Page 19 of Guardian's Destiny

"Oh, nothing big. I need to capture two Ohrurs and take them to Darlam. I could use your help." I sent—what I had been told was—my most alluring smile at her, arching an eyebrow and tilting my head. One female had called it mydevastating look.

"Does that work?" She stared at me.

"What?" Once again, she had me confused.

"That smoldering smile, that grin, the arched eyebrow and the head tilt. Do all women do whatever you want when you look at them like that?" She explained.

With every word from her, my grin faltered. Did that mean it wasn't working on her?

She shook her head and took a deep breath. "Alright, listen, full disclosure. I've worked with your kind for years?—"

"My kind?" I stopped her.

"Yeah, you know, the devastatingly handsome playboy who looks like he's taking nothing seriously. Who charms his way around people and is a dangerous killing machine at the same time?"

"You think I'm adangerous killing machine?" I checked.

She closed her eyes. "I would have thought you would have dug into thehandsome playboy, but hey, I'm all for surprises."

She was seeing too deep for my taste, and I couldn't say I liked it.

"Anyway, that kind." She added. "I won't discard that you're good at what you do; I'm sure you are. But please, do me the same courtesy, and don't try to play me to get me to bed with you."

"We are mated," I couldn't resist edging her on.

"Whatever. I'll help you kidnap two Ohrurs, and you will take me to Astrionis?"

"I'll drop you off wherever you want." I forced my face to stay neutral since she had already shown herself immune to my smile.

"Liar," she accused.

"I'm not lying."

She pointed her finger between us, at our mating marks.

"Alright, listen." That female was way too clever. I would have to up my game with her. "You help me, we take the Ohrursto Darlam, and then I swear to all the nebulas that I will take you to Astrionis."

She stared at me as if she was looking down into my soul.

"If you don't, I will kill you," she said in the most pleasant voice imaginable, like she was promising to take me out for dinner. A slight shiver moved through me because I knew it wasn't an empty threat. There was so much more to her than met the eye, and I would have the time of my life figuring her out.

"You have no idea what hangs in the balance," she muttered.

"Enlighten me," I challenged.

I thought she might for a moment, but then she shook her head and muttered something I couldn't hear under her breath.

"Are you ready to leave?" I asked her.

"Now?" I wondered if she could ever just simply answer a question.

"Now," I confirmed.

She looked around the room as if she'd lost something, when for a fact I knew that all she possessed was currently on her body. Which reminded me, "We'll pick up some clothing for you. Lady Silla stocked the others' ships."

"Let me go say goodbye." I could hardly deny her that simple request and walked with her to the breakroom, but it was empty at this time. Which was when I realized it was night.

"Might as well wait until the morning," I suggested.

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