Page 75 of The Satyr's Guilt
Kole actually smiled at the Alliance’s chieflegal officer. Of course, she was his bedmate. If he wanted to getanything on, he’d better grin. Maybe it would be nice to have apermanent fuckbunny. Ram glanced at Denim.Nah.What am Ithinking? How would I squeeze a permanent female into mylife?
Rein spoke up. “We need new portals to theBig Easy, Commander.”
“I know. So far, we’re lucky the action islimited to the one city. Unfortunately, the traitor passed on intelabout other sites as well. Maybe lack of manpower limits thesehumans to New Orleans for the time.”
“I’m so sorry this happened.” Kole’s icyproud female slumped, but the commander tossed an arm over hershoulders.
Rein continued. “Still don’t have anantidote for the sedative. Alarik needs more time to find one whichwon’t kill us. I told him we’re short on the commodity.”
“Okay. Cadmon will broadcast a strongeralert to all Aeternals. Screw the Ministry of Prosperity. In themeantime, we wait. For an antidote. For the autopsy which mightexplain what’s jacked up these humans. I’ll call the Ministry ofCompliance to demand a few new portals in New Orleans. It wasalready in the plans. Let’s be sure your techie and Logan keep thewhereabouts private, Skyler. Setting up this shit isn’t simple. Themagic of creating the portals isn’t so complicated I hear, but theinfrastructure Earthside is labor intensive. We can’t just pop outanywhere. Secure places for the gateways, away from prying eyes,have to be constructed. Parking garages, storefronts, hangars,warehouses, or whatever. Right now, we’ll have to use buildingsalready in place. I’m tired of reacting to this crap. We go on theoffensive now. We need to snag a live Captain America, torture thehell out of him, and get intel.”
Grunts, nods, and right-ons ended theconference.
Skyler rose and trailed her fingers up hermate’s arm. “Sorry.”
Kole wrapped her in his bear-like arms. “Youhave nothing to be sorry for, Frisca.”
Ram watched the exchange, the warmth betweenthe two. He was a tad jealous.
****
Thorn, the cowboy-bootedFirebrand, shadowed Denim later in the evening when she went forgroceries. He said something about “like glue” before he taggedalong.
Denim paused inside the entrance of agigantic market. “I think I’ll be okay in here unless a rabidturnip or a feral steak attacks me. Why don’t you do a littleshopping for yourself?”
“Naw. I’m good. I eat out.”
“Then help me.” She reached into her pocketand unfolded a list. “I need milk, butter, bread, jelly, somethin-sliced turkey. You get all those. I’ll get the rest.”
Pushing the cart from aisle to aisle, shenoted the shelves, amazed to find some familiar brands. Del Monte.Campbell. Others must originate on Scath.
Finished with her part of the list, shewaited at the checkout for Thorn before putting all of the itemsonto the belt. As the checker scanned the groceries, she stared atDenim, frowning and sniffing.
“What’s her problem?” Denim wheeled ashopping cart out the exit doors. She headed for Thorn’s truck.
“You’re human.”
“Like it’s a bad thing. Can’t she tell I’mpart witch?”
Thorn stepped back, eying her. “Nah. Youraura’s pure Earther.”
As the shifter’s fingers caressed the redpaint job on his truck, a sigh left his lips. The Ford Super DutyF-450 Platinum.
“Your girlfriend?”
Thorn gave Denim the look a guy gives awoman when he thinks she’s said the dumbest thing ever. “The SheBeast is much prettier and more reliable than any female. She humsand purrs when I start her up. And I don’t have to buy her dinneror take her to a movie. Just look at her back end.” He lowered thetailgate.
While they were loading the groceries, heyelled out, “Ram.”
Denim’s heart stuttered when she heard thename. She pivoted, spotting the satyr with a young child perched onhis shoulders. The girls’ legs hung down his chest, her fingerslaced on his forehead. Ram had one hand against her lower back.
Looking a little sheepish, he approached.“Denim. Thorn. Meet Jonquil.”
“Are they friends of yours, Daddy?”
Daddy? Was Ram married? With a daughter?Surely, Galena would have warned her.
“Hi, Jonquil. Nice to meet you,” saidDenim.
