Night Calls - Nyx Slaughter Book 1 (14 page)

“I did this knowing what drawbacks
there were, but still decided that you had something I had to be
connected to in order to protect. Did I do it out of love? No. We
didn’t even know each other at the time, but the romantic side of
me hoped that maybe something would grow out of it. We, at least,
started off friendly, so I had hoped I wouldn’t find you over my
bed one day with an execution order in your hand and you carrying
it out no questions asked.”

“You always know the right things
to say. How do you do that?” I ask. “Okay pity party over. We
cannot go back to change the circumstances of your decision. I
still think it was stupid and as far as I have seen there isn’t
anything all that special about me. If anything, I am just a freak
of nature.”

“Maybe I will suggest to Alex that
freak would be a perfect nickname for you, or maybe I will just
start calling you that myself. There is no denying that the word
does describe you. I will have to write to the dictionary companies
and submit your photo to be included next to the word,” he
suggests.

“Jerk,” I reply. “Let’s hurry up
and get my guns. I want to go home.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” he says
lifting me up bridal style and taking off in a run. Within seconds,
we are back at Smitty’s door.

“Why didn’t you do that in the
first place?” I ask catching my breath.

“On the way there, I was buying
time. On the way back, I wanted to see what you were
feeling.”

He puts me down and I see we are in
Smitty’s living area, but we are not alone. Smitty is sitting
looking very disgruntled and two hulking men are standing leaning
up against a wall with their arms across their chests. These guys
are literally huge. I think someone needs to check them for banned
substances.

“You two have an explanation for
why these two mutts were pounding on my door waking me from a very
peaceful days rest?” Smitty asks.

“I am guessing they aren’t
door-to-door salesman,” I offer.

“No, they are your guards, love,”
Sebastian explains. “Alex and I thought it best that she be guarded
at all times. If anything happens to her, we all three would
probably die.”

“Oh shit!” he exclaims making me
laugh. “She is Monroe’s fricken mate too? What did you guys do last
night? Go to bed praying that this already messed up situation
would step up the ladder a little on the totally preposterous
scale?”

“I already knew the situation, so
no praying was necessary,” Sebastian states. “A few other things
were revealed that would probably blow your mind, so I will save
those for another date.” Sebastian directs his attention to the
wolves in the room. “Can I get your names, please?”

The slightly bigger of the two
steps forward. He has dark brown hair with matching eyes and a
scowl that seems to be permanently attached. They are both dressed
in all black attire that should blend in well with me. “I am Jonas
and this is Jake. We have been told to protect the woman with our
lives.”

“I am sure giving up your lives
will not be necessary. I imagine, you already know who I am, so you
should know I can defend myself fairly well,” I say.

“We are aware you are Slaughter.
Alex was very clear in stating that we were not to allow you to
even get a paper cut, though, so we may have some issues on what
you think we are going to do here,” Jonas responds.

“Seriously, the jerk said I
couldn’t get a paper cut? I am going to shoot him. Sebastian you
had better straighten him out. If I have to talk to him, we are all
going to end up dead. I cannot believe he would say something like
that. I told him what my plans were for when I got back to the city
and they weren’t wrapping myself in bubble wrap and sitting in my
room all day,” I scream. I am pretty sure there is smoke coming out
my ears at this point. I thought we had left the meeting all on the
same page. Why in the world would he decide I needed this level of
protection?

“I am surprised he only sent you
two, if those where his instructions,” Sebastian says giggling like
a girl.

“Not helping. Let’s get on the
road. We can figure out how this is actually going to work later.
It’s not like Alex will know if I get a paper cut, so maybe we can
just keep that information from him,” I propose.

“You guys are chemically bonded
now,” Sebastian says in the midst of a full on laugh now. “He will
feel any damage your body takes.”

“I need a second please,” I say
heading to the bedroom I stayed last night. I see my knives and am
happy they haven’t been moved. I pick one up and stab it into each
of the fingertips on my left hand. I have never been shy around
pain and the wounds don’t even bleed. Temper tantrum over, I walk
back out to the living area.

“Hold on, she is right here,”
Sebastian says handing me the phone. “Your picture is going next to
childish, too.”

I put the phone to my ear and say
“Not even a paper cut. Are you insane? I cannot believe you would
order something like that. Are they to watch me while I shave my
legs to insure I don’t nick myself?”

“I miss you too, pumpkin. Did you
really have to stab yourself to make the point? I was a jerk
earlier today and I thought showing my concern for you in this
matter would make you feel better,” Alex says.

“Just because you don’t like the
idea of being in pain, doesn’t mean you can send Frick and Frack
over here with orders that I cannot live my life. In what universe
would you think a person that has trained and lived her life as an
assassin, would be okay with that?” I ask.

“It wasn’t only about me. I thought
we all agreed you were to be protected. Maybe the paper cut comment
was a little too harsh. I will adjust the order if you promise to
try to not injure yourself unnecessarily,” he replies.

“I don’t go out of my way to be
injured. Other than in training, I probably haven’t been hurt in a
long time. Have you been in constant pain these last eight
months?”

“Not constant no, but there has
been pain involved. You would think I would get used to it, but the
fact that the hurt is coming from you actually makes it worse.
Let’s go with a happy medium and I will change my orders to
preventing anyone else from hurting you. They didn’t exactly do a
bang up job of stopping you from stabbing yourself a minute ago. I
forgot to mention to them that you are a tad bit psycho. I will
have to solve that problem,” he mutters.

“Fine. If they have to stick around
they can assist when others are involved, but I get to take the
lead in those situations and it can only be if I look to be in
trouble,” I counter.

“Maybe. I would prefer you not
fighting anyone right now. I am guessing that is a pipe dream on my
part,” he responds.

“That would be correct. I cannot do
the job I am creating for myself with my hands tied like that. It
is going to be bad enough that I show up everywhere with the Cujo
twins in tow. It isn’t very professional,” I tell him.

“Okay. They have heard the
conversation, so the new orders are protect you without getting in
your way. Sound good?” he asks.

“I can live with that. Thank you,”
I reply.

“Good. Now have a safe trip home
and I will see you soon, pumpkin,” he says.

“Good-bye again, Alex. Maybe I will
actually get out of town this time before we have another
argument,” I say ending the call and handing the phone to
Sebastian. “Thank you secretary that will be all.”

“Cute. Gear up and let’s hit the
road. Smitty is going to be joining us. I have plenty of room in
the building and the older the vampire, the better to guard you,”
he replies.

“So we are going to have day and
night shifts?” I ask.

“Probably, the wolves can guard you
in daytime and the vampires at night,” Sebastian
suggests.

“I have to interject here,” Jake
says speaking for the first time in a very deep voice. Even though
he is as big as Jonas, his features are lighter, light brown hair
and hazel eyes. He doesn’t look quite as mean either. Maybe he just
isn’t as upset with the assignment at Jonas. “Alex changed the
orders as far as when we step in, but there is still the order that
one of us has to be with you at all times. He said, even when more
wolves come, me or Jonas will be by your side.”

“Really? Phone please, Sebastian,”
I say holding out my hand. When I have it in my possession, I hit
the button to return the last call. “You forgot to tell them they
don’t need to watch me shower,” I say when I hear the line connect
on the other end.

“No, I told them they had to be in
the room, but couldn’t watch,” he counters.

“Bathroom and bedroom are off
limits, and any feedings they have to leave the room for,” I
say.

“Turning their backs isn’t enough?”
he asks.

“They have really good hearing as
it is. Even if they are outside the room, they are already going to
get more information than I want them to know. There are just
certain times I need to be alone. In a lot of those cases Sebastian
will be with me, so I won’t need extra guards. If something comes
at me and Sebby and we cannot fight it off, chances are we would
die anyway,” I comment.

“Fine, they can use their own best
judgment on whether they are needed in a given circumstance, but
one of them will always be on duty. That will not change. They are
the best guys I have and I need at least the illusion that you are
safe at all times. These dang feelings weren’t that bad before we
officially met. Now for some reason my protective instincts are
running wild,” he explains.

“Hmm, I am not feeling any
different. Of course, my emotional type stuff hasn’t changed in
regards to Sebastian either. I really hope there isn’t going to be
a time where I catch a sudden onslaught of what you two are
feeling. Talk about a nightmare. Well good-bye again, I am done
talking,” I say and hang up the phone.

Chapter 15

The strong, silent type

Night hasn’t fallen yet, so we have
to leave Smitty behind to catch up in a few hours. Granted, him
flying instead of driving with us means he will actually probably
beat us home. Jake drives us in his Jeep to the edge of the woods
where we left the Suburban. Jonas is going to ride with us while
Jake follows, so they have a vehicle available for themselves when
we get to the city.

Surprisingly, the Suburban is in
the spot I last saw it. I cannot believe they just left it
untouched. I am envisioning a bomb exploding the second I turn the
key, if the key is even still in it. I kind of forgot to grab it
last night when I was searching for Alex.

“Do you want to drive, Sebastian?”
I ask almost shocked that those words came out of my mouth. I have
never let another person drive the Suburban. Where in the world did
that question come from?

“I would love to, but would have
never asked myself and know how much you would hate for anyone else
to be driving,” he replies. “You must be picking up on stuff. Isn’t
that great?”

“No,” I say knowing he was joking.
“I am still driving even if something is telling me you would like
to.”

“I know,” he says with a big grin.
“I don’t smell any explosives. I imagine they just put trackers on
it, so we should be fine. For now, we want to broadcast where we
are going to make sure they know we aren’t afraid of
them.”

I climb in the driver seat and see
the key still in the ignition. Sebastian takes his place in the
passenger seat and we wait as it seems Jake and Jonas are deep in
conversation outside the vehicle. After a few moments, Jonas kneels
down and looks to be searching under the vehicle. Jake takes
something out of his pocket and starts walking around the
vehicle.

“I told them it was more than
likely safe. I wouldn't have gotten in if I didn't believe that,”
Sebastian muses.

“They are just being thorough,” I
say wishing they would hurry up. It takes them five minutes, but
finally Jonas joins us and Jake returns to the Jeep.

“Three trackers were found. Don't
you think that is a little overkill?” Jonas asks.

“I wonder if they all belong to the
same people. Doesn't really matter either way. Take us home, love,”
Sebastian says.

I start the vehicle and make my way
back to the road I need to be on. The car remains quiet for ten
minutes before it starts to bother me. Usually I don't feel the
need to fill a silence, but today is different for some
reason.

“So Jonas, tell me about yourself.
If we are going to have to spend a bunch of time together, it would
be nice to know about you,” I say.

“Not much to tell and I am not
really sure I want to tell you anything personal,” he replies.
“Rumor is people don't get close to you and manage to stay
alive.”

“Rumor should be people don't get
close to me at all. I have only ever had two friends. One I was
raised with in the Collective and the other is sitting in the front
seat with me and has been a rock in my life for the last three
years. Seems like they are both alive and kicking. Granted there
have been numerous times when I have wanted to kill both of them,
but I have refrained.”