Page 15 of The Thief

Bear didn’t appreciate his arrogance. Though he sounded like Dracula on sedatives, he didn’t have the flawless skin or black eyes of a Vampire. “What’s your business?”

“I’m on a quest to find Mercy Breedlove. Would you be so kind as to summon her down?”

Bear’s pulse kicked up a notch. “We don’t accept visitors unannounced. If you want to speak to the Packmaster, you can schedule an appointment.”

“Packmaster,” he muttered. When Argento rolled his shoulders, his joints popped. “I have traveled across oceans and continents to speak to her. Surely you can overlook formalities for an old friend of Miss Breedlove.”

Bear felt the hair on his body tickle and stand on end the way it did when charged with static electricity. Bear’s senses were heightened enough to know when a Mage was flaring.

Bear pointed up the driveway. “You can head a few miles north to the Traveler’s Inn. They take our kind. I’ll mention to Tak you stopped by, and if he has business with you, he’ll reach out to the Inn and get your room number.”

The man leveled him with his dark eyes. “Do not trouble yourself. Tell Mercy that Argento is calling on her. We have… matters to discuss.” He gave a curt bow. “Good day.”

As he walked off and got into his black Rolls-Royce, Bear noticed every detail. His black button-up vest and thin coat suggested he’d recently traveled from a cooler climate. Either that or he just had bad taste. But his attire wasn’t as interesting as his silver hair.

Bear had spent so much time admiring Mercy’s unusual hair color that he recognized the shade. He’d never seen a color quite like it—the way the light shimmered across each strand, the subtle way it changed hues in the shadows. Argento had the same hair. Could they be related? It seemed improbable since a Shifter couldn’t become a Mage, but stranger things were known to happen. Argento sounded Spanish, but his Creator had likely renamed him. Aside from the hair, they didn’t look related in any other conceivable way. The man was over six feet tall and old.

Once inside, he locked the door. Maybe he was just being overprotective of a woman he’d been smitten with since the moment she arrived, but the guy seemed like bad news.

If the Mage had business with her, he would either call or try again. There was no point informing Tak of Mercy’s business. The Packmaster didn’t want to be bothered with every single piece of information. If there was a problem, packmates went to the beta, who was second-in-command. The alpha had a lot on his plate, and someone receiving a visitor was hardly cause for alarm. Bear decided that when he had a private moment alone with Mercy, he’d let her know. Right now, she was outside with the pack—probably exhausted after a long day at work. She had a right to privacy, especially since people were nosy.

Take, for instance, when he purchased a Chevy Tahoe earlier that week. After parking it, he got back to work. But then came a barrage of questions. How much did that cost? Where did you get the money? Did Tak approve this?

Bear had given most of his money to Tak, but because he’d earned a lot in his career, he had a hefty sum left over for himself. Until they found a banker, he also didn’t want anyone knowing he was loaded. It’s not to say he didn’t trust his pack; he just didn’t know them very well. And his entire life savings was stashed in his bedroom, easy for anyone to find.

Returning to the kitchen, Bear checked on his food. He kept so busy throughout the evening that by the time he thought about the mysterious visitor, Mercy had gone to bed.

Chapter 4

After loading empty glasses onto a tray, I wiped down the table.

“Could I get another?” a customer’s voice rang out.

“Comin’ right up.” I gave him a friendly wink while crossing the room. It was only my second day, but I was having a ball. It felt good to have a routine and be around people—helping people.

“Where’s Calvin?” a woman at the bar asked. She had tired eyes, like someone who worked more than they enjoyed life. Time had faded her blond hair, which she tied back with the precision of a blind squirrel making a nest.

Amy and her husband were professional plumbers, septic technicians, and worked in wastewater management. They handled everything related to water and waste. It wasn’t a glamorous job but a necessary one in our rural community. Breed only hired their own, and because there wasn’t anyone else offering those services, they were workaholics.

“I’m sure Calvin will be back soon,” I replied while emptying the glasses and putting them in the sink. “Can I get you anything?”

“No, I was just curious if he finally quit.” She played with the ring on her finger. “Those are nice earrings.”

I touched the turquoise heart on my earlobe. “Thanks! I bought them at Moonglow. It’s run by two Shifters, and they’re the most talented ladies you’ll ever meet.” I opened a bag of salty peanuts I’d purchased that morning and filled a small bowl. “They run a boutique in Austin that you need to check out sometime.” I set the bowl in front of her.

“Wow! You actually got that stingy old codger to buy snacks?” She dipped her fingers into the bowl. “You’re a miracle worker. He hasn’t done anything new to this place in years. Except for that time when he tried selling hot dogs he blew up in the microwave. I like coming here after work, but I’m always hungry, and he doesn’t allow anyone to bring in their own food. Believe me, I tried.” She scooped another handful of peanuts into her mouth.

When I’d brought in snacks that morning, Calvin gave me the side-eye. In his opinion, free peanuts were a waste of money. But salty snacks made customers thirsty and beer taste better, so I purchased them to prove my point. Breed bars didn’t have to worry about peanut allergies or germs. Once he saw the results, he could start ordering them in bulk.

“I don’t get out to Austin much,” Amy went on, switching the subject back to Moonglow. “Maybe I can talk Don into it. We haven’t had a vacation since Woodstock.”

“You won’t be sorry. Maybe I can get you a coupon for your first visit.” I grabbed an ice-cold beer from the cooler and rounded the bar. “See these cute sneakers? Moonglow! They’re like walking on clouds.”

She twisted around in her seat to check out my shoes, which had sapphire butterflies painted on the sides. Maybe a little free advertising might win Hope and Melody new customers.

“Hand-painted,” I added before reaching table nine. “How are you gentlemen doing today? You know, I have peanuts at the bar. I’ll bring them right over.”

“Thanks, Mercy!” one of them said. When I turned around, I heard him say, “If he fires her, I’m not coming back.”

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