Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6)(43)
Author: Chloe Neill

"The officers are scheduled to be released within the hour," Ethan said. "I contacted Nicholas Breckenridge." Nick was an old family friend and a former flame; he was also a Pulitzer Prize – winning journalist. "He said the cops are planning to make a statement, and the lawyers have invited the media to cover it."

"There wil definitely be a crowd, then," Malik said.

"Everyone wil be fighting for sound bites – those who think vampires are evil, those who think cops aren’t limited by rules and regulations, the family members of the humans assaulted."

"Colateral damage," Ethan murmured, as Luc spread a satelite image of the lockup onto the table. The building wasn’t huge, but there was a span of long concrete steps across the front bounded by a couple of columns on each side.

"Perfect place for a Law and Order – style shooting," Luc said.

Malik nodded. "And there’s more poetic justice if Tate takes them out on the steps. What’s the plan?"

"Merit and I wil take positions here and here," Ethan said, pointing at the columns. "Our goal is to keep Tate away from the cops and limit the amount of damage he causes."

"How are you going to do that?" Malik asked.

"I’m stil working on it," Ethan said, eyes scanning the map.

"I do have one smal objection to the plan," I said.

"Which is?" Ethan asked.

"Your participation. You aren’t going."

Luc and Malik instantly froze, and Ethan’s eyebrow perked upward. "I’m not going?"

There was no denying I was afraid of the coming fight – Tate was a monster beyond al I’d had to fight before, and I didn’t even know of a way to fight him now – but fear wasn’t going to help me, and it certainly wasn’t going to help Ethan. I opted for logic, instead.

"Protecting these cops might mean throwing ourselves in front of them. You can’t do that. And as Sentinel, I can’t let you do that. We’ve already lost you once, and the House is in too much political chaos for you to be at risk again. The House needs stability. They don’t need a Sentinel."

"And if I say no?"

"My job is to protect this House, even if that means disagreeing with you."

Ethan sat back in his chair and pursed his lips.

"Darius is on his way back for our interviews," Malik added.

"You can’t blow him off. Not right now."

Ethan kept his gaze on me. "Luc wil join you."

I shook my head. "Luc needs to stay here in case this is a ploy so the Tates can get to the House."

"I’m not going to let you go out there on your own."

"I have backup."

His expression flattened. "Who?"

This is business, I reminded myself, nothing else. "Jonah. He can meet me there. He’s skiled and strong. He’s not as good with a katana as you are, but he also doesn’t have a history with Tate."

Jonah did, of course, have a history with me…or he’d wanted to. That might make things more than a little awkward between us, but he was stil my best option.

My only option.

Ethan looked at me for a moment, the tension in the room building as the interlude of silence grew longer.

"Gentlemen, give us the room."

Malik moved to Ethan and whispered in his ear, but my senses were so tautly strung it was easy enough to discern the words.

"What she says makes sense," he whispered.

Ethan nodded, and Malik folowed Luc to the door.

"There wil be no heroics," Ethan said when the room was empty again. "Do what you can to protect the officers and keep the public clear of Tate’s shenanigans. No heroics," he repeated.

"That is an order."

"I have no plans to the contrary." That was half a lie. I didn’t want to be a hero, but I wanted to keep our people safe.

"I don’t approve of this plan."

"Your disapproval is noted. But you know there’s no better way."

His lip curled in distaste, but finaly he nodded. "And you’re sure Jonah is trustworthy?"

I found him trustworthy, but by Ethan’s estimation? Probably not, especialy since he was a member of the RG.

"He is. He was a great help when Malory was trying to destroy the city. Malik and Catcher can testify to that."

Ethan tilted his head and watched me for a moment. "Is he in love with you?"

My cheeks turned flame hot. I wouldn’t cal it love, but Jonah had definitely professed interest. He’d gotten as far as a kiss before backing off. But perhaps, given our current situation, that wasn’t information Ethan needed to know…

"I’m not sure," I said. "And as long as our relationship is on halt, I’m not sure it’s any of your business, Liege."

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he stil wouldn’t abandon his position, even if the ship was sinking around him. "I see," he said.

I nodded. "As long as we’re clear. I’l update you as soon as I have news."

This time, when I left his office, I was smiling a little.

Jonah, as I suspected, was up for the meet. He also caled out a handful of other RG members to take spots in the crowd in case things got completely out of hand, which I fuly expected them to.

Tate and his clone were maybe, possibly, planning to kil four Chicago police officers in a public space populated with attorneys, judges, protestors, and reporters. How could this not get fuly out of hand?

It did make me feel a little better that Ethan was locked safely away in Cadogan House under Luc’s and Malik’s watchful eyes.

He’d worry about me from there, but Luc had plenty of Ops Room toys – satelite surveilance, feed from traffic and CCTV cameras, and scanners covering a ful range of frequencies. Ethan could keep eyes and ears on us from Hyde Park.

Jonah met me half a block away from the CPD building, standing on the sidewalk in jeans and an open long wool coat.

Easier to hide the sword beneath, I assumed.

Jonah was tal and lean, with broad shoulders and shoulder-length auburn hair that waved around his face. His mouth was wide, his nose long and straight, his jaw square. He was wearing a little stubble tonight, along with a Midnight High School T-shirt that marked him as a member of the Red Guard…at least to other members of the Red Guard.

His gaze was on the CPD lockup building.

I looked back at the building – a typical government shop built in white stone to look Greek or Roman, with the spil of steps in front of it. A portico covered the top half of the steps, that half roof held up by the two columns.

There was a podium about halfway up the steps – the perfect post for a few enterprising criminal defense attorneys to claim a little credit.