And then it came in.

Nell walked in calmly, talking to Gage back at the office. Dominic, moved to her side, pulling a T-shirt on and sitting on the corner of the desk. When Nell gave Meriel the thumbs-up, she answered.

“Meriel Owen.”

“Ah, my daughter-in-law.” Which answered the question as to whether or not Gloria knew about Dominic.

She knew her lip curled at the sound of Gloria’s voice. “Cut the shit.” Meriel wanted to punch this woman’s face.

“Oh, the manners on young people today. Is my son around?”

“You should know the answer to that after your ass was handed to you last night.”

“I’d say I didn’t know what you were talking about, but now you understand I’m not to be trifled with.”

“Fuck you, lady. I’m going to explain this to you once. And I’m only giving you this because you’re responsible for making the man I love and he’s the best thing you’ll ever do. I know who you are. I know what you do. And I will end you.”

“And what does my son think about this?”

“You don’t get to talk about him as if you had anything more to do with his existence than gestating him. Lucky for him he was raised far away from the likes of you.”

Dominic put his hand on her knee and she calmed a little.

“I can easily move my business elsewhere. Given some incentive of course, because moving costs money. So, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to be sure to deposit two hundred thousand dollars into my account by midnight tonight. And then you’ll be sure I receive the same sum quarterly. And you’ll give me access to your font.”

She laughed, but there was no mirth there. “Even if I wanted to do that, it wouldn’t work. The font wouldn’t recognize an abomination like you. You’re not a witch anymore. You’re cut off from your gifts. You can’t tap the font. Are you really so stupid you never knew this?”

Silence from the other end as Gloria thought. Of course it occurred to Meriel she’d just given them information they hadn’t had. Then again, it would solve at least the problem of them thinking they could take the font over.

Nell rolled her eyes, but made the keep-it-going motion with her hand.

“How can I trust what you’re saying is true? If you let us access the font, we’d have to … supplement our diet far less.”

“The font only recognizes a connection from a witch, dumbass. And you’re not. You’ve been turned for a long time. As for how you know I’m not lying? Well, first, I’m not you.”

“Fine. Then make it three hundred thousand a quarter.”

“No. I don’t pay the trash to be taken out. I take it out myself.”

“You can pay me to keep my mouth shut. Or, you can take your chances and hope I’m not feeling talkative and find the need to go to the press to tell them about this world you’ve all been hiding for so very long.”

“If you think you’d make it long enough to do that, go on ahead.”

Nell looked up, holding out three fingers. Just keep her on longer.

“Or maybe I’ll come to visit my son. See about mending some fences. Boys need a mother. I can’t imagine why you’d try to keep us apart. Does he know this about you? You’re very jealous. He’s handsome, my boy. Without the bond, would he even have looked at you twice?”

Dominic’s gaze narrowed, his handsome face hardening. He shook his head and reached for the phone but she patted his hand and shook her head right back. As if she’d believe that crap anyway.

Meriel laughed because she couldn’t help it. “You’re dialing the wrong number. And it doesn’t matter anyway. I’d protect him no matter what. He’s everything to me. My people are everything to me. You can’t have them, or Dominic. It’s your biggest mistake that you tried. All you’re going to get from me and my clan is misery. You declared war on us last night when you played with dark forces and used them on one of my witches. You clearly have a lot to learn about clans. I’m going to enjoy teaching you.”

“You sound almost strong enough to do it. But I’ve been around the block a few times.”

“I bet. But this isn’t a contest to see who aged worse, is it?”

“Oh, you think you’re so clever. We’ll see how clever you are when I drain you. When your magick keeps my belly full. With my son at my side, imagine the feast I’ll have. I’ll destroy your precious clan witch by witch. You’ll keep me fed for a long time.”

She was making such a mistake to peg Meriel as an easy mark. But fine, that would only serve Meriel in the end.

“Being turned makes you crazy too, I see. You have nothing. You are no one. You don’t scare me. I know you, Gloria. Do you know what that means? Last night I saw into the heart of your power and you are a shell. Empty. You work with stolen power. Stolen power won’t ever be stronger than what I’ve got in my belly. I tasted what you’re made of. I’m not impressed.”

Dominic sighed and raised a brow at her.

“You and your precious font and your clan. What do you know about struggling? About working for anything?”

“Focus, Gloria. Why is it you’re mad again?”

“We’ll see how smug you are when I go to the press and expose you.”

Dominic leaned forward. “And how will your friends the human-only separatists feel when they know you’re a paranormal too? If you do that, you only expose yourself … Gloria.”

His voice was wrapped with so much violence it sent a shiver through her. They hadn’t known for absolute sure Gloria was working with the humans. Simply taunting Gloria into revealing all her plans seemed too easy, but Gloria wasn’t working on all cylinders and had already given them more information than Meriel had thought she’d expose.

Nell held out five fingers. Just a bit more to go.

But she didn’t deny it. Which answered that question. “Oh, is that you, Eduardo? My baby boy.”

“I’m not your baby boy. And my name is Dominic. My father gave it to me. He says hey.”

“I don’t think he can.”

Meriel felt sick. Gloria meant Felix, who she obviously knew was dead. Because she’d helped kill him. Not that he’d been anything less than a villain by that point too.

Dominic laughed and it made the hair on the back of Meriel’s neck stand up.

“I said my father gave it to me. Not my biological donor. The man who raised me. But back to your threat about going public and your buddies the human separatists. I’m not sure who’s worse, but I know they’d get a fairer shake in the court of public opinion than an old, shot-out hag of a turned witch with no power and a giant drug habit. You think you can control them when this gets out?”

“They’re stupid, but useful.”

Nell’s gaze darkened, her mouth hardened. Gloria had just admitted she was part of this plan.

Meriel decided to poke at her some more. “I imagine they’d be more useful if you had a plan instead of just rolling into town draining a few witches and going away.”

Nell nodded, giving her the keep going with that motion of her hand.

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Until a few years ago, they were uselessly attacking Others. The odd hunting and killing of a Were. Vampire stakings. And then there was a story about how one of these silly groups had caught themselves a witch and wanted to kill her. I was nearby and stopped in.”

The phone was silent for a few moments and Meriel wondered if she’d hung up. But no, she came back on the line. Talkative woman, Gloria Ochoa. Meriel would be pleased to use that against her.

“Sorry about that interruption. I’ll tell you more when we meet. Then I can teach you my lovely ritual and introduce you to some mages who’d love to play with you awhile. Some of them even have bounties on the heads of clans. I’ll be sure to point them in your direction. You can’t win. I’m too powerful.”

She would eat this bitch for breakfast. And she’d smile as she did it.

“First I’ll kill your mother. She’s the icing on the cake. Oh, I’ll be so powerful after that. Then I’ll let them drain you partially, but I have better plans for you. A ritual I’ve found to be very effective.”