That was another mess.Kael had promised he wouldn’t tell anyone about what had happened today, and Nymon was sure that he wouldn’t do so on purpose, but he was worried.He also didn’t like asking his best friend to lie to people.Even more than that, he didn’t like the thought of leaving his best friend behind.Kael had been in his life since they were children.They’d seen each other every day for years.As much as Nymon wanted to leave, he wished he could take Kael with him.
Tex took a step back, but he didn’t go far, and he didn’t let go of Nymon.“I told you that I work for the council,” he said.“I was trained to be part of a special team.That means extra training and everything.I eventually decided that it wouldn’t be the right fit, and I found another job within the council, but I only stopped training like that a few months ago.I know how to defend myself.I know how to protect people.”
Nymon sighed.“And you were trying to protect me.”
“I always will.”
“Because I’m your mate.”
“Mostly, yes, but I would protect anyone who needed it.I understand wanting to be part of this.You might even be right that having you with us would help.I don’t want to risk you, though.I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
“Something doesn’t have to happen to me.I’m not saying I’m going to run into danger or anything like that.Since you’ve been trained, you can order me around, and I’ll do what you want.I just don’t like the thought of sending you on your own when you don’t know what you’re going to walk into.At least talk to me.”
Tex glanced at Orlando, who shrugged.Nymon had no idea what that meant or what his mate was looking for.
“It feels like you don’t trust me,” he said.
“I trust you with my life,” Tex answered right away, and it sounded like a promise.“But I don’t want to risk you.I don’t have much information.I was given an address, and I don’t know where it is in town or what we’re going to find there.I don’t know who lives there, if anyone lives there at all, or if it’s a store or something like that.The entire network of people I told you about might be there, and what will I do then?How am I supposed to protect you?”
“Well, for a start, I could tell you where this place is and what it is,” Nymon pointed out.“I probably know since I’ve lived here all my life, and Starhaven isn’t that big.If it’s somewhere I recognize, I might also know some of the people you could find there.Besides, I’m also not completely useless.I might not be any good in a fight, but I can use my magic.”
“How?Your magic has to do with plants, doesn’t it?”
Nymon arched a brow.“After last night, you can’t tell me you think I wouldn’t be able to use plants to protect you.”
Tex’s cheeks flushed slightly.He was cute like this, especially when he glanced at his friends, who were all grinning at him like idiots.Something told Nymon that he was going to like these people once he got over the situation in which they’d met.
“I never said that,” Tex said.“But all four of us have trained in the same program.As helpful as you might be, I don’t want you to get hurt, and you know half of the people in this town.What if someone you know is involved?I don’t want you to have to go through that.I don’t want you to possibly have to defend yourself from them.”
Nymon’s mind flashed back to the conversation he and Kael had heard the other day.Had those two demons been part of that network?It sounded like they were, and Nymon was sure he didn’t know them.That didn’t mean he wouldn’t know anyone in the network, and he understood where Tex was coming from, but this was non-negotiable.“Your normal job isn’t this dangerous, is it?Or are you being sent out on missions regularly?”
“I wasn’t even supposed to be sent onthismission.The only reason I was is that it needs to be kept quiet.”
Nymon gave the other three a pointed look.“I see.”
Orlando chuckled.“I like you,” he told Nymon.“And that you don’t hesitate to call out Tex’s bullshit.”
“It’s notmybullshit,” Tex argued.“I was sent here because Gregory needed someone who wasn’t an enforcer or one of us to do this.I agreed because I like him and he’s my boss.”
“I think I’ll want to talk to this Gregory eventually,” Nymon said.“But first, you need to know that I’m not letting you go anywhere on your own.I understand what you’re saying, and I agree that it’s probably not a good idea to have me enter whatever place you’re going into, but I can wait outside.Iwillwait outside.”
Tex hesitated.“I was trained to be a professional killer,” Tex murmured.
Nymon blinked, then blinked again because he still couldn’t make sense of the words.“A professional what?”
“You heard me.I was going to tell you as soon as this mess was over.”
Nymon could tell that the reason Tex had told him was that he expected him to get scared and decide to stay behind.Maybe it would’ve worked with someone else, but not with Nymon.
“We’ll talk about that once this is over.I’m still not going to stay behind.”
Tex groaned.“Nothing I can say will change your mind?”
“No.As long as we’re in Starhaven, where you go, I go.I’ll stay outside, and I promise I’ll stay safe and won’t distract you, but I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Tex looked at his friends.They all looked amused now, and one of them—not Orlando or the Nix—looked like he was about to burst.Nymon wondered what was wrong with him, but right now, that didn’t matter.What did matter was that Tex finally nodded, looking unhappy.
“Fine.You can come with us.”
