“Maybe that’s true for some men, but that’s not how it works with Viktor. I earned his trust by doing the job.”
“Perhaps I’ve been going about this the wrong way. I thought he wanted a woman of equal power, but maybe he’s old-fashioned and desires a little dominance.”
“I’m not interested in your love life, and to be honest, I think there are other men who are more your speed. I know he comes across as polished, but Viktor’s a down-to-earth kind of guy. His version of fun is having a drink and telling boring stories about his boyhood. He likes sweater vests, hates electricity, tells bad jokes, and loves to jog.”
“And exactly what kind of man do you think is my match?”
“Some rich asshole who throws big parties and travels the world in a private jet.”
“A dime a dozen.”
“Viktor’s a workaholic.”
“I’m realizing that. So, woman to woman, how can I impress Viktor and show him my true intentions? You know him better than most, and I don’t know the others in the group well enough to solicit their opinion.”
“You’ve got a good start with the vintage wine. Liquor him up and turn on the charm. Isn’t that what you’re doing?”
Lenore stopped me. “Why do I get the impression you don’t approve of this match? I can’t say I approved of yours, but one has to move on. Perhaps you have feelings for Viktor you’re bottling up.”
I erupted with laughter and turned back the way we came. Just the idea that I could be attracted to a man who wore silk pajama pants and a robe to bed was too much.
“You shouldn’t allow Christian to shape your opinions,” she said in the way a friend might when giving advice. “He doesn’t want me to find happiness because of our history. But you and I have no history.”
“Christian doesn’t tell me what to feel.”
“I’m relieved. I know how much you admire Viktor, and a man like him deserves happiness. If Christian secretly plans to sabotage our coupling, I hope that you’ll have enough common sense to stop him. It would be a selfish cause, and it might destroy Viktor. He’s more fragile than you think. And you should consider how one person’s influence could affect your future. Always think for yourself. Contrary to what some believe, it’s not a betrayal of love to have opposing beliefs or opinions.”
“I’m not trying to keep you two apart. I just think it’s an odd match. I like Viktor, and I don’t want to see him get hurt. Don’t get your hopes up for anything long-term. Keystone means a lot to him, and I don’t know how well a serious relationship would work out.”
“I’ve wondered the same about you and Christian. A woman like yourself would be better matched with a man in power.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I had that weird feeling in the pit of my stomach again. This didn’t feel right. I shouldn’t be out here talking to Lenore about Viktor. I didn’t want to influence his personal life—that could drastically backfire on me. What if Lenore told Viktor that I tried talking her out of their relationship? Fuck. Was she doing this to hold something over me?
“I should get back,” I said, climbing the hill.
“Can I trust you won’t drive a wedge between Viktor and me? You have to put aside your personal feelings and let people make their own choices. Viktor’s a catch. There aren’t many other men in this city I’m better matched with in terms of power and money.”
“What about love?”
“Love is irrelevant. It’s the other qualities you share with a partner that matter more. Trust, loyalty, affection, and companionship. I’m sure if you think about it, those are the things you value most with Christian.”
“Actually, I’m fond of the hot sex.”
Lenore stopped. “You’re beginning to sound like him. Viktor sees a lot of potential in you, as do I. Just be careful. Bad influences rub off on people like mud.”
I swiveled around, my gaze settling on her dirty feet. “I’ll see myself home. I’ve got a few errands to run, and I like walking. Thanks for the scenic ride.”
“Raven, it behooves me to pay those Shifters, especially after the egregious mistakes the higher authority made over the past few months. I’m a classy lady, and I’ll stay true to my word. But don’t pull a stunt like that again without consulting me first. You can’t play with a person’s money and reputation that way.”
“You got it.”
She strolled to the back of the car and rested her arm on the open door. “It was a pleasant surprise running into you, Raven. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”
Perish the thought.
Chapter 25
After my conversation with Lenore, I walked to a nearby bar and sat down to think. I didn’t have my purse or wallet, so it was just like the old days. Only now I wasn’t hopping from table to table, suckering men out of a meal. In retrospect, my desperation must have been an undesirable perfume. Immortals must prefer the scent of aloofness, because one after another kept approaching my table or sending me drinks. I didn’t accept their advances. I just sipped on my complimentary water and pondered our case.
If we could confirm this was a virus, who would we report it to? There were multiple Shifter Councils for each territory, and the higher authority was set up similarly except in different cities. We didn’t have a Breed CDC or health department. We could set off a widespread panic. Even if it didn’t wipe out all Shifters, taking out the alphas would do irreparable damage to the structured world surrounding them. Alphas ran packs. Period. Without them, Shifters would murder each other for that position in a constant battle for power. Some of the animal groups would break apart, and the Council only sold large plots of land to reputable alphas who formed a family unit. Would the Council revoke land from the dissolved groups? Would a war be imminent in a battle for land? What responsibility did Keystone have in all this? I wondered if Viktor would decide that nothing good would come out of revealing something we didn’t have the science to stop.
When I felt time slipping away, I left the bar and strolled down the busy street. A man was playing a Pink Floyd song on a guitar, the setting sun encasing him in golden light. I passed a fortune-teller shop that, come to find out, was mostly run by Sensors. Deciding to take a shortcut, I jumped on the back of a moving truck to hitch a ride home. The idiot behind me was recording me on his cell phone, and I wished we didn’t have all this technology. It made it difficult for me to flash. If something like that was caught on video, we had insiders who could shut down accounts and make videos disappear, but we still had to be careful about using our powers in public.
After a while, the truck put on its left-hand blinker, and I stepped off. Close to home, I flashed part of the way and walked the rest. Wyatt buzzed me through the gate, and as I strutted up the driveway, I noticed Christian standing on the upper balcony. He remained as still as a statue, his hands gripping the stone railing, his gaze fixed on my every move.
When I walked in, Gem flashed toward the east wing, presumably heading to her secret study. On the upper landing of the staircase, a little red-haired girl tossed a blue rubber ball. It bounced on three steps before it hit the edge and changed its trajectory. Hunter, who was at the bottom, dove after it like a baseball player. Both were in pajamas, although the girl wore an old-fashioned gown that someone must have found in one of the storage rooms.