Page 17 of Failed State

“This is Sebastian Whitmore,” Krista chirps as she reads from her phone. “Sebastian is a resident of the outskirts of Tempest Seven. His coven have homes in the Blood Red sector on the west end.”

Huck grins, but it’s not a nice smile. No, it’s evil from stem to stern. “You mean his family was complicit with the imprisonment of our kind, so your government set them up with wealth and comfort to reward them. However, they didn’t have Fae to review their contract with the humans because of their treachery, so like all vampires, they still have to live in camps… just the fanciest, least objectionable parts of them.”

Sebastian snarls as if he’s going to come at Huck, but the guard puts a hand out to stop the undead asshole. He sucks in a breath and glares with red eyes as he spits, “The rest of you dipshits think you know so much, but you’re clueless.”

“We know you fuckwads got screwed, too, just not as hard as we did,” Thad mutters. “Bring the rest of them in so we can getthis show on the road, Krista. I’ve got nothing more to say to this waste.”

I can’t stop staring at the vampire and it makes my body sing with frustration. He’s hot as sin, easily as good looking as Huck and Thad, but in this dark, ethereal way. His clothes are nicer than our uniforms and I note that I’ve never once seen any of their kind in our schools. They must have their own education system or the sires teach them everything. I’m about to speak when the bloodsucker smirks at me as if he knows what’s going through my mind.

Fat chance, dickwad.

EVERYONE LOVES A BAD BOY

THADDEUS

Sydney is bristling so muchshe’s making my bear restless. Ever since the bloodsucker sauntered into the room, it’s like she’s gone from high alert to Code Red. Her scent has changed, too, but I can’t pin it down. Her odd blend of magic has always eluded my shifter senses and the Markers make it even harder to use my animal to figure out what’s going on with her. My eyes cut to Huck’s, but he shrugs—looks like he’s as lost as I am.

Just fucking great.

Krista nods at the big guard and they call out to someone in the hallway. “Your next new friend is on their way.”

“You’re a wee bit delusional, aren’t you?” Syd mutters and I have to cough to cover my laugh.

The chipper team mascot—or whatever her title is—looks annoyed for a second, but then she perks up when the roided out dude at the door catches her eye. “Not atall, Sydney. I’m so excited to work with all of you and I know we’re going to achievegreatthings together.”

Lights in the room flicker briefly and the guard whips his head around to bark something at the people in thehallway. Their ire makes me wonder what kind of supe they’re bringing in; someone with enough juice to thwart the Markers and disrupt anything is pretty fucking powerful. Despite my musings, I’m still not ready for the guy who walks in the door.

Holy mother fucking donkey balls.

A fucking cover model looking guy with blondish-brown hair swept to the side, barely there scruff, and icy blue eyes strides in clad in tight jeans and brown leather that makes him look like a goddamn adventurer, not a prisoner. There’s a static feel to his presence—like the air in the room is charged just by his mere presence. He smirks at the vampire for a moment, then looks at our small group curiously.

“Who the fuck are these randos?”

Syd shoots out of her seat, moving like a flash to stand toe-to-toe with the cocky asshole. “Who the fuck are you to ask?”

That shuts him up and Huck snorts as he kicks his booted feet up on the small table in front of us. “That’s it, sweet pea. You give this stuck-up snake a piece of your mind. I’ve got your back.”

Sparks crackle through the air around the two of them as Mr. Tall, Blond, and Douchey stares down at our girl for a moment. He finally cracks a grin as she stays in place, not giving him a centimeter of quarter. “I like this one, Krista. I don’t know about the other two. The mosquito can go fuck himself.”

“Well, he’s right about that.” I shrug as I lean back against the couch. I’m still surprised by his ability to make this much magic with the human constraints, so I’m not ready to challenge him as yet. That is, unless he upsets Sydney, and then all bets are off.

“Now, now, children. Including your last team member, you will all need to work together to get ahead in the challenges. Thaddeus, you’re an ursine shifter and your fear demon is also formidable. Adding a full blooded vampire and a mage will only raise your profile.”

Huck glares at the woman as if he’d like to disembowel her for fun. “Sydney is a good fighter, fast as hell, and her magic is very creative. You’re discounting her like she doesn’t matter.”

The mage tilts his head, reaching out to put a finger on the tip of her nose. “At the moment, she’s more of a hindrance than help. Everything within her is bound up.”

“Of course it is, you dickface!” Syd flicks his hands away, her braid swishing as she moves. “The fucking Markers limit our abilities.”

“They do and they don’t,” the guy says with a smirk. “My name is Rory Stormbringer, by the way. Thanks for asking.”

“As if I give a fuck who you are, spell slinger,” Sebastian scoffs from his seat in the far corner. “I’m not here to make friendship bracelets with you morons. I want to win, and beyond that, I don’t care a whit what happens to anyone else.”

This is the stupidest plan anyone ever came up with—only humans would think they could oppress an entire swath of people then depend on them to work together to entertain them.

“Gentleman, lady…” Krista clucks as she frowns. “This kind of ire isverycounterproductive. You won’t have a chance at this if you can’t put aside your differences and embrace your unity!”

“Does anyone know where her off button is?”

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