"I did go through it," he said, not wanting to disturb emotions he'd buried long ago.
"Do you want to talk about it? It might help me," she said hesitantly. "I'm so sorry, but with my gift, I felt you had some sort of pain, maybe you lost someone once, long ago? I felt it in Jonny when our father-- "
"No." The sharpness of his tone made her jump. "I have to go."
He closed his eyes to Travel out of the condo, aware he'd snapped at her once again. When he opened them, he was in his study. Toni was asleep at the computer.
… Maybe you lost someone once. Her words followed him, and he rubbed his face. He hadn't thought of his sister or his loss for some time. To be reminded first by a woman who should be dead and again by a Healer of some sort …
He shook out his shoulders and nudged his XO awake, not wanting to deal with the thoughts. After all, he wasn't going to live long enough for his feelings to matter.
"Got something, boss," Toni said instantly.
"Good, what?"
"Intercepts picked up a call Talon made to one of his guys who we know plans his recruitment fairs. He's planning something big for the weekend, and it sounds like his pop will be in town for it."
"How big and where?" Dusty asked.
"They're putting out an announcement to every vamp east of the Mississippi River. Talon's renting out a country club between here and Pembroke Pines," Toni responded.
"What's the event?"
"Allegedly, Talon's been given demigod status. Might be a promotion party. Might be something else. We can't figure it out. But there will be a few thousand bad guys within a stone's throw of us …"
"Pull in everything we can from the east coast sectors," Dusty said. He heard his sister's voice in his mind again, promising they'd meet again soon. He didn't have to wonder where he'd die-- only how.
"We're down to skeleton crews already," Toni said, facing him. "Everyone's in Europe."
"Make a call to Jasmine in Latin America and see what we can get from them. Have Jenn twist a few arms for details and to validate the intercepts. And ready an emergency evac plan, just in case. Talon's a violent fuck, and the Czerno-Talon combo will be worse than the incoming hurricane."
"Where should we evac to?" Toni asked.
"I don't care. Pick one of the spots Sasha identified." He strode out and down the hall, stopping to pound on Sofi's door. She opened it and frowned, as if knowing why he was there.