“Shit, sorry, all right? Just talking. Getting to know one another. That kind of thing.”
I release him and back off. “Not interested, Rookie.”
“Lian and Rage were right about you,” he says, glancing around at the Suits watching our interaction. “I should’ve listened.”
“Yes, you should’ve.” I turn and head for Raphael’s office. My quick anger surprises me. Especially in regard to the female. Normally, I would’ve ignored the stupid male’s comments altogether.
The leader of the Diplomats is seated behind his oak desk, long blond hair pulled back in a leather thong, nose in a bunch of paperwork. Without looking up, he points to the leather chairs facing him. “Have a seat.”
Pride practically vaults into the chair. “What’s up, boss?” he asks as if nothing at all just happened outside the door.
Raph looks up, glances at me. I shrug. Young cub. What else is there to say? He nods, then begins, “As you both are aware, there is a group of our kind in the Everglades.”
“The Cadejo,” I say.
He nods. “Hiss is there now with his mate, Gia, and her family. I have not been in contact with them. We thought this might happen, but I don’t like it. I think it’s time to connect. I want to establish diplomatic relations with them. That’s where you come in.”
“Cool,” Pride says, grinning.
“Is it just going to be the two of us?” I ask through gritted teeth.
Raphael’s gold eyes find mine. I’m hoping to see sympathy or humor there. But it’s all seriousness. “Shadow will be going too. I don’t want to send too many Pantera, or all Hunters. I don’t want them thinking we’re infiltrating. Plus I need my most experienced here in the Wildlands.”
I nod. “Understood.”
“We want to make friends with the Cadejo, Striker,” he says pointedly. “We may need them some day.” Soon , he doesn’t say. But he doesn’t have to. I know exactly what’s at stake with humans sniffing around our borders and men like Locke imprisoning and using our kind.
Leaning forward in his chair, like a child waiting to see his first Dyesse lily bloom, Pride asks, “When do we leave?”
“Three days.”
“Hot damn. I’ll be ready.”
I stare at Raphael. The male is a master at keeping every thought, every feeling hidden. But so am I, and I know there’s something he’s not telling me. Something he’s waiting to tell me.
And I know I’m right when he turns to my young partner. “Pride, go to Shadow’s office. She’s waiting for you.”
“What?” he balks.
“Yes,” I say quickly. “Tell your sister hello for me. Tell her I have great sympathy for her.”
The young Hunter growls low in his chest, but gets up and heads for the door. He may be a young, rookie cub, but he is Pantera, and would never defy Raphael.
As soon as he’s gone, I look at the leader of the Suits. The seriousness in his eyes is gone. In fact, he’s trying hard to suppress a smile.
“That wasn’t very nice.”
I sniff. “Neither was putting me with an infant. Especially when you know I have the nurturing skills of a mother wolf spider.”
“You will not eat this young. He’s entirely too big.”
“Don’t be so sure. I almost took a bite out of his larynx just outside your door.”
“He does ask inane questions at times.”
“Or disgusting, insulting, degrading ones.”
Raph’s brows draw together. “What do you mean?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.” But he remains silent, waiting—it’s his way—so I halfheartedly explain. “He wanted details about my…mission with Twelve.”
“Ahhhh…” He eyes me, studies me for a moment, then leans back in his chair. “She’s doing well.”
“I didn’t ask.”
He nods. “You didn’t, but I thought maybe you’d like to know.” He inhales sharply, curses. “She’s telling Doc Julia about what happened to her in there. What Locke and the others did to her. All in the name of baby production and more pure Pantera blood for
I release him and back off. “Not interested, Rookie.”
“Lian and Rage were right about you,” he says, glancing around at the Suits watching our interaction. “I should’ve listened.”
“Yes, you should’ve.” I turn and head for Raphael’s office. My quick anger surprises me. Especially in regard to the female. Normally, I would’ve ignored the stupid male’s comments altogether.
The leader of the Diplomats is seated behind his oak desk, long blond hair pulled back in a leather thong, nose in a bunch of paperwork. Without looking up, he points to the leather chairs facing him. “Have a seat.”
Pride practically vaults into the chair. “What’s up, boss?” he asks as if nothing at all just happened outside the door.
Raph looks up, glances at me. I shrug. Young cub. What else is there to say? He nods, then begins, “As you both are aware, there is a group of our kind in the Everglades.”
“The Cadejo,” I say.
He nods. “Hiss is there now with his mate, Gia, and her family. I have not been in contact with them. We thought this might happen, but I don’t like it. I think it’s time to connect. I want to establish diplomatic relations with them. That’s where you come in.”
“Cool,” Pride says, grinning.
“Is it just going to be the two of us?” I ask through gritted teeth.
Raphael’s gold eyes find mine. I’m hoping to see sympathy or humor there. But it’s all seriousness. “Shadow will be going too. I don’t want to send too many Pantera, or all Hunters. I don’t want them thinking we’re infiltrating. Plus I need my most experienced here in the Wildlands.”
I nod. “Understood.”
“We want to make friends with the Cadejo, Striker,” he says pointedly. “We may need them some day.” Soon , he doesn’t say. But he doesn’t have to. I know exactly what’s at stake with humans sniffing around our borders and men like Locke imprisoning and using our kind.
Leaning forward in his chair, like a child waiting to see his first Dyesse lily bloom, Pride asks, “When do we leave?”
“Three days.”
“Hot damn. I’ll be ready.”
I stare at Raphael. The male is a master at keeping every thought, every feeling hidden. But so am I, and I know there’s something he’s not telling me. Something he’s waiting to tell me.
And I know I’m right when he turns to my young partner. “Pride, go to Shadow’s office. She’s waiting for you.”
“What?” he balks.
“Yes,” I say quickly. “Tell your sister hello for me. Tell her I have great sympathy for her.”
The young Hunter growls low in his chest, but gets up and heads for the door. He may be a young, rookie cub, but he is Pantera, and would never defy Raphael.
As soon as he’s gone, I look at the leader of the Suits. The seriousness in his eyes is gone. In fact, he’s trying hard to suppress a smile.
“That wasn’t very nice.”
I sniff. “Neither was putting me with an infant. Especially when you know I have the nurturing skills of a mother wolf spider.”
“You will not eat this young. He’s entirely too big.”
“Don’t be so sure. I almost took a bite out of his larynx just outside your door.”
“He does ask inane questions at times.”
“Or disgusting, insulting, degrading ones.”
Raph’s brows draw together. “What do you mean?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.” But he remains silent, waiting—it’s his way—so I halfheartedly explain. “He wanted details about my…mission with Twelve.”
“Ahhhh…” He eyes me, studies me for a moment, then leans back in his chair. “She’s doing well.”
“I didn’t ask.”
He nods. “You didn’t, but I thought maybe you’d like to know.” He inhales sharply, curses. “She’s telling Doc Julia about what happened to her in there. What Locke and the others did to her. All in the name of baby production and more pure Pantera blood for
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