haven’t yet.”
Johnny B grinned and flexed for us. I ignored him, but the Twins tittered appreciatively.
“So, 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.
“Sounds about right,” Stevie Rae said.
“Then 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.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good idea,” I said.
“I’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.”
“Jack 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.”
“Yeah, we could even plan some menus and write down some things we need for the kitchen,” Jack said.
“Sounds good,” I said, smiling at Jack and Damien.
“I agree. Shaunee and Erin, could you relieve them for the next shift?” Darius said.
The Twins shrugged. “Okay with us,” Erin said.
“Good. I think it wise that we don’t use the red fledglings to guard the entrances during daylight hours,” Darius said.
“Hey, we can kick some ass,” Johnny B spoke up, looking all jockish and testosterone filled.
“It’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.
“Oh, 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 force myself not to jump guiltily. Yes, he’d been watching me. Great. He’d mostly ignored me since we’d gotten to the tunnels and chose the instant when some other guy was acting flirty to stare at me.
Jack held up his hand like a good little student. “Um, question . . . ”
“Yes, Jack,” I said.
“Where do we sleep?”
“Good question.” I turned to Stevie Rae. “Where do we sleep?”
Johnny B spoke up before Stevie Rae could answer. “For the record, I’m willing to share my bed. My heart is more giving than Kramisha’s.”
“It ain’t your heart you wanna share,” Kramisha said.
“Don’t go hatin’ on me, baby!” Johnny B said, trying (unsuccessfully) to sound black.
Kramisha rolled her eyes at him. “You so crazy.”
“Well, we have some sleeping bags,” Stevie Rae broke in, sounding like she was on the verge of falling asleep. “Venus, could you show Zoey and the rest of the kids where they are? I guess y’all can sleep in whosever room you want to.” She paused and smiled wearily at Kramisha. “Except Kramisha doesn’t share her bed.”
“But you can stay in my room. That’s cool with me,” Kramisha said. “Just not on the bed.”
“Do all of you guys have rooms now?” I couldn’t keep the surprise from my voice. This was all so different from the first time I’d been down here. Then the kids could barely have been called humanoid, and the tunnels were dark and dirty and creepy. Now the room we were crammed into was cozy, lit by flickering oil lanterns and candles, and the furniture was comfortable, obviously new, and even had cute matching pillows on the bed. It all seemed so normal. Was I just imagining that there was weird stuff going on with them because I was so darn
Johnny B grinned and flexed for us. I ignored him, but the Twins tittered appreciatively.
“So, 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.
“Sounds about right,” Stevie Rae said.
“Then 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.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good idea,” I said.
“I’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.”
“Jack 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.”
“Yeah, we could even plan some menus and write down some things we need for the kitchen,” Jack said.
“Sounds good,” I said, smiling at Jack and Damien.
“I agree. Shaunee and Erin, could you relieve them for the next shift?” Darius said.
The Twins shrugged. “Okay with us,” Erin said.
“Good. I think it wise that we don’t use the red fledglings to guard the entrances during daylight hours,” Darius said.
“Hey, we can kick some ass,” Johnny B spoke up, looking all jockish and testosterone filled.
“It’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.
“Oh, 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 force myself not to jump guiltily. Yes, he’d been watching me. Great. He’d mostly ignored me since we’d gotten to the tunnels and chose the instant when some other guy was acting flirty to stare at me.
Jack held up his hand like a good little student. “Um, question . . . ”
“Yes, Jack,” I said.
“Where do we sleep?”
“Good question.” I turned to Stevie Rae. “Where do we sleep?”
Johnny B spoke up before Stevie Rae could answer. “For the record, I’m willing to share my bed. My heart is more giving than Kramisha’s.”
“It ain’t your heart you wanna share,” Kramisha said.
“Don’t go hatin’ on me, baby!” Johnny B said, trying (unsuccessfully) to sound black.
Kramisha rolled her eyes at him. “You so crazy.”
“Well, we have some sleeping bags,” Stevie Rae broke in, sounding like she was on the verge of falling asleep. “Venus, could you show Zoey and the rest of the kids where they are? I guess y’all can sleep in whosever room you want to.” She paused and smiled wearily at Kramisha. “Except Kramisha doesn’t share her bed.”
“But you can stay in my room. That’s cool with me,” Kramisha said. “Just not on the bed.”
“Do all of you guys have rooms now?” I couldn’t keep the surprise from my voice. This was all so different from the first time I’d been down here. Then the kids could barely have been called humanoid, and the tunnels were dark and dirty and creepy. Now the room we were crammed into was cozy, lit by flickering oil lanterns and candles, and the furniture was comfortable, obviously new, and even had cute matching pillows on the bed. It all seemed so normal. Was I just imagining that there was weird stuff going on with them because I was so darn
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