Page 14 of Hound

Her words had stuck out to me, but her voice had clutched my chest in a way I still felt to this day. The low, shaky tone completely lacked the confidence my cousin always had.

A fire I didn’t know existed ignited that day because, like her, I didn’t remember him. But he was real. Just like Mom. Hence why the search for a piece of our past continued.

“Watch it. I know that face.”

She shook her head as if that removed the inquisitive expression I knew too well. “What face? I’m not making a face. You are.”

Pictures flashed against the mounted television on the corner wall and a red headline appeared underneath the news anchor.

Company of Essential Guardianship: Who will essentially take over?

With Lace’s phone calls decreasing, the missions stopped. It wasn’t unheard of, but silence wasn’t always good.

Especially when he wasn’t picking up my calls.

“His father is close to deciding on the CEG’s shares and inheritance.”

“Is Lace going to inherit the company?”

I nonchalantly gripped the heaviest dumbbells. “With the guardians vouching for Lace, maybe. He’s been sufficient and competent compared to his brothers.”

I’d run into them a few times. Lace spoke highly of them, their work proven in the success of the CEG, but his brothers were more like puppets with distressed gazes than the supposed geniuses they’ve been displayed as.

“The Bureau is trying to meddle?” Nina asked as her eyes were glued to the screen. “Of course, they are. At least the Vampire Ministry is staying out?—”

“You can catch up on politics later.”Politics that Lace doesn’t want anyone to know about.“There’s something else we need to talk about.”

She settled into her set with weights but suddenly stopped any movement when I spoke. “I know about the scheme the Sephtis boys pulled on you, Nina.”

Maybe it wasn’t the best way to bring up the conversation, but if it weren’t for me, she’d never talk about it.

She scoffed. “And I thought Lace sent you here to reunite us.” She dropped the dumbbells on the mat floor.

“He did. But I also know of your non-feeding habits.”

“I’m not up for a lecture right now.”

I grabbed her wrist before she could run away. “Listen, you settled a situation like a guardian would. But that doesn’t hide the fact that you weren’t feeding while taking stronger medication. The situation could have escalated.”

Her strength overpowered mine as she tugged away. “Okay, okay! I get it. Lace wants me to have a babysitter to make sure I eat. Fine. Do you need to sniff my mouth every day to make sure I do?”

Gross. And she’s missing the point.“No, Nina. If those Sephtis guys do something else, it’ll affect the CEG and Lace. Nothing can happen until his dad makes the final decision.” I sighed. “We can’t ruin Laces’ shot.”

Lessons came with being a guardian. One, in particular, being not to argue with Lace. He was older by a few months, which made him think he had all the wisdom in the world. Maybe he did in our friendship. But at the forefront at work, I listened to him as my boss. Sometimes, the two intersected, and it benefited me more often than not. . .like when it came to posts.

While I was here as an outdoor guardian, in charge of observing the exterior premises, and as Nina’s support, my postswere conditional. Through Lace’s orders, I stepped in when short on the ground or whenever I desired. Most nights, I did my job since I was hired to do so. But some nights, when the shimmering moon was set in the dark depth above me, I checked up on my baby who hadn’t been touched since my arrival.

Tonight was supposed to be the night I broke her out for a ride. But—there it was.

The powdery-like scent, weak within the crisp rain. A smell that didn’t belong in the earthy musk that coated the forest. It trailed like a shadow behind me for the past week.

And the beast hadn’t let go of it.

Claws itched against my fingertips, but I tightened my fists, the tips digging into my palms. Heat vibrated off my skin as a cool breeze passed through, irritation lining my muscles as the scent persisted.

A crawling sensation hovered over me like a blanket, weighing each calculated footstep I took.

It’s time to put a stop to this.

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