by Kaye Draper
Angel continued, snapping me out of my flashback. “But this isn’t something you should be fighting, Sam. I’m not them. I know I fucked up. I was desperate and pissed-off and not thinking clearly. I let things go too far that night at the Mushroom. But I swear to you, I will never use my power over you to harm you. You respond to my song like it was made for you. That’s a gift I never should have abused. You belong to me Sam. And I know that makes me the luckiest bastard alive.”
I curled my lips in a snarl, exposing my fangs. “I don’t belong to anyone. Fuck you.” Then I turned and stormed out of the room, ignoring the soft, melodic whimper of frustration and pain that followed me. The sound was laced with Angel’s magic. But I don’t think it was purposeful. I wasn’t meant to hear how much I’d just hurt him. Nothing fazed Angel. He was known for being seductive but cold. He’d get over his disappointment. And I had a job to prep for. I didn’t have time for the mess that was my stupid, confused heart.
Chapter 16
A few days later, I parked my jeep in the sovereign’s garage, between a black limo and some expensive-assed armored thing that I’d refused to drive on a simple escort mission. Slipping out from behind the wheel, I slammed the door and eyed the three-foot-long gash where a tusk had torn clean through the side of my coddled relic of a vehicle. Fucking razor boars. They wouldn’t be so bad if they weren’t the size of a damned rhino.
Next time, I was definitely going to swallow my pride, take Theo’s fancy car, and let the monsters destroy his property.
The Golding official had been safely escorted to their secure rental house a block over, and I was officially done with this job. At least I’d gotten to shoot something. Hacking up the carcass afterward had helped relieve some of my anger and restlessness. I’d made the convoy wait while I skinned the beast so I could cash in the pelt at the association. Sure, Theo was paying me, but it never hurt to have a backup plan.
I stretched and twisted my back, sighing when the joints popped, taking a minute to breathe and center myself. It took me a while, sometimes, to adjust from hunter roaming the wastelands to law abiding citizen of a human-run town. Although, I guess it wasn’t so human run anymore. This time, the transition back seemed harder than ever. Like part of me would rather go back to living in the wild like an animal than face the mess that was my human life. Shaking off the last of my connection with my inner predator, I headed inside.
Jules met me at the door, holding out his hands for my dusty, blood-stained leather jacket and my weapons. I handed him the jacket, then we had a lengthy stare-down over the gun at my hip and the pair of knives strapped to my legs.
I always took care of my own gear. It was a pride thing, sure. But it was also a safety thing. My weapons were warded, and I took extra care to make sure they worked as expected in life or death situations. It was asking a lot to let someone else handle my shit. “I’ll clean my own gear.”
Jules just waited patiently, as if he were speaking to a petulant child and knew he would eventually wear me down with his adult logic. “I am skilled in ward work, Viceroy. I won’t damage your weapons.”
I frowned. “Don’t you have silverware to polish or something, Jeeves?”
He lifted one blond eyebrow but otherwise remained expressionless. “I left one of my restorative drinks on your bedside table when I saw you pulling up. The sovereign has asked me to let you know you are expected at a meeting in twenty minutes.”
His gaze traveled pointedly over my dirty, sweaty, occasionally blood-splotched shirt, pants, and boots. “But by all means, you can just leave the weapons to be taken care of later.”
I narrowed my eyes. I knew exactly what he was doing. He knew damned well I wouldn’t be able to just let my stuff sit around all dull and dirty—it would eat at me to just leave it. “I guess I’m going to the meeting smelling like three days of travel through the wastes and one tussle with a dead hog, then.”
His own eyes narrowed at that. He knew I really would choose taking care of my gear over changing or cleaning up. That’s how little I cared about fucking politics and how valuable the tools of my trade were to me.
He sighed. “The meeting is to do with miss Ahura. Theo was afraid you wouldn’t make it back in time. I know he really wants you there.”
That got my attention. I grudgingly unbuckled my holster and sheaths, straightening and thrusting my weapons toward the water cur. “Mess them up and I’ll mess up your face.”
He was too professional and well-trained to roll his eyes, but it was a close thing. I could sense it.
Jules took my stuff and turned on a heel to stride off to his butler lair. I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that I’d spent five minutes arguing with the stuffy suit, so now I only had fifteen minutes to get presentable for whatever I was about to walk into.
I rushed to my room and dashed through a shower, then threw on what had become my uniform—a sports bra, boxers, form-fitting black long-sleeved t-shirt and a serviceable pair of cargo pants made out of something that could stretch and flex if I needed to move. Thank fuck Theo hadn’t tried to stuff me into a suit yet. If he ever did, I’d stab him in the eye.
I took the stairs two at a time on the way down, my new boots thumping softly on the sleek steps. Jules met me at the bottom of the stairs, and I rolled my eyes. “What now?”
He gave me a penetrating look. “You have visitors. Mr. Stonefist and Mr. O’Connor are at the gate. They have been quite insistent on seeing you this week while you were away.”
I clenched my teeth and forced myself to let out a deep breath. “Tell them I’m busy.”
I turned and refused to look back as Jules sent Fin and Emerson away. I had other things to worry about right now. Tension built inside me as every step took me closer to Theo’s personal study. Jules said this had to do with Ahura. I hoped someone was about to go down hard, because even after my recent hunt, I still wanted blood.
The human-looking sovereign was standing outside his office, waiting for me, his chestnut curls perfectly arranged and wearing a dark navy suit, every bit of him screaming soft, rich-boy politician. “Welcome home, Sam. I trust your mission went well?”
I slowed to a halt and ran a hand through my damp hair, then gave him a deadpan look. “You said to get them here safe. You didn’t say I had to be nice about it.”
The corners of his blue eyes crinkled as he looked up at me. “I’ll be more specific next time.”
I nodded, then gestured toward the closed door of his study. “What’s this all about? Jules said there was a meeting and that it had something to do with Ahura. Please tell me I get to gut someone today.” Sure, Jules had my knives at the moment, but I still had claws.
Theo’s smile faded and his expression grew serious. “I will fill you in on what I learned about Miss Ahura’s death after our meeting. Right now, we’re meeting with the police chief to talk about some potential changes to how they do things in Westhold.”
I growled. “So, more talking. What the hell good does it ever do?”
Theo shook his head and his eyes glinted with a hint of his hidden nature, a bit of blue flame, there and gone again in a flash. “We are meeting with the new police chief, Sam. The old one seems to have gone missing.”
I blinked at him. “You sent me out of town so you could take out the trash while I was away, didn’t you? What the fuck, Theo?” I leaned into his space, hissing to avoid being overheard by the human on the other side of the door. “You promised me. That was one of the conditions of me coming to work for you. I got to be in on serving justice to those assholes!”
He shook his head at me. “That wasn’t why I sent you.” He pressed his lips together, then blew out a frustrated breath. “I know this has been difficult for you, Sam. But there’s a bigger picture here. You need to trust me to handle things in a way that will benefit everyone involved.”
When I growled, he laid a hand on my arm, his warm fingers cupping my elbow and our faces still too close together so
we wouldn’t be overheard. “You’ll have your revenge, I swear to you. But I won’t have my new viceroy involved in a scandal and strung up as a martyr to prove the humans right when they say fiends and curs are monsters.” His blue eyes burned into mine, the pupils dilating, and I could see how important this was to him. “Trust me, Sam. Please.”
Trust. It was a difficult concept for me at the best of times. And the last month or so was not the best of times. Not by a long fucking shot.
But I felt the harmless-looking politician’s charms working on me as he gave me that guileless, pleading look. “Fine. I trust you. But I’d rather just stab someone.”
He smiled again, giving my arm another squeeze before his fingers slipped away, telling me that he understood how valuable my trust was. “Duly noted.” His eyes landed on something behind me, and he nodded, backing up a step and putting space between us. “There you are. Ready?”
I glanced over my shoulder to find Angel standing there, watching us with speculation in his gold eyes. His hair was slicked back into a low ponytail, and he wore a button up and a pale gray vest and slacks that were clearly tailored to hug his perfect body. He looked every bit the expensive-paramour-turned-rich-man’s-tool.
I looked away, ignoring him—and the dangerous jolt of need that shot through my gut at the sight and scent of him. “You’re bringing your pet siren to the meeting?”
Theo arched a brown brow at me. “He’s not a pet. He’s an asset. You both are.” He bounced a look between us that was full of warning. “Can I trust you to keep your attention on the matter at hand, and not on…other things?”
Great. Apparently, Angel and Theo had been gossiping about me again while I was gone. I gave Theo a look. “I can do my job, boss. But watch out for the siren. He might get confused about what you’re paying him for and accidentally fall on your dick.”
Theo’s face was a blank mask. Angel sidled around me and gave me an unimpressed look. “Are you done now?”
I shrugged. “Not really. I could insult you all day.”
Theo held up his hands between us. “Please. Both of you, behave. For fuck’s sake. We’ve got work to do.”
A soft, sly smile crept across Angel’s perfect lips. It was a look that meant absolutely no good. So I wasn’t really that surprised when he gripped the back of Theo’s curly head with one graceful hand and leaned in to whisper something in the other man’s ear in a way that was way too casual for a business associate.
The leader of Westhold disentangled himself from the siren’s grip, but his cheeks were a bit red. He jerked his suit jacket straight and brushed past me and Angel. “I will not! I value my life too much. Now focus,” he demanded. Then he squared his shoulders, plastered on a warm, charismatic smile, and led us in to meet with the new chief of police of Westhold.
I tried not to think about Fin and Emerson even now being turned away at the gate. Love and relationships would have to wait. I had revenge to carry out and a city to help destroy.
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