Page 73 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

Leo pipes in from the kitchen, “I’m already working on the menu. Hex says we’re having a fetish ball. Attire includes lots of leather, latex, and fun. You could do some nifty magick stuff now that you can’t hide it under your bushel.”

Fuck. I almost forgot that Beltane blew my cover; I’m screwed. Everyone knows, and I’m going to have even more people pounding on my door.

“You might as well enjoy yourself,” Rafe grins, knowing what I was thinking. “Especially since you don’t know if you’re p-r-e-g-g-o and Taurus is his name-o.”

Rubbing my temples, I wonder—not for the first time—whether I’ve made a huge mistake. Not in getting pregnant, more like regarding my life choices.

“Okay,” I sigh. “Fetish Ball it is. I’ll ponder some workable scenarios to make use of my spoiled secret. You guys take care of the rest of the planning and execution. Given that the long-haired lunatic is correct, I feel the need to get back to the bird’s nest and see what’s going on.”

“Fly, my pretty,” Philomena says, waving me off like she’s done with me.

Jesus. What have I gotten myself into now?

The Coyote And The Writer Consider Their Options

SARI

Shit, shit, triple shit.

Wilde is far too comfortable with the developments of Beltane. I know that Kali whispered things to me while she filled me with her power, but afterward, reality came crashing down. The cat hasmajormagickal powers that she's been hiding—probably for the entire time we’ve known her.

That has so many implications.

Is she hiding other powers? Why was she hiding them from us? What else is she hiding besides magick? Can she keep things from us despite our mating bond? I thought that was impossible, but she’s figured out a workaround. All these questions are driving me crazy, but he hasn’t turned an eyelash. He keeps clacking away on his blog.

My mate can be very single-minded when he’s working his mojo.

“Love, what is writing on your blog going to do to prevent the takeover of the place we’ve spent almost a year getting control of?”

He looks up, his lips curled up in a clever grin. “Beloved, there are many steps to getting what we want. As yourmate, I absorbed the information the Goddess provided you. Currently, I am setting the wheels in motion based on her plans. I’m stroking Amanda’s efforts to express her forgiveness for provoking my demon and causing our schism. I’m also attempting to decrypt some rather interesting ramblings from the lovely Chaos that our Southern family has been so kind as to share.”

My brows furrow as I feel my hackles rise. “Since when does she say anything that Mayhem can’t figure out?”

His strawberry curls bounce as he chuckles. “The night you emerged from the fires of our magickal mate’s ceremony, Chaos began rattling off riddles he couldn’t decipher. It’s unusual, and he’s asked for my help. I believe it may have to do with the energies released in the event. I’m hoping it will “tie to the knowledge that the Goddess imparted to you and that which I have combed from the memory banks of Calista and Veruca.”

I arch a brow. “Did you run a scanning program on the girls’ memories? Isn’t that invasive?”

His chuckle is low and dark. “They agreed once Belle spoke with Veruca. She spoke with Calista before they came to me. It’s all legitimate.”

I don’t know if I believe that, but since we have a common goal, I’ll let it slide.

“What else are you doing?” I look over his shoulder to see what he is working on.

He shakes his head. “It’s best that you wait until I have all the contingencies ironed out, beloved. I will enlist you when I need help. I want to ensure that we have all the important players in place before I disclose too much.”

This isn’t his modus operandi, either. Wilde always shares his plans with me. “If you say so.”

He tilts his head and studies me. “Beloved, I worry that your tryst with our shared mate has softened your resolve. Since you came home that night, you’ve been suspiciously fragile.”

I shake my head, not wanting to admit that he might be right. “No way. Just because I got some quality time in with the lazy loafer doesn’t mean that I’ll back down on reclaiming our seats at the top. Speaking of which, how is it going with Talia?”

This time, his grin is downright wicked. “I believe I’m making headway. I’m certain that soon, I will have bedded my prey and once that happens, she will be under my spell.”

His confidence is remarkable. I know he’s hot and dashing, but sometimes I forget how charming and devious he can be in his pursuit of a new concubine. It’s damned attractive, let me tell you.

“Good. I believe once Taurus arrived at that bonfire, our influence with the cat dropped another notch. It was like a damned Chili Peppers album near them. I could smell it all.” Hitching my lip in a sneer, I don’t let him see my worry. Taurus and blood can only mean mating, and that’s unprecedented. Rigid monogamy is a fundamental part of who Taurus and Talia are.

It’s a concern—a big one.

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