Page 86 of Luna Rising

He shook his head. “I don’t know, Zara. You should get dressed, though. Winter will be here soon.”

“Wait. What? Why?”

“Because I need to be alone, and you shouldn’t be.”

Like she’d been waiting for him to say her name, a portal appeared to my left and Winter stepped through with Walter in tow. He looked between Ewan and me with mild curiosity.

“I didn’t realize this was that kind of party,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “Why are you here?”

“Why are you naked?”

“It’s my house. Try using a door if you’re offended by nudity.”

Ewan growled. “I’m leaving. Zara, put on a robe at least.” When he looked at Winter, the snarl died from his expression. “If you need me…?”

“I’ll find you,” she promised.

I waited until he slammed the front door behind him before going to fetch clothes. Walter and Winter were in the kitchen when I came back downstairs. He was programming my fancy coffeemaker with way too much caffeine. I groaned.

“Don’t you have somewhere better to be?”

Walter held up his phone. “My people know how to reach me.”

I frowned. “Are you expecting a call?”

“I’m always expecting a call,” Walter said.

“Oh, my, Gaia. Are you trying to annoy me or is there a real reason you’re here?”

“We don’t need to talk about this right now,” Winter said, ensuring that I would want to talk about it.

“Says you. What is it? Did something happen to Webber?”

“No. No. Webber’s good. Right, Walter?” Winter looked at her father.

“Drinking blood like a champ,” Walter said.

“It’s Lena. Walter’s associates have tracked her to a blood bar in Brooklyn.”

“Oh, wow. That was fast,” I said, trying not to match Winter’s enthusiasm. “And what’s going to happen to her once these associates catch her?”

“I’ve got this place. They’ll take her there so we can have a chat. Sort of take things from there if you know what I mean.” Walter shrugged, expression very blasé, but I could smell his fear.

“Can I be part of this chat when it does happen?” I asked.

He grinned and handed me a bloody cappuccino. “I was hoping you’d be interested.”

That call didn’t come, but quite a few others did, and the news was mostly grim. The vampire attacks were getting worse, and more and more shifters were transforming in front of humans. A professor at a university in Norway climbed on his desk mid-lecture and shifted into a bear, prompting several students in the class to do the same. It wasn’t known whether the stunt was planned or impromptu. Admittedly, I did find the shocked looks on the humans’ faces a little funny. That was mean, probably, but, like, how did they sit next to a wolf every single day and not know it?

Apparently Walter either didn’t trust Archer or Winter or both to report accurately on Mat’s whereabouts and had a team of PIs in Traitor’s Hell reporting on the eternal king’s every move. He hadn’t come close to the prison, which I found both strange and alarming. Shouldn’t he have been casing the joint or whatever?

He hadn’t made any more trips to Madam Malia, yet he had continued his boozing. None of it made any sense. His vampires were running amok. He should have been toasting his accomplishments not drowning his sorrows.

Despite way too much caffeine, Winter eventually fell asleep on the couch, leaving me alone with her father to wait for Ewan’s return.

“Where’s Colleen tonight?” I asked as I sipped my third bloody cappuccino.

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