Blood Assassin(16)

But Bas was about as far from normal as you could get.

A humorless smile stretched his lips. The world was slowly beginning to accept the presence of high-bloods. Valhalla could be thanked for that. After centuries of being reviled as monsters, they’d learned the value of a top-notch PR blitz. There was nothing like giving a gloss of exotic mystery to a group of people. And while there would always be people who considered them as “freaks” and “mutants” the humans no longer huddled in fear when they heard a high-blood was near.

Stupid humans.

Valhalla might have given them the image of harmless, law-abiding citizens, but the truth was far less innocent.

No matter how hard the Mave might try to tame them, there were always those high-bloods who refused to be neutered.

Men like him, and those who followed him.

They remained monsters. And were damned proud of the fact.

Of course, he’d learned from the Mave’s success. People were laughably easy to fool. An expensive office, a closet filled with thousand-dollar suits, and a Lamborghini and they were happy to accept that he was just another human businessman.

Hiding in plain sight had proven to be far easier than skulking in the shadows.

Fucking amazing.

On this night, however, he wasn’t savoring his latest success. Or sorting through his files to select a potential client.

He’d been warned his entire life that his sense of superiority would eventually bite him in the ass. And his entire life he’d laughed at the warning.

He wasn’t laughing anymore.

The faint footstep in the outer lobby would have been undetectable to human ears, but Bas was already turned toward the door when it was pushed open and Kaede stepped into the office and crossed to stand directly in front of him.

A slender man with smooth black hair brushing his shoulders and dark eyes, Kaede was built along trim lines with the Asian features of his ancestors. Tonight he was wearing a black T-shirt and black jeans.

To the public he was Bas’s administrative assistant. In truth, he was Bas’s enforcer.

Despite his lack of bulging muscles, Kaede was one of the most lethal killers Bas had ever met.

Ironically, he also happened to be a damned fine administrative assistant.

Organized. Efficient.

Prompt.

“The psychic has reached the outskirts of the city,” the younger man said, bringing the news that Bas had been waiting for. “Do you want her taken into custody?”

Not by the flicker of an eye did he allow his relief to show. He was a leader of thugs, outlaws, and misfits.

The second they sniffed weakness he would be devoured by his own sect.

But he better than anyone knew the thousand things that could have gone wrong.

“No.” He shook his head, his tone low but filled with the authority he’d earned over the past century. “We don’t know if our people are being monitored. The less attention we attract to her arrival the better. Meet her in the underground parking lot and bring her up by the back elevator.”

“You got it.”

Without hesitation his companion began to turn back toward the open door, only to halt when Bas lightly touched his shoulder.

“Kaede.”

The enforcer turned back to meet Bas’s narrowed gaze. “What?”

“She was alone?”