Tempt Me by Tamara Hogan

Author:Tamara Hogan [Hogan, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: incubi sex demons aliens vampires nightclubs minneapolis hackers
Goodreads: 15942602
Publisher: Tamara Hogan
Published: 2013-09-24T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Given how many other options there’d been for her to choose from, she couldn’t begrudge the Council members their spicy lasagna. Chadden’s tomato basil soup had been delectable, but the creamy risotto had gone down like a dream. She hadn’t had a full stomach in ages. “Push calories,” she grumbled under her breath as she took a seat at the boardroom table next to Jack. Okay, maybe her pants had gotten a little loose—no need to make a big federal deal out of it—but if she made it through this meeting without her stomach stinging like a thousand paper cuts, maybe she'd ask Chadden to make her some more risotto. It might be easier on her stomach than his ultra-rich pasta.

“Quiet, please. Let’s come to order,” Willem requested from his seat near the head of the table. He waited for the chatter to subside. “Security shades engaged?”

“Engaged,” Lukas seconded. The tell-tale blur let in natural light minus the UV, and also blocked the view of anyone who might be trying to look in from the outside.

Willem dimmed the room. “Voice and data recording initiated.”

Establishing secure storage for the Council’s highly confidential records had been her first assignment as a Sebastiani Security employee.

As Willem displayed the agenda on the large screen mounted on the wall at the end of the oblong room, she verified that her mini was set to vibrate and placed it on her lap, where it would be available for some surreptitious back-channel communication. Settling into the large leather chair, she looked around the room she privately called the Holodeck. Valkyrie First Alka Schlessinger was still on sabbatical, but otherwise it looked like they had a full house. Valerian, recovering from a bout of pneumonia, was attending the meeting holographically. No doubt Wyland had recommended that he not expose himself to germs by attending the meeting in person.

She bit her lip. She’d intended to ask Wyland about Valerian’s health at their meeting earlier, but it had completely slipped her mind.

The Underworld Council's make-up was species based, with two representatives, a First and a Second, attending each meeting. Lukas had mixed things up a couple of years ago by abdicating his seat as the Incubus Second to focus exclusively on security and technology risks. Antonia had assumed Lukas's position as Second, to Rafe and Sasha’s everlasting relief.

Starting with Elliott, they circled around the table, with everyone stating their name and affiliation. “Elliott Sebastiani, representing incubi and succubi.”

Low-key and ego-free, Elliott definitely had a tendency toward understatement. “Elliott Sebastiani, Incubus First and Underworld Council President, present and presiding,” Willem stated for the record.

“Claudette Fontaine, Siren First.”

“Scarlett Fontaine, Siren Second.” Scarlett, looking a little pale, nibbled on a saltine cracker. Lukas, sitting next to her, gave a hard swallow, but the trash can he’d gotten into the habit of carrying around with him at Sebastiani Security was nowhere in sight. Krispin Woolf, the WerePack Alpha, would swoop in like a crow on carrion at the slightest sign of weakness.

“Lukas Sebastiani, Security and Technology First,” he said, thumbing a tube of antacids.

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