safer. There would be hidden Council operatives all along the line, if there weren’t already.
Son of a bitch. He snarled with anger. He could have escaped on his own, but not with Merinus—
“Callan?” She stood in the doorway, dressed in his shirt again, concern etched across her face.
He breathed out roughly, turning to her, opening his arms for her.
She came to him as naturally as breathing. Her arms going around his waist as he held her close to his
bare chest.
“How do I protect you, Merinus?” he whispered roughly against her hair. “I’m terrified of losing you.
Terrified I can’t get you to D.C. safely.”
“How would you do it if I weren’t with you?” she asked him, raising her head to meet his gaze. “I can
keep up, Callan. I’m not weak and I’ll try like hell not to slow you down. Do what you would do if you
had only yourself to deal with while getting there.”
“There is safety in numbers,” he sighed. “Your family knows this, that’s why they are gathered together
for you now. I just hope the Council isn’t willing to risk everything to stop them. A public massacre
would only give credence to the proof your brother has and would serve them no purpose.”
“Then we need to keep this public,” she said with a frown. “Why try to sneak to D.C.? I’m certain Kane
can arrange a public statement, and then Uncle Brian can arrange an escort to D.C. Why be covert about
it?”
“Because—” Callan could go no further.
He stared down at her, tilting his head, her idea turning over in his head. Why hide? That only gave the
Council the opportunity to try to take them. He had hid for so long, fought covertly for so long, that he
knew nothing else. Knew no other way to fight.
He grabbed the phone from the desk and hit Kane’s number. The light indicator flashed green.
“Callan?” Kane’s voice was questioning.
“Do you have contacts with the television stations around here?” Callan asked him quickly.
“Several are affiliated,” Kane answered him cautiously.
“Do you have any of the proof you gathered easily accessible?”
“Most of it.” Once again, the voice was cautious.
Quickly, Callan outlined the plan forming in his head. The bastards couldn’t touch them if the whole
nation was watching their trip to D.C. It would be perfect.
“That would work,” Kane told him, his voice edging into excitement. “It will take a while to set up. I’ll
call you back with the details. If you can bring yourself to answer the phone.”
“I’ll answer it,” Callan growled. “Get it set up. Have the reporters standing by for the location to meet
us.”
“Callan, what about the others?” Kane’s voice was guttural now. “Sherra, Dawn, and the two men.”
“There are three other men,” Callan reminded him.
“Not for much longer, if I know as much about you as I think I do,” Kane bit out. “Will you reveal them
as well?”
Callan took a deep breath. “This will be their decision. Have Sherra contact the others. They can stand
with me, or I will do all I can to continue to hide them. Whatever they decide.”
There was a tense silence across the line.
“Is Merinus doing okay?” Kane finally asked.
Callan glanced at Merinus, seeing her worried expression.
“She’s fine. But I want to get off this line before you’re hacked. We’ve talked too long this evening
already. Contact me when you have this set up and we’ll give you our location.”
Callan disconnected the phone.
“You’re really going to do this?” Merinus whispered hopefully. “You’ll really come forward and make
them pay?”
Callan grunted. He had no illusions about this. The Council would never truly pay.
“I am going to go forward. I will submit to their questions and ultimately their exams, for a while,” he
promised her. “But the danger will never be over, Merinus, you must understand this. We’ll have to
always be careful, always be within the Pride. Our strength is within our numbers.”
“And if the others don’t come forward?” Merinus asked.
“They will.” He knew them all well. They would stand beside him, no matter what.
He pulled Merinus into his arms once again, holding onto her, praying for a miracle he didn’t really
expect. Peace would be too much to ask for. So he prayed only for her safety with everything in his heart
and soul. He prayed just for that.
* * * * *
Kane disconnected the phone then checked the indicator light carefully. It was still green. He breathed a