He took her hand as he drove and she allowed herself to enjoy their time together as a couple. Allowing herself to believe things could be all right when the dust settled. But at the very least, they were right then and that was enough.

DELILAH looked so lovely Tosh nearly regretted not having her all to himself. All that golden hair was pulled up and away from her face. She was old-fashioned in the best sense of the word with a brooch on her blouse and elegant, tailored pants that only emphasized her shape.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“Thank you. You did, but it never hurts to hear it more than once. I promise. It’s all right? My outfit I mean. I didn’t want to go too casual and then I thought maybe you all keep it casual on purpose and I’ll be overdressed.”

“You’re perfect. I promise, they’re going to like you.”

The nervousness on her features eased a little. “I hope so. If they made you, they have to be good people.”

“You should say that to my mother. She’ll love it.”

Delilah laughed. “I’ll try to find a way to say it without sounding like I’m sucking up. You’re sure they’re okay with me coming?”

“Definitely. I spoke to my grandmother about it first and then got a call from my mother and one of my brothers about it. I’m sorry to say they might be pretty excited about having you there.”

“Sorry?”

He snorted. “They’re going to show you pictures and ask you rude, intrusive questions about your life and your family. They mean well, but they’re nosy, and since they know we’re together and I like you enough to want them to meet you, my mother might make hints about marriage or kids. I’m just warning you.”

“That’s better than telling me I should be using birth control because of mixed babies.”

He frowned as he pulled into his grandparents’ driveway. “What? Someone did that?”

“Yes. It happened a while ago. Before the Magister, but if you remember, the wolves have been out for a while now. It was one of the reasons I decided to stop dating humans. Clearly I break rules for you and that heart of yours.”

“My heart?”

She turned to him. “You have the heart of a lion. Full of passion and justice. It goes with your looks. All that gorgeous hair and your features, which would be perfect for an ad in GQ. And your brain. All in all, you’re a total package. But it’s your heart that proved my undoing. I can’t resist.”

As compliments went, that one was one of the best he’d ever received.

“I’m really glad about that. While I do admire your heart and your brain, can I tell you it’s your lips that have always done me in?” And her breasts. He loved those though he hadn’t seen them yet. There was something courtly about this thing between them. Though he wanted her, all of her, they’d been taking it very slow and it seemed to suit them both.

The sexual tension banked, getting hotter, and when it finally did happen, he knew it would be worth it.

He leaned in to kiss her, grabbing her bottom lip between his teeth a moment as he pulled back. In the corner of his vision he caught sight of his mother coming out onto the porch and waving.

“My mom knows we’re here. Just yell for me if I’m not near and you need saving from the crazy.” He squeezed her hand before he got out to take her inside.

The place was wall-to-wall Satos from his eight-month-old niece to his grandfather. And every one of them went out of their way to make Delilah feel welcome. He hadn’t really worried that they wouldn’t. She was pretty fabulous and they’d know he wouldn’t have brought anyone to an event this important if he didn’t really like her. But it was a good thing to see, as well as the way Delilah interacted with them. Open. Smiling. Joking. Asking questions and actively listening to answers.

“Stop watching her like you’re worried we’re going to ask her to change into a werewolf at the dinner table or something.”

He turned to his sister, who grinned at him like a fool.

“Quiet you. I’m not worried like that. I just want her to feel comfortable.”

His sister Suzanne laughed at that. “Wrong family event. Dad’s already tipsy, Grandma’s all high with babies and having a full house. Delilah’s getting the full brunt of us. If she survives and takes your call tomorrow, you’ll know it’s meant to be. She’s gorgeous, by the way. And I saw her speak a few days ago at a press conference. She’s sharp. Needs to be, I wager, given the way things are right now. And really, to manage you too.”

“Hey. I’m easy.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are anything but easy, Toshio. I worry about you with all this insanity. Her too, now that I know her.”

He shrugged. “I wish I could say you were overreacting. But what else can I do, Suz? Huh? Shut up and let all this happen without speaking out?”

She shook her head. “No. You’re doing the right thing. We believe in the work you’re doing. I have to admit how shocked I am by what some people are saying. I guess I thought we were past that. You know, aside from the weirdos. But this isn’t just weirdos and fringe people.”

“No. It’s people I never thought would say such things. People who can look me in the eye and advocate for putting people in camps. Or worse. I’ve lost friends over this. I still do not believe it is the majority of humans, though. But for the Others, well hell, how much more should they have to lose? Delilah’s sister lost her business. They ran a dry cleaning service that worked out of the hotels in downtown Chicago. One by one they told her they’d found a new dry cleaner until she had no clients left. And that’s not even the people who’ve been physically attacked or killed. They need to be represented by their government, protected, and it’s not happening. I don’t think I’m doing enough. But I don’t know what else I can do.”

Suz took his hand and squeezed it. “You’ll do all you can because that’s who you are. And no one expects anything less. And now you have someone, and it’s probably not the most convenient time.” She snorted. “But love works that way, I guess.”

“I think it’s early for love. But I do like her a great deal and I have since I first met her. She makes me laugh and I can talk to her. I respect her and the job she does. It’s the big bright spot in my life right now. And I’m not above grabbing it with both hands and not letting go.”

“Good. Don’t let go, Tosh, because that’s rare enough you’d better cherish it.”

Chapter 19

FAINE had been working in the conference room adjacent to Helena’s office for all of twenty minutes when The Gennessee came in and turned on the large television in the room. “Hayes is doing a press conference in five minutes.”

Faine sighed heavily. They knew it would be coming any day, but it had been three days of relative peace. No one they knew had been injured or killed. Helena slept at his side each night without bruises or stitches. It had been a good thing.

But that would fade, he was sure, after this statement Senator Hayes would make. So he braced himself.

The room filled quickly and Helena settled, her hip against his chair, attention on the screen.

“Meriel is watching in Seattle and we’ll patch in after this is over.” Rebecca was distracted and Faine understood it.

Hayes, flanked by Carlo Powers, PURITY’s leader, came onto the screen. “We’re here to start a dialogue on this issue. There will be no questions.”

“Someone needs to buy the man a dictionary and help him look up the word dialogue,” Helena muttered.

“Over the last months, some Others have been cooperating with my office and with PURITY to help us uncover the true nature of the Others living in our midst. These creatures are not the kind souls they try to pretend to be. We’ve been given information by the Others themselves that has revealed a world you would all be sickened by.”