Champion Heights was the only surviving high-rise in Atlanta. “It’s a tower?”

“Twelve floors.”

I laughed. What else was there to do?

“Did I miss something?” Barabas asked.

“You should drop me off and bail,” I told Curran.

“What, and miss the fun? Not a chance. We’ll pound him into the ground.”

We couldn’t win. I knew it. He knew it. But I loved him so much for those words, he didn’t even know.

We turned onto Northside Parkway. The ground rose, forming a hill, and on top of it a tower perched above a long, narrow lake. Built with yellow rock and turquoise glass, it faced the setting sun and the sky set its windows on fire.

Curran parked in front of the tower near a row of black SUVs that probably belonged to the People. A row of Pack Jeeps sat at the opposite end of the parking lot. The party was all here. Now I just had to bring the entertainment.

“Who is running security?” Curran asked.

“Derek,” Barabas answered.

Well, the place would be secure. Also, Derek would probably die. I needed to get him and our people out of the building.

The second Jeep parked next to us and spat out Jim, Andrea, Thomas, and Robert. When I tried to suggest Robert should stay behind, both wererats acted mortally offended. I let it go. I was tired of trying to talk people out of this mass suicide.

We walked through the double doors, manned by two guards. The taller of the men on the right stepped forward. Curran looked at him for a second and the two guards turned around and decided to look somewhere else.

We crossed the lobby.

“The elevator doesn’t work yet,” Barabas informed me. “The bottom floors aren’t finished. Only the top three are.”

“That’s fine. We’ll take the stairs,” Curran said.

We climbed the steps. I knew stairs would be the death of me one day.

Twelve floors went by fast. I opened the door and we stepped into a wide hallway lined with green carpet. Six journeymen stood on the left, six vampires sitting by their feet. Across from them Derek and five of our combat-grade people stood on the right. Derek saw us and pushed himself from the wall.

If I knew anything at all about Derek, this wasn’t the totality of the Pack’s forces in the building. They would have people stashed on the roof, on the floor below, in the parking lot.

“No need for everyone to die,” I murmured.

Curran nodded at Derek. “Clear the building. Take our people out.”

He didn’t even blink. “Yes, Lord.”

“Everyone, Derek,” I added. “A complete recall.”

“Yes, Consort.” He turned to the shapeshifters. “Full evac.”