“She’s a retired Tracker. She’s both paranoid and cautious.”
“You’re letting me bring guns into the compound. She’s not the only one paranoid and cautious.”
He shrugged. “Despite my increased efforts the last few days, I still can’t figure out which specific elder was helping my father go after Nila. I’m not entirely sure my father even knew, except that he had support through intermediaries. Then there’re the unknown anti-hybrid Trackers out there somewhere. We’re walking into a very volatile situation without all the information. That calls for a little paranoia.”
He cupped her cheek in one hand and kissed her gently. She wanted to fall into that kiss all over again and forget the worries plaguing her, but Vlad pulled back to continue.
“I know this trip is the only way to ensure you’ll be safe,” he said. “Without the backing of the elders, without formal recognition under our laws, you and Zoe are vulnerable. But until the elders give you their official support, we have to stay on guard.”
“If one of the elders doesn’t like…people like Zoe and Nila, if there are tigers like your brothers we can’t trust, how can official recognition help us? Won’t the fanatic bigots still come after Zoe?”
“It’s a perception thing. Once the elders, as a group and ruling body, grant their protection, it would make them look weak and useless if something then happened to those they’re protecting. Which means they take those oaths very seriously. Otherwise, they risk being overthrown.”
“What’s the hitch?” She could hear it in his voice, something he was hesitant to admit.
He sighed. “The hitch is getting them to give Zoe their protection. The debate with Nila was extensive, but at the time, she was the only one and they needed her to help them study how those like her could even exist.”
“Why haven’t they asked you to help with that research? You’re the child of a woman who could have children with humans.”
“They assumed I wouldn’t cooperate. I haven’t come out as believing anything different than my father and brothers yet.”
“Because of Zoe?”
“And you. Any hint would have endangered you both. I was playing a game. Which I lost, or we wouldn’t be in this position.”
She dropped a kiss on his lips. “We would have always been in this position. It was just a matter of time.” She frowned a little. “The elders wouldn’t just…coerce you into helping?” She didn’t trust them not to try throwing Zoe into some medical lab to poke at her like an experiment. She was absolutely not going to allow that, but the fact that they might try was an ever-present worry.
“We’re free agents,” he said. “The elders make laws and rule us, but they can’t order us to participate in medical tests without our permission. That kind of abuse of power would definitely lead to a bloody uprising, and we can’t afford that. We’re too close to extinction as it is.”
“Sounds like a very delicate balancing act.”
“It is. Makes me glad I’m not an elder.”
“Is it possible one day? I mean, how does one get to be an elder? Besides living a long time.”
He chuckled. “Though most of them are very old, the title elder isn’t simply an indication of age. They don’t get to be in that position just by outliving their contemporaries. They have to be extremely powerful and very rich in their own right. Then there are debates and arguments and votes to approve a new one.”
“The rest of the community or just the other elders?”
“Both groups have to approve. Takes a lot of machination to make it onto the council. Means every one of them is smart, powerful, manipulative, and cunning. Not people to take lightly.”
“Why are we going again?” She raised a hand when he started to answer. “I know, I know. I do understand. I was just whining. But I have to admit, I’d rather take Zoe into hiding.”
“Me, too.”
She tilted her head to look at him. “If we did go into hiding, where would you want to go?”
“Alaska.”
“Where your brother just went? Really?” She loved Alaska. She and Vlad had even taken a trip there, kayaking in the sea surrounded by ice floes. It had been a spectacular adventure.
He stared at the cold fireplace as he said, “I have a house there. I bought it…a month before we broke up.” He faced her. “For you. It was going to be an engagement present if I could get you to say yes.”
“You were going to propose?”
He brushed a finger over her inner thigh, indicating the heart through her jeans. “’Bout the same time you were getting this tattoo, I was trying to find the right ring.”