She stood there for long moments, staring at the s.p.a.ce he'd just been, struck utterly silly by his declaration of love. She was thirty years old and no man had ever told her that. She wouldn't have believed it anyway. But...Clive was something entirely different. Things were never boring with him around. Stuffy as he was, at the end of the day he let her be. Never tried to change her even when to do so would make his life a lot easier.

Allowing herself a small, satisfied smile, she headed out and to her own meeting.

She met with her people just outside the main meeting room, a place she'd spent a lot of time in as a child. She'd been given all manner of lessons in the s.p.a.ce, as well as attended multiple private dinners and meetings with Vampires who'd come to visit Theo.

Rowan pushed the past away. Pushed away the fl.u.s.tering declaration of love by her uptight Scion and focused. Time for business.

"All right, let's not waste time and get right to the meat of the issue. Hunter Corp. has presented an amendment to the Treaty. You've all received a copy of the amendment and our position paper on why we're proposing it."

Rowan didn't bother sitting, she liked to range around.

"I call for a vote." Victoriana raised a hand.

"You're not a member of the committee. You're not recognized." Paola spoke and didn't bother to hide her disdain.

"I'm a member of the Vampire Nation."

Paola looked murderous. "Yes, but you're not a member of this committee. As we've already gone over earlier. The rules state the only votes that hold sway are those of the members of this committee. There are eight members of this committee. You are not one of those eight."

Rowan blew out a breath. "Some of you are under the impression that this is some sort of mock trial held at a secondary school. Or a seminar. The makeup of the committee is what it is. It is what it has been for two hundred years now. If you have a problem with how that works, there's a process in place for that. This is not the appropriate venue for shouted-out upset that you were too lazy to take part in the hard work of coming up with the work for this committee and want to jump in now."

"This is outrageous. This is not even democracy!" Valerie spoke and then looked to Roth for approval.

Rowan didn't hide her disdain. "Shall I get you a dictionary, Ms. Portman? Then you can look up democracy and then you can look at the charter of Hunter Corporation and the Vampire Nation. Most of the words you would see would not be found in the definition of democracy."

"Enough. This is not amateur hour. Or Prime Minister's Question Time." Paola sighed, pulling the paper with the proposed amendment out. "We took a straw poll among our members. We don't have enough to vote this into effect. Nor do we have the votes to rule it out."

"What are the issues at the heart of the contention then?"

"You cannot get involved in every single issue within the Vampire Nation!" d.a.m.n, that Victoriana was a shrill b.i.t.c.h.

"One more outburst from anyone not recognized by the co-chairs of this committee-that would be me or Rowan Summerwaite-and that person will be removed from the room and sent home from this Joint Tribunal."

"Based on whose authority?" It was Enyo who spoke, her magic sliding through the room.

Paola narrowed her gaze, and Rowan stood back and watched the ancient Vampire d.i.c.k measuring begin. "If you'd like to read how the organization of the Joint Tribunal is made up, or how the Nation was formed to start with, Rowan pointed out that there are copies of the charters for both in the library. I have the authority here to run this committee. You're a visitor."

Enyo began to speak again, and Rowan made a cutting motion through the air. "Enough! You are wasting my time. This is a meeting and we have an agenda. Stay on topic or shut up. Your feelings one way or the other are of no consequence here. If you don't like that reality, I really don't care. Take it up with your own people." She turned a glare on Valerie and Roth. "And if you don't like it, you know the number to the Motherhouse. Call Hilary and see what she has to say. But if you interrupt one more time, you will be ejected and I will do it myself."

Silence hung heavy as Victoriana attempted to use her thrall on Rowan.

Rowan fell away as Brigid rose again, grabbing that magic and tossing it back to Victoriana, who fell out of her chair. "You have been warned about using your petty magics on humans. If you do it again, there will be grave consequences, Vampire."

She turned back to Paola, who widened her eyes a moment and then shrugged.

"Now, to get back to the subject at hand, what are the issues at the heart of the contention?"

Takahiro lifted a finger. "We don't want you having more oversight. You have enough as it is."

Which was a fair enough worry in Rowan's estimation.

Celesse answered the issue. "How, then, do you propose we get around the basic facts here? First, that you did not notify Hunter Corp. of something important and that when Rowan brought this up, she was told you were not required to by the Treaty. And the withholding of that information led to a Hunter having to clean up a Nation-made mess?"

"I don't support changing the Treaty for one issue." Takahiro shrugged. "In the big picture, four humans died. I don't believe we should cede any more of our sovereignty for that. There are billions of humans. It was a rogue who did the deed. Thank you for taking care of that problem but that does not mean we need to give Hunter Corp. more power over us."

"The issue isn't the number of humans who were murdered by one of yours. The issue is that without this Treaty, you were not mandated to share the information that the blood barrier had been broken for crystal meth. A dangerous drug in humans and lethal beyond anything I've seen in an old Vampire. This was pertinent, not just in the case of the investigation of this rogue, but in general."

"It's not your business. You have no call to know everything about us." Victoriana spoke yet again.

"Is that so? Then how are we supposed to keep you monsters in line?" Roth shot back.

Rowan moved to where Roth sat and hauled him from his seat. "You were warned." She attempted to shuffle him to the door, but he put up a fight and she went very still and let him see the danger in her gaze.

"Don't push me, Wesslyian." She tightened her grasp and he started yelling. "We don't need a Treaty. We'd be better off killing you all when the sun was up and ridding the earth of every last one of you."

She spun, pulling him into a chokehold, and shoved him with her body to the door. The sense of absurdity nearly overwhelmed Rowan. This was a Full Partner with three decades of service under his belt acting like a hooligan. It made absolutely no sense.

Valerie got up, screeching, and Celesse, who'd gotten up when Rowan had, stalked to Valerie, grabbed her by the hair and yanked. "Shut up, you stupid girl!"

Rowan called back over her shoulder, "I'll be back in a moment." Celesse followed leading a caterwauling Valerie by the hair.

Out in the hallway once the door had been closed, Rowan shoved Roth away.

"You b.i.t.c.h! How dare you manhandle me?"

"f.u.c.k you. I dare because I'm the b.i.t.c.h who has the job. And you are leaving. Immediately."

"You don't have the authority."

"You think so?"

She turned and made a motion to one of the guards, who approached carefully. "Yes, Rowan?"

"Please have all of Mr. Wesslyian's and Ms. Portman's things packed while you keep them confined to the front sitting room. If either attempts to leave, you have the permission of Hunter Corporation to prevent that with whatever level of force you deem necessary."

The guard smiled, showing sharp white teeth, and nodded.

"You can't do this!" Roth ran at her and she ducked her leg out and then followed with a cuff of her fist to his temple, dropping him into an unconscious heap.

"What the everloving f.u.c.k?"

Celesse sighed and held Valerie, who continued to screech. She slapped Valerie's cheek hard enough to cut through the freakout. "Stop embarra.s.sing yourself and be quiet."

Rowan had been slapped that hard a few times, but she'd been sixteen at the time. Celesse didn't normally resort to force, but once her patience had been exhausted, she tolerated no more bulls.h.i.t.

"I can't believe you hit me." Valerie blinked back tears.

"Believe it. And while you're at it, know I'll do it again if you can't keep yourself under control. You're in enough trouble, Valerie, don't make it worse."

Cataline showed up, her attention only on Rowan. "Their things are being readied for departure."

Rowan pressed the bridge of her nose. "Thank you. We'll call the Motherhouse and have them arrange for pickup at the airfield."

"Shall I also arrange for a transport from here to the airfield?" Cataline didn't miss a thing.

"Immediately, please. These two are not to speak to anyone." Rowan nudged an unconscious Roth with the toe of her boot.

"This will be the end for you." Valerie sneered. "You've just attacked a partner of Hunter Corp.!"

"Hey, dumba.s.s, I'm a partner of Hunter Corp. So is Celesse. We're not that rare around here. Nor are we allowed to attempt to derail a meeting of the Joint Tribunal against express orders. Get on that plane and do it quietly and maybe you'll get a decent letter of recommendation. Not from me, of course, but someone might feel sorry for you."

Two more guards showed up, one was Recht. He didn't speak, so she nodded in Roth's direction. "Stow him in the sitting room, please, and when his bags are packed, get him out of here. If he tries anything stupid, knock him out again."

Celesse started to argue, but then didn't. Instead she shoved Valerie away in the direction of the sitting room. "She's right, Valerie. I warned you over and over. She warned you. Go quietly and go home. Do not come to the office unless you are asked to do so."

"You can't support this behavior! She's out of control. She's one of them! You can't trust her motives."

Celesse curled her lip. "Get out of my sight."

The guard simply guided her with his body until she trotted off into the sitting room, where they closed the door.

Celesse rolled her eyes and sighed. "I need a cigarette really badly. And maybe a shot of whiskey."

Rowan laughed. "We need to get the Motherhouse to send them a plane. Since I'm the one they'll both be accusing of malfeasance, perhaps you should do the calling?"

Celesse blew out a breath. "He went down like you pulled his plug. I've wanted to shut him up like that for years. He's going to demand you be fired. You know that, right?"

Rowan shrugged. "He's going to do whatever he's going to do. But I'm going to do the same, and I'm better and stronger. I want Portman fired. I don't normally flex my Partnership at Hunter Corp. But on this, I will. I don't ever want to see her face again."

"And Roth?"

"He'll do something remarkably stupid, like go to Scotland Yard to have me charged with GBH or some nonsense. And when he does, I'll deal with him. Rowan to Roth. I don't need Hunter Corp. for that."

"Don't kill him. The paperwork would bog me down for months. Go back in. I'm going to call the Motherhouse now."

"Celesse," Rowan called before she went back through the double doors.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for getting my back." Rowan paused. "This seem like...I don't know, overkill to you?"

The other woman nodded. "Yes. Power makes people mad." And put the phone to her ear.

Chapter Thirteen.

All h.e.l.l broke lose as Rowan left, as Vampires began to argue with each other and the remaining Hunter Corp. staff tried to rea.s.sert some calm.

"We can't hear what's going on out there if you all keep blathering on," Paola finally said.

It worked. The room went silent as they all unabashedly eavesdropped. One of Warren's a.s.sistants whispered what was going on to keep David and the other humans up with what was happening since their hearing wasn't as good.

Clive shared a look with Paola. This entire situation could easily go off the rails at this point. They'd gone from tense to powder keg so fast his head spun.

Which was what Enyo wanted. She wanted them all off-balance and fighting.

Rowan came back into the room, not a single hair out of place, and her lipstick had been reapplied.

"Let's not pretend you weren't all listening to that. My apologies to the committee for that regrettable breach of manners."

"Your apologies are meaningless." Collette sniffed, indignant.

"Yeah, I don't actually care what you think. I was speaking to the members of the committee who haven't acted like petulant brats."

Clive hid a smile behind the fingers steepled in front of his mouth.

"As I apologize for our similar situation." Paola tipped her chin slightly.

This started a new set of arguments, led by Victoriana.

Enyo smiled and sat back. Rowan watched, her gaze missing nothing. She spoke to David, who nodded and left the room.

His deadly Hunter was up to something.

"This is a waste of time." Rowan finally spoke and the room quieted.

"According to who?" Victoriana spoke but Rowan had her gaze on Enyo for long moments until she finally turned her attention to Victoriana.

"Whom, I think. And is that even a question, as I'm the one who said it right now? Do you even think about what you say, or does stupid s.h.i.t just fall from your lips like rain?"

"Your insults are going to end badly for you." Enyo spoke, her voice laced with power.

"Whatever. You're wasting time and you're doing it on purpose. I'm done with it for the evening, and I'm going to propose that we allow two statements, one from each side of the table-by official representatives-and adjourn until tomorrow when we take a vote."

Paola rapped the table with her knuckles. "Seconded. Warren, would you make the point regarding narrowed language, please?"

"If anyone interrupts or causes a disturbance of any kind, I will tear your throat out myself." Warren looked around the table, clearly annoyed. "As Paola mentioned, we do not have the votes to accept or reject the Amendment you're proposing. A majority of the committee has voted to present a modified amendment, narrowing the scope of what you've given us." He nodded to his a.s.sistant, who pa.s.sed sheets of paper down the table.

Clive actually thought the narrowing had brought the amendment into territory he could openly support. It gave the Hunter Corp. access to information but didn't expand their reach into Nation business.