shown a tendency to be a Casanova. Zoe wouldn’t have a chance if he chose to turn on the charm.
As the four settled down to talk, Ari and the vampires recounted for Zoe the wolf attack in Riverdale that had brought them to Toronto and the details of Sebastian’s demise. Ari skipped over any mention of the telepathy, but Zoe drank in every word, appearing not to notice the omissions. When the two vampires grew restless with the approaching dawn, Zoe rose with obvious reluctance.
“I should go. I’d love to chat later today. Andreas, I hope we meet again. Sebastian shunned the Magic Council. I’m hoping you will change that.”
“Count on it. I meant it when I said it was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Vesper. Please give my regards to your president, and advise him I am eager to meet. Perhaps you could arrange a suitable time and place.”
Zoe’s face lit. “I’ll do that. The sooner, the better.”
Andreas bowed even more elegantly this time, and Zoe flashed an approving smile at Ari. He’d made another conquest. Not to be outdone, Gabriel kissed Zoe on both cheeks with a grand flourish, and the elf-witch left with a silly grin on her face. Ari and Zoe definitely needed to talk.
“It’s hard to take in how fast things are changing. Until Arianna, I don’t think a Guardian had ever been inside these walls,” Gabriel said once the doors had closed behind Zoe. “Now we’ve had two in twenty-four hours.”
“It is a change long overdue. Ms. Vesper and the Magic Council can be helpful to us.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Gabriel said, smiling. “After all, I see how valuable Arianna is to you. In so many ways.”
Andreas loudly cleared his throat.
Gabriel turned an innocent face to him. “Yes? Were you going to say something?”
Andreas’s lips twitched. “Get out of here before you get yourself in trouble, my obnoxious friend. Dawn will be here in a couple of hours, and I wish to spend time with Arianna. Alone.”
“I’m going.” Gabriel gracefully eased from the chair. “I have an uncanny sense of knowing when I’m not wanted.” He exited the room with a breezy wave of the hand.
Ari enjoyed their interplay. They reminded her of squabbling siblings, with Andreas in the role of the elder brother. “Is he ever serious?” she asked.
“Occasionally, but not if he can help it.” Andreas took her hand, and turned her to face him, his smile fading. “Is something wrong? Earlier, you seemed troubled, cara mia. Is it something Gabriel said or did?”
“No, nothing like that. My funky mood has nothing to do with him. I’m trying to absorb everything that’s happened to us.” She debated whether to bring up the one issue they hadn’t discussed—her impending return to Riverdale. The weariness in his eyes convinced her to wait for another day. If his responsibilities had kept him from realizing her departure was coming, that was a good thing. He didn’t need another distraction.
She produced a coaxing smile. “Don’t pay any attention to my mood. It really is nothing. Come on.” She grabbed his arm and tugged. “Help me find the way to my room. It’s late, and as you said, dawn is coming soon.”
He held back an instant, apparently not satisfied with her answer. When she tugged again, he gave her a lazy smile. “Finding a bedroom is the best idea I have heard all evening,” he murmured. “Dawn may have to wait.”
Chapter Six
The lycanthrope reinforcements arrived before Ari crawled out of bed the next morning. Lilith and Russell had taken charge, and most of the recruits were settled into temporary quarters.
While looking for her morning coffee, the first new arrival she ran into was Mike, a werewolf friend from her stint a year ago with Daron’s security team. He gave her a shy grin—effusive for Mike. A big man, even in human form, in a prior life he had been special ops in the military and was not someone to be messed with. He was also an amateur chef.
As the four settled down to talk, Ari and the vampires recounted for Zoe the wolf attack in Riverdale that had brought them to Toronto and the details of Sebastian’s demise. Ari skipped over any mention of the telepathy, but Zoe drank in every word, appearing not to notice the omissions. When the two vampires grew restless with the approaching dawn, Zoe rose with obvious reluctance.
“I should go. I’d love to chat later today. Andreas, I hope we meet again. Sebastian shunned the Magic Council. I’m hoping you will change that.”
“Count on it. I meant it when I said it was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Vesper. Please give my regards to your president, and advise him I am eager to meet. Perhaps you could arrange a suitable time and place.”
Zoe’s face lit. “I’ll do that. The sooner, the better.”
Andreas bowed even more elegantly this time, and Zoe flashed an approving smile at Ari. He’d made another conquest. Not to be outdone, Gabriel kissed Zoe on both cheeks with a grand flourish, and the elf-witch left with a silly grin on her face. Ari and Zoe definitely needed to talk.
“It’s hard to take in how fast things are changing. Until Arianna, I don’t think a Guardian had ever been inside these walls,” Gabriel said once the doors had closed behind Zoe. “Now we’ve had two in twenty-four hours.”
“It is a change long overdue. Ms. Vesper and the Magic Council can be helpful to us.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Gabriel said, smiling. “After all, I see how valuable Arianna is to you. In so many ways.”
Andreas loudly cleared his throat.
Gabriel turned an innocent face to him. “Yes? Were you going to say something?”
Andreas’s lips twitched. “Get out of here before you get yourself in trouble, my obnoxious friend. Dawn will be here in a couple of hours, and I wish to spend time with Arianna. Alone.”
“I’m going.” Gabriel gracefully eased from the chair. “I have an uncanny sense of knowing when I’m not wanted.” He exited the room with a breezy wave of the hand.
Ari enjoyed their interplay. They reminded her of squabbling siblings, with Andreas in the role of the elder brother. “Is he ever serious?” she asked.
“Occasionally, but not if he can help it.” Andreas took her hand, and turned her to face him, his smile fading. “Is something wrong? Earlier, you seemed troubled, cara mia. Is it something Gabriel said or did?”
“No, nothing like that. My funky mood has nothing to do with him. I’m trying to absorb everything that’s happened to us.” She debated whether to bring up the one issue they hadn’t discussed—her impending return to Riverdale. The weariness in his eyes convinced her to wait for another day. If his responsibilities had kept him from realizing her departure was coming, that was a good thing. He didn’t need another distraction.
She produced a coaxing smile. “Don’t pay any attention to my mood. It really is nothing. Come on.” She grabbed his arm and tugged. “Help me find the way to my room. It’s late, and as you said, dawn is coming soon.”
He held back an instant, apparently not satisfied with her answer. When she tugged again, he gave her a lazy smile. “Finding a bedroom is the best idea I have heard all evening,” he murmured. “Dawn may have to wait.”
Chapter Six
The lycanthrope reinforcements arrived before Ari crawled out of bed the next morning. Lilith and Russell had taken charge, and most of the recruits were settled into temporary quarters.
While looking for her morning coffee, the first new arrival she ran into was Mike, a werewolf friend from her stint a year ago with Daron’s security team. He gave her a shy grin—effusive for Mike. A big man, even in human form, in a prior life he had been special ops in the military and was not someone to be messed with. He was also an amateur chef.
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