Getting forty-three supernatural beings out of a federal raid turned out to be easier than I expected.
Vampires could move faster than human eyes could track. Witches created illusion barriers that made empty rooms look occupied. The Ancient Council members simply... stepped sideways into spaces that didn't exist for normal physics.
And werewolves? Werewolves were really good at disappearing into forests.
"Radio silence for seventy-two hours," Alexander had told everyone as we scattered. "Use the emergency contact protocols Maya established. And remember—we're not hiding anymore. We're regrouping."
Three days later, I was standing in an elevator at the United Nations building in New York, watching floor numbers climb toward the most important speech of my life.
"You sure about this?" Marcus asked, adjusting his tie. He'd traded his usual casual clothes for a diplomatic suit that made him look like secret service.
"No," I said. "But we're doing it anyway."
