“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Chris said.

“That part’s okay. It’s the other stuff I dread.” Roland clenched his hands. “We have to start attending pack gatherings.”

His eyes met mine, and I understood the real reason for his anxiety. Pack gatherings meant a lot of female werewolves looking for a mate, and the last thing my best friend wanted was to settle down. Roland wanted freedom to come and go as he pleased, and to enjoy the classic Mustang GT he and his cousin were rebuilding for him.

I looked from Roland to Peter. “I thought Maxwell didn’t make you go to those.”

Peter seemed resigned, but Roland looked ready to bolt. “Not the whole thing, but we’re expected to go to some of the meetings once we turn eighteen. There’s no getting out of it.” Roland smiled grimly. “I don’t suppose there’s any chance of a vampire invasion to get us out of it, is there?”

“Maybe not here, but there are always lots of baddies out there to kill, especially for us warriors.” Jordan smiled smugly. Last week, she had officially become a warrior. It shouldn’t have happened for another six months, but her field experience put her far ahead of other trainees. She had more kills under her belt than any new warrior, and people were already calling her the next Nikolas.

Not that anyone could ever be as good as my warrior.

“Wish I could help you guys out, but I’ll be in LA. That’s where I’m going when I leave here.” Jordan’s face flushed with excitement. “They still have a lot of vampires there, and I can’t wait to do a little hunting.” That and she’d heard the foreign warriors were still in California. She planned on getting better acquainted with one surly Egyptian male in particular.

Chris winked at me. “If anyone can attract a horde of vampires, it’s Sara. Maybe she can help you out.”

I made a face at him. “Sorry, guys, but my schedule is kind of full right now. Eldeorin wants to start training me again, and we decided it was a good idea.”

Nikolas made a low sound that was suspiciously like a snort. He was grateful for everything Eldeorin had done for me, but he couldn’t bring himself to like the faerie. Eldeorin didn’t help, taking any opportunity to annoy Nikolas.

“Eldeorin was pretty excited when he found out I transported like he does. It was only that one time, but he thinks we’ve barely tapped into my powers. I might even be able to do glamours by this time next year.”

“Cool!” Roland and Peter said together.

“And I’m working with David on a new project.”

“David, your hacker friend?” Peter asked.

“Yep. After he found Elena’s place, Tristan offered him a job working for us. We got word that some gulaks are running an international slavery ring. David and Kelvan are going to track them down, and then I’m going to kick some demon ass.”

“We are going to kick some demon ass,” Nikolas corrected me.

Roland laughed. “So I guess that means you’re done with combat training.”

I made a face. “I wish.”

Jordan picked up her bottle of water from the coffee table. “Oh, that’s right! Have you seen that new trainer who just arrived from Greece?” She fanned herself. “Makes me almost wish I was a trainee again.”

I nodded. “I hear he’s wicked good with a crossbow, too.”

Nikolas made a sound in his throat just loud enough for me to hear.

Down boy, I teased, earning a playful scowl. Completing our bond had eased his possessive male instincts, but it hadn’t eliminated them. I was a lot more understanding of them now because I had my moments, too. And being fully joined with my Mori meant getting used to a lot of emotions and urges I hadn’t had to deal with before. One thing I’d learned was that demons were very temperamental and possessive of their mates.

Jordan snickered and took a mouthful of water – and promptly began to choke on it. Peter slapped her on the back as she gaped at something past the living room archway.

I leaned over to see what she was staring at, and my breath caught in my throat.

Letting go of Nikolas’s hand, I launched myself at the thin pale gray creature standing in the hallway. He let out a gravelly laugh and hugged me back as I cried into his shaggy gray-brown hair. Behind me I heard Jordan wheezing and Chris say, “Still think it’s boring here, Jordan?”

I pulled back and met Remy’s wide violet eyes. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

He grinned, showing off his short sharp teeth. “I ward house to keep it safe for you. It tell me when you come home.”

“But won’t the elders be angry?” I held his hands, afraid he’d disappear again.

“Elders say it okay to be friends again. I miss my friend.”

I wiped my eyes with my sleeve. “I missed you, too.”

Remy looked behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder at Nikolas standing in the doorway. “You remember Nikolas and my friends.”

He gave a slight nod. “Warrior.”

I turned toward the living room, still holding one of his hands. “I guess you’ve met everyone here except Jordan. Jordan, this is my friend Remy, who I told you about.”

“Hello,” she croaked.

Grinning, I faced him again. “Let’s go to into the kitchen so we can sit.” I had so many things to tell him that I didn’t know where to start. My life had changed drastically since the last time we’d seen each other, and I was sure he had things to share with me, too.