Page 10 of The Daughters of Nyx

Archer sauntered over to a leather couch and sprawled across it with a deep, heavy sigh. “I think I’ve met the love of my life.”

I rolled my eyes. “What did you do?”

He sat up and glared at me with narrow, hazel eyes. “Nothing. We simply ran into one another earlier today. Too bad her friend was having none of it, and whisked her away before I could get her name.” Archer went to lay back on the couch, but stopped, head cocked. “Why do you ask, Wolfy?”

A growl rumbled from my chest. “Don’t call me that, Archer.”

The mage’s lips flickered with an amused smile as Grey and Adrian entered from the adjoining room.

“We’ve cleared the space and set up wards around both rooms and the hotel,” Kingsley said, stumbling to a halt between Archer and me. “What’s going on?”

Archer shrugged and fell back onto the couch. “Don’t know, ask Wolfy over there.”

Another growl threatened to pass my lips, but Grey placed a hand on my shoulder, eyes darkening. “Enough.”

My jaw clenched as I pulled away from her. “Whatever.”

I started for the second bedroom; both had two beds, a black, leather couch, an unstocked bar and mini-fridge,

and their own bathrooms. And both, unfortunately, stank of vomit and beer and cheap laundry detergent.

Before I could step into the second room, the door slammed shut. “What the fuck?” I snarled, whirling around. Kingsley had his hand raised, but his eyes were on Grey.

Team leader looked pissed. With her arms folded across her chest and face controlled into a neutral expression, I almost expected her to snap and send me back to the island because of my attitude. The last thing I needed was to return to Queen Greer with my tail between my legs and a notice of assessment from Grey, but I thought I was two steps away from that being the case.

I swallowed hard, dropping the duffle. But I never pulled my eyes from hers. “Chick downstairs is different. That’s what Archer and I were talking about.”

Grey cocked a brow. “How so?”

I shrugged. “Her scent is different. Could be a demon of some sort. Maybe siren, by the way all our scents shifted the closer we got to her.”

“I wasn’t picking up siren,” Kingsley replied. He crossed to one of the beds and sat. “But there was something…different about her.”

From the couch, Archer sighed. “Well, I think she’s great.”

Grey shook her head. “She isn’t our target. She—” Grey stopped, and when I turned in her direction, I found her looking down at the tablet. “By Nyx’s Grace, I think we found her.”

~

I splashed water on my face and stared into the reflection of the bathroom mirror. My jaw clenched as I took in the man staring back. I was due for a shave; stubble lined my jaw, crooked from years of fighting and training. The scar that cut through my lips twinged as I bared my teeth, the pointed canines the only sign of myalternateself.

The wolf growled, darkening my green eyes. The scruffy bastard hated the city just about as much as I did.

I rolled my shoulders back and cringed. The scar on my left shoulder barked with pain—like it did whenever it rained—a permanent reminder of what he’d done to me all those years ago.

Shaking my head, I reached for one of the soft, white towels lining the counter and scrubbed my face with it. Her scent tickled the back of my nose, but I knew she wasn’t close; she’d still be down behind her desk. So close, and yet so far out of reach.

The towel fell from my fingers. I left it there on the counter and exited the room, grabbing one of the room keys as I did. Without turning to Grey, I said, “I’m going for a walk.”

“Where?” she asked, and I paused at the door.

To seeheragain, I wanted to say, but I didn’t. Instead, I heaved a breath and squared my shoulders. “Check the perimeter. I can’t stay cooped up here.”

For a moment, she didn’t say anything, and I expected her to tell me to get over it. “Thirty minutes, then we go over the plans for tomorrow.”

I bowed my head, and said nothing else to her.

Leaving the room, I blinked up at the white lights that lined the corridor. The same crappy colour scheme decorated the hall, though it was dated and tired, the wallpaper faded, fake plants withered. Every so often, I passed a questionable stain in the carpet that made me grimace.

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