Hired Hunter (The Rover 2)

“Shit? Don’t say shit. That can’t be good. Not after we discussed your dreams.”

He placed the book on the edge of his desk and waved at the others. “You’re welcome to look at them.”

I grabbed the one making him spout expletives. “I want to know what’s in this one that has you spooked.”

He faced out the window with his hands on his hips.

I surged around his desk and put myself right in front of him, squeezing between the decorative table back there and his body. “No, tell me what you’re thinking. Don’t shut me out.”

It took a minute for him to finally look down at me and answer. “I think I did something bad, Zoey.”

“Bad? Bad, how? Not pay your parking tickets? Screw your male employee who needs to take some vacation days and find a male stripper to cull his urges? What?”

As my nerves climbed, my rambling increased. He pressed his fingers against my lips, and I fell silent. Then, I cheered myself mentally for not striking out at him for touching me so intimately.

“I was mistaken when I made my oath to you,” he said.

Outrage must have already shown on my face because he shook his head.

“I don’t think you’re a mage, not in the way many know them. I think you’re mage-born, but also fae-born too.”

“What makes you say that?”

He chuckled; it was a sad sound. “Because only other fae can see into each other’s dreams with a bond like ours.”

Chapter Ten

Fin’s words echoed in my brain and then he said my name, once, twice.

It took a moment to clear my head enough to meet his eyes again. “Yes?”

“Are you okay? Did you know that you have fae blood also?”

I shoved him away from me, needing distance, space, the truth.

I stumbled out of his office, sure my face showed everything I tried to keep locked inside. With nothing to do but move, I jogged down the hall, going nowhere, and found myself in the sparring room. It seemed my psyche knew what I needed, even if I didn’t.

One of the punching bags wobbled on its hook and I stared it down. Had I done that?

I crossed the room and bracketed the bag with my hands to still it.

I’d spent my entire life thinking I was human. After one terrible experience, I’d learned I was some part mage, and now...some part fae. Did it never occur to my parents I might need to know these things?

Probably not, since they didn’t expect to be slaughtered in our own home. They had thought they had time. Just like everyone else.

I wrapped my arms around the bag, almost hugging it.

“You should buy it dinner if you’re going to feel it up.” Fin’s voice came from the stairwell leading into the large open space.

I didn’t apologize for pushing him, and yet he seemed to know I was sorry.

“Want to spar? Will that help?” he asked.

I shoved away from the bag and faced him. “Right now, I might accidentally take your head off.”

He unbuttoned his dress shirt and stripped his tie off his neck. “You could try. I doubt you would succeed.”

“That sounds like a challenge, old man.”