Page 18 of Secret Origins
“I’ve actually been here for over an hour.” It was his turn to shift uncomfortably, the worry flashing through his face making him look his age for once. “I’m an old man, Myst. With age we get sentimental about things we never considered before.” He pursed his lips and gave me a calculating look. “I never know if you will save me or be the end of me, but over the years, I’ve developed a soft spot for you. It won’t sit well with me if you get hurt.”
“Aww, you charmer. You like me, admit it.”
“As much as a human can like a pet shark without being eaten.” His teeth flashed white when he grinned, making me giggle.
“I like being a shark.”
“I know.” The General chuckled good-naturedly before getting down to business. “You wanted to see me.”
“I discovered that the hunters are kidnapping half bloods hiding in this city.” A twinge between my shoulder blades made me dart a glance around, but the night was quiet without a peep of sound. “A day after we met, I visited one of their compounds and managed to save a woman with her two children. One of them, the boy, was half shifter/half human.”
“There were more in that place?” The ferocity on his face would’ve made anyone else take a step back. It made me breathe easier knowing that the human cared.
“Just the woman and the two children. I killed everyone else.”
“What do you need from me?” When I cocked my head to the side, he snorted. “You didn’t call me here to tell me what you could’ve said over the phone.”
“I need all the known buildings searched and preferably the innocents rescued unharmed. Do you think you can do that?”
“What am I looking at?” As I’ve said many times, the General was a smart man.
“The same thing I saved you from. Skilled killers, faster, stronger, and with no remorse. Bullets won’t stop them’ they’ll just piss them off. You’ll need people to go in unnoticed and kill as many of them as they can before anyone is aware of what’s happening.” And just because I owed him that much, I tugged gently on the bracelet on my wrist and swallowed thickly. “I’ll give you help, but I can’t be a part of it.”
“You’ll be busy with my mage.” He nodded courtly.
“He is not your mage, General.” I liked the human, but I didn’t like him that much. “You will do this for me?”
“I will do it for me.” Folding his hands at the small of his back, he watched me for a long moment. “What am I to do with those that will be rescued. I assume you have a plan in place?”
“The truth is, General, that I might not live to see your success.” He was frowning at me but I appreciated the fact that he didn’t cut me off. “I would like to think you would take care of them and keep them safe. The hunters will meet their end soon enough, and you might help speed up the process with this mission. I came to you because I don’t think those half bloods have the time to wait. Do this and consider your debt to me paid in full.”
“You are a good person.”
“Don’t confuse me for something I’m not, General. This is for selfish purposes only. I hate those assholes and will never pass a chance to make their lives hell. Plus, you’ll keep them busy and out of my way. That’s all there is to it.”
“I’ll agree under one condition.”
“There is always a catch with you, huh?” Snorting, I waved my hand in his face to hurry it up so he could spill his request. The twinge was stronger this time, burning a hole between my shoulder blades. I had half a mind to tell Fenrir to stop glaring at me.
The General snatched me by the arm, startling the crap out of me enough to pull me behind him. His broad shoulders hunched as he reached the waistband on his back, pulling out a mean-looking gun. The point of the barrel waved left and right as he scanned the darkness for threats. Shaking off the surprise at his reaction, I placed a hand at the middle of his back to calm him down, not wanting the human to get trigger happy and fill Fenrir with bullets like a pincushion. One of the General’s hands was still holding onto my upper arm as he used his body to protect me.
Silly human.
“Unhand her at once, human.” Fenrir’s snarl curdled my blood. His voice came from behind us instead of the empty space facing us.
Yanking my arm free, I spun around the General pulling my sword out at the same time. Keeping the tip pointed to the ground, I tugged on the bracelet, not caring who saw my hound for what he was. The shadow pulsed and thickened, and he materialized next to me already hunched and baring his teeth at the darkness.
“Fenrir, protect the General. I need him alive.” When he just grumbled like a spoiled child, I finally snapped. “You said you want to help and for me to trust you. Here is your chance to prove your words are not just empty promises.”
I felt him coming close as he placed himself between me and the General, the human gasping something that sounded like a prayer to his God. One quick glance over my shoulder explained why. Fenrir dropped his illusion, and on top of all his dark, menacing glory, his runes swirled and glowed on his face and neck. He resembled a deity if I’d ever seen one.
“What are you?” The General finally gathered his bearings and cleared his throat.
“An asshole,” I answered for Fenrir with a snicker. “But this is an asshole that can keep you alive to keep your word.”
“She is always this charming,” Fenrir drawled, making the General bark his laughter.
“Yes.” The human chuckled, regaining his grip on the gun that was dangling from his fingers. “Yes she is.”
