Page 28 of Shift of Morals
There’s no way Caelan knew how Gianna was treating his most loyal shifter. He wouldn’t stand for it, and if he could, then I wanted nothing to do with him.
Moira’s lips tightened. An almost imperceptible shake of Simone’s head told us to drop it. I reached over and touched Moira’s knee. We’d drop it.
For now.
But Gianna better have a full shifter escort next time she goes out, because if we got a hold of her, it won’t matter who she belonged to.
In the middle of the table sat a stack of laminated pages and a binder. “We’ll wait until Caelan gets here before we officially begin. Would you like some wine?”
“I would,” Moira said.
“None for me, thanks.” There was already water on the table, and that was the strongest substance I planned to imbibe this evening.
Gianna gestured and a quivering server came over, holding a bottle of red wine. “Mistress,” she said, pouring the woman a large glass.
“For the vampire, too,” Gianna said, her emphasis on the word pissing me off.
Moira moved her glass for easier access.
“I wasn’t aware vampires could imbibe other substances,” Gianna said.
Moira offered her a tight smile. “I’m full of surprises.” And she was. Moira could eat and drink like a normal person, which wasn’t completely unheard of among certain vampirekind, but she could also day walk and had other specific powers, some of which she had yet to show me.
Moira couldn’t be 100% vampire. I suspected she either had a witch or fae somewhere in her maternal bloodline, but Moira always claimed she hadn’t known her parents.
The doors opened again, revealing two Shifter Lords.
Moira let out a satisfied chuckle. “I hoped it would be him.”
Gianna sent her a curious look but returned her eyes to the Lords.
Soren and Caelan entered the room, their power a punch to the gut. Simone remained in place, eyes watchful. Moira and I rose. Gianna stayed seated for longer than she should have. She might be Caelan’s fiancée, but even family members were required to show proper deference to the Lords.
Simone’s teeth pulled away from her lips at the insult, but she held her tongue.
Soren was a stunning male. Like most Shifter Lords, he was taller than average, standing at least six foot four. His chestnut hair was wavy and a touch too long, and his eyes were the color of the Aegean Sea. Cruelty edged his face, and his eyes held the knowledge of too much pain. Power crackled over his skin as he walked, but when his gaze skimmed the room, they stopped and stayed on Moira.
Uh oh.
Where Soren was traditionally handsome, Caelan was a storm-tossed sea on a cold winter’s night. He was power and pain and sorrow mixed up in a devastating package. Our eyes clashed. He stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze raking down my form. The dress reacted, humming against my skin. A flower, bright yellow with an aromatic scent, bloomed against my bodice.
Helichrysum, the flower of immortality.
Another curled from the embroidery, rising from the bodice, and brushed against my skin. Lupine.
His gaze rested on those flowers, and one side of his mouth kicked up for a small second—a heartbeat, before he wiped his face completely free of expression and sauntered after Soren.
“Miss Quinn,” Caelan said. “Miss Devlin.”
Moira inclined her head. All I could do was gawk at him like a moron. He wore a charcoal-colored suit with a deep blue tie. As he came closer, I spotted a tiny pin on his tie.
It was in the shape of a helichrysum flower.
Woof.
Evie Quinn, you are in danger.
Gianna finally rose from her seat, a slow graceful glide. She came around the table and smiled, a perfect, emotionless thing on her face.
