“I’m a United States senator, Delilah. I can’t just carry a banner for civil war.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m a senator too. And this middle ground you’re trying to hold is getting smaller every day. I’m just saying, straight up, that there will be a time when there’s nowhere left to stand and you will have to step to one side or the other.”

“Surely you can’t endorse civil war! I choose to believe the process can work.”

“That’s a pretty fantasy. The process isn’t working. I can’t endorse a situation where a significant portion of our population is openly abused, assaulted, murdered and mistreated for something like being a witch. I wouldn’t have done it no matter who the group was. The time to wring my hands and hope those in power do the right thing has passed.”

“Change takes time.” He didn’t want to face it. Didn’t want to hear it. But she was made of sterner stuff and continued.

“Time. Bah. The president is doing nothing. Half the time the local authorities do nothing to respond to the attacks on Others. How much more do you think we should take? Hm? Do you think we would go into camps? I know what your family did and I respect that, but that’s not a choice I’m willing to make. I won’t send my parents into a camp and see their lives upended because the government is too weak to take a stand. Or worse, too weak to stop that sort of backslide into a world where it’s okay to put people into camps because they’re different. It’s not going to happen. These groups like PURITY are hate groups, plain and simple. It’s time someone in the White House said so.”

“I called President Sullivan’s chief of staff to request a meeting. It’s not that I disagree with you. I don’t, as it happens. But I’ve got to try as long as I can to do things the legal way.”

“I understand. I just want you to see . . . I want you to realize you’re going to have to choose.” She shrugged. “The Others are organizing militias and police function patrols. And special teams. Did you know many military special ops teams have Others on them?”

“I didn’t, but it makes sense that Rangers, Recon and SEALs would attract Others. Witches are the highest functioning control freaks I’ve ever come across, and believe me, I know control freaks. Speaking of that, are you free next weekend? My grandfather’s birthday party is coming up. I thought you could meet the entire Sato clan.”

She blinked and then smiled. “Yes, yes, I’d like that. Crafty topic change, by the way.”

“I wanted to ask while I remembered it. You’re busy, I’m busy. I just wanted to . . . and yes, change the subject.”

The food came and they steered away from the subject of Others for a while and just got to know each other as Toshio and Delilah. But he knew she was right. He would have to choose someday very soon.

Chapter 16

FAINE watched his woman as she ordered people around. She had no idea how hot it was when she was this way. He saw no reason to tell her so just yet. It would be his secret.

Simon came over and sat next to him. “Damn, one at a time they’re bad ass. But together? Those Jaansen sisters are unstoppable.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Helena and Lark were showing some of the other witches from various covens and other Clans how to work defensive spells. They’d all done some training with the Owen witches, who’d undertaken the skill upgrade back even before the Magister. But it was more important now.

“Our powers are increasing. We need to be aware and always working to manage them. It’s great to reach out and find you can do a spell you never imagined before. But not so much fun to reach and grab something you can’t control. You can get hurt. Other people can get hurt. Now more than ever you need to be aware of yourself. Take stock every day. Hone your skills. We aren’t superior in numbers to those who want to throw us in camps. But they don’t have magick and we do. Use that. Make it the best weapon you have.”

She’d created three special operations teams and had sent them out the night before to track down the leaks and take care of them. Some of those Others were in custody. None of them would continue to be a threat.

He knew she’d had a lot of difficulty making the choices she had. But she made them anyway. Which is what made her so good at her job. Though he had a feeling she wasn’t sure of that. He’d reinforce it when they were alone.

Alone. He needed that with her. She was different when she was on the job. More closed. Calculating and all business. He liked that, but he craved that Helena only those very close to her saw.

Molly’s secretary, Rita, came in. “You all need to get into the conference room immediately.”

Everything stopped and people turned to Helena and Lark. “Go.”

They made their way across the office to the conference room where the television on the far wall was on. Carlo Powers stood with Marlon Hayes.

“Today we have passed the Domestic Safety Act through committee and it will go to a full vote on the floor. Keep in mind that these monsters have had their own murdered for daring to speak out against their ways.”

Faine looked over at Helena, who looked positively murderous indeed.

There was a general uproar in the press, people yelling questions.

“I know because several of these patriotic men and women have disappeared. They were helping me and our cause and they are all gone today. They admitted what sort of monsters they are, told me all sorts of things. Things I’ll be exposing to you all over the course of the next few days. But suffice it to say there is a lot these monsters have not been telling us, despite their claims of honesty and openness.”

“That bastard!” Molly exploded from her chair and then, unable to pace because of the cast, sat back down. “We haven’t been honest? He had spies in our ranks and it’s our fault? Rita, get all my contacts on the line. We need to respond. I need to get on all the networks to combat this.”

“We need to be ready for them to expose the existence of the Veil. Of demons and Fae and Lycians.” Meriel sipped her coffee. “But unless they have actual proof, we don’t respond to anything. And what sort of proof can they have? Hearsay?” Meriel shrugged. “I don’t give a damn about what someone, who conveniently isn’t around, said about something he or she heard. How can we trust the word of people who won’t appear on camera?”

Helena smirked.

“And we don’t know a thing about any disappearing Others. Not unless there are groups of mages out there again, kidnapping them to satisfy their dangerous addictions.”

People always underestimated witches, but they were just as hardcore as the rest of the Others when it was necessary. Meriel was a vicious, canny woman and he admired that a great deal. This was high-stakes politics and she was absolutely a player. Marlon Hayes thought he’d shake the Others up with this, but he had no idea what was in store for him.

“I need to get back to Los Angeles to get people trained down there and manage the movement of our people into the enclave communities.” Helena stood.

“Keep us updated. I’ll contact Rebecca now. I’m sure she’s seen this mess already.” Meriel was gone in moments.

Lark hugged her sister. “Please be safe.”

“I’ll do my best. You too.”

Faine clasped his brother’s forearm and then hugged him. “Watch over your woman.”

Simon nodded. “You too. And be sure to eat plenty of protein because watching over a Jaansen takes a lot of fortitude.”

“I heard that,” Lark called out from where she stood with her sister.

Simon waggled his brows her way and she rolled her eyes and turned back to Helena.

“Keep checking in. I’ll let you know what we get out of these prisoners.”

Helena nodded. “I’ll go straight to the one we’ve got in holding. The wolves said we could keep him at Gennessee. It’s safer there anyway.”