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They aren t a physical threat. They re a magickal one. You can t fight that. I can. Also, what if they
move?
That would indeed be unfortunate. And yet, it doesn t change the fact that I make those choices
when it comes to the safety of the leadership of this jamboree.
She looked heavenward, seeking patience. Fine. Do let me know when I m allowed to act, then.
Before she said anything else, she spun and headed upstairs.
Back in their room, she dug through her bag until she found her phone and called Rosemary.
All this could be over if we just shot that fucker in the head once and for all. And his bitch of a
wife. Gibson leaned against the door and gave his brother a look.
I don t think so. I mean, at least not right away. We talk to them first. Find out what the hell is go-
ing on. What happened with Kendra and Renee s mother. They need the closure and we need the in-
tel. After that, well, accidents happen and you re free to be sure they do. Max punched the speed
dial for Galen and filled him in. Galen informed him that Rosemary had shown up moments before
and was on a call with Renee and Kendra. They d keep Renee inside as much as they could, which
wasn t much given that the following day was a Monday and Renee would want to go to work.
Gibson interjected with information as they spoke, beginning to build a plan. Jack added his points,
telling them he had his people on it as well.
Busy girl, your wife. Gibson s mouth might have shaped into a smile very briefly as Max hung up
with an annoyed snarl.
She s not going to let this go and I can t blame her. As much as I want to, I can t. This is about her,
about her people, and she has every right to want to deal with it. Her mother needs avenging.
Gibson lifted one shoulder. Max, it s not going to stop there and you know it. She has a vision for
the future of witches. One you and I both realize is totally necessary. This attack thing isn t isolated.
Even when we find and eradicate this threat, there ll be more. She has a path. Like you have a path.
And those will intersect. For instance, when you both drag the jamboree into the twenty-first centu-
ry. She ll draw fire, but hold you to the course. We all need it.
She couldn t just be a school teacher. No. She has to be Buffy the Fuckin Witch Slayer or whatev-
er.
Gibson did laugh at that. You d be so bored with a woman who wasn t your equal in the ambition
department. But you re both going to fight a lot. She s headstrong, you are too. You re used to total
obedience and having everyone simply turn to you for direction. She is not the type to ask permis-
sion. It ll make the sex hotter though.
I draw the line at discussing my sex life with you.
Must be smokin hot then. Gibson stood straight. She won t agree to a driver to work, but if you
were smart, you d take her yourself.
It would be a lot easier if she just obeyed me.
Dream on, asshole. Gibson opened the front door. Gonna be difficult to protect her fully at work.
All those kids around, adults are extra watchful of strange men.
I know. But she won t take any time off. I ve asked. Do what you can.
Always do. Night. With a last wave, Gibson walked out the door, leaving Max alone and agitated
in his front hallway.
Revelation: De La Vega Cats, Book 2
Revelation: De La Vega Cats, Book 2
Chapter Thirteen
You re going to kick my ass.
Kendra looked up, halfway into a smile for her brother-in-law when he said that. Gibson de La Ve-
ga, what have you done?
He d been there, just outside the school, waiting at the driver s side door of his SUV. Where Max
had the sleek Jaguar, Gibson had opted for a menacing-looking dark SUV with smoked windows. It
suited him.
He opened the passenger door and she hopped in. She didn t feel like arguing over taking the T
back home so if they wanted to run out and drive her all over town, so be it. She should make them
go shoe shopping or something.
The place was deserted. Your father s place.
She growled and he huffed an amused snort. Christ, you two are exactly alike. It doesn t matter if
your father was there last night when you decided to run off and stand in the crosshairs. We don t
know enough to do anything just yet. Kendra, believe me when I tell you that I want to deliver the
justice you so deserve. The justice for what he did to you and Renee, what he did to your mother.
But, we need to be smart. Gathering intelligence is smart. I want to know what we re walking into.
How many people are there. If they re armed. Even if I don t have magick like you do, I have other
skills. You and me, sweetcheeks, we need to work together on this.
She frowned, hating that he was right. You suck. Who am I just like?
He made a sort of hissing sound. Max.
Did you just hiss at me?
Cats hiss when they re annoyed.
You re going to end up with a woman who is an even bigger pain in the ass than I am. I can t
wait. She giggled.
According to my brothers, pain-in-the-ass women are the best kind. He gave her side eye. I m
not convinced of that just yet.
Ha. So what s the next step then?
I m taking you to Max. He drove on, silent and menacing, even though no one could see it but
her.
Are you always so chatty?
His gruff demeanor eased for a small moment. Amusement danced in his eyes. Don t tell anyone.
They won t believe you anyway.
Here s my contribution to the whole working-together process. I spoke with the witch who mated
with one of Gabe s wolves in Portland. He was very nice, open. But he did not take on a wolf. His
magickal energy improved, he said, his focus. I proposed he come out here and learn from Mary
and my aunt so he could teach the witches in his neck of the woods. He s thinking about it, going to
speak with his wife. He s hesitant. We ve all been taught so much fear of learning any other forms
of magick. I told him to think it over. Not like I m going anywhere.
It vexed her. They had all these rules to protect them, she got that part. But when it turned around
on them and made them more vulnerable, she wanted to scream. Energy was energy, it could be
used for good or ill, it wasn t like she was teaching anyone how to kill the subject to steal their
essence. But if those from other traditions could offer some insight and new skills, why not use
that? Why not use that to teach those witches their tradition too? She knew some of the loosely cre-
ated covens would feel threatened at the potential loss of individual power bases, but she d cross
that bridge when she got there. Anyway, if she brought it up, Max would flip his lid and start on her
about the danger of this, that and the other thing.
All right. Thank you. You guys are as complicated as the shifters are, you know that?
And apparently as murderous. Meh. Several things. First, what s next with the plan to get my fa-
ther? Second, I d rather meet Max at home. I don t want to go to Max s building. Beth is there. I
don t have the strength to deal with her.
Who does, bebe, who does? Ignoring her won t make her disappear though.
I know that. But it saves my blood pressure and short of killing her, it s the best I can do right now.
She s pregnant, I m not going to do anything that would endanger the baby.
Shall I share something with you about my sister?
He pulled into his very own spot in the lot beneath Max s building. Totally not listening to her
something else he had in common with his brother but she wanted to hear the details about Beth,
so she let it go. For the moment.
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