“What the hell do you know about mates?” I shouldn’t be asking him. As a matter of fact, I should be calling Kayla for this.
“Not much, sir, but I can find out.”
“Yes, find out what you can.” I call out to him as I hustle around in my office, getting ready to visit my Luna Nera.
“Will do, sir.”
“Oh, and, Nigel?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Thank you.” I don’t know why I’m thanking him all of a sudden. Maybe it’s because I’ve been hard on him for as long as I can remember. I’m surprised he’s stuck with me for as long as he has.
“You’re welcome, sir.” He says, and then poof, he’s gone.
I sit down behind my desk and figure it’s time to shake down some of my old contacts. I work alone, but if anything will help me get closer to finding out where she is, I’m all for it. But first, I give Kayla a buzz.
“Talk to me.” She answers on half of a ring.
“Find out what the fuck fated mates are and get back to me. I’m going hunting.” I inform her.
“No way you’re going without me, Ty.” She whines. I knew she was going to do this, but I need her on the mate's thing for now.
“Yes, I am. I don’t need you tonight. What I need you to do is find out about fated mates, Kayla.” I growl.
“Don’t take that tone of growl with me, fuck face. I don’t have to do anything you ask. You’re not my mother.” She says in her best New York accent.
“And you’re not a New Yorker. Now just fucking do it, Kayla.” I don’t want to hear anymore of her shit, so I hang up on her. Two minutes later, I hear my phone ping.
‘You fucking asshole, this isn’t over.’
I can’t do anything but laugh at her text. I push my seat back, and get up from my desk. Calling the shadows to me, I beckon them to take me to the deepest, darkest, grittiest corner of the city to find answers that I seek.
“Mother of Darkness, I call upon thee once again. I need you to take me to the one that will give me the answers I seek.”
“I will take you where you need to go, my son, but I don’t know if you will find the answers you want there. For they do not lie where you think.” She purrs.
“It is a start, so there is where I need to be.”
“Consider it done.” I feel the shadows surround me, threatening to take me under and keep me there. Sometimes I welcome them and the way they entice me to stay with them and never look back, but now, I may have a reason to hang in the balance a little longer. I feel her tendrils inside my veins like we are one, and it gives me the fuel I need to be the ruthless assassin I am known for.
* * *
A short while later, the shadows release me in the back alley of a whore house. Pimps and women waiting to turn tricks litter the alleyway looking for a date. I feel sorry for these women, because they have been subjected to this type of life. If it was up to me, I’d kill every last pimp out there and the men that harmed the women that were paid to provide them a sexual service. Their day will come, and I will make sure I am the one delivering their punishment.
“Hey, honey, you lookin’ for a date?” I hear women catcall out as I walk by them.
“I am not looking for a date.” I growl out. “But I am looking for information.”
“It’s gonna cost ya, sweetie.” A woman with fire-red hair and green eyes says as she steps off the sidewalk, heading in my direction.
“How much?” I grunt.
“How much ya got?” She asks, grabbing a loose strand of hair and twirling it around her finger as she stops in front of me, batting her eyes.
I grab her wrist, pull her to the side of the building, and push her up against a wall.
“I’ve got enough to cover information from any of you until the end of my time.” I whisper, getting close into her personal space. “How much do you need?” Any minute now, her pimp is going to come and try to take me on. He’s the reason she doesn’t take much money home when she’s putting in all the work.