Page 37 of Wings and Shadowthief

"That would be rather difficult, sweetling, considering that the island is otherwise known as Atlantis."

Cat scoffed. "Really?"

"Really, sister. It took me longer than I care to admit to figure it out, and I had no way of letting you know—given that the only witch capable of entering my mind hasn't attempted to do so in months." Seth grinned at Blair, showing his sharp extended fangs.

She rolled her eyes and rubbed her kitten's fur.

"Atlantis, as in the fictional city underwater according to Plato?" Gwen wrinkled her nose.

"No, Atlantis, the cheesy, pink resort in the Bahamas.” Seth allowed himself a long-suffering sigh. “Of course, we're talking about the lost city. And its existence was always documented. The question isn't whether it exists, it's where. Atlantis is a shadow city, stuck in the in-between of a portal between worlds. That's why I never knew where I was; there are several gates to access it, all of them in water. So, one moment, we were sailing on the sea, the next—"

"You were in another world. Or in between two." Cat bit her lip. "So, you know how to get to the portal?"

"I memorized the coordinates. The sailor used water magic to activate it. If you happen to know a powerful water mage…" Seth's gaze lit on Gwen now.

She had to admit to some surprise. She hadn't realized the man knew who she was at all.

"Not one that trusts you," Gwen replied.

Jack chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What, was I supposed to pretend to buy his crap like the rest of you? No offense, Cat. This guy has an agenda."

"None taken."

Seth splayed his hand over his heart.

"What?" Cat shrugged. "You always seem sketchy."

"You wound me, sister. But fine, I'll prove my intentions are honorable. You can get your witchy friend to read me."

Blair huffed. "Like you couldn't doctor your thoughts."

"I could, but I won't. You'll feel it if I do. Come on, Blair. What are you afraid of seeing in my mind?"

Gwen would have hated for this man to stare at her the way he stared at Blair now, but the fire witch didn't seem to care. "Fine." She offered him a hand.

Sliding closer to her, he took it reverently. She closed her eyes and both of them remained still, unmoving for long seconds. At last, Blair let go of his hand and opened her eyes again.

"He doesn't like the idea of anyone calling themselves the queen of all vampires. If there were such a throne, he'd want to sit on it, but as far as he's concerned, there isn't. And he wants to help because it'll keep his sisters safe." Then she glared at him. "And Velvet ismycat, not yours."

"My house, my couch…"

"My cat. I found him, I'm the one who's going to feed him and take care of him. That makes him mine." It was Blair's turn to show teeth, though hers were blunt and considerably less threatening than his.

Gwen figured that if they were arguing about the ownership of the cat, rather than screaming about secret master plans, Seth wasn't as villainous as she'd believed. He merely looked and acted the part.

"So, are we really going to do this? Go to the island and attack the people there?"

"That'd be suicide, an endeavor I've never supported." Seth flopped down next to Blair, throwing his arm around her shoulder before bending toward the cat on her lap.

"Then what?"

"We go in, we party, drink a little…" He smiled affably. "Then cut off the head of the snake."

Worth the Stakes

As bodies converged inside Seth's sitting room, Gwen started to wonder if he had planned on holding a meeting here; there seemed to be just enough armchairs for everyone, though she stuck to the wall, listening and observing from the shadows while her friends plotted and planned.

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