Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark #2)(53)

She made a face. “Burnett doesn’t like that theory.”

“Fine, we’ll ask.”

“Is that how you work with the Vampire Council?” She grabbed the opportunity to move the conversation toward the council.

He made a get-real face. “The Vampire Council doesn’t micromanage like Burnett. You’d think you were his daughter.”

“So they don’t care about you.”

“They care, they just trust me to get the job done without overseeing every little detail.”

She started walking again. “I imagine when I’m a full-fledge agent, instead of just a junior part-timer, it will be the same.” She couldn’t stop herself from defending Burnett, but then added, “But I’m looking forward to meeting them.”

When he didn’t respond, she looked at him. “When do you suppose that will be?”

“When what will be?” he asked, and she recognized her own tactic of answering a question with a question.

“Now who’s doing it?” she asked. He feigned innocence. “Meeting the Vampire Council,” she answered directly. “When is it going to happen?”

“I wasn’t aware that was set in motion.”

“Oh, I just assumed since they had a hand in our work, I’d meet them just like you’ve met with Burnett.”

“I could look into it,” he said. “But I have a feeling Burnett wouldn’t approve.”

“What Burnett doesn’t know won’t kill him,” she answered.

“But you want to ask him about moving your curfew. How does that make sense?”

“He’d know I stayed out late,” she said, pointing out the difference. “He doesn’t have to know—”

“I still think he’ll have a shit fit about me keeping you out late and he’s going to say no.”

“A shit fit never killed anyone. And we won’t know until we ask.”

“Which brings me back to my point,” he said. “Let’s ask him about you meeting the Vampire Council.”

“No,” she said.

Chase’s brows tightened, and a thin line—a worry line, perhaps—appeared between his eyes. She got the distinct feeling that it wasn’t just Burnett who didn’t approve of her meeting the Vampire Council. Was there a reason Chase didn’t want her meeting them?

Could it be because she was right? Her uncle was part of the organization? Her uncle, whom she believed murdered her aunt?

And Chase knew it.

She recalled her pinkie promise to Miranda. To discover if Chase was more of a toad or a prince. Right now, the Panty Perv was looking more and more like he ate grasshoppers for supper.

*   *   *

Burnett handed them a picture of Liam Jones. “He’s a good kid. No criminal history. Was going to college to be an engineer. He’s part African-American and part white. He lived with his mother.”

Della looked at the image, and while it had been too dark to see his face in the vision she’d had, she somehow knew this was the right Liam.

Chase stared at the image, and Della could tell he felt it, too. This was their Liam. He looked up at Burnett. “By the way, we’ll need a later curfew tonight.”

Burnett’s expression hardened. “How late?”

“As late as it takes,” Chase said, looking back at the image. She could tell he almost felt a bond with Liam. Not that she could blame him, she sort of felt one toward Natasha as well. Feeling as if you were in their skin, in their head, sort of did that to you.

“We’ll be fine,” Della added. “You know we can take care of ourselves.”

“Being stronger and faster doesn’t make you invincible.” Oh, boy, Della had heard that one about a hundred times since she’d been Reborn.

“It almost does,” Chase argued.

Della inwardly cringed. That wasn’t the right thing to say. She cut Chase a look of warning.

“And that tells me why I can’t trust you.”

“Do you want us to look for Liam or not?” Chase asked.

Burnett contemplated it for a few long, silent seconds. But he wasn’t going to stay silent long. He never did.

“Yes,” he said, firmly, “but I’ll assign another agent to accompany you for that portion of the evening.”

Chase leaned forward. “I hate to argue with you, but I did some checking. There’s a couple of supernatural gangs that hang out around there. Young, teen gangs. We don’t need some old fart hanging out with us. They’ll blow our cover right off the bat.”

Burnett’s eyes got brighter. “I’ll go myself.”

“And my point remains the same.” Chase crossed his arms over his chest.

Holy shit! Had Chase just called Burnett an old fart?

Della held her breath, afraid Burnett would call off the whole mission.

Burnett’s eyes brightened and she saw him clamp his jaw shut as if to keep from going bonkers on Chase’s ass. “I’ll send a younger agent.”

Chase exhaled. “We really don’t—”

“I. Will. Send. A. Younger. Agent.” Burnett’s dark and very loud voice left it clear that it wasn’t up for debate.

When Chase settled back in his chair, Burnett continued, in a more normal voice. “I’ll call with details when I have them.”