Page 17 of Slay Me

Confining her to areas where I am is for her own good, or at least, that’s what I tell myself. The rational side of my brain knows that the safest place for her is in a House where she will be untouchable by the fucker and anyone he sends after her. Setting her free is out of the question, though. I’m a selfish fucker, and Liv ismine.Even if she hates me for the captivity.

Someone knocks on my door. I rip it open, not at all surprised to see Duncan on the other side. However, the two bounty hunters just behind him are an unwelcome shock to my system.

“What the fuck do you want?” I demand, looking straight at them.

The woman, a vampire with crimson hair slicked back into a ponytail, nods her head at me. Eyes shielded behind dark sunglasses, her expression is cool. Calculated. “Ringmaster, I presume?” she greets, tone flat.

“Obviously. Who the fuck are you?” I reply.

“Paloma,” she replies.

I turn to the second hunter, a man who has the scent of a shifter. “And you?”

“Ollie.” He grins at me, showing two front teeth that have long since vacated his mouth.

“Great. Now that pleasantries are out of the way, how about you tell me why the fuck you’re here?”

“They set off the alarms when they came through,” Duncan tells me.

“Just a toe over the line,” Ollie grins.

“We knew it would bring your team in,” Paloma tells me. “And we need to speak with you.”

“If it’s in regards to a show request, you can kindly shove that right up your ass.”

Paloma smiles, showing off bright white teeth. “I assure you, I’ve no interest in your show.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ollie grunts. “That aerobatic bitch is something to se—” He doesn’t even get the rest of the word out before my hand closes around his throat and I’m slamming him into the wall.

“Watch your fucking tongue,” I snarl.

“My companion has no decorum,” Paloma states. “But please release him.”

I consider crushing his throat right here, making an example of him. But doing so will only bring more bounty hunters to my door, and that’s the last damn thing I need. So, reluctantly, I release him.

Slightly more pale, Ollie keeps his mouth shut as Paloma continues. “We’re here because we’ve been tracking some supernaturals who’ve taken up hiding here in No Man’s Land. But every time we get close, they seem to disappear. Go completely off our radar. Any idea as to why?”

“We hear you like to enslave supernaturals into your show,” Olli says, clearly finding his voice again.

“If they’re here, it’s because they have a contract with me,” I tell them. “And I’ve taken in no new supernaturals.” Not that I would fucking tell them if I did. Others may deem me a bastard for contracting people the way I do, but at least, I don’t fucking turn them over to be put to death. Once they’re here, they’re protected.

“Okay,” she replies. “We’ll be keeping an ear to the ground just in case you end up with someone of interest to us.”

I grunt in response. “Then it seems we’re done here,” I tell her. “Unless, of course, your friend wants to piss himself all over again.”

Ollie lets out a growl, though I imagine everyone else here can also smell the piss stench radiating off of him.

She pulls out a card along with a vial of shifter blood and hands it to me. “If you come across anyone, please let me know.”

I eye it warily but nod to Duncan. He takes it from her. Then she turns her shielded gaze to me. “You’re as much of a dick as they say you are.”

“Glad word has spread.” The two bounty hunters turn and head down the stairs, so I look to Duncan. “Make sure they fucking leave,” I order him.

“You got it, boss.” He turns to follow, so I slam the door and plant both palms on the wall beside it as I try to steady my breathing.

Pain radiates out from my back, bones crunching as my beast attempts to force me into a shift. I grind my teeth as my knees buckle, fingertips digging into the soft carpet beneath me. It’s been years since I shifted. Twelve to be exact.

Twelve long years of barely keeping my beast at bay, and he’s had enough. Hell, the only reason I’d been able to contain him before was because of my connection with—I shake my head. Not going there.

---