapped—which he pretty much had decided to do. Time to get his mate out of Ireland.
He ran a rough hand through his hair. “The Coven Nine is in trouble.” Unsettled, scared, and reacting instead of steering their people.
“I know.” Her tone held a note of resigned inevitability. “I’ll need to join sooner than I’d planned.”
Probably true. Good thing she could do so remotely. Away from whoever was attacking her people. She’d need training against werewolves, although he had no intention of allowing her on the front line. Still, learning defense was a must in their worlds.
“So what other abilities do you possess?” If the woman could turn his spleen into glue, he’d appreciate knowing about it.
She sighed. “I deal in quantum physics, Conn. If something has molecules or waves, I can alter the material state.” A frown marred her pretty face as she faced him squarely.
Brave little witch.
“But when altering, I can only choose a state like solid, gas, or liquid. I can’t take a destroyed heart and reshape the organ into a working heart. Just into some sort of solid, which wouldn’t help at all.”
“Too bad.”
“Yes.” Her tooth bit into the flesh of her bottom lip, making his fangs ache for a taste. “The process is much easier on humans, of course. You’re probably rather safe.” The glint in her eye didn’t reassure him. “Besides. You vamps have plenty of abilities and weapons you don’t go around advertising.”
She hadn’t quite answered his question.
“I asked what else you could do.” The hair on the back of his neck rose, yanking him from the issue at hand. “Wait a minute.” He grabbed her biceps and shoved her behind him.