Page 87 of Pulling Strings

His jaw set. “For now.”

Like puzzle pieces snapping together, his pitch became clear, with many of the benefits I’d already considered. I could dethrone Grimm, run the Bloody Hex, and keep Donovan out of harm’s way. Ripley would benefit because I had little use for him or his undead lover. They could fuck right off, for all I cared.

But he neglected to mention what we both knew. He’d attempted as much before, even enlisting the Capitol’s aid, and had been rewarded with a lengthy prison sentence. At the end of that, he was back where he began—a feeling with which I could relate.

“Because striking out on your own went so well last time.” I waved a dismissive hand, turning away from him to search the bedside table drawer for the unlikely event of loose or partial cigarettes.

“I don’t intend to do it on my own.” He pressed closer. “Help me, and we can save your brother.”

Finding nothing in the drawer but lotion and a stack of porn magazines, I slammed it shut.

“It’s too late for that,” I said. “I tried. This is what he wants.”

Ripley huffed a breath. “If a child wanted to eat poison, would you let them?”

“Donnie’s not a kid anymore.”

“So, he’s just a fool.”

I spun around with my hand toward the exit. The knob turned and the door opened, flooding the room with light.

“Get out,” I growled.

His lips pursed. “Consider it, at least.”

“I won’t.”

With a sigh, he made his way to the exit, stopping only to add, “Everyone’s meeting for brunch in half an hour. They asked me to tell you.”

“Out,” I repeated.

He left, and I slammed the door shut in his wake. Mentally locking it, I sank onto the nearest bed and laid back to stare up at the rocky terrain of the popcorn ceiling.

It was ballsy of the man in black to wander in here trying to stage a coup. Assuming an awful lot about me and making claims that were exaggerated, at best. Why would I work with him? By all accounts, he was only out for his own interests. And, if I did take over the gang, let him and Maggie go, and axed Grimm, Avery, and Vinton, there would be very little Bloody Hex left to helm.

There was also the very real possibility that Donovan wouldn’t take my side of things. He wasn’t my biggest fan at the moment and imagining how that translated to his loyalties made for a hard pill to swallow.

I rubbed my hands across my face.

For all the thoughts swirling inside my head, one question rose above the rest: since when did we eat brunch?

30

Out to Brunch

In a feat of timing, cooperation, and enough illusion magic to render the six of us unrecognizable even to each other, the members of the Bloody Hex walked into the Butter Me Up Buffet for Saturday brunch. Actually, there were seven of us if you counted the black-bedecked zombie girl scribbling with permanent marker on a laminated menu. Maggie, a name I’d reluctantly committed to memory.

At least she looked like herself. I was having a hard enough time sorting out the rest of the crowd of apparent strangers. We occupied a long table in the secluded back room of the restaurant. An area most often used for sad birthday parties or family reunions.

Compared to my recent encounters with food in Thorngate’s cafeteria, this place smelled divine. Maple syrup provided the overriding aroma, sickly sweet and warm, with undertones of spicy sausage.

By the time everyone had filled a plate from the buffet, I thought I had them figured out. At the head of the table sat Grimm, of course. To his right would be Vinton and Avery on the left. Ripley and Maggie might as well have shared a chair, squeezed in as they were inline with Avery. Donovan occupied the space beside Vinton, leaving the foot of the table for Grimm to keep a steady eye on me as he launched into a predictably grandiose speech.

“What a night we all had,” he began. “Full of surprises.”

A tart smile accompanied his statement, causing me to snort softly into my orange juice. Grimm’s attention pulled away to begin a slow circle around the table.

“I’m pleased to announce that, despite a momentary setback, we were able to induct two dozen new infantrymen and women into our ranks,” he said. “While they won’t be joining us this morning, you can look forward to meeting them all in the coming weeks.”

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