The Unexpected Bonding Vow - Michelle Howard Page 0,6
was just that he was overzealous in his efforts and the nature of their roles required one to be adept at patience, planning and cunning. They were to be invisible in handling their tasks above all else.
Aggression and belligerence accomplished nothing except mistakes. Mistakes that could lead to a quick and painful death. The Guild invested too much money in their training to ignore dangerous behavior.
The fact that Dedrin had completed the academy training at the Guild meant he wasn’t a complete and utter fuck up. On the contrary, when partnered with a more adept assassin, he was exemplary.
The problem came about on solo missions. Ego, it seemed, couldn’t be beat out of him and Dedrin allowed his pride to jeopardize his success at eliminating targets time and time again requiring other senior-level assassins to come in to finish or fix his mess. That usually increased the risks for whoever was chosen to step in because the target would be alert and aware at that point.
Not everyone was fit to kill on command without question and do it well. Unlike Garik. He’d been with the Guild for over a decade and thrived in a culture that required nothing from him but his best. He didn’t have friends, he had debts owed. At any given time, he could call in the debts of over a dozen assassins and they would flock to his side in haste to repay them.
“Well, good to know the why of it all. It won’t be a great loss when I end you.”
Killing, Garik thought, was always going to be in his blood.
Dedrin’s tan featured darkened to an ugly shade of red at Garik’s dismissive words. “What did you say?”
Garik didn’t repeat himself. He wasn’t interested in a verbal sparring session with the man. Plus, Maurin was watching them with an inexplicable level of interest Garik didn’t like. He would watch what he said until he figured out a way to get free.
Dedrin clenched his teeth and a muscle flexed in his jaw. Hands fisted at his side, he took a step forward, close enough to sneer in Garik’s face. “What did you say, Denikon?”
Maurin’s eyes brightened with sudden knowledge. Garik cursed Dedrin under his breath. It wasn’t likely that the former smuggler hadn’t heard of him. Now Maurin was certain of who he had in his custody if there had ever been a moment of doubt. The smile slowly stretching over Maurin’s golden lips had Garik gritting his teeth.
Ignoring Dedrin and speaking over his shoulder directly to Maurin, Garik asked, “I don’t suppose you’re going to miss him, are you?”
Maurin’s chuckle burst out loud and boisterous, causing the handful of men around them to glance around in nervous anticipation. Dedrin’s brows creased and Garik blocked a momentary twinge of regret. Regret had no place here. He slammed his head forward, colliding with Dedrin’s. Garik looped his restrained hands about Dedrin’s neck, cutting off his gasp then gave it a sharp twist.
It was a skill he’d perfected through the years and he stepped back instantly as Dedrin’s lifeless body dropped to the floor, eyes wide in his last moments of shock.
Mirth cut off short, Maurin grimaced and swiped a hand over his scaled face, a testament to his Dragonian ancestry. “I was hoping you’d do more. That was too quick for even my taste. I wanted to see a glimpse of your fighting skills, Garik Denikon.”
Garik shrugged. “Didn’t seem sporting as he was a peer.”
Maurin’s brows arched high and his yellow eyes flashed to blue then yellow again. “He betrayed you and still, you would honor him with a painless death.”
Statement or question. Garik couldn’t tell the difference. He let his shoulders fall lax in a feigned casual pose and contemplated taking on the three men Maurin had with him. Risk and analysis. Two were bulky across the shoulders and chest but had soft middles. The third had eerie black eyes and watched Garik’s every move.
Lithe but toned. Garik didn’t dare think he was the weakest of the three. This guard carried his weight on the balls of his booted feet, hands braced at his hips where a holstered laser rested on each side. He appeared trained and fully prepared to take Garik on if necessary.
Garik withheld a snarl of frustration. Fucking Dedrin. To Maurin, he said, “What are the odds we both walk away from this and pretend it never happened?”
Laughter exploded from the others but Maurin stared at Garik. Amusement was replaced by avid curiosity