Rage (Her Monsters Book One) - K.A Knight Page 0,119

them in total. It looks like nine bodyguards, from the way they are scanning the area and surrounding the man in the middle.

He’s not what I was expecting, at all. Oh he gives me the creeps all right, but he looks old and fragile. He must be in his sixties, with short-trimmed grey hair, even a grey beard. He is almost unassuming, almost blending in with the big, muscular men around him. My eyes would skip over him in the crowd, maybe that’s the point. Even the way he walks makes him look weak, but from the look in his eyes, he is anything but.

They stop meters away from me and I panic. Do they have a code word? A handshake?

“Raymond.” The old man’s voice is clear and strong, making me re-estimate him.

I incline my head, unsure how to greet the man before me, but I shouldn’t have worried, his eyes drop to the girl at my feet and light with interest, completely ignoring me now. “What have you brought me this time?” he asks, his voice rushing in excitement.

I push the girl forward with my foot, thinking quickly on the spot. “Doc doesn’t know what she is, but he mentioned fire,” I blurt, and wince before schooling my expression when he looks at me.

“Fire?” He taps his chin before grinning. “Excellent. Load her up,” he snaps at the men.

Two walk over to us and grab her by the arms and pull her to her feet. As they bend over, two identical necklaces slip from their shirts—a large, green glowing stone on the end of a metal clasp. Frowning, I watch as they pull her away, she starts to struggle, throwing me a look as they drag her over to the old man.

“Gag her, I hate it when they talk,” the man orders, before turning back to me, the nasty look on his face disappearing in an instant.

“Your payment will be wired as usual.” He nods and turns to leave, shit.

Think Dawn, think.

“Actually, we want to renegotiate,” I blurt out and all the men freeze, looking between each other as the old man gives me a considering look.

“What was that?” he asks, his voice deadly, and he straightens up and my mouth drops open in shock at the power pouring from him. Holy fuck, he’s a supe.

His eyes change colour, his hair turns brown, and his wrinkles disappear until a middle-aged, attractive man is standing before me. “You were saying?” he demands and the men tighten around him.

I spare them a look, noticing the same strange glowing coming from every one of their chests. The woman starts to fight, screaming at everyone.

“I’m not getting paid enough for this shit!” It cuts through the air and the man’s head swivels her way, his eyes narrowing before he stomps over to her. Grabbing her head in a vice, he growls into her face as she screams.

“Paid?”

She nods, her eyes looking at me. “Dawn, he paid me.”

“Dawn?” the man questions, looking over at me with confused eyes.

“Test her.” He throws the woman at one of the men who touches her forehead lightly, his eyes closing as he concentrates. With a snarl he pulls away, spitting at her feet.

“Human, sir,” he replies.

The no longer old man looks at me, his eyes cold. “Kill her,” he orders.

One of the men pulls a gun and before I can scream a warning or move, he aims and fires, hitting Crystal right between the eyes. She falls to the ground, blood pooling around her head as I look back at the man in charge. Griffin tried to warn me, Nos as well, but I thought I could handle it. These aren’t humans and they aren’t messing around.

My arm starts to shake and I quickly hide it behind my back, knowing it means I need to change back soon.

“Care to explain, Ray, or should I call you Dawn?” he inquires, stepping closer, his men with him. They all look angry now, and hungry for my blood.

“We should kill the human and find another to work with,” one of the men suggests, and the man in charge taps his chin before sighing.

“Maybe you are right,” he mutters, sparing me a look. “He has become more trouble than he is worth. Kill him.” With that, he turns and walks back to a car and gets in. It pulls away, leaving only one car and all the man’s bodyguards behind.

They converge on me, their eyes excited as they move closer. My death