A Dangerous Game
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine.
Author’s Notes- First of all this chapter takes place before “Seduce Me” and “Small Victories”, they take place in the break between acts. I never actually intended to split this story up but in the last week, I realized that it was really two stories in one with some side stories and decided to write it as such. This is the end of the first arc of “A Dangerous Game”. This isn’t how I intended this chapter to go, originally, I’d actually planned to take it in a very different direction and then realized how much better this ending is. Shoutout to theroyalweisme for the conversation we had about Kennedy and how I needed to include a reference to Vega knowing JFK.
Rating- PG-13
Summary- Lilith accompanies Adam to meet with Adrian and Kamilah about the Clanless.
Words- 1475
Chapter Eleven: Man of His Word
(Series Timeline can be found here)
“I am meeting with Adrian and Kamilah tonight,” Adam told me casually as he dressed for the day.
“To discuss the Clanless?” I asked, getting out of bed. I actually had a full schedule since Lisa had wanted to capitalize on the interview and get me out there doing stuff.
“Yes,” Adam answered, “I put off the discussion to let things settle a bit, but we have our quarterly Council meeting coming up and Adrian assures me it is important to have a plan in motion before then.”
I nodded, letting the bit about him putting it off slide. It had been a hectic seven weeks. Besides, what mattered is he was doing what he said he would, he was trying to come up with a solution to help the Clanless.
“Can I come?” I asked, trying to decide which jewelry to wear. I wouldn’t normally invite myself on Council business, most of the Council still scared me, but Adrian and Kamilah were different and I felt personally involved.
“Of course,” Adam said smoothly, “though it’ll be late.”
“I can take a nap,” I said with a shrug and then smiled at him. “Maybe you can sneak away and join me?”
“I’ll do my best,” Adam told me, crossing over to my side, “though I can’t promise that there will actually be any sleeping happening.” He pulled me against him, kissing me deeply.
I returned the kiss eagerly, wrapping my arms around his neck. “How much time do we have,” I asked him, my hands slipping inside his suit jacket.
“Unfortunately not that much,” Adam told me, kissing me one more time before stepping back, gently removing my hands as he did so. “But I will definitely clear some time this afternoon.”
I nodded, a little disappointed. This might have been the first time Adam had turned me down, but at the same time we’d been on our honeymoon and now we had to get back to normal life and that meant obligations. Besides, he hadn’t said no, just later. “I’ll look forward to it.”
He leaned in again and brushed a very light kiss against my mouth and then he was gone.
**
“Lilith, I didn’t know you were joining us.” Adrian greeted when Adam and I entered the conference room.
“I hope you don’t mind,” I told him softly. This was only the second time I’d seen Adrian since I’d quit working for him, the first being my wedding and we hadn’t really had a chance to talk.
“Of course not,” he said, coming over to kiss my cheek, “It’s always a pleasure to see you.” He nodded at Adam. “Adam.”
“Adrian,” Adam greeted, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me against his side.
I saw Adrian’s eyebrows raise at the gesture. “I thought you saved moves like that for the cameras, I caught the interview, by the way, it was quite impressive and now the country is calling you a modern-day Kennedy.”
“Jack did have a knack for projecting an image,” Adam said easily, “there are worst comparisons.”
“Unless they start talking about the number of skeletons hidden behind the charm,” Adrian responded and I noticed that he was a lot less surface polite than he had been the first time he took me to meet Adam.
“Jack?” I asked instead, hoping to defuse the tension. “You were on a first name basis with Kennedy?”
It shouldn’t surprise me, I mean, they’d been around for centuries they had probably met lots of famous people.
“He was a friend,” Adam said with a shrug, “actually, he’d expressed interest in joining my Clan, once his term was done.”
“JFK wanted to be a vampire?” I asked in disbelief.
“He liked the idea of eternal life and he was in a great deal of pain,” Adam commented, “but unfortunately, Dallas happened.” He scowled. “I’ve always suspected the Baron had a hand in that. He doesn’t like to lose.”
“Are vampires responsible for everything?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Both vampires smirked, it might have been the first time I’d seen them in agreement.
“Pretty much,” Adrian answered, “we have our fingers in a lot of pies and make a lot of connections.”
Given that my husband was a vampire who wanted to run for President, my former boss was a global leader in technological invention and we were waiting for the head of a financial giant to meet us, I guessed that made sense, but sometimes it still caught me off-guard.
“Good, you’re both here,” Kamilah said, sweeping into the room. She nodded toward me. “Lilith, I see you’ve chosen to join us.”
“Yes,” I answer, I cast a look at Adam before I speak, “I wanted to add my opinion and inside on the Clanless from my encounters with them.”
Adam’s arm tightened, pulling me closer and I could feel how tense his whole body was.
“Your contact is Jax Matsuo right?” Adrian asked with a bit of a smirk, “the leader of the Clanless?” My surprise must have shown because he smiled gently. “When you were my employee, your safety was my concern and your meetings with Matsuo were noted.”
Had Adrian had me followed? Somehow the idea really bothered me, especially since I’d whined about Adam doing the same and at last he was my husband.
I found myself leaning closer to Adam before I spoke. “Yes, Jax and I were acquainted. He rescued me from the Baron’s dungeon the night Lily was Turned. I haven’t spoken to him in some time though, not since I left your employ.”
I glanced up at Adam and saw the satisfaction on his face.
“Well, it’s still an interesting connection,” Adrian continued, but the smirk had disappeared and there was something akin to displeasure on his face as he looked at Adam and I. “We can all agree that the feral situation is out of control and that it is connected to the Clanless and that the situation can not be allowed to continue as it has been.”
“Yes,” Kamilah spoke up, “but we’ve never been able to come to any kind of solution.”
“That’s because the problem isn’t with any of our Clans,” Adam spoke up, “and we all know it. None of us are indulging in unauthorized Turnings, special circumstances aside, of course,” the last one was said with a sly smile in Adrian’s direction, “and we are not turning a blind eye to it.”
“Are you 100% sure no one in your clan is responsible for the Clanless?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
“Yes,” Adam answered me and his tone was colder than he normally used with me. He wasn’t my doting husband at this moment, but instead, I was staring into the eyes of the cold, practical Clan Leader. “If I catch wind that a member of my Clan has turned a human, voluntarily or not, then they are executed immediately.”
Ok, then.
“And you two have the same policy?” I asked Adrian and Kamilah.
“Yes,” Adrian answered, “I also normally screen my Clan members aggressively to make sure that they have the restraint and personality I require.” Oh, yes, I remembered him saying that Nicole didn’t have the necessary restraint to be a member of his Clan.
“But the other Clans aren’t as discriminating?” I asked, though I already knew the answer. “I mean, I know about Priya and the Baron, but what about Lester?”
I knew he was a lech and super gross, but where did he fall on the Clanless situation?
“He’s at least discreet,” Kamilah commented, “if he or his Clan is responsible for unauthorized Turnings, they’ve never been discovered, but he also will not move to fix the situation.”
That didn’t sound promising, but I guess I should have expected that. I mean, if Lester was a potential ally, he’d have been invited to this meeting, right?
I retreated to silence as the three of them discussed the situation. It quickly became apparent they weren’t going to find a solution tonight, even though I knew it would have been naive to assume the issue would be solved immediately overnight, but at least they were working together.
I watched Adam as he debated with the other two master vampires. I’d seen him in charismatic politician mode before, but this was something else. He made his points carefully, his arguments based on logic, never raising his tempter. It was actually really hot.
And he was doing what I’d asked, following through on his end of the bargain. Whatever had motivated our arrangement, he was making an effort, both in doing what he promised and making me comfortable.
Maybe this whole arrangement wasn’t going to be as bad as I feared. In fact, maybe it would end up being the best decision I’d ever made…
**
