Page 19 of Zachary

“How else is he going to find out the answer?” another voice asks. I don’t recognize this one. Just how many people are on this call?

“He needs to be subtle,” Dustin, Brandt’s grandson, says authoritatively.

There’s a moment of doubting silence. “How would I subtly ask something like that?” Fabian asks.

Dustin clears his throat and inquires, with studied casualness, “So, Ronan, have you had a good day? What have you been up to?”

My grin is so wide, I think my face might crack. “I’ve had a great day, thank you, Dustin.” I stop there and let them wait. I never knew teasing people could be so much fun.

Surprisingly, it’s Sophie who cracks first. “What did you do?”

I laugh. “Not jerk off.” My cheeks get hot even saying the words. It’s not that I don’t do it—of course I do. But I don’t talk about it. Ever. To anyone.

“Did someone else jerk you off?” the unknown person asks. “Because otherwise, this conversation is getting boring really fast, and I’ve got a hot vampire boyfriend I could probably convince to give me a blowjob.”

My face feels like fire now, and I’m glad none of them can see me. “I don’t want to be rude, but who are you?”

“Oh, sorry! I meant to make introductions. My bad,” Fabian announces. “Ronan, this is Hagen. He’s a friend who’s really good at pissing people off and getting them to like him anyway. I thought he could be helpful.”

I know that should be reassuring, given my situation, but I’m not sure it is. “Things have changed a little since this morning,” I inform him. “I still need help, though,” I add quickly. For all I know, today was an anomaly, and I’ll be back to lonely, desperate misery tomorrow.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Dustin explains proudly. “We’re your on-call support team. Fabian’s going to set up a group chat so you can ask for help anytime you need it. We’re still discussing what to call ourselves, though.”

“Tonight’s call is to introduce the group and make sure everyone has the background info,” Fabian adds. “So, spill. What happened today?”

Pleased that these people are willing to help me, even Hagen, who I’ve never met (though I have heard about him, and if even half the stories are true, I’m not sure I’ll want to follow his advice), I tell them everything that happened from the moment I last spoke to Fabian.

“Wow,” Sophie says. “This is fantastic!”

I glow with pride. “I had a good day. A happy day.”

“You did great,” Dustin encourages. “Maybe we should add Zoe to our chat? Fabian, did you meet her?”

“Ummmm,” Fabian says. “Yes? Blond sorcerer, right? The one who does all the snow stuff?”

“That’s her,” I confirm.

“Sure, I met her! She’s great. But let’s wait before we add her—I want Ronan to get advice from two perspectives. That way, he’ll have clearer options to choose from.”

I’m not sure if that makes sense. I play the words over in my head, but the others are still talking, and I can’t quite pin down what’s tripping me up.

“Okay, so you have a friend on the ground who can help,” Hagen says. “Sounds like the next hurdle is this Zac guy. What do we know about him?”

“After he apologized, I started making a list about him too, like Fabian said,” I blurt. “There’s not much on it.” And ever since I saw what Zoe added, the whole list is burned into my brain. I tell them all the things I wrote but leave off Zoe’s contribution. It’s not pertinent to the conversation.

Even if it is true. He’s single. From everything I’ve heard, he’s gay. And hot as fuck might, possibly, be an understatement. The first time I saw him, before we’d had any interaction, I foundmyself wondering how his beard would feel against someone’s skin. Mine, to be exact.

“Okay, so this is an easy way to start,” Dustin said. “He’s outdoorsy and reads a lot of nature magazines? Ask him about the area.”

“That’s a good one,” Sophie agrees. “You went to the snow village today, right? So tell him that and then ask what people do in summer when there’s no snow.”

“Remember that you can fly,” Hagen adds. “People arealwaysimpressed by that. Tell him you’re not that experienced at mountain climbing or whatever, but can he suggest any places worth seeing that you can fly to.” He hesitates. “When he likes you more, you can maybe take him flying. But I’d hold off on that until you’re sure he won’t tell you to land somewhere really abandoned and then murder you.”

I blink slowly. “I… I don’t think he’s going to murder me.” Would he? No. Damaris, maybe. “He’s the easygoing one in the family… with most people.”

“Are you sure? Some of these demons can be kind of intense. I’ve met Gideon Bailey, and aren’t they cousins?”

I’ve met Gideon Bailey, too, and that’s what gives me the certainty to say, “I’m sure.” I could easily imagine Gideon murdering me in cold blood—especially when we first met. Zac, on the other hand, even yesterday, when he was so cruel… he would never.

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