Page 6 of Fangs with Benefits

The vampire who walked me here closes the door behind me, leaving me alone with Arman and Treyton in a room that is larger than the one I was in before, but still relatively small compared to the rooms in the coven building. Arman stares at me with a fixed gaze, much the way an animal stares at its prey. I swallow hard and step toward him, extending my hand and presenting the rolled chart.

"I made you a celestial birth chart," I say, trying hard not to glance over at Treyton. "I made one for all the faction leaders as a gift. It has been imbued with magic to serve as a glimpse into your past, present, and future."

Arman takes it from me and opens the paper.

"Lovely," he says with am impressed smile. "Excellent craftsmanship indeed." But then he hands the birth chart to Treyton and looks at me. "Isthiswhat required a private meeting with me?"

My blood warms and my heart races.

"No. I wanted to strike a deal with you."

"Whatkindof deal?" he asks, leaning forward in his seat.

"A deal that will keep your clan's relations with my coven peaceful and mutually beneficial. That will ensure our two factions will never be at odds with each other."

"And what would make you think we are in need of such a deal?" Arman asks, tilting his head in suspicion. His eyes narrow as he studies my face. He's looking for a clue that will tell him if I know of his plans.

"Anytime a new faction leader is appointed, the coven drafts a peace agreement to ensure its protection," I lie. That seems to back him down.

"And the coven has sent you to barter this with me?"

I don't want to lie anymore, mostly because I'm not very good at it, and it's only a matter of time before I get caught. So instead, I change the direction of the conversation.

"In exchange for peaceful relations," I say. "The coven,meespecially, will provide you with magical help."

I realize it sounds an awfully lot like I am prostituting my talents to keep the peace with him. But as long as it works, I don't really care.

Arman asks me a few other questions, all which I am able to dance around relatively effortlessly. Then he agrees to the bargain: the vampire clan and the witch coven will exist peacefully alongside the other factions in the city, and whenever the clan leader needs a magical task completed, he will call on me to perform it or to pose it to the coven.

When the meeting is over, I'm confident things have gone well and I've saved the coven from danger.

I head back to my apartment, wondering how to tell the other witches about the meeting. I decide that instead of telling them about the threat, I'll explain that there was a possible issue with the vampires but I've handled the situation. That way, they'll be informed but won't feel the need to go and rile everyone else up about it.

But as I'm about to pour myself a well-earned glass of merlot, there is a frenzied knock on my door. When I open it, I'm face to face with Treyton. His face is ripe with worry.

"Why do you look so stressed out?" I ask.

"Things didn't go as well as you think they did," he warns as he brushes past me and walks into my apartment. "We need to get you out of the city—now."

4

TREYTON

Ido my best to hold a poker face during Blair's meeting with Arman. But I can tell things are going sideways the more they talk. Arman keeps glancing over at me, like he's gauging my reaction. And though I try not to show any reaction, it's hard not to tense the muscles in my jaw when Blair offers to perform magic if Arman agreed to leave the coven alone. I'm surprised he doesn't interrogate her more about why she's even approaching him about this. I'm also shocked he doesn't realize I spilled his plan to Blair. He must think I know better than to be disloyal. He's wrong.

But Arman can still pick up on my protective instincts around Blair. Whether it's a scent in the air, the slight trembling of my tense muscles, or my withheld breaths—somehow, heknows. He can tell that forwhateverreason, I don't want to see this witch get hurt.

Hell, evenIdon't know what that reason is yet. I haven't even kissed the woman. But Idofeel protective of Blair, and that makes controlling her evenmoreappealing to Arman. Because if there's one thing a vampire clan leader doesn't like, it's one of his clan members developing affections for someone outside the clan.

I can tell that Blair thinks the meeting has gone well. And why shouldn't she? Arman nods and smiles and agrees to her bargain. But as soon as the meeting is over and Blair leaves the den, Arman shuts the door behind her and turns to me.

I can't help but wonder why I'm being sequestered.

"Stay and talk with me for a few more minutes, won't you?" he asks, like I have a choice in the matter. "Tell me, what do you think of the witch's offer?"

He's playing the game well, pretending not to notice the way that I bristled when Blair was in the room. He's trying to draw an explanation out of me like noxious venom. But I won't bite. He might be cunning, but I'm still smarter than him.

"I think she's doing exactly what she said she is," I answer matter-of-factly. "She's making alliances between the coven and the faction leaders. And since you're a relatively new faction leader, she's bringing you into the fold so the vampires can have a mutually beneficial and respectful relationship with the coven."