“Keeping him in play and mining information would be preferable,” Callum answered, and I twisted to look at him. “We court The True realizing we’ve turned Patricio with some of the things we ask him to do. Miko is free to do what he wishes, but we would see it all. However, when things change, you change with them.”

“Let’s go,” Xun said impatiently.

“I’ll round up Hook and Moose,” Wei offered and didn’t wait for anyone to accept. He took off, Chen following him.

“I’ll pull together a team,” Stephanie stated and looked to Gregor. “Coming?”

Gregor nodded and they moved out.

“She does not watch that video,” Abel stated, and my attention went to him to see his on Sonia.

“She won’t, Abel,” Sonia replied.

Abel looked down at me. “I won’t be long.”

I nodded.

“Kiss,” he ordered.

I rolled up on my toes and kissed him hard.

When I was done, he lifted and pressed his lips to my forehead before he looked over it and asked, “Ready?”

“Absolutely,” Callum answered.

Abel smoothed the pad of his thumb over my jaw before he completely let me go.

Callum kissed Sonia’s nose before he let her go.

Then they were gone.

* * * * *

Yuri

Yuri sat on the couch in his suite and watched Aurora, who was sitting on the couch opposite, leaning forward toward a wide, flat bowl in front of her on the coffee table. Strewn around the bowl were a large variety of bottles, vials, and tools, all of which she’d used.

She took up the vile of Abel’s blood, unstoppered it, and poured it in the bowl.

A soft poof of gray, green, and red smoke wafted from it.

She put down the vial and looked to Yuri.

“Okay, that has to marinate for at least twenty-four hours, but thirty-six would make it stronger, which means we’d get a reading faster,” she told him.

His reply was, “Come here.”

Her head twitched before indecision marred her beautiful face. This didn’t last long and she rose, slowly making her way to him.

Her hair was in a side ponytail, the curling, waving length of it falling down the front of her becoming blouse, which fit tight to her ribs and breasts. She was also wearing a circle skirt and high-heeled, platform pumps. She’d taken off the light cardigan she’d put on after he’d taken her home to pack and get the things she needed to start the procedure for finding Abel’s brother.