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as though he were trying to figure out what I was thinking. Unconsciously, I ran a finger over my necklace. Another amulet was set in the pendant and it prevented others from reading my thoughts through natural talent or spell. In Finn’s case, his vampire powers of mind-reading and persuasion were rendered useless. His gaze rested on my neck and I lowered my hand. Shit. Now he knew why he couldn’t read my thoughts.
    Finn’s smile was decidedly smug when our eyes met again. I rolled my eyes and went back to ignoring him, which is exactly what I had done last night after Belinda and I returned to Donna and Conner’s engagement party. Instead of annoying him, my refusal to acknowledge his existence seemed to amuse him greatly.
    Conner, Finn, and Lex were all Council members. After Donna’s kidnapping and near death, Conner had killed one of the original Council members, Vanessa Santino, for her part in the plan. The power-hungry bitch had been replaced with Gabriel Crow. Before he was turned he’d been a Cheyenne shaman. Gabriel wasn’t as tall as Finn, but his demeanor made him seem larger. His dark eyes seemed as hard and cold as black ice. While his face was too harsh and his bones too sharp and prominent to be handsome, he was a striking man. His black hair was cut short and hugged his skull.
    The final member of the vampire Council was a female who had been turned in her forties. I did not recognize her, but knew Conner would make introductions shortly. I assumed he was waiting for Lachlan and Calder to arrive.
    There were supposed to be seven members on the Council, but, with the upheaval and distrust among the community, I assumed that they were leery of bringing in two more members until it was over.
    There was another knock on the door but Calder opened it before Lex could move to answer it. He and Lachlan entered the study, their expressions neutral.
    Lach greeted Lex with a nod and a simple, “Lex.”
    He and Calder greeted Conner and Finn as well and I felt a whisper of awareness run down my spine as Lachlan’s gaze shifted to Belinda. There was something in his eyes that I didn’t recognize, yet it didn’t seem malicious. I didn’t think he and the High Priestess had met before, but maybe I was wrong.
    With everyone present, Conner did as I expected. He introduced Gabriel and the female vampire named Johanna. Once polite greetings were exchanged, everyone took a seat.
    Casually, I pretended to toy with my bracelet, making sure that the amulet was turned toward me and not visible by the others. I regulated my breathing and heart rate as my nerves jangled. Typically, I loathed subterfuge, but I also understood that this was necessary. If I allowed my anxiety to get the best of me, everyone in the room would know something was going on. Vampires and werewolves could literally smell fear and hear the heartbeat of a person nearby. Those were the traits of a predator.
    As the meeting began, I watched everyone, including Conner, Lex, and Finn, for signs of deception. Though I didn’t think any of them were lying, I used the amulet to evaluate their truthfulness periodically.
    I also listened to what they discussed. Undoubtedly, Belinda would want to know my thoughts on the suggested changes. I knew Conner, Lex, and Finn were eager to establish good relations with the witches and wolves, and it seemed Lachlan and Calder were open to that as well. Gabriel and Johanna were difficult to read. While they didn’t seem completely opposed, I could see they were hesitant.
    Finally, the meeting began to wind down. During the last half hour, I’d desperately needed to pee. After catching Belinda’s eye, I slipped out of the room and down the hall in search of the bathroom.
    A few minutes later, I finished washing my hands, checked my make-up in the mirror, and left the little powder room. My mind was still back in the study, thinking about everything I’d heard. It seemed that the vampires and werewolves were