Page 17 of Midnight & Mergers
“What are you talking about? Teagan is no hybrid! She’s my executive administrative assistant.”
Tyler smiled and led Brooks to the hotel bar, where he ordered two scotches and handed one to Brooks.
“Your coven better use a little more discretion when they tail me. I spotted Damon from a mile away. His stench is extremely recognizable. Once I detected him and who he was protecting, I did some digging. Your little personal assistant pet is born of kelpie and Strega witch blood. She’s also related to Alec Christianson, King of the Vlad Coven Clan. Therefore, she’s a hybrid and an abomination by definition. And since it’s against The Common Trifecta Law to intermix magical bloodlines, I will kill her while you watch.”
“Okay, first, she’s no shifter. Her aura is clear, and you should have known that the minute you shook her hand. Second, you wouldn’t be stupid enough to try that here. There are too many innocents in this hotel. You’ll risk exposure.”
“Oh, Brooks, you may only be my adoptive brother, so I can’t fault you for your genes. But you can be so stupid sometimes. I have this place surrounded by my pack. The two of you won’t make it across the street.” Tyler said as he took the last swig of his scotch. He patted Brooks on the shoulder and walked out of the bar.
Shit!
Brooks mumbled a few other choice words as he took out his cell phone and texted Damon.
Tyler is at The Plaza. I need the coven here.
Please make arrangements with Plaza management for me to have the penthouse this evening.
He then texted Anne.
Tyler knows about Teagan. You’ll have to work fast to uncover the truth about her. I’ll stay at The Plaza tonight with Teagan to keep her safe.
Also, inform Giles and see if he can enlist the help of Steffen and the rest of our neighboring coven in Albany, NY.
It was a few seconds before each of them texted back with a “will do.” That put him at ease slightly, but Tyler was still a threat to them. It wasn’t like he could follow Teagan to the bathroom—that would be too suspicious. He rushed to the meeting room and found Teagan with Tyler. A pit formed deep within his stomach.
“Brooks! Thanks for covering the tab back at the bar. Teagan and I were having a great conversation and getting to know one another. Did you know her mother was of Strega descent, and her father was Gaelic? I find that extremely fascinating. Don’t you?”
“Teagan is a new hire. I planned this tasting so we could get better acquainted. I’m sure you understand this is a team-building exercise, Tyler, and I need you to leave.”
“How rude of me! Of course! Perhaps we can bump into each other later. I’d love another drink so we can all get acquainted.” Tyler said with a wink as he sauntered off towards the lobby of The Plaza.
“Sorry, it took me a bit. How is the tasting going so far?”
“It’s going pretty well! They had some pear dishes on the salad menu, and I made notes for the ones I preferred. We are going to start the main course next, so you are just in time.”
A few beeps from Brooks’s phone broke the conversation. He peered at the message from Anne.
I’ll be there shortly with an herbal extract you can slip in her wine. It’s made of comfrey, an herb to heal wounds, and valerian, to make her drowsy so you can get her to the penthouse. It also contains rose water, which purifies her blood.
She needs to drink it. The spell I’ve placed over the elixir will keep her alive. A werewolf’s bite can’t kill her so long as she drinks this tonic.
Brooks responded with two short words back.
Thank you.
Brooks immediately looked up from his phone after the texts from Anne.
“I’m very sorry. Anne is rewriting your contract terms and has questions about the wording. Forgive me. I don’t like to ignore the people in front of me because of the business on my phone. How about we have a glass of wine with our tastings? I’m sure I can get the server to bring us a bottle.”
Teagan smiled.
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea. They have served no alcohol yet, and I think it will be important for us to suggest pairings at the gala—don’t you?”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
He hailed down a familiar face among the servers. It was Damon who was pretending to be a member of the staff at the tasting. Damon, Brooks’s right hand, immediately came over. His dark eyes and hair appeared to be just as strong as his personality and stature as he towered over the table.
“Good evening! My name is Damon. What can I help you both with?”
