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But I knehy he wanted me there ASAP Our suspect would be easier to catch, easier to handle, now This was Jack’s version ofme

So I simply said, "I’ll be in touch"

Jack’s voice rolled through the background again, then Sal said, "He says to keep the co on, but we both know that won’t happen"

I grinned but did as requested, although I did cut their ability to talk to s got nasty

I continued to drive along Citylink The co infore that appeared had red hair and bright blue eyes, and he was young - probably no more than nineteen or twenty It had to be the least threatening ie I’d ever seen, but I’d learned over the years never to judge a book by its cover For all I knew, this innocent-looking kid could be the underworld’s best hit man With that face, no one would ever suspect hih Street exit ramp came into view, I moved over to the left lane, then took the ramp Several cars back, ination every reen as I approached, and I followed the traffic around to the left A parking lot ca into that, parked the car in front of the trees, then quickly juull form

The red Mazda caht

It slowed but didn’t stop I couldn’t see the driver thanks to the fact that I was under the car, but I didn’t dare come out, because I had no idea how much h away, I walked out fro upward swiftly and easily - so I’d have souldn’t have been possible when I’d first started learning to fly

The red car crawled along the curb until there was a break in the traffic, then did a quick U-turn and parked in the lot on the opposite side of the street to the one I was parked in

I landed on the outstretched liet a better view of the Mazda’s driver

It wasn’t the granny’s nephew The driver was a swarthy-looking man as all teeth and nose His shoulders were thickset and his arms were the size of tree trunks He didn’t look like a wolf, because we tend to be slender, and I couldn’t really see Blake using a non - pack ainst me He wouldn’t risk that sort of exposure with people he couldn’t trust absolutely - or put the fear of God into

Of course, he had used Kye to guard his son, but at least Kye had been a wolf He’d also been the very best killer that money could buy

Except that he wasn’t the best, because I’d killed hiht No!

I forced the darkness away and tried to concentrate on the here and now Whatever this man was, he could never be called the best He couldn’t even tail someone properly

But maybe that was the whole point

I watched the driver for several oing anywhere until I did, I fluttered down to the road and strutted up to his car He didn’t even looklow as I waited to see if he picked up my presence But there was noof tension or excitement in the air - either of which would have indicated he are that so was close, if not et to hold an awareness of his surroundings - which wouldother than a wolf

Either way, he was about to regret his decision to follow a guardian

Chapter 3

I silently counted to three then surged toit off its hinges in the process Thein reaction He was fast, but not wolf fast, and while his scent wasn’t human, I didn’t think he was entirely nonhurabbed a fistful of shirt, and hauled hi ainst the rear door

He grunted but otherwise showed little reaction to the force of my push He really was ahis thick shoulders and boulder-like arainst ing fist in the other The sunshot

Even this close to him, I couldn’t tell if he was human or not He didn’t seem to have any particular scent, which h I’d never heard of one that actually erased thehis fingers Even though h to entirely cover his, I could still cause soh to realize it

"What fucking right have you got to haulguardians don’t have any rights Why are you doing it, and who’s paying you?"

"I have no idea what you’re talking about I was just sitting there drinking aze flicked briefly to the inside of his car He did indeed have a travelin the center console, but I seriously doubted the rest of his story There was toofrom his body for an innocenthis hand a little harder I could s, but there was no sign of fear or pain on his face or in his eyes A tough et ive me the answers I want and walk aithout broken bones"

He considered it for several heartbeats, then said, "How do I know you’re a fucking guardian?"

I shifted e, showed it to hipaid to do"

"By who there was sos? I’iven all that I’d seen over the last few years, but for soive me your boss’s na fine particles of snot over"Get real He’ll kill me if I did that"

"And I’ll kill you if you don’t"

I wouldn’t - and couldn’t if he was human, thanks to the law - but it never hurt to eneral public and the criuardians can and can’t do thatresults

"Fuck" He shifted his stance a little, and I tensed, half expecting hietting paid enough to mess with the likes of you"

"So he didn’t tell you I was a guardian?" I reached out telepathically and lightly connected with his thoughts -

not enough for hih to tell truth fro he wasn’t too happy with his boss right now

"And the plate number didn’t overnment departments, had their own plates It would have been a little hard toan ordinary car

"Well, yeah, but you could have been an office worker for all I knew I didn’t knoe had feuardians eren’t vamps"