It was really annoying that we might be giving the fruit twins any advantage this close to the “rise of the king.” It worried me what this weapon was.
“What do you want me to do about Mischa? If things go to shit in there, I need a way to get both of us out.”
I was locked into this friggin’ scheme because of Mischa, but I wouldn’t leave her to the mercy of those bitches.
Jonathon sat up straighter, even though he was already as rigid as an army sergeant. “Braxton, Louis, and I will be there, inside the walls. I’ve set us up through the legitimate channels, arranging an official tour with the lead guard. This is common when a council leader arrives in another prison territory. We will get to you if you need us. The other Compasses will stay here in the sanctuary, to make sure everybody is safe should anything go wrong.”
Jacob’s voice was as hard as diamond. “We should be there. Jessa is our responsibility to keep safe.” Tyson joined him in protest.
Maximus nodded, a little less vocal. He had a mate to guard now, so I couldn’t be the vampire’s only priority.
“I’ll protect her,” Braxton said. “If too many of us show up, it will create suspicion.”
Maximus finally said: “If things go to shit – if Jessa is in trouble – do not hesitate to get us. I expect to be informed immediately.”
Louis and Braxton both nodded, and an exchange of hard glares seemed to seal this male bonding moment. I sat a little straighter … so we had a cover story, but how was I going to be able to SOS them if things went asshole up?
Which they were sure to.
Louis was standing in the doorway like the purple-eyed magic man he was. Somehow I just knew he was going to be the key to this being a success.
Sure enough, the grin which spread across his face was my first indication that he was about to reveal the brilliant plan. “I will place a spell on you, somewhere concealed. Touch it and speak the activation words, and we will come for you.”
Sometimes it was obvious how very lucky we were to have Louis on our side. For more than one reason it was a fortunate day when he decided that instead of killing me as a baby, he would big brother me.
“Is it a tracker?” I wanted to know the exact specifications of the spell he would place on me.
Louis nodded. “Yes, I’ll be able to track you, and once you activate the spell I can hear what is going on also. So try not to scream too loudly, I’m already going a little deaf in my old age.”
I had no idea how old Louis actually was. He looked late twenties, so a few hundred years at least. I wiggled my way out of the depths of the couch, past the long limbs pinning me down. Maximus reached out and cupped one of his hands under my butt and basically threw me across the room. I stumbled only once before regaining my footing. Lucky I had supernatural reflexes, or I’d probably be facedown with my teeth through my lip.
I arched my eyebrows at him. “Thank you for that, asshulk. Maybe next time a little less oomph.”
Laughter rang out from various places around the room.
Jacob was the loudest. “Asshulk…” He snorted. “She totally nailed you.”
Maximus’ long arm swung around and clipped the fey right up the side of the head, knocking him completely out of his chair. Which did nothing to halt his snorting chuckles – though they were a little quieter to avoid a second smack from the muscled vampire.
Ignoring the quads, I strode over to Louis. I was wearing jeans, shit-kicker army style boots, and a black tank. When we were ready to leave, I’d throw a jacket over the whole thing. Enough protection from whatever was coming at me. Although, I didn’t have many easily accessible spots for Louis to place this “help button” on me.
I stopped right in front of him and he assessed me lazily, starting at my feet and working up to the top of my head. He was about halfway through when heat caressed my back and I knew we had a third in our little group – Braxton behind me, not touching, but staking his claim all the same.
“You better think long and hard about where you decided to touch her, mage.” The tone was casual, but even a deaf idiot could hear the warning in his words.
Louis’ grin got even broader. I really wished he didn’t find such joy in tormenting the quads. “Oh don’t you worry, lizard, I am thinking very long and hard about where to put my hands on Jessa.”
I kicked Louis.
He had been expecting the attack to come from Braxton, so my boot landed cleanly in his gut and knocked him five feet across the room. Loud clunks followed my footsteps as I stomped after him.
The grin was still in place, although there was a little more feral in the eyes as he stared up at me. “Don’t, Louis.” Wisps of growl laced my words. “Just put the effing tracker on me.”