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second bottle of wine.
    â€œThat’s not right. They ain’t nasty and abandoned,” Kramisha spoke up, frowning at Aphrodite. “We’re here and we been decorating. You should know ’cause we used your got-no-limit gold card to buy the stuff.”
    â€œDid you use incorrect grammar at the same time? Like you are now?” Aphrodite said as she peered blurrily at Kramisha from around Darius.
    â€œLook, I know you human and just been awkwardly Imprinted with Stevie Rae, not to mentioned you gettin’ totally trashed, so I’d hate to use my superior red fledgling skills to kick your bony ass, but if you talk about me again I’m gonna forget to be nice,” Kramisha said.
    â€œCan we not focus on the bad guys who might be trying to eat us instead of bickering with each other?” I said wearily. “Stevie Rae, do the other tunnels connect to these?”
    â€œYeah, but they’re sealed off, or at least that’s what it would look like to everyone else.”
    â€œIs there only one entrance from this section of tunnels to the public ones?” Darius asked.
    â€œOnly one that I know of. And it was blocked by some seriously thick metal doors. How ’bout y’all? Have you found any more?” Stevie Rae said.
    â€œWell, maybe,” Ant said.
    â€œMaybe?” Stevie Rae said.
    â€œI was exploring and I found something, but the opening to it was little even for me, so I didn’t go into it. I meant to go back and poke around with a shovel or, better yet, with Johnny B’s muscles, but I just haven’t yet.”
    Johnny B grinned and flexed for us. I ignored him, but the Twins tittered appreciatively.
    â€œSo, basically, what you guys are saying is that besides the depot entrance, there’s one we know of for sure that links these tunnels to the other ones?” I said.
    â€œSounds about right,” Stevie Rae said.
    â€œThen I advise you to post two guards, Priestess,” Darius said. “One at the depot entrance and one at the known entrance to the other tunnel system.”
    â€œOkay, that sounds like a good idea,” I said.
    â€œI’ll take first shift on the depot entrance,” Darius said. “Erik, you should take over for me there. It’s our most vulnerable place, so full vampyres should guard it.”
    Erik nodded. “Agreed.”
    â€œJack and I will take the first shift guarding the sealed-off entrance to the downtown tunnels,” Damien said. “That is, if it’s okay with you guys.”
    â€œYeah, we could even plan some menus and write down some things we need for the kitchen,” Jack said.
    â€œSounds good,” I said, smiling at Jack and Damien.
    â€œI agree. Shaunee and Erin, could you relieve them for the next shift?” Darius said.
    The Twins shrugged. “Okay with us,” Erin said.
    â€œGood. I think it wise that we don’t use the red fledglings to guard the entrances during daylight hours,” Darius said.
    â€œHey, we can kick some ass,” Johnny B spoke up, looking all jockish and testosterone filled.
    â€œIt’s not that,” I said, guessing what Darius meant. “We need to let you guys sleep during the day so that you can stand guard at night when you’re strongest. Which means, hopefully, you’ll be stronger than the creatures who will be coming against us.” What I didn’t say was that, even had Darius not spoken up because of the daylight issue with the red fledglings, I would have said something. I didn’t want to be “protected” by Stevie Rae’s kids until I felt surer about them.
    â€œOh, well. Yeah. We can do that. I’m cool with protecting a priestess and her group,” Johnny B said, giving me a cocky wink.
    I stifled an eye roll. Even without the red fledgling issue, the last thing I needed was another football player–like guy in my life. My eyes slid over to Erik and I had to