My lips pursed as a pure tapped into the air element and tossed one of the halfs into a group of about five others, knocking them over like a set of bowling pins. “Well, that escalated quickly.”

Solos sighed, dropping his head onto the table. “Gods, is it wrong if I just pretend I have no idea what’s going on outside?”

Reaching for a Tater Tot and finding them gone, Luke frowned as he glanced over at Deacon’s plate. “Marcus is planning on putting that curfew in place, starting tomorrow, I think, but that isn’t going to stop this.”

“Nothing is going to stop this.” Alex pressed her hands to the window. Her breath fogged the glass. “This wasn’t what I wanted—what we wanted.”

Alex and Aiden were pretty much responsible for the Breed Order being disbanded and the removal of the Elixir. Did they really think everyone was just going to go along with the new way of life?

Guards began to fill into the quad.

“I’m going to find Josie.” Pivoting around, I stalked across the room and threw open the door. I turned to the right and took two steps.

Josie was walking down the center of the lobby, her high ponytail swaying with each step. Relieved to see that she wasn’t out in that mess, I crossed the distance between us, and two different needs sprung alive inside me. I focused on the right one, the one that mattered.

“Seth—”

Circling one arm around her waist, I clasped a hand along the nape of her neck and pulled her to me. My mouth was on hers in a nanosecond. She tasted of mint as I lifted her up onto the tips of her toes, bringing her hips into contact with mine. Her breathy moan made me harder, which seemed impossible until now. She looped an arm around my neck as she pressed her chest to mine. How quickly could I get us somewhere private? There was a supply closet to the right. Various conference rooms.

“Really?” Solos walked past us, shaking his head. “Don’t get her pregnant in the lobby, Seth.”

“Oh my God,” Josie groaned, dropping her face on my shoulder.

I flipped Solos off. He laughed as he headed outside. Curling my hand around her ponytail, I pressed my mouth to the space just below her ear. “I was actually thinking of making use of that closet over there.”

Josie laughed softly. “I’ve never done that before.”

“Figured as much.” I nipped at the fleshy part of her earlobe, drawing a sharp gasp out of her. “And just so you know, I am more than willing to introduce you to semi-public sex.”

“Seth,” she whispered. “You are terrible.”

I dragged my nose along the side of her cheek. “Look, I’m just letting you know that I’m all about sexual education. We need to discover what you like and don’t.”

“So helpful of you.”

“That’s me.” Drawing back, I kissed her nose. Our gazes met, and I smiled without even thinking about it. Felt strange. Felt good. “Glad you’re here. Did you run into any problems outside?”

“No. They weren’t even paying attention to me.” She stepped back, lowering her arm. “And it looked like the Guards had them under control.”

“Good.” I reached for her hand and saw she was holding something. “What’s that?”

Her eyes filled with exhilaration as she opened her hand. A vial of some kind of dark blue liquid lay in her palm. “Blood of a Pegasus.”

I looked up. “How did you get that?”

“Athena.”

“Come again?”

“You heard right.” She rocked back, seconds from bouncing. “I found the librarian. But she’s not a librarian. Not really. I mean, I guess in some weird way she is, but you’re not going to believe what I saw, who I saw and then I found— ”

“Whoa. Slow down there, Mighty Mouth.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Mighty Mouth?”

“Kind of sounds sexual. Like your super power would be sucking—”

“Seth,” she snapped, eyes narrowing.

“But I meant you’re talking so fast I can barely pick up what you’re saying.”

Josie shook her head. “Sure you did.”

I winked. “How about we take this convo to that room back there? Practically everyone is there.” I took her free hand, but she didn’t budge. I searched her face. “You okay?”

“Everyone is there?”

“Yeah. Luke and Deacon, and Alex and Aiden.” I paused. “You know they can be trusted with this, right?”

“Of course,” she replied quickly. “I just don’t want to intrude.”

I stared at her a moment. “Intrude?”

“Yeah.” She slipped her hand free as she glanced down at the vial. “I mean, it’s been six months since they could all hang out, and I don’t want to intrude.”

I didn’t know if I should laugh, hug her, or shake her. Pressing the tips of my fingers under her chin, I lifted her gaze to mine. “Okay. There’s a couple of things you need to understand.”

One eyebrow rose. “Oh, really?”

“Yes. Really,” I repeated. “Alex and Aiden are back for the time being. It’s weird. Trust me. And to be honest, you know how I feel about being around them, right or wrong, but you have no reason to feel like you’re intruding. You’re not.”

Her lashes lowered and she sighed. “I know. It’s just . . . they are such close friends and none of this is important right now, but I guess . . . I’m socially inept when it comes to these things.”