The asshole is trying to put me out of a fucking job.
The bounty on his head is the biggest I’ve ever seen since I established the Shadow Knights Assassin Guild over twenty years ago. We’ve reached the point where the heads of various operations are actually pooling their resources to off the guy, desperation driving temporary alliances and causing a power shift in the criminal underworld. Because The King of Carnage? He’s a ghost. One that comes in, fucks shit up, and disappears without a trace. Cripples empires.
It’d be admirable if he was from a rival guild, but this psycho doesn’t understand the concept of collateral damage. Last year, he torched the office of a CEO that was running a humantrafficking ring on the side. Turned out, he encased the fire hydrants on the street in cement first, and the entire building went up in smoke. Fourteen people died, the fire spread to the neighboring building, and all of it went down in broad daylight. Yet somehow, there wasn’t a single witness.
I’ve been hunting the bastard for a goddamn decade, always one step behind. Gritting my teeth as he taunts me with messages my tech guy can never trace, reminding me that I know nothing about him, yet he knows right where to find me. He’s the bane of my existence, my white whale. My obsession.
I couldn’t give two shits about the bounty on his head anymore, I just want the bastard dead.
Because as long as he’s alive? I have to keep my mate at arm’s length to keep her out of his crosshairs. If any of my enemies found out about my fated mate, they’d use her against me. And after being a murderer for hire for twenty years? I’ve pissed off hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
“Soon,” I reassure myself, pulling out my phone and bringing up my favorite picture of her. It’s a bit blurry, taken from a distance, but captures her smile perfectly. She’s looking up at the sky right after the rain, a slight rainbow visible behind her, with such happiness that you’d think it was the first time she’d seen one. Her purple hair is slightly damp from the rain, her blue-green eyes alight with unfettered joy. Like she doesn’t have a care in the world, losing herself in such a simple moment I’ve long since taken for granted.
Kiara.
These past six months have been grueling, but I’ve hunted down every single one of my enemies so I can finally be with her except for one. FuckingCarnage.
A knock on my door breaks me out of my silent seething. “Come in.”
“Boss.” He dips his head in respect. “We have a lead.”
My heart stutters despite knowing better than to hope. “Where?”
He gives me a look like he’s afraid I’m going to lose my shit, which doesn’t bode well for him walking out of here without a knife in his shoulder if he doesn’t hurry up and spit it out.
“Mercy Ridge.”
My stomach twists sickeningly and I slam a fist on the desk hard enough it cracks. A silver haze surrounds me as my control slips, the wraith in me sucking the warmth from the room as it seeks the nearest soul to cannibalize in a fit of undilutedrage.
He wisely hauls ass out of my office, the door slamming behind him and giving me the freedom to lose my shit without putting any of my men at risk. Ice crystalizes on the window as I fling my blade at the cork board so it cleaves the bastard’s name in half, chest heaving.
He found her.
Heknows.
Chapter 10
Stryker
“This’ll work; it has to. Just don’t take no for an answer,” I hype myself up, stomach a riot of nerves as I pull open the door to the small clinic, a bell tinkling above to announce my presence.
The lobby is clean, with four empty chairs against one wall for people to wait, and a front desk that doesn’t even have a computer, only a paper agenda open to today’s calendar surrounded by some basic office supplies. A quick glance confirms not only aren’t there any appointments for the rest of the day, there isn’t a single security camera in the place. Not a soul will know I was ever here.
It’sperfect.
“I’ll be with you in a minute!” a faint voice calls from the back as I lean against the wall while I wait.Maybe I went too far with the whole ‘off the beaten path’ idea. If they can’t afford a receptionist or computer, how good can this vet actually be?
“Maybe the rumors were exaggerated,” I murmur to myself, my excitement starting to fizzle out.
No, thishasto work.Or I’m going to lose… everything.
My dark thoughts come to a screeching halt as the cutest fucking woman I’ve ever seen rounds the corner.
“Sorry, I had to get Marco settled down before he’d let me leave the room.”
Instantly, I kick off the wall, on high alert as I glare down the hallway. “Letyou leave? Did he put his hands on you?” I’m two seconds away from storming down the hall and putting this jackass in his place when she snorts.
“He’s just pissy because his mate had to get sedated. As soon as he realizes Polo will make a full recovery, he’ll chill out.”
