“According to her admin, she’s in New York, meeting with the Masters in that city.”

“That seems convenient,” I said. Was she trying to avoid us, or had the Compliance Bureau been trying to avoid her?

“The visit has been planned for months,” my father said dryly. “The admin assures us our messages have been forwarded, and Nicole will be in touch regarding our ‘concerns’ as soon as her schedule allows.”

Nicole and my parents had been opponents when the AAM was founded, but they’d only had positive things to say about her leadership since then. I hadn’t met her, but that she was steady and reasonable was the sense I’d gotten from them. I didn’t think she’d have ignored the murder of an AAM vampire to focus on administrative issues.

“You didn’t tell the admin everything,” I surmised.

“No,” he said. “The admin either has no idea what’s going on here or is doing a very good job of hiding it.”

“Is Nicole being played by her staff?” I wondered.

“Even good leaders can have bad employees,” he said grimly. “We’ve sent Luc to New York to talk to her and speed a resolution.” Luc was the House’s former guard captain. He became House Second when Uncle Malik became a Master.

“What about more generally? Is there anything I can use? Some rule of the AAM I can twist around?”

“We’ve learned the Compliance Bureau was created for a one-year trial period,” my father said. “Unfortunately, that means there’s no Canon law that applies to it.”

“So no regulations I could say they’re breaking?”

“Not that we’re aware of yet.”

Frustration had me rising, stalking to the end of the room and looking through those dark windows to the grounds beyond, to the stands of trees and late-season flowers, the lights that dappled the grass. It comforted me, to see the space, to know it was bound by the rules of nature, not of vampires.

I exhaled, turned back. “Saving a human life is more important than a rule. And locking up vampires who don’t agree with them is just wrong.”

“We don’t disagree,” my father said. “But changing the rules is going to take time. It’s supposed to take time,” he added at my impatient look, “to ensure that rules are thoroughly considered, that the process isn’t manipulated to serve someone’s whim. Until we hear from Luc, it would be best to avoid the Bureau and let the OMB investigate.” He paused. “Would you consider joining a House as a temporary measure? Just until we can gather the necessary support?”

I just looked at him. “Dad.”

“What about staying here temporarily?” my mother asked.

“No,” I said, more forcefully now. “I’m not going to put you at risk like that. It’s not fair to you or anyone else in the House. And giving in to the Bureau’s demands is an admission I did something wrong. I won’t apologize to them for making Carlie. And I shouldn’t be punished for doing the right thing.”

Dad’s expression was pained, but he nodded. “We had to try,” he said with a lopsided smile. “It’s the best way to protect you.”

No, I thought, it wasn’t. Because whether Nicole Heart knew it or not, Clive had other ideas. Other plans. Other missions.

“What about seclusion?” I asked, already seeing the strain around their eyes.

“I would presume they mean incarceration,” Dad said. “But the AAM doesn’t have a facility for that, or not that they’ve told the Masters.”

“They might have contracted with a facility in Atlanta,” my mother said.

“So they’d just incarcerate me until I cave. Until I swear allegiance.”

“That’s the threat,” my mother said. “And you would be the first they’d handled that way. Or maybe they’re just bluffing because they think you’ll be frightened enough to join a House.”

I could see in her eyes that she wanted me to take that step because, she thought, it would ensure my safety. But I wasn’t so sure.

“There’s still Testing,” I said. “If I fail, they’ll say something’s wrong with me. That I was born broken. If I pass, they’ll say I’m too strong for my own good. And if there’s anything unusual, seclusion will be the least of my worries.”

Because they’d see who I was.

I glanced up and saw my mother watching me, gaze narrowed. And I knew she’d seen something. I didn’t know what—not the monster, which was bored by more talk—but something of my concern, of my fear.

Maintain, I ordered myself, and gave her the only smile I could manage. Small, and probably not convincing.

“Clive won’t stop,” I said.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

I thought of what I’d told Gwen. “He believes in what he’s doing. Not just that rules are important, but that rules are the only thing that is important. It goes beyond me. If Nicole Heart broke a rule, no matter how innocuous, I think he’d do the same to her. Not because it would mean no favoritism, but because he has no real loyalty to her. If she broke a rule, he’d punish her, too. Maybe it’s a kind of obsession,” I suggested. “Maybe it’s about control. There was nothing unusual in his background that you found? The Ombuds didn’t, but . . .”

“We found nothing on Clive,” my mother said. “We did the full run. And speaking of the Ombuds,” my mother said, “we know about the stalker. You should have told us.”

“I didn’t know until after we’d talked.” And damn whoever had told them first. “I haven’t seen him—only the notes—until tonight.”

“Connor’s okay?” my mother asked.

“He says he is. He wanted to come with me, but I told him to rest. Lulu and I are staying . . . at a second location,” I decided on. “It was offered by the Pack.” I didn’t want to get into the details of Connor’s purchase, or the reasons for it, when I was still dealing with those myself. And the less they knew, the less could be used against them.

“Good,” my father said. “It’s secure?”

“It is.” I was basically living with two strong and capable shifters, but it didn’t seem appropriate to mention that, either.

My father rose suddenly, moved to the door. My mother did the same, as if positioning themselves between me and some danger. Given the silence, I presumed they’d gotten telepathic messages.

“They’re here,” I guessed. “The Bureau.” So much for not bringing the trouble to their door, I thought with disgust, anger rising like a moon-pulled tide.

“They’re outside the gate,” my mother said, no doubt informed by my father through their silent telepathic connection. She strode to my father’s desk, plucked his mounted katana from the wall.

“Sentinel,” my father said, the blade singing as she unsheathed it. “Let’s not provoke war.”

She glanced back at him, eyes silvered, fingers clenched around the sword’s handle. “They threaten my child, they provoke me.”

I cleared my throat, feeling both too young and too old for this conversation, standing in my father’s office, in this House. Here, I was an overgrown child, still not quite adult enough. And it made me itchy.

“Any chance you’ll let me handle this on my own?” I asked.

My dad gave me a look I’d seen at least a hundred times. Eyebrow arched, imperious stare. Every bit the Master in control.

“No.” There was no meanness in his voice, but there was plenty of determination. “You are our child. Perhaps,” he said, “we’re learning to let you fly when you’re away from here. But here, in our home, we will protect you.”

There was a knock on the doorjamb. The vampire who stood there was blond and pale and pretty, her jaunty ponytail a strange foil against the black fatigues. Lindsey was my mother’s closest vampire friend and one of the House’s guards. She and Luc were married.

“Report,” my father said.

“Liege,” Lindsey said. “The guard towers are staffed. Dozen outside the perimeter. None have breached.”

“Cowards,” my mother muttered, then looked sheepish when we all glanced her way. “Sorry—I don’t mean they should attack. I meant they’ll strike at Lis, the others, when they’re alone, but not at the House.”

“Perhaps they’re wise enough to understand there are lines even they shouldn’t cross.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” I murmured.

Lindsey gave me a sad smile. “It’s good to see you, Lis. Sorry about the circumstances.”

“Good to see you, too. And same.”

“Thank you, Lindsey,” Dad said and looked back at me, offered a supportive smile. “We’ll see what they have to say.”

I nodded, and he looked at my mother. “Ready, Sentinel?”

Her smile was wide. “Yes, please. I never get to do the fun stuff anymore.”

I loved my parents. But sometimes, they were a lot.

* * *

* * *

We made our way through the House, which was quiet now. That was the case, I discovered, because virtually every vampire was on the lawn, swords belted, waiting for orders.

The Bureau vampires were, as promised, on the other side of the fence. Clive stood in front, as was his way, and didn’t seem to appreciate the katana blades currently aimed at his neck by the duty guards. But there was a bright cut on one guard’s face, and Clive’s knuckles were white around the handle of his katana.

We strode down the sidewalk, my father in the lead, flanked by Lindsey and my mother. I was behind them, and it didn’t take a vampiric load of strategy to realize they’d formed a wall to protect me. Some of that was bravado; my parents didn’t want war against the AAM. But some of it, I knew, was parental ferocity. And I hoped it wouldn’t get them hurt.