Page 102 of Shifter Situations

“Novak? Mon Coeur?”

I could hear Trouble calling my name, but it sounded distant as I came out of the vision. I shook my head, trying to bring the room back into focus.

“You spaced out for a minute there. Are you back?”

“Yeah. I, uhm, haven’t had a vision in a while.”

“I told her,” Vaughn admitted.

“Thanks. What else did you guys find in the folder?”

The fae pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. “Just more screwed up information about Anna. Seems like Katie was stalking her movements too.”

“I really thought I had nothing left to learn about our fucked up relationship,” Briggs growled, throwing the folder back onto the desk as he turned to Sloane.

“But finding out that she cheated on me with the angel who’s trying to… Fuck. Kill you. Kill all of us. That shit cuts deep and makes me wonder—”

York nodded along with the wolf. “Was it just a coincidence? How many people knew who Sloane’s mates were before she knew?”

“Let’s go kill her. Now. I don’t want to wait anymore.”

“Why right now?” Stone inquired. “We’re kind of in the middle of something.”

“The rest of the warehouse was empty, so we’re done here. She’s standing in my way in numerous ways. She’s going to challenge our authority tonight, and I’m going to kill her, anyway.”

She grinned at Briggs. “Do you want her heart or her head?”

He blinked at her several times. “I don’t know how to answer that.”

“We can figure it out later. Either way, she dies today. The what if’s you’re thinking about are dangerous, Briggs. Don’t worry about the things that can’t be changed.”

Trouble bounced her eyes from mate to mate, pursing her lips.

“I don’t believe in coincidences. I’ve spent too much time with the Fates, watching them twist reality to fit their own visions of what it should look like to them. They aren’t the only ones who can do that.

“Anna is an obsolete piece on the board. She’s not important, and now she’s out of moves. In the grand scheme of things, she’s been a distraction, a clue to our next move at best.

“Our to-do list is nothing but a scavenger hunt. We need to find this Annette person and the angel. Then kill them and Vaughn’s mom—”

“Find Nate and Amelia,” York supplied.

She tipped her head in agreement. “That will happen when we kill the winter queen.”

“And then what?” I asked.

“I want to take a long-ass vacation. Somewhere hot with a nude beach. I want to drink, swim, and have orgies. In that order.”

Stone rubbed at his jaw, trying not to laugh at her. “Wouldn’t it be better to reverse that order?”

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant.” She raised a brow at him before scrunching her face up. “Who said that?”

He snorted. “What?”

“That’s a quote. I can’t remember who said it, though.”

Palmer covered his face with both of his hands as he chuckled. “Dr. Suess, Love.”

“It’s a little weird to quote children’s books while you talk about sex, Barbie.”