Page 52 of Newly Undead in Dark River

They wrapped up the business issues pretty quickly, and then Nico cleared his throat. “Now onto the issue that we are all dying to talk about,” he said, grinning at me.

I leaned over to Brody, whispering low, though I knew that Nico could probably still hear. “Did he just make a vamp joke?”

I felt more than saw Brody’s answering laugh.

“There is a human in the town with far too much knowledge of our kind. He is an issue, of course. He has seen the newest member of our town, knows her past life, knows that we are all vampire, knows entirely too much,” Catherine said sternly. “However, I vote we take execution off the table.”

I gasped, and it echoed off the walls. “Was that ever on the table? What happened to the town’s ideals that you made me stand up there and swear to uphold?”

Nico applauded, and Catherine frowned. “Of course not.” The guy who looked old as dirt, Tomas, although I still mentally called him the Grim Reaper in my brain due to his black cloak, looked like he wanted execution to be back on the table, just for me.

“We wipe him and send him home, it’s the only course of action. Unless we give Raine the option to turn her former paramour?” Nico said, offering me something I’d only considered in the very depths of my soul. But I would never. Would I?

“That is not we are about, Nico. You should know. You made the rules,” Catherine snapped.

Nico seemed unperturbed by her ire. “Sometimes, rules are meant to be broken. But I will bow to the will of the Council. Wipe him and put him on a plane home.”

I stood up and leaped over Walker’s lap. Well, I tried to at least. The Sheriff in question wrapped an arm around my waist and settled me on his lap. “Easy, Raine.”

Brody stood up beside me. “I am authorized by my Pack to inform the Council that the Shapeshifter Tex Flanaghan is now considered Pack and is therefore privy to the protection sworn between our two species when we allowed you to settle this land.”

I stared at Brody, and at Nico who was grinning like I’d finally figured something out. Which I hadn’t. Grim and Catherine were looking annoyed though, and finally, she bent her head in supplication. “Of course, we hold to our agreement. Are you sure the boy is a shapeshifter?” Brody quirked an eyebrow at Catherine, and she must have recently fed because her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “But surely you agree that if that is the case, he cannot be allowed to go home?”

Oh. Now I know why Nico was giving me that look. He’d been telling me all along how to keep Tex. Find the unbreakable rules. An ancient pact would definitely be that. But why would he want me to keep Tex?

“I will press on the boy the need to stay. Or at least to keep his mouth shut. It is not just your colony that place a high value on secrecy.” His booming voice was scathing.

I gaped at Brody. He’d transformed before my eyes, from playful, cheeky lover to someone who’s presence filled out the room. I could feel the earthy energy that rolled off him, that made my skin feel too tight and made my dead heart race.

I leaned back into Walker’s chest. “What the hell?” I whispered.

Walker chuckled. “It’s always like that when he goes Alpha. It’s like he transforms.”

I turned and narrowed my eyes at Walker. “What do you mean Alpha?”

“He’s the boss. The King of the Canadian Shapeshifters. Head Honcho. Ass Supremo,” he murmured back, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.

“Holy fucking shit,” I gasped, a little louder than necessary. Brody looked at me and winked.

They were still droning on up there about the need to prevent further incidences like this, and Nico insisted that it was a rare case, on and on it went. Finally, one of the other two Vamp Councillors, the woman with the sad eyes, snapped out of her trance. “Fine. Meeting adjourned. The human–”

“Shapeshifter,” Brody corrected.

“Yes, yes. The Shapeshifter can stay. But he’s your responsibility now.”

Brody nodded and then turned and strode from the room like he was indeed a King. I scrambled out of the room after him, far less regally, barely stopping to say hello to everyone. I caught up with him in the middle of the square. I launched myself the last few feet and jumped onto his back, tackling us both to the ground. Somehow, by sheer skill, I’d ended up underneath him on the dewy grass.

“You got some ‘splainin to do,” I grumbled, as he nuzzled into my neck like rolling around on the grass was a completely legitimate and respectable way to pass the time. His hair tickled my shoulder, and his lips were tracing hot lines down the column of my throat, and I held back a moan. Screw respectable.

Luckily, Mr. Respectable himself turned up, standing over us and blocking out some of the street light. “Am I going to have to arrest you two for public indecency, or should you take it back to Raine’s house?

I slapped Brody’s shoulder, remembering I was a little mad. “You’ve been keeping secrets, Your Royal Anus!”

He stood, dragging me back up with him. He smoothed out my frown line with his thumb. “It’s just a title. We are a democracy up there. I’m just the pretty face of the Pack.”

Walker snorted. “Or the sharp claws, when needed.”

Brody shot him a look but wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “If you’d met my grandmother, you’d have no doubt who was in charge. I’m a Poster Boy.”

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