Page 18 of Rejected Mate

Winter laughed, until his eyes met mine and he realized that I wasn't kidding.

"Of course, man! Do you think you're the only one holding it all together?"

He pointed to me. "Don't answer that. I'm not in the mood for a lecture. It's just confusing at times. Husk is jealous of us and Fagua. She's upset about not being with him, and then there's Mayia. She seems to be a friend to Fagua, but I'm not sure if she is or not."

I choked, thinking that Winter was being as possessive as Husk. We didn't own Fagua, and we certainly had to stop trying to control her, otherwise we would be no different than her parents. But there was a time and place for that type of discussion. Right now, we just had to move forward and I had to get to the audit meeting.

I didn't know whether we were coming or going. My brothers and I talked about everything, but something had changed since I left the hospital and we didn’t do that anymore.

Husk would say in a heartbeat that it was Fagua. He would blame it on her, but shouldn't we be responsible for our own actions?

"We'll get there, bro." He stood up and gently patted me on the back. No doubt he'd read my mind from my facial expression. He knew me that well to be able to tell what I was thinking, which is why I hated playing poker with him. He left me alone in the kitchen and I looked at my Rolex and realized that I had to fly. It really was getting late, and if there was one thing that I hated, it was tardiness. So I had to get things turned around so I would make it to my meeting on time and be able to head back here to check on the daily.

* * *

As soon as I got to the building, I realized that I hadn't been here before and everything about this place felt weird. It was as if it was scentless. That wasn't possible.

I sat and smiled at the receptionist and she did the same with me, but there was a hesitancy in her response. I needed her cooperation. Finding allies against Fagua's father wasn't going to be easy. But my men in the casino assured me this was the place to go if we wanted information on new visitors to our city.

"Hi," I said, as if it would make her more comfortable. I looked around. The whole room was empty except for a few couches and a coffee table littered with magazines.

"Is there something I can do for you?" she asked.

I was going to ask her if she'd seen my name on her list or if I should book another meeting, but I stopped myself. She was impeccably dressed, and she looked as if she'd been professionally groomed. She was perfectly manicured and as straight as an arrow.

"I'm here for a meeting. I'm sorry I'm late…"

"Oh, are you with the casino? You're right on time. He's ready for you. He's in his office."

She walked past me and held the door open, then smiled.

I stepped into the office and saw a man standing at the back of the room. He was looking out the window and was wearing a black tailored suit. From here, I could tell that he wasn't human. I gave the receptionist a nod and she closed the door behind me.

"Hello, I'm here about Fagua," I said to the man's back.

I was surprised that I'd managed to keep my voice calm considering I felt anything but. I looked at him, and he turned slowly around to face me. He was a balding man who appeared to be in his fifties. His skin was so white that it looked almost transparent, and the deep black of his eyes stood out like the two holes in a skull.

"Ah, so this must be the youngest of the brothers," he said. His voice was soft, but it was in a way that meant that he agreed with you even when he didn't.

"I'd like to negotiate. Leave Fagua alone and—"

"I'm afraid that's out of the question."

My hands balled into fists and my wolf growled in my chest.

"Sit down," he said, waving a hand at one of the chairs in front of his desk.

When I remained standing, he took off his jacket and placed it on the back of his chair.

"My name is Alister."

My eyes widened. This man was the most powerful vampire in all of the country, and I was meeting him. Which meant we were in more serious trouble than any of us realized.

"We're tracking down a rogue vampire we believe your Fagua has been helping." Alister nodded as if I'd told him information that he already knew. "As I said, these matters are beyond negotiation."

"She's not responsible for what other vampires do." I managed to control my voice as I said it.

"It doesn't matter," Alister whispered. "She knows very well that if she lets vampires run amok, then innocent people will die."

---