Page 9 of Hound

“No, but I do,” Lace stated, his eyes leveling onto mine. “It’s for Nina. She’s stationed there.”

I hadn’t seen or spoken to my cousin ever since I left for my ongoing post five months ago. While I’d received updates through Lace, it didn’t bury the worry I always had for her and her. . .condition. Although she forced Lace to promise not to tell me, I recognized her signs.

Maybe we weren’t exactly the same, but we were similar. And that was a blessing and curse all on its own.

Tension lined my muscles as panic twisted in my gut. “What happened to her?” A deep edge coated my voice.

“She’s okay. She handled the situation as a guardian should, but it triggered her other state. The fact she hasn’t been feeding also didn’t help.”

“What?”I roared. “What about the medication?”It was a never-ending battle between us. She hated taking pills, but it was the only fix that helped maintain her condition. She had a chance to be stable. I didn’t.

“Increased, but she’s been consistent on taking it for the past few months since she’s stationed under the Sephtises.”

Inhaled. Exhaled. The red that stained my gaze vanished as I regrouped myself. “So, you need me to keep an eye on her?”

He nodded. “And the Sephtises. They’re known to. . .play games on their indoor guardians.”

“What type of games?”

“The ones where they manipulate their targets into thinking they’re an item and get heartbroken at the end.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you, now would I?” He smirked, any form of amusement absent. He pulled out a few sheets from the stack, showcasing detailed assessments of past guardians assigned to the Sephtis family. “Don’t be fooled. Their mind games are so deliberate, guardians vanish into thin air once they return. Our reputation has deteriorated because of these men. You leave on Thursday.”

A sigh escaped me. “You think I can get a new one, then?” I pulled out the phone from my back pocket. While it still worked, the glass pinched my skin every time I used it. It was starting to piss me off.

“Anything for you, Enzo.” The usual warm smile reflected on his face.

My cousin always had a certain gleam in her gaze when she was with Lace and me. Not because of how we were as a trio, but how me and him were as a duo. She never verbally said it, but it was all in the way she observed us, as if there was more to our relationship. As if I had a crush on Lace.

But she was wrong. What I had for Lace was nothing more than admiration. Respect. Duty. He took my cousin and me in after Mom died when no one else did.

I owed him my life. I couldn’t fail him.

“And please,” Lace’s voice softened with each word, “promise me you won’t tell Nina I sent you to keep her in check. I don’t want her thinking we don’t trust her.”

Whatever was lodged in my throat earlier tripled in size, my swallow dry. It was another truth I had to omit from my cousin. Not by want, but by necessity.

“Of course, Lace. I promise.”

Deafening roars oozed from my motorcycle and echoed into the looming forest. Woodstale, a small settlement outside of Syracuse, was known for its greenery. But there was a side to it that no human knew about. And for the most part, based on Lace’s report, vampires were kept in the dark to keep the Premier’s heirs safe from threats.

But my take? Lace was doing a favor to vampires by keeping the Premier’s seven offsprings away from civilization. For once, the clients’ reputation made for entertaining homework.

The Sephtises were nestled deep in the wilderness, where mountains stood proud, and bodies of waters mingled. Musk and cedar fought for dominance. Tranquility was supposed to be in the passing wind. But instead, dense air pressed against my shoulders as I drew closer.

A tall, dark gate with a security house neared in the distance. Suited bodies loomed across the grounds. Lace probably notified them about my arrival since it was protocol, but I swiftly turned out of view.

Guardians weren’t supposed to have transportation outside of the CEG assigned taxis and drivers. And while Lace gifted my baby to me after my first year at the CEG, he was strict on keeping her out of sight. I was the secret exception, and to keep Lace out of the limelight, my outside work needed to be under wraps.

“Where to head now?” my whisper drowned as I closed in at an edge of the territory. There wasn’t much of a road left over so I turned my baby off. The remaining dirt path merged into a dissipated river and led to a dead end that—wait.

In a swift motion, I parked and retrieved the map from Laces’ documents. It detailed most of the terrain and routes in and around the Sephtis property. He’d lent it to me to study since I’d be stationed as a new offensive guardian, focused on ground protection.Ikept it to probe the area for my baby.

Nowhere did it show a cave carved into the side of a mountain.

Perfect.

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