But I was stuck back at The Biltmore.

“You went to The Biltmore?” I asked Abel.

His eyes sliced to me. “I went to The Biltmore.”

“Alone?” I demanded to know on a near-shriek.

“This is not for now, Delilah,” Abel bit out.

“It fucking is!” I shouted, moving further into the room, Jabber sticking close, Snake adjusting so he was closer. “They could have smelled you, set on you, killed you.”

“They didn’t. Didn’t see them. Smelled them, didn’t see them,” Abel returned and looked to Jian-Li. “And, as I said, also smelled you.”

“I went there yesterday,” Jian-Li shared calmly, and my mouth dropped open as my eyes went to her. “I sat down and spoke with them,” she went on, and that was when my eyes got big. “They were very gracious.”

“You went to The Biltmore alone without tellin’ anyone?” Abel asked, his voice quiet but frightening.

“I did, my Abel,” Jian-Li confirmed.

“Then I’ll repeat, have…you lost…your fucking mind?” Abel fired back.

“No,” Jian-Li answered. “And I would have shared with you earlier, but you were with Delilah and you haven’t had much quality time together. Even if their message seemed urgent, you connecting with Delilah was more urgent, so I decided this morning would be soon enough. Unfortunately, you found out before I could explain.”

“Unfortunately I did,” Abel clipped. “Now tell me, tian xin, how the fuck am I supposed to keep you safe if you walk your ass into a den of vampires and werewolves?”

“I took a chance for you, Abel, to keep you safe, and that risk bore fruit,” Jian-Li replied. “They’re not like the ones who attacked you and Delilah. They have urgent things to share with you. But they’re good.”

“They’re good,” Abel spat.

“They are,” Jian-Li confirmed.

“And you know this,”—he threw out a long arm—“how? That they didn’t kill you but obviously talked you into gettin’ me to have a sit down with them. Is that how?” Abel asked.

“They wish to speak to both you and Delilah,” Jian-Li told him.

“I bet they do. Two birds, one stone, and you deliverin’ us up for that shit,” Abel snarled.

Jian-Li’s head moved like she’d been slapped.

I cut my eyes to my man. “Abel, calm down,” I hissed through my teeth.

Abel again ignored me. “You are my daughter, my sister, my mother, and you put yourself out there for possible slaughter, then sat down with them and let them feed you bullshit.”

“How do you know it’s bullshit, Abel?” I asked, and he turned his angry eyes to me.