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“If he learns of its existence, he’ll destroy everything in his path to claim it.”
“Then we’ll gather our own team of hunters and beat them to the punch,” I said. “You get to relive your glory days. Vortigern will arrive, find nothing exciting to hunt, and go home empty handed.”
“I’d need experienced hunters,” Matilda said. “Where do you suppose I’ll find them quickly enough?”
An idea took shape. “As it happens, we have one thing most towns lack.”
Addison frowned. “Free parking?”
“No, we don’t have that either.”
“Then what?”
My gaze rested on Matilda. “An Assassins Guild.”
CHAPTER 4
There was no time to lose. As much as I hated to ask for favors, especially one from the prince of hell I was dating, I needed Kane to convene an emergency guild meeting.
I couldn’t believe I used ‘prince of hell’ and ‘dating’ in the same sentence without a punchline. When did this become my life?
Although Kane wasn’t an assassin, he acted as the guild’s supervisor, primarily for the purpose of keeping a group of professional killers in check. If anyone could accomplish that feat, it was a demon prince of hell with a fearsome reputation.
Instead of sending an urgent text message, I called from the privacy of the front porch and invited him to the Castle for dinner. When I hung up, I noticed Nana Pratt at the end of the porch.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” she said quickly. “I didn’t realize you were on the telephone until I got here.”
“It’s okay.”
“If you’re inviting your paramour to dine with you, you need to ditch the roommate.”
“I’d love to send Addison somewhere else, but there’s nowhere safe.” I would’ve asked Matilda to take her riding, but the Night Mallt left to see if she could entice any former hunters out of retirement.
“That’s her problem.”
“And I made it my problem.”
“Hire a babysitter. That’s what I used to do when my kids were young. You can’t have her lurking upstairs while your gentleman caller is courting you.”
“It’s only dinner.”
“‘Only dinner’ is how I became a mother the first time.”
“TMI, Nana Pratt.”
I contemplated the contacts list on my phone. It was painfully short. “I’ll see what I can do.”
After making the necessary arrangements, I ran upstairs to make myself presentable, which mainly involved brushing my hair and teeth and reapplying deodorant. I was low maintenance to a fault.
My whole body felt jittery. At first, I thought the ward had activated, until I realized it wasn’t a magical response; it was a physiological one.
I was nervous.
I’d told Kane that I was willing to increase the glacial pace of our relationship, except I had no idea what I meant by that. I had minimal experience with romantic relationships. The vampire I’d dared to date once upon a time had turned out to be a complete prick, and that had nothing to do with his fangs. I hadn’t trusted myself to choose another partner since then, especially not with the stern voice of Pops ringing in my ears. I’d pictured him telling me I told you so more times than I could count, even though he’d died years before Mr. Prick appeared on the scene.
I paced my bedroom floor in an effort to release my nervous tension. My gaze landed on my weapons trunk, and I debated whether to throw a few knives. Maybe target practice would help. As I opened the trunk, a warm sensation flooded my veins.
Damn. I slammed the trunk shut. Target practice would have to wait.
