Throwing out the drawing, he left his room, suddenly frightened of being alone.

As he stepped out into the corridor, he nearly plowed over Fritz. The butler leaped back in time, protecting a bowl of… peas? Peas in water?

Cormia’s constructions, Phury thought as what was in the doggen’s arms sloshed around.

Fritz smiled in spite of the near miss, his wrinkled, rubbery face pulling into a happy grin. “If you are looking for the Chosen Cormia, she is in the kitchen, taking her Last Meal with Zsadist.”

Z? What the hell was she doing with Z? “They’re together?”

“I believe the sire wished to speak with her privately about Bella. That is why I am doing chores elsewhere in the house at the moment.” Fritz frowned. “Are you all right, sire? May I get you anything?”

How about a head transplant? “No, thanks.”

The doggen bowed and went into Cormia’s room, just as voices drifted up from the foyer. Phury went to the balcony and leaned over the gold-leafed rail.

Wrath and Doc Jane were at the foot of the stairs, and Jane’s ghostly expression was as strident as her voice.

“-ultrasound technology. Look, I know it’s not ideal, because you don’t like people on the grounds, but we don’t have a choice here. I went to the clinic, and not only will they not accept him, they demanded to know where he was.”

Wrath shook his head. “Christ, we can’t just bring him-”

“Yes, we can. Fritz can pick him up in the Mercedes. And before you argue with that, you’ve had those trainees coming to the compound every week since last December. He won’t know where he is. And as for the glymera shit, no one needs to know he’s here. He could die, Wrath. And I don’t want that on John’s conscience, do you?”

The king cursed long and low and glanced around, as if his eyes needed something to do while his head churned over the sitch. “Fine. Arrange for the pickup with Fritz. The kid can have the test and the operation, if need be, in the PT suite, but then he has to be transported back out ASAP. I don’t give a rat’s ass about the glymera’s opinions, what I’m worried about is precedent. We can’t become a hotel.”

“Understood. And listen, I’m going to want to help Havers out. It’s too much for him to set up the new clinic and care for patients. Thing is, it’s going to involve some days off-site for me.”

“Vishous okay with that security risk?”

“Not his call, and I’m telling you only out of courtesy.” The female laughed dryly. “Don’t give me that look. I’m already dead. It’s not like the lessers can kill me again.”

“That is so not funny.”

“Gallows humor is part of having a doctor in the house. Deal with it.”

Wrath barked a laugh. “You are such a hard-ass. No wonder V fell for you.” The king grew serious. “But let’s be perfectly clear. Hard-ass or not, I’m in charge here. This compound and everyone in it is my deal.”

The female smiled. “God, you remind me of Manny.”

“Who?”

“My old boss. Chief of surgery at St. Francis. The two of you would get along beautifully. Or… maybe not.” Jane reached out and put her transparent hand on the king’s thick, tattooed forearm. As the contact was made, she became solid from head to toe. “Wrath, I’m not stupid, and I’m not going to do anything precipitous. You and I want the same thing, which is for everybody to be safe-and that includes members of the species who don’t live here. I’m never going to work for you, or anybody else, because that’s not my nature. But I’m sure as hell going to work with you, okay?”

Wrath’s smile was full of respect, and he nodded once, the closest the king ever came to a bow. “I can live with that.”

As Jane took off in the direction of the underground tunnel, Wrath looked up at Phury.

He said nothing.

“That Lash you were talking about?” Phury asked, hoping the kid had been found or something.

“Nope.”

Phury waited for a name. When the king just turned and hit the stairs, his long, calm stride eating up the distance two steps at a time, it was clear none was coming.

Brotherhood business, Phury thought.

Which used to be yours, the wizard was kind enough to point out. Until you lost your napper.

“I was coming to find you,” Phury lied, going over to his king and deciding that an unofficial report about what had happened at the clinic was clearly unnecessary by this time. “There are a couple of Chosen who are going to be stopping by here. They’re coming to see me.”

The king’s brows sank behind his wraparounds. “So you completed the ceremony with Cormia, huh. Shouldn’t you be seeing the females over on the Other Side?”

“I will soon enough.” Shit, wasn’t that the truth.

Wrath crossed his arms over his heavy chest. “I heard you manned up at the clinic tonight. Thanks for that.”

Phury swallowed hard.

When you were a Brother, you were never thanked by the king for what you did, because you were just carrying out your duty and your job and your birthright. You might get an attaboy for kicking ass, or some awkward, testosterone-scrambled sympathy if you got cracked and were hurt… but you were never thanked.

Phury cleared his throat. He couldn’t get you’re welcome out, so he just murmured, "Z was on top of everything… and so was Rehv, who happened to be there.”

“Yeah, I’m going to thank Rehvenge as well.” Wrath turned toward the study. “That symphath is proving useful.”

Phury watched the double doors slowly close, the pale blue room beyond getting shut out of his sight.

As he himself turned to go, he caught sight of the majestic ceiling of the foyer, those warriors so proud and true.

Now he was a lover, not a fighter, wasn’t he.

Aye, the wizard said. And I bet you’ll be just as bad at the sex. Now go run along and find Cormia and tell her how you like her so much you’re benching her. Look into her eyes and tell her that you’re going to fuck her sisters. All of them. Every one of them.

Except her.

And tell yourself you’re doing the right thing by her as you break her heart. Because that is the reason you’re running. You have seen the way she looks at you and you know that she loves you and you are a coward.

Tell her. Tell her everything.

As the wizard started on a true roll, Phury took the stairs down to the first floor, went into the billiards room, and picked up a bottle of Martini amp; Rossi vermouth and a bottle of Beefeater gin. He grabbed a jar of olives, a martini glass, and…

The box of toothpicks made him think of Cormia.

Heading upstairs again, he was still afraid to be alone, but he was equally afraid of being around anyone else.

The only thing he knew was that there was one surefire way of shutting down the wizard, and he was going to work that plan.

Until he passed the fuck out.