Vivienne Northcutt took shape before him. She’d pulled her dark hair back in a ponytail that could’ve been softened with some escaping curls. But not Aunt Viv. No curls and no softness. Dark red lipstick slashed across her mouth, and deep coal made up her dark eyes.

She was a looker, but a severe one.

“Aunt Viv,” he murmured.

She leaned toward the camera, her lips pursed. “I’ve heard a rumor you’ve become intimate with the demonness.”

He blinked slowly. “My personal life is irrelevant.”

Viv waved perfectly manicured nails. “Don’t be ridiculous. A mating between a Coven enforcer and the mother of the demon leader would be very advantageous for us. Talk about allies that remain allies.” Her eyes widened. “If you procreated, that’d be even better.”

“Then I’d better go fuck her silly,” he ground out before he could stop himself.

Viv paused and then rolled her eyes. “For goodness’ sake. Political matings have taken place for eons, and often they’re the ones where people seem to be the happiest. Stop being such a wimp.”

His shoulders went back. “Watch it, Auntie, or I’ll come up with an imminent threat and have to shut you down somewhere safe.” For an eternity.

She sighed, and quite possibly mouthed the word pussy, but he must have misread her. “Fine. Update me on the situation in Seattle.”

He gave a quick rundown of the recent human deaths as well as the known five shipments headed for Seattle. “No more attacks on witches that we know about.” The previous week, somebody had fired darts of Apollo into several witches in the area, who had died torturous deaths. “We think Titans of Fire is still distributing Apollo, and we intercepted an e-mail message about a week ago, but it was routed through several different servers all over the world, and we can’t trace the source.”

“Who was the message meant for?” Viv asked.

“Parker Monzelle. We took his phone when he was arrested again.”

Viv sat back. “I’m surprised that human is still alive, considering.”

Aye. Monzelle was actually Alexandra and Tori’s father, and he’d shot Alexandra not too long ago. The police had taken him away before Kellach could rip out his heart, and Daire wouldn’t be surprised if Kell still had a plan to rid his mate of Monzelle forever. “For now, Aunt Viv, Kellach is the closest to the leaders of the Titan’s of Fire MC, and he’s still in Dublin.”

Viv nodded. “Your point is well taken. I will send Kell and Alexandra back to Seattle tomorrow.”

Daire lifted an eyebrow. “Alexandra works for the Seattle Police Department, not the Coven Nine.”

Viv shrugged. “She’s mated to Kellach, which means she does work for us now. Or she will in a century or so, since she can’t very well stay in Seattle as the fact that she’s not aging becomes apparent.” She pursed her lips. “I like Alexandra, quite a bit, although she doesn’t seem taken with the idea of being immortal.”

Daire grinned. His brother’s mate was a paradox, to be sure. When a human mated a witch, the mating increased the human’s chromosomal pairs, leaving the mate immortal. Alexandra hadn’t quite wrapped her mind around that reality. “Aunt Viv, is there a movement to remove your daughter from the Coven Nine?”

Viv leaned away from the camera. “The political workings of the Nine are not an enforcer’s business.”

“I’m asking as Simone’s cousin,” he said simply.

Viv inhaled. “Yes.”

Holy motherfucker. “Are you kidding?” Daire leaned forward and ignored the fire dancing between his fingers. “Who’s leading the charge?”

“I haven’t figured it out.” Her shoulders slumped, and for the first time, dark circles slashed below her eyes. “There are rumblings everywhere, and I have no doubt Simone will be challenged for the seat within the year.”

Daire rubbed his chin. “It’s interesting this coincides with the appearance of Apollo.” He examined scenarios and banished anger. Now was the time for strategy . . . later he’d use the power derived from righteous fury. “Is Simone being targeted because she’s the weakest member, or is this attack personal to her?”

Viv shook her head. “I don’t know. She is the wildest member with the, ah, most interesting lifestyle. Before her adventures were viewed as a possible strength, but there are rumors going around that she’s joined up with Nicholai Veis again, and you know about his troubled past.”

Well, the demon had killed more than one witch sent to assassinate him, so Daire couldn’t exactly blame him. “Nick has proven himself as an ally.”

“Perhaps. But he’s a demon, and you know they can plot for years when it comes to strategy.”

Aye, he did know that, firsthand. Felicity was a master at plotting, and the trait seemed inherent in all demons. It was possible that Veis had been plotting against Coven Nine for years, but Daire’s gut said otherwise. “I won’t allow Simone to be harmed.”

Viv winced. “I’ve heard that evidence against her has been collected by the Guard, but I don’t know what it is or what they think they have on her. If she’s challenged, there’s nothing you can do. Right now, stay on mission and shut down the mining, manufacturing, and distribution of Apollo. We confiscated three weapons on the Dublin streets last week that shoot darts.”

Daire’s head jerked up. “In Dublin?”

“Yes.” She held out a hand as he began to stand. “The Guard is working overtime, Daire. We don’t need the enforcers here; we need you there doing your job.”

If the Coven Nine members were in danger, his first priority was in Dublin. Of course, that would entail his forcing Simone back home, which might be part of the plan of her enemies. “You have no idea who’s behind the rumors?”

“No.” Viv paled. “I have a couple of investigators on the situation, but so far, all they’ve confirmed is that she and Veis have spent time together in Seattle.”

“They’ve worked together—no romance and definitely no sex.” He had to get Simone away from the demon before her past relationships were used against her. “I give you my word it’s just been work, and she’s been incredibly bitchy about it.”

Viv sighed. “She wouldn’t be bitchy if her emotions weren’t involved, and you know it. Whatever is going on between them must be ended and right now.”

“Understood.” Daire flirted with the idea of asking Viv about Triad and Demidov’s company, but if she knew anything about it, she would’ve already told him. There was no reason to worry her about a possible problem until he’d taken care of it. “Be careful, because whoever is after Simone is well funded and has this thought out.”

“I know,” Viv said. “There’s a rumor I can’t track down that somebody has damaging information about Simone beyond her wild lifestyle. Concrete evidence that she’s working against the Coven Nine.”

“That’s impossible.” Damn it. Daire needed to take care of the issue and now.

Viv nodded. “I hope so. Contact me with any new information.”

“Ditto.” Daire punched in a couple of keys, and his aunt disappeared. He dialed another number.

Kellach Dunne came into view, his nostrils huge across the screen.

“Back away from the phone,” Daire rumbled.

“Oh.” Kell backed away, and his face took shape. “What’s going on?”

Daire leaned in. “Somebody is going after Simone, and they’re in Dublin. While you’re there, I need you to investigate.”

Chapter 18

The plane bumped a couple of times as it flew through some turbulence. Felicity clasped her hands together in her lap, acutely aware of Adam Dunne’s probing eyes on her. When would Daire return from the cockpit? Finally, she couldn’t stand it any longer. “What?” she asked.

He lifted a shoulder. “Did Daire show you the marking on his palm?”

She blinked. Her siblings had been lunatics, so they’d pretty much stayed out of one another’s lives until her brother had tried to betroth her to an asshole. “Is that really your business?” she asked, curious.