Page 34 (1/2)

I tried to smile, but it didn’t quite work

"Come on" He wound his aret you to your adoring fans"

I snorted "Oh yes, they can’t get enough of me"

"Well at least you’ll be dressed and ready for after"

"After?"

He handed e Oh God, Sig wasn’t kidding I really did need a fucking agenda I think my stupid new fancy phone had a calendar The card in lasses and handcuffs on it and said, She’s still single…but not for long

Mercedes wasn’t exactly a Photoshop wiz, but the invitations were cute

And I’d totally forgotten about it in the exciteht was oddamned bachelorette party

Chapter Thirty-Seven

My heels clacked on the tile floor of the council headquarters I couldn’t recall ever seeing the space ehttime hen vareat roohts were dimmed

It was creepy as hell

Holden had escorted me the whole way but had declinedto wait at the small SoHo coffeehouse across the street until I was finished I wondered why he refused to go to the perfectly good Starbucks two doors down, but I think most vampires were leery of Starbucks because of Calliope

The last thing anyone needed was to accidentally slip into another reality when all they wanted was a cappuccino

I hesitated before the door leading down to the sublevels What could I do or say that hadn’t already been done? Were there any words or gestures left that , I pulled the door open and made the descent into the basement When I’d come before the Tribunal in the past, the steps had felt perilous to go down, the stone always slick and designed to put people in a state of unbalance, literally and mentally Now that I’d been one of them for all these ed down them with as much speed as my constrictive dress would allow, and my shoes made a dreadful echo the whole way

As Holden once said, a troupe of elephants ht have announced the at the council suite--I just pushed the doors open

Sometimes you have one of thoseall at once,about you This was like that, but aat the door and no one had been talking to begin with

Brigit stood in the circle of light in thea simple black dress and leather ballet flats Her hair was pushed away fro, flaxen sheet down her back I setically and walked past her to cross the floor

"I’m sorry, Secret, did we inconvenience you?" Juan Carlos said Was it ht?

I sneered right back but didn’t rise to the bait I sahat had happened last tioat in public, and I wasn’t about to repeat those ht wasn’t about my pride, however wounded it had beco athered elders "My apologies for the lateness of ?"

Rebecca rose and gave the three of us each a bow "We are, as always, at the leisure of the Tribunal No apology is necessary"

Take that, Juan Carlos The elders would never in a million years admit a Tribunal leader had put them out in any way I didn’t bother to look at the Spaniard I’d stuck it to hi to him directly

"Then if there are no further delays or co of victory with the jab of his words, "one over at the previoushis opposition loudly and often, but in the end this wasn’t up to us It was up to the elders After an hour of intense discussion, they requested to be left alone with Brigit

In the da while Juan Carlos paced like a caged wildcat

"If this goes through…" he growled