Julian's eyes narrowed slightly—the barest flicker of assessment. "So I'm being used."
Vex didn't flinch. Didn't look away. "Of course you are. And you're using me right back." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to something almost intimate. "Let's be honest with each other, Julian. You don't want to lead Greenday. You don't want to manage supply lines, mediate disputes, or deal with the thousand small problems that come with running a faction. You want to fight. You want to kill Eclipse. You want to protect your women."
She gestured at Emma, Fey, Zoe, Dori—at the small family arrayed behind him.
"I, on the other hand, am very good at leading. At organizing. At making people follow orders and like it. Put me in charge, and your army stays fed, armed, and loyal. You get to do what you do best—hunt. Kill. Destroy." Her smile sharpened. "We both get what we want. Isn't that the definition of a perfect alliance?"
Emma snorted from behind Julian. "Smooth. Really smooth."
