CHAPTER 7: Things are getting serious...

Ricco

Celeste and her newly acquired fan club left the house close to ten this morning. Once I was able to tamp down all of my murderous thoughts, which I admit took a while, I enter the conference room. Already sitting around the conference table are the other eleven council members. We start the meeting by discussing the state of everyone's clans, packs, prides, and families. A few minor issues but nothing that required council intervention. Unfortunately, that means it's time for more serious discussions.

"As everyone knows, our main reason for this retreat is that we must inform our heirs that they only have a year before they ascend as members. Now, if anyone has a hotheaded child like mine, you'll understand why I wanted to tell all the heirs here. Together. With lots of witnesses." Snickers arise through the room. Little did they know I am serious. "I have planned another meeting for tomorrow

morning to let them know. We will be training and advising them for an entire year after they assume their seats. Hopefully, that will soften the blow." Anthony's face is bright red from holding back

laughter. Thinking of our previous conversation, I shoot him a side glare. "If there are no objections to this, we'll continue." I wait and look around. Silence. "Great, moving on."

"We need to discuss the new radical group that has been making waves in the paranormal community. By waves, I mean, they have been hunting paranormals of all species and killing them." Various gasps, hisses, and growls can be heard encircling the table. "Calm down, calm down. I know how you feel. I feel the same way, but we need intel before we make any kind of move. I've had some feelers out for a couple of months now. In the dossier I am passing out now is all the information I have collected, which, unfortunately, isn't much. They call themselves the Coalition for Paranormal Extermination, or CPE for short. They are still a fairly small group, but the problem is, they are well armed and equipped. This probably means they have some sort of high - society backer, with deep pockets and little to no moral code."

"Any idea where we start looking?" Thomas Woods chimes in. He is alpha to a very strong wolf pack and Randol's father. If we have to take the fight to this band of idiots back door, he will definitely be first on my list to call.

"I wish I did, Thomas, but we are still in the information - gathering process. Once we have something more concrete, we will recall the council to discuss a game plan." It pains me to have to tell them

no, but we can't rush this. Don't want to scare the bigwig into hiding. "All right, what do you need from us, Ricco?" Anthony breaks the silence with a more serious expression on his face than I've seen

in years.

"I'm glad you asked, my friend. I would like each of you to finish reading your dossier tonight. See if any of the information rings a bell. See if any of the photos look familiar. If anything at all jumps out, no matter how trivial, note it for the next meeting. Also, we have centuries of connections and experience in this room. After our next meeting, where we will compare notes, I want us all to reach out to anyone who you think could help. I want to bring these assholes down before we pass this council on to the next generation, but I need your help to do that."

"Oh my god!" screeches Ilianna. "What are we supposed to do about this, Ricco?"

Let me explain. Ilianna Monave is the closest thing we have to royalty on the council. Vampire royalty, to be exact. She is of the bloodline, but they decided to do away with the monarchy - style rule,

and take a more diplomatic approach. Ilianna was the reigning queen when she brought about this change. She still has her high - strung tendencies, though, and it is showing right now.

"It's true that some of my spies have heard chatter about this house among some of the members of the CPE. It is of some concern, but we have a state - of - the - art security system. We will have plenty of time to assemble once someone breaches our land's perimeter. We have several hundred acres here. Even a paranormal wouldn't be able to sneak up on us. I also have patrols out intermittently to check the integrity of the perimeter. We are taking every precaution possible. It would be insane for humans to attack here with the amount of power sitting in this room, not to mention the heirs on top of that." I can see the worry on everyone's faces as I look around. It's easy to see why they worry. Not for themselves, but for their heirs. "Let's keep this information to ourselves for now. Our heirs are going to have enough to process after their own meeting tomorrow." Just as everyone is nodding in agreement, I see Celeste pull up outside. Whew! I end our meeting and head out the door.

Celeste

I pull up to the house, glad to finally be back. As we all exit the vehicle, I see Daddy come down the stairs into the driveway. Oh yeah. Daddy. We need to talk. The guys have lightened my mood so much,

I have forgotten about my anger, but now it's back. With vengeance. I stare at Daddy as he smiles and walks our way. Well, he is smiling until he sees the scowl and knitted brows on my face, which I'm sure was bright red.

"Welcome back, everyone,"he says, all while avoiding looking directly at me. "I need to bring everyone up - to - date on a few things. Can you meet me in the conference room? I'm going to help Celeste carry the supplies downstairs, then I'll be in."

After a round of "yes, sirs," they all head inside. As Daddy turns back to me, I shove a boxful of supplies into his gut. "Oomph. Ow. I guess this is not going to be a pleasant conversation, is it, sweetheart?"

"No, Daddy. It's not." I can almost hear the growl in my voice. For a minute there, I thought I might be part wolf. I stomp past him toward the house. "What in God's name is wrong with you Daddy? I

mean, let me tell you, number one, I can probably take care of myself better than any of those guys, number two, I am twenty - nine years old, Daddy, I am a grown woman, and number three, I have never been so embarrassed in all my life. I mean, seriously, Daddy? Death threats? I have never see you act like that. What got into you?" By the time my mini tirade ended, we have already reached the infirmary. Oops. May have been a little long winded.

I hear a sigh next to me as we set the supplies on the counter. I look over at Daddy. Man. He looks exhausted just from listening to me. Poor Daddy. Wait! No, no. Stand your ground, woman. "Well?"

"Okay, maybe I went a little bit overboard. Cut me some slack, though, Celeste. I have never had to watch someone try to get close to my daughter before, let alone six someones. It affected me more than I thought it would. I just saw red."

"Daddy, what in the world are you talking about?"

"Celeste, all six of the heirs that asked to go with you are single male heirs. All of the single male heirs."

"So?"

"So? So? They wanted to go because they are interested in you. It became very apparent after your announcement, when they couldn't stop staring at you with their big, hungry, googly eyes!"

"Daddy, that's ridiculous. Why would someone be interested in me, not to mention six at the same time? You have lost your mind. This fresh air is making you paranoid."

"Oh, honey. You are so modest and humble, and I love that about you. Don't be naive too though. They are all interested in you, to some degree. Look, the bottom line is that it was my first time really seeing that, and before I knew it, my dad instincts took over. I am going to try to curb it, and I'm sorry." Sigh. "I still think you're wrong, but I appreciate and accept your apology. You should apologize to the guys too though."

"I planned on it, sweetheart, that's why I asked them to meet me in the conference room. I just wanted to put this fire out first."

"Thank you, Daddy. I'll just stay down here and unpack and organize the supplies then. This way I am prepared and I stay out of your way."

"Hahah. Thank you, sweetheart." He kisses me on the forehead and leaves the infirmary.

He completely has the wrong idea. No one would want to stay cooped up in their rooms if they could go out and explore. Right? Not that I would be totally upset if one of them showed some interest in me. There is definitely some delicious man candy in this house right now. I have to admit a few of the guys definitely make heat (and other things) pool between my thighs, but I don't know. Dating as a workaholic ER surgeon is hard enough. Throw being a siren/wizard hybrid into the mix, and it's damn near impossible. Paranormals don't just wear signs around their neck that say, "I'm a paranormal. I

won't go running for the hills when you tell me you are too!" We have to keep what we are hidden from humans. They still think of paranormals as myths, legends, and scary campfire stories. It's necessary, though. It keeps us safe.

Anyway, I can't imagine Daddy is right. I wouldn't even date my mess of a self. Why would anyone else want to?

Ricco

Okay, Ricco, stay calm. Count to ten, think about rainbows, do Lamaze breathing, anything, just keep your cool. Celeste will not be so quick to forgive you if you blow up again. I just need to address the fact that I know what's going on here and then get the hell out of that room. As I put my hand on the doorknob, I take one last deep breath and enter on the exhale.

"Hello, gentlemen, I'll get right to the point. First of all, I'm sorry about this morning. I promised Celeste I would apologize and now I have. Moving on. I want you to know that I am keenly aware of why everyone in this room wanted to attend today's little adventure." I smell fear. Good. "Celeste thinks I have lost my mind, by assuming you are all interested in her. I have not lost my mind, though. Have I?" Heads shake no all around. Sigh. "That's what I thought. Look, guys, I want my daughter to be happy. I want her to be able to get married and have a family. I know that carrying on the siren species is very important to her. If that isn't something you want, then walk away. If you are just looking for a fling, walk away. She is my daughter and the most important thing in my life. If you do anything to hurt her, all the gods in all the heavens will not be enough to protect you from my wrath. She sees very little value in herself as a potential mate, and I won't have anyone take advantage of that. God. For some reason, she is convinced that no one would ever want to date her. Anyway, my point is that I'm going to try to keep my cool, as long as you guys don't lose your minds. Are we clear?" I look around, and the stunned looks on everyone's faces tell me we are clear. "Good. We have an understanding. Thank you for your time, gentlemen. Enjoy the rest of your day." I stand up and stride out of the room with my best menacing dad walk.

I go directly to my room and shut the door. Oh, damn it, do I need a drink. I go to the shelf and pour myself a whiskey. Oh yeah! As I savor the slight burn, I can't help but think about Celeste, and tear up. I have always thought of her as my little girl. I guess I always will. I hate that this is the way I act when someone is interested in her. What am I going to do? I am stuck in this house with them. I have no choice to watch this whole thing play out. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll go temporarily blind and deaf. Probably not, though. Unfortunately. Well, I just need to suck it up and try to be big about this. Celeste is what's important here. You never know, she may meet the love of her life here. I can take partial credit for asking her to come here then, right? Yeah, right.