by Amber Lynn
Also, please keep in mind there is still someone near to you that you have to watch your words around. I am sure there is more than just one person masquerading as a resistance member, but there is for sure someone you deal with often. You can only entirely trust your chosen two. Anyone else may be using your information against you. On the wolf side of things, we are working on removing the threat without alerting their superiors, but these things take time.
Love,
Your Father
Wow. Daddy has some great intel. Intel, he could have only received from one of four sources. Either one of my mates or a wolf guard must have a direct line to the man. Or he could possibly be psychic, but I think I would have heard about that little detail by now.
I wish he would have said who and what my mother is. Her being a werewolf is out, but we had already figured that out since I get my wolf gene from Daddy. It sounds like she has an ear for demon news, but the demon that will not be named said I wasn’t part demon.
This crap is so confusing and obviously one of my personal guards is untrustworthy. He hinted at it in his last email, but that really sucks. I guess he could mean just one of the regular guards that hang around the building, but I don’t talk to them very often. It sounded like I wasn't in real danger I just have to be careful what I say. He doesn't know me very well, if he thinks I can keep my big mouth shut.
As far as the guards close to me, Jonas has been really great to me lately and I hate to think it is him because he is probably the closest to me. I kind of took a bullet for the dude. If he is plotting against me, I will be super pissed. I am not one hundred percent sure where the threat is coming from, but if the person is a Collective informant, there is no way Jonas can be on the list.
I don’t know a whole lot about Marcus and Smitty. They don’t really socialize that much with me when they are on duty, but I cannot believe Sebastian would allow them to be near me if he had any idea they were working for the darkside. Sebby seems to be really familiar with the pair, like they have hung out for centuries, so I would hope he isn’t that naïve to have one of them duping him all that time.
I can’t see it being Jake either. Why would he spend energy driving me crazy if he wanted to get the inside dirt on everything? Making me not want to talk to him won’t crack open all of my secrets. I know he gets moody a lot, but he escaped from the Collective. Why in the world would he continue to work for the dictators? It does give me pause that he was once connected with them, though.
Any way I look at it, it’s a mess. One that probably won’t be cleaned up as quickly as I want so there is no use crying over it. I focus back on my emails and throw most of them away as junk. I have decided my penis is still just fine the size it currently is.
Two of the remaining three emails are people just curious about rates and what services they can expect. Kind of makes my business sound like a brothel, but what am I to do about it?
The last one is from someone actually in distress it seems.
Slaughter – you are the only one I can turn to. The Collective is offering me no help. My daughter was assaulted, in every sense of the word, by another werewolf. She is only eighteen and is contemplating taking her own life. The wolf in question is in good standing with the Collective, so they refuse to take action. Please help. Allison.
These are the kind of cases I like. Not for the victim. I feel extremely sorry for the girl, but if I can substantiate the claim, it means I get to kick ass. In fact, I will probably end up killing the guy. It will be a great way to take out some aggression.
The woman didn’t leave a number, so I am forced to reply to the email.
Allison – call ASAP 499-304-5432 Nyx
Hopefully, she is speedy. While I am waiting, I reply to my other emails, attaching my rate cards, which they could have found on my website, so they can decide whether they really need my services. I ain’t exactly cheap.
I am midway through finishing my Willard invoice when my cell rings.
“This is Nyx,” I answer, not even glancing at the number.
“This is Allison, Slaughter. I am responding to your email. I am hoping you can help us.”
“Is there somewhere we can meet? Abuse cases are always my top priority, especially when someone so young is involved.”
“My poor Josephina thinks she is ruined for her true mate now,” the woman says sobbing. “She won’t tell me everything that monster did to her, but the damage is pretty severe. Do you think you would be able to stop by our house this evening? I don’t know that you will be able to seek vengeance for us against the perpetrator, but I would at least like you to talk to her. Maybe there is something you can say that a mother can’t. We don’t really have support groups in place for this type of thing.”
No, we don’t and it is something we need. In general, paranorms don’t go around abusing others of their kind like this, but it has been known to happen. When it does, the victim is usually just brushed to the side.
“Allison, I can assure you right now, even if I cannot get the shithead that hurt her immediately, justice will be done here. Give me directions on how to reach you and I will come get the story from your daughter. Then I can better decide how to help her.”
I write the directions down and tell her to expect me within the hour.
“Sorry guys, but I am calling life or death. Alex probably already knows, and I am calling Sebastian now. Gear up.”
I hit the button and wait for him to answer. “It has barely been thirty minutes and you already need to leave, my love. That didn’t take very long.”
“Sorry, but you did say life and death and I talked to a mom that is worried her daughter is heading towards the latter. I won’t sit around and let that happen.”
“I know. Just be careful. Don’t go rushing in anywhere guns a blazing. You can talk to the girl, but please wait to dole out justice until more backup is available.”
He kind of sounds like he knows more about the case than I have said. I have only mentioned a girl may die, nothing about the cause or just going to talk with her. For all he should know, I could be going in for a hostage rescue.
“Where is Alex?” I ask knowing he is probably the culprit.
“Helping me ward your office, my love. He is currently laughing at you realizing we are together,” he replies.
“It has been more than two seconds and you are both still standing. That has got to be a record.”
“We are working towards a common goal. Now, hurry on to your little mission, love. You can come visit us when you are done. By then the other vampires should be up, so you will have as much physical protection as you can get.” After seeing Demon Boy freeze Jake and Jonas, I don’t know how much extra protection will help, but I decide not to say anything.
“I don’t know how I feel about you guys working together, but I gots to go. I love you,” I say standing, phone still in hand, and rushing to my room to grab a couple extra knives and my guns.
“Je t'aime,” he replies. Great, now he thinks he’s freaking French. Whatever. I have work to do.
The guys are a little slow to do my bidding, but I get them alert, without even having to dump water on their heads, and we hit the door running. For a wolf to take their own life is pretty much unheard of, but there is always a first time for everything and with my luck I am afraid I will be too late.
Chapter 16
Things that piss me off…psychotic stalkers
One of the hardest things, probably the hardest, about switching from assassin to private investigator, is meeting the clients. It is something I have on my mind a lot. When they come into my office, it isn't that big of a deal. We are on my playing field and I feel somewhat comfortable.
When I have to go out to a client’s house, like I am now, that is when the nervousness kicks in. I don’t know this person and who’s to say they aren't working for the Collective just trying to draw me out. I think Allison sounded sincere on the phone, but I don’t know her. I gu
ess that is why, in cases like this, I actually enjoy having the guards tag along. Not that I would ever clue anyone in on that.
Allison’s directions lead us to the north side of town. No part of town is really a dump, per se, since paranorms tend to have piles of cash lying around, but it is probably the low end of the social scale. Think in a world full of billionaires, this section is where the millionaires live.
I park in front of a large, two-story cape cod. It is yellow with a bright red front door. There is an attached three-car garage and two cute little dormer windows peaking up from the roof. It looks like a nice little family home.
I get out of the Suburban, yes I drove it even though Demon Boy could pop in any second, and head towards the front walk. Tweedle Dum and Dee take position on either side of me.
Before we even get to the door, it swings open and a woman steps out to greet us.
“Thank goodness you are here,” she says bowing her head subtly. I am guessing it is a sign of my dominance over her. No one has ever done that to me before, so I have no clue. “I told Josephina you were coming and it seemed to upset her more. I don’t know what is going on.”
“Can you take me to her?” I ask curious about why me being here would upset the girl.
“Yes, follow me. I hope the gentlemen don’t mind staying in the living room while I take you up. I don’t think she could handle being around a male right now.”
“Jonas will follow me and stand outside the door so she cannot see him. I know she will still sense that he is there, but he won’t allow me to be on a separate floor. Behind a closed door is already pushing it.” As I finish speaking, I hear something crash on the side of the house.
Not stopping to ask questions, I draw my Smith & Wesson and pursue the noise. I watch as a small form scuttles out of a bush and takes off in a run.
“Stop!” I yell to no avail. The form keeps running and I chase after it. Before we get even halfway to the woods bordering the rear of the house, I overcome the assailant and tackle them to the ground.
“Josephina,” Allison screams as she rushes towards us.
The girl in my grasp struggles to try to break free. She can’t be any taller than I am and I have a lot more strength, so she is wasting energy.
I get her rolled over and subdued. Upon looking at her, it quickly clicks on why she doesn’t want to see me. Her face is torn up and her one non-swollen eye doesn’t match mine, but her hair and general build do. This obviously happened to her because of the resemblance to me. At least it is obvious in my mind.
“There are only a couple people I can think of that would have done this to you. I am placing bets on it being Tommy,” I tell her softly, not wanting to traumatize her any more than I have.
“He kept calling me by your name,” she sobs. “It was horrible. I kept telling him I wasn’t Nyx, but he wouldn’t listen. He kept saying I was finally his and all sorts of things that didn’t make sense. I tried to fight back, but he was just too strong.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” I say hugging her into me. “I am so sorry you had to go through that. He is the scum of the earth and is already on my list for eradication. He won’t be able to do this to you again. I promise.”
The poor girl. Punished because of a psychopath’s obsession with me. At least when he tortured me in the past, he didn’t leave all the scars she will have to bear. She hasn’t had the Collective's training I had that conditioned my mind for this kind of abuse.
“Why don’t we get you back up to your room, so we can talk a little more,” I tell her while I pull her up off the grass. “We need to find a way to help you get through this.”
We make our way towards the front of the house and she leads me up to her room. Jonas follows and her mother takes Jake to the living room. She drags me towards her bed and Jonas softly shuts the door behind us with him on the other side.
On her bed, we sit facing each other. She is still softly crying and my emotionally dead heart hurts for her.
I take a second to check out her room. She is a purple freak with dark purple walls, lavender carpeting and matching royal purple curtains and bedspread. She has a small desk with a computer on it. There really aren’t any pictures lying around that would show what she normally looks like.
“I know it is hard to talk about, and you don't have to tell me everything because sadly I can imagine, but I need you to at least tell me some. You cannot keep it bottled up.”
“How did you know it was him?” she asks.
“Because I bare permanent scars from him already and I am aware that he is obsessed with me. I only know one other person who is mildly fixated, and he would not take it to this level.” At least, I hope Ryan hasn't gone this bat shit crazy.
“Can I see your scars?”
“Sure.” I stand up and pull the back of my shirt up until she can get the full glimpse of my biggest mark.
“That's right along your spine. It must have hurt like crazy,” she says getting closer so she can get a good look.
“It didn't feel great. It was back before I had any super healing active, so it took forever to get to where it is. Luckily, you should be back to normal in a day or two, at least physically.” I put my shirt down and return to my spot on the bed.
“That is one benefit of being a werewolf,” she says with a slight tip upwards to her lips.
“He didn't use any knives on you did he? I can only see your face, so I cannot tell if he used the knife skills he honed on me.”
“No, it was just the beating of my face and, well you know,” she says trailing off. I do know, but it isn't from experience. Somehow after all the years of torment, I had been spared that last little bit that could have crushed my spirit like it did this girl’s.
“He didn't bite you during that time, did he?” I ask. Usually it wouldn't be an issue, but since I know Tommy has broken his mate bond it might cause a problem.
She looks up horrified. She must have an idea of why I asked. “No,” she says moving her shirt to expose bite free shoulders.
“Good. He is more dangerous than a normal wolf out trying to have what they consider a little fun. Do you have any self-defense training? I don’t think he will come looking for you again, but you might feel better if you felt more assured of yourself.” I highly doubt someone would have trained such a young female wolf.
“No. It’s just me and my mom, and neither of us know much on that front. My dad and brother work in the resistance, so they don’t come home very often.”
“What do you say to stopping by my place for an hour or so each day, so I can teach you some moves?” I ask feeling generous. “Guys aren’t the only ones fighting for something in this resistance. We girls need to step up and show them we can help.”
“Do you think I can actually be like you? I have always thought I was too little to even try to learn.”
“Have you actually looked at me? Do you know how often I get teased about being my size? A big knife usually gives the jerks pause. Knowing how to use that big knife knocks them off their high horses pretty fast.”
“I think I would like to learn,” she says still somewhat meek.
“Good. I think it will help with your healing process. Your mom mentioned something about you feeling ruined for your mate.”
“Yeah, well, I am kind of. What mate is going to want me used as I was?”
“I can almost guarantee he won’t be coming into the relationship a virgin. These days I am surprised you were before this happened, which I am just guessing is true, since you are so upset. I have hung out at Sins enough to see exactly how unmated males spend their free time and it isn’t hanging out at home pining after their possible mates.
“I know how you lost your virginity was not what you expected, but your mate isn’t going to renounce you over it. If the punk does, you can send him my way and I will knock some sense into him.” I decide it probably best not to tell her I am still fully intact in that department. The knowledge wouldn’t be help
ful right now.
“You smell funny, sorry. I mean that in the nicest way, but I am told you are a werewolf. Have you found your mate?” she asks.
“Rumor is I have and since I can sometimes hear his voice in my head, I imagine the rumors are true,” I reply.
“What was meeting him like? I have heard it is epic,” she claims letting her age and innocence show through a little.
“Now there is a great story. I am guessing yours will be a lot sweeter than mine. I was hired to kill him and we met as I read him his death sentence and I shot him with a silver bullet.”
She gasps and looks appalled by the thought of me shooting my mate. I cannot really blame her. In most cases, silver would have been fatal to him and eventually me.
“So, you didn’t feel an instant connection? Your instincts didn’t stop you from shooting him?”
“He has told me he felt a connection, but it was months before I physically met him. On my side of things, I didn’t feel it, but that is just because I am defective. I am sure you will know when you find the lucky guy and things will work out fine for you.”
“I hope you are right,” she says and then remains quiet for a few moments. “I think I am doing better now. I don’t want to keep you here all night, I am sure you have other plans. Do you have a specific time I should drop by for my lessons?”
“You are right, I should probably be going. My mates are waiting for me. Why don’t you stop by ParaNorm Inc. tomorrow around ten at night? I would invite you to my home gym, but the security is really tight right now and you would have to pass a bunch of background checks first. Maybe soon, but for now I think we have enough room in my storefront.”
“Sounds good. I will be there at ten sharp,” she replies and I move to the door to leave. She is a good kid and I hope I am helping rather than hindering. As I turn the door knob and open the door she says, “Wait a second. Mates?”