Claiming His Unexpected Baby (Assassins Guild #2) - Michelle Howard Page 0,46

renewal, Sulen Czen. Do you wish to confirm now?”

There was a goblet of golden liquid on the table. One drop of his blood in that cup would change his future for the next two years if Sulen accepted the renewal. All the years before, he’d never hesitated to cut himself and confirm his contract.

If he did this, could he still be a family with Amelie? Would she wait for him when he was gone for days at a time doing what needed to be done and unable to tell her the where or when of what he was doing?

Then there was Fleur. She called him daddy with such ease and even though it was a stretch, Sulen felt like he was her father. A part of him was connected to that little girl and he didn’t want that feeling to change.

“Sulen?”

His hesitation drew stares. Pushing his shoulders back, he met their gazes. “I will return with my answer for the Guild once I’ve seen to a private matter.”

“A...private matter?” the Master repeated with a strategic pause.

“Yes.” Sulen kept his answer simple.

A heavy silence fell through the room. Then. “Very well.”

Bowing again, Sulen hurried out. His comm vibrated in his pants as soon as he turned it on. There was a single message from Garik.

You need to have your ass back here.

Sulen entered Garik’s comm code. As soon as he answered, questions spewed forth. “What happened? Is Amelie alright? Fleur?”

Outside the Guild main headquarters, Sulen picked up his pace and took a multi-passenger rail car.

“Roan. Get here now,” Garik snapped.

Unable to sit, Sulen stood by the door, so he’d be the first one off at the transport station. Fear and worry churned in his gut. Other passengers cast odd stares at his tense black leather coated figure. He didn’t care. Outwardly he appeared calm, but inside, his anger was climbing at an astronomical rate and passing the fear. Roan needed to die.

Sulen lowered his voice. “Just tell me what Roan has done, Garik.”

“He’s taken Fleur. Your bond mate is a wreck and Saedra has been taken to the medical facility here. If I get my hands on him first, there will be nothing left for the authorities.

Sulen pressed his palm against the mechanical doors, wishing he could get to the transport station faster. Fleur taken? Saedra seeing medics? If Roan was the reason Saedra was hurt, it was a miracle Garik hadn’t killed him already.

“Tell Amelie I’m on my way.” He couldn’t talk to her directly or he’d break.

The rail car doors chimed and Sulen slid through the barely open gap, racing toward the nearest station. There was a shuttle leaving in five minutes.

“Seats are sold,” he was told at the gate by a mechanical voice.

Sulen banged his fist on the window plate of the machine in hopes of getting the attention of whoever manned the device. “You don’t understand. I need to be on that ship. My mate needs me.”

His bond mate. He and Amelie had made their bond a reality in truth and without the focus of his assignment, her growing worry stabbed at his senses through the bond with relentless jabs.

A human voice replaced the mechanical one and came through the speakers. “How can I help you?”

Sulen took a deep breath and controlled his rage. He curled his fingers and dropped his hand. “I need to leave. Now.”

“There will be another shuttle taking off in thirty minutes.”

Shaking his head, Sulen plowed his fingers through his hair. “It might be too late. My bond mate and child are in danger.”

“One moment.”

Silence hummed and Sulen braced himself for a denial while mentally going through all of those he could reach out to for possible help. There was Xyman but the mercenary hadn’t been seen or heard from in a while.

“Passage approved. Please insert payment for the appropriate credits,” the mechanical voice stated.

Relief had Sulen’s hands shaking as he secured a seat on the shuttle. Every second of the trip left him vibrating with tension. He didn’t like the feeling and cursed Roan. If anything happened to Fleur—Sulen couldn’t even finish the thought. Her world was bright and colorful. She didn’t deserve to have Roan’s darkness taking up space in her head.

He reached the Gerelin colony a few hours later and commed Amelie. No answer. Getting to her house was paramount. Sulen ran down her street, ignoring those who called out greetings. It was late and the sun was going down. Up ahead, her house stood out like a beacon. He