[Trent]Mike, Ben, and I got out of the car at the club. We were at The Neutral for a meeting in the back offices. It was the only way we could get Mrs. Layton to agree to come. Everyone else was fine with meeting in the pack lands, but she wanted someplace in town that was not in any one person’s territory. There were no places that truly matched what she wanted, so Victor talked to his vampire who owned the club, which had always be a neutral area in town. It had taken a little convincing for Layton to agree, but she backed down when we told her she could bring two people with her. Everyone was allowed to bring two if they liked. Queen Bellamy’s lieutenants decided not to, they figured they would be enough, but I didn’t know who everyone else was bringing. I brought Ben and Mike because they were my closest supports and they knew as much as I did, plus, Mike wanted to be a part of this since it was his sister who was directly affected. We made our way to the back door and knocked. A large vampire answered and we gave him the code word. He nodded silently and led us into the back of the club. It was best if none of us were seen there, just in case, so we would go to the office through the back. He led us to a door and opened it. The room was more than a normal office. It was the size of my living room and was decorated in white, green, and silver. Four couches were arranged around a long coffee table and two chairs on either side of one of the couches. In the corner, there was a desk with a computer on it. Dennis, the vampire I met at Victor’s house in September, was sitting behind the desk and Billie stood beside him. He looked up and stood. “Alpha, welcome to my club,” he said as he approached. “Thank you, Leo, please go wait for our other guests.” “As you wish, Master Lyons,” the large vampire replied and left, closing the door behind him. “Master Nightshade is on his way with Mistress Talia, but the rogues have arrived. Please have a seat,” Dennis told me. “Thank you. How is Billie doing?” When Gray told me Billie was turned when a werewolf shot her, I was relieved. If she had died, I would have been sad for her. It sucked that werewolves had hurt her, but a life as a vampire wasn’t worse than death. “Sybil is quite well. We’re planning our bonding ceremony. I am sorry I didn’t invite you, but we are only having close friends and family.” “No problem. I understand the desire for a small ceremony. Gray told me you were given permission to complete the mate bond and I was planning to send a gift for the two of you. Thank you for offering your office for our meeting.” “I do whatever the Master desires. If this was the best fit for your meeting, then I am more than happy to offer it. We will remain until all guests have arrived. Excuse me.” He turned and went back to his desk and began working again. We went over to the seating area. Bellamy’s lieutenants stood. I held out my hand to each of them and they shook it. “I’m Cain De Soto, Queen Bellamy’s ex-pack lieutenant,” said the first one. Cain was about six feet and widely built. He had medium brown skin and dark brown eyes. His hair was cut stylishly and he looked like he could be a model. “You weren’t interested in joining the pack?” I asked. He laughed. “No. My mate and I have three children and all of them are rogue born. We would not abandon them for a pack and your pack is nowhere near ready for pack rogues. Perhaps when you reach that point, Alpha.” “We’ll work on it.” I smiled. “I’m Orion May. The rogue born lieutenant,” the other man said. He was more lithe, but his grasp was strong. Orion had pale brown hair that almost looked blond. He wore it in a shaggy cut that was more boyish than his face could support. “It’s nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you,” I replied. “Sure you do, Alpha. Let’s get settled before everyone else comes. We get to pick the best seats.” Orion turned from me and went to seat himself in one of the chairs. I took the other on the opposite side of the couch. Mike, Ben, and Cain sat on the couch between us. Already, I was seeing this shaping up like a meeting between different species did. We were sectioning the seating by species. Mike sat on the couch next to me, then Ben, then Cain, showing the hierarchy of wolves at the same time. It was a little awkward. I didn’t know what to talk to rogues about. Aside from trying to talk to prospective members of my pack, I didn’t really talk to any. Not counting Queen Bellamy, but that was different. She was an Alpha and we had plenty to talk about without anything else. “You said you have three pups, Cain, what about you Orion? Have you found your mate yet?” Mike asked. “Not yet. Normally, Queen Bellamy won’t pick unmated people for the position, but I’ve been in her collective ever since she was a kid. I wanted to move up here and she offered me the job. Maybe she was hoping that having the job would increase my prospects. There are a couple ladies I’m talking to, though,” he said. “You must have done something to impress her if she gave you the job instead of someone who was a better fit with what she normally picked.” He shrugged. “I was a factory foreman back home. I’m good at organizing things and people.” The door opened and I looked over in relief. Trying to make conversation was difficult. Queen Maeve came in followed by her children. I stood as Dennis greeted her. She led her group over to where we were and shook my hand. None of them were wearing their glamour. Sylvans were all elegant looking and these ones definitely knew their value, but they didn’t seem to be looking down on us, even though we weren’t fae. It was a sad truth of the world that supernaturals were divided and they didn’t often like or respect other supernaturals. Queen Bellamy changed that for her collective and Victor changed it for his territory. The alliance between the vampires and Hallowed Moon came before the alliance we made with the rogues.“Alpha Trent, so good to see you again. You remember my son, Rosario. This is my daughter, Queen Ivy of the forest village,” she said to me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Queen Ivy. Nice to see you again Rosario. This is my Beta, Mike Rosen, and my Gamma, Ben Holden. The other two men are Queen Bellamy’s people,” I replied. The rogues introduced themselves to the fae as the door opened again. This time it was Victor and his sire, Talia. They greeted Dennis and Billie, then came over to join us. Victor and Talia decided to sit on the other couch next to my chair The fae sat on the couch across from us. This was so the witches would be more comfortable. They didn’t like vampires much. After some more time with everyone chatting and catching up, the door opened a final time. The sooner we could get this issue addressed, the better. I glanced over to see Mrs. Layton entering flanked by two people. She was a woman in her early forties with brown and blonde streaked hair. It was long in the front on one side and tucked behind her ear on the other side. The back had a spiky bit that made it look like a hedgehog was hiding on the back of her head. She was wearing a pink polo and some tight khaki pants. To her left was a woman who looked like a copy of her, but in yellow and black instead of pink and tan. To her right was a man who looked like he didn’t really want to be there. He was wearing a blue polo and khakis the same color as hers, as if they were color coordinated. One of the rogues snorted, but I didn’t see which one. Dennis went to greet her, but she visibly recoiled when he put out his hand. Quickly, she glanced at us then back to him and offered the tips of her fingers rather than a handshake. They made their way across the room and greeted each of us in an equally dismissive fashion. As they took their seats, we all introduced ourselves again for Saleh Layton and her guests. “I’m Rod Layton and this is my sister, Katie Darrion. I’m Saleh’s husband,” the man said. Orion snorted and I knew he was the one who had done it before. Saleh scowled at him. Her sister-in-law turned her nose up at him. “There were only supposed to be two people here, aside from the leader of each group. There are too many vampires in this room,” Saleh said to me. “I’m not in charge of the vampires….” “This is Mister Lyons’ office and he is finishing up some of his work. He has been gracious enough to lend us this space. We can let him wrap up his business while we talk,” Victor told her coldly. “Maybe this was a mistake, then. If you’re not going to follow the rules, then maybe we should rethink our alliance,” she responded. “That would be a mistake, Saleh. You need all of us to make sure your people are safe and the connection to the Master of the territory if you have any hope of enticing Valor Aconitum into joining your coven. Or did you give up when he rejected your young daughter?” Everyone jumped and turned toward the voice. Rhett was leaning against a wall and smirked when he got our attention. He pushed himself away from the wall and swaggered over to the couches. He looked over everyone and sat on the arm of the couch nearest Talia. “Aren’t you an ancient little thing? I’m Rhett the warlock.” Talia raised an eyebrow at him. “Was that supposed to be a line?” “Of course not, it was merely a statement. As you are the darkest and most deadly being in this room, I find myself enticed. You are so delicate and fragile looking but I bet you could break me in two. What do you think, miss vampire? Will you break me?” he purred. Talia flashed him a grin that showcased her razor-sharp fangs. “Oh, I don’t think you want to find out, Rhett.”I watched as she leaned in further. It was like some sort of horrific accident was happening before my eyes. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t as Rhett flirted with one of the most powerful vampires on earth. “Your words are bold, warlock. But I am not one to be easily enticed or impressed,” Talia replied coolly, her voice laced with a hint of danger.Rhett’s smirk only widened at her response. “I simply want to explore the darkness that I sense within you. I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame.” Talia’s eyes glinted with amusement as she leaned in even closer to Rhett, her breath hot on his neck. “Be careful what you wish for, warlock. The darkness within me is not something to be taken lightly.”Rhett chuckled low in his throat, the sound sending shivers down my spine. “I wouldn’t dream of taking it lightly, my dear. In fact, I would relish every moment of it.”“As horribly... entertaining... as this is, I would like to know who you are and what you have to do with our meeting,” Queen Maeve scoffed. “What the hell is that.. thing, doing here?! Kill him, Alpha Trent, like you promised!” Saleh insisted. “I never promised any such thing. You said I should be aware of him and take precautions. I did just that. I entered into an agreement where he leaves my pack alone and we leave him alone,” I answered. Rhett chuckled. “Aw, poor Saleh, even now you can’t get everything you want. Really, trying to get your allies to kill me. I noticed that you only approached the werewolves. Let me guess, you figured the darkness of the vampires and my darkness would mesh well and they would ally with me. Then what of the fae? Ah, you felt they were too high and mighty to help you with your vendetta against me.” “High and mighty?” Queen Ivy scoffed. “Leave it to a demi-fae to think something like that about us. We could have easily killed your warlock, but now we won’t. Since you never thought of us as allies in the first place.” “Demi-fae!? Listen here you tree-skinned bitch, I am not a ‘demi’ anything! I am a full-blood witch from a powerful line. I’ll have you know that my family is descended from some of the most powerful plant witches in the country!” “And your power has no connection to plants,” Ivy laughed. “Come water witch, have you nothing else to say?” “I will speak to your mother, she obviously has more authority than you,” Saleh sneered. “Everyone, stop this sniping. We’re allies and we’re all here because of a serious issue. There’s no reason for this fighting,” I said loudly.