Reed should have that motto inscribed in his ouroboros, if it wasn’t already. Probably explained why he called his organization the Circle.

“Power,” Reed said, “is the only game worth winning.”

Ethan went rigid. “Chicago isn’t a prize for you to buy with dirty money.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Reed said. “This isn’t Gotham, and you aren’t some tragic superhero. This is the real world. People want money and power, so they respect money and power. I have both, so they respect me for it. And if you’re smart, you’ll heed it and walk away right now.” He slid his reptilian gaze to me. “Before anyone gets hurt.”

Ethan’s magic flared again, this time with heat. “I’ve already told you once to stay away from her.”

Ethan, he’s baiting you.

Stay out of this. Even in my head, his voice was edgy, angry.

I wanted to drag him back, to push Reed away. But that wouldn’t have helped anything. I wasn’t sure there was anything we could do right now that wouldn’t make things worse.

Reed couldn’t have heard the byplay, but his gaze said he realized it was there. “Fortunately, you have no control over me. Which must irritate you greatly.”

“What irritates me is your arrogance.”

Reed smiled easily. “You want to hit me, don’t you?”

Ethan’s expression was grim. “More than anything else.”

It was an obvious ploy. But Ethan would have known he was being baited, and wouldn’t have cared.

“Then take your shot, vampire. I dare you.”

Ethan stepped forward.

The air suddenly buzzed with steel and guns. Cops appeared at our sides, weapons drawn. “Step back!” said one of them to Ethan. “Step back, and get your hands in the air, very slowly.”

Reed had cast the bait, and Ethan had taken a bite. Now we’d pay the price.

Ethan’s jaw clenched with unmitigated fury, but he didn’t move. “Whatever you may be, whomever you may have in your pocket, you are, at heart, a coward.”

Reed shook his head ruefully, put a protective arm around Sorcha’s waist. “As we expected, Officer, they continue to stalk and threaten my family.”

“Hands in the goddamn air,” the cop said again, tension rising as Ethan and Reed stared at each other.

I could see Ethan wanted to move. He wanted to ignore the cops, step forward, and give back some of the pain Reed had caused us. But that wouldn’t have helped. It wouldn’t have done anything but land us in even more trouble.

Step back, Ethan, I said. Now.

I will have my chance at him, Sentinel. For all that he has done to us, I will have my chance at him.

Not here, and not now.

It took Ethan a long moment to weigh justice against consequence, honor against action.

He is mine, Ethan said, but took a step back, lifted his hands into the air.

The cop stepped forward, pulled Ethan’s arms behind him, forced him to his knees. A second cop did the same thing to me. I winced as I hit the ground hard, my bare knees scraping across the rough stone of the path. My arms were wrenched behind me, my wrists zip-tied together, because I was obviously a threat in a ball gown and stilettos.

“You should use two ties,” Reed said. “I understand that’s more effective on vampires.”

The cop was last on the list of people I hoped to battle tonight. Reed, for being an unmitigated monster, was number one on the list. Sorcha, for just watching as the officers cuffed us, was second. And Ethan, whose stubborn ass had gotten us into this, fell in at third.

“We were, of course, prepared,” Reed said as they pulled Ethan to his feet, hands cuffed behind him. “I was afraid you’d show up and cause a scene, so we requested the additional security. The CPD was happy to oblige.” He looked at the officers. “If you’ve got them in hand, I’d like to get my wife to safety.”

For the first time, the cops looked unsure of their steps. “We’ll need to talk to you and your wife,” said the one who’d cuffed Ethan. “Formalize the report.”

“Of course. We’ll just be in the main building. My wife becomes distressed by these two. I just want to get her away from them. I’m sure you understand.”

“Well, all right,” he said after a moment, gesturing to his partner. The other cop stepped aside so Reed and Sorcha could walk past him. The humans who’d gathered nearby to watch nodded as they walked by, offered supportive words.

“You disgust me,” said the first cop as I was pulled to my feet. Then they escorted us in the same direction Reed and Sorcha had gone, past the same gauntlet of humans.

When we passed beneath an overhead light, the second cop happened to glance at me. “Oh, shit,” he said, pulling me to a stop. “You don’t know who they are?”

Ethan’s cop looked at him, then back at me. “No. Should I?”

“These are those Cadogan vampires. The ones who are always in the news. I think one of ’em’s related to a cop, too.”

“Chuck Merit,” I said, uttering the first words I’d said in many long minutes. And when Ethan and I were alone, they wouldn’t be the last. “He’s my grandfather.”

The second cop shook his head ruefully. “I know Chuck Merit. He’s a good guy. You doing this? Putting him in this position? That’s a damn shame. You need to change your ways, ma’am. You need to get your shit together, and change your ways.”