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HUGH DARTED DOWN THE alleyways behind Trinity. He’d never been in this part of the city before. Rundown was an understatement. They should’ve brought Jackson or someone else along. Even Say, the little traitor, had disappeared as soon as they’d left the forest. He quickened his pace to stay close to her. Stray House Servants loitered in corners and perched on the tumbled remains of concrete structures—half-walls, blocks and various other pieces of once proud buildings. A tiny, young Servant scurried away from a pile of trash. His eyes glowed blue-green in the shadows as he watched them pass.
“How do they live like this?” he whispered.
“We all live how we live.”
She was so nonchalant about it, barely glancing at the starving child who’d been eating trash. He’d learned firsthand that life could crush innocence and destroy everything good, but he wouldn’t let that happen to her. She had a chance for more than vengeance. Hope still lurked behind the shadows in her eyes, and he’d do everything he could to make sure it didn’t die out.
They continued traveling up and down alleyways, darting across abandoned streets and taking shortcuts through half-demolished buildings. It seemed like they were in a maze of despair. The feral Servants disappeared from the shadows, replaced by Guards. Most were old or maybe they were worn down by life. They passed a pack of Guards but they were children so there was no danger. It’d be a different story once they were older. Running in packs always led to trouble, but in this area it was probably the only way to survive.
She stopped at the end of an alleyway.
“You know, you never told me your plan for rescuing Reese.” He’d tried to ask in the forest but she’d hushed him.
“Shhh, get back.” She leaned against the wall, putting her arm across his chest and forcing him into the shadows.
A group of Guards walked down the street, heading toward them. The Guards were young, but old enough to cause them trouble. Her hand was warm and comforting in this awful place. No one should have to live like this. He stopped breathing, as the Guards passed, waiting for her to decide when it was safe.
She dropped her arm and peeked around the corner. He crept up behind her. He could smell the forest on her. He’d always loved the city but not anymore, at least not this city. This place was cruel and desperation clung to the air, stagnant and dark. He inhaled near her hair, needing the scent of something else.
“Wait here. I’ll only be a minute.”
“We should stay together.” There was no way he was letting her roam around alone, not here. The forest was dangerous but she’d been trained for that environment. The dangers here were different.
“I have to go in there.” She pointed to a building across the street. The windows were dark, many of them missing or broken. The once cheery yellow paint was faded as if it too had lost all hope.
“I’ll go with you.”
“You need to pay attention to your surroundings.” She spun around almost hitting him in the nose with her head. “Just because we’re in the city doesn’t make it safe.”
“I know that.” He moved closer. If she thought snapping at him would make him back down, then she didn’t know him as well as she should. “That’s why I’m going with you.”
“Open your eyes.” She turned back around and pointed. “Did you see the three Guards by the door?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.
He hadn’t, but he wasn’t admitting that to her. Not now.
“I’d rather you didn’t get too close to anyone. The cloak and soot should cover you well enough at a distance, but the disguise won’t stand close scrutiny.”
“I don’t want you going alone.” The Guards were all young males. She was an attractive female.
She turned and patted his face. “I’ll be fine.”
He grabbed her arm. “This is not a safe place for a lone female.”
“Do you think this is my first time here?” She yanked free from his grasp. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing, but I’ll make you a deal. You can save me if I get into trouble.” She snorted back a laugh as she darted away.
He glared at her as she ran across the street. Her lack of faith in his physical abilities was getting old. He was a man not a boy. He wasn’t useless. He could protect her.
She jogged up the steps not even trying to sneak past the Guards. She was too impetuous. He was going to have a word with Gaar about that. The Handler should’ve taught her to be careful. One of the Guards stepped into her path, stopping her on the stairs. He was tall and rangy, definitely part hunting Guard.
“Boys, our night is looking up.” The Guard’s eyes traveled up and down her body.
Hugh tensed, grasping the knife at his side. If they touched her, he’d kill them.
“I need to talk to Sassy.” Trinity met the Guard’s gaze.
The other two Guards moved closer, surrounding her. They were shorter than the first Guard, more compact like personal protection Guards. They looked younger, too. They couldn’t be more than twelve. She dropped her hands to her sides, claws peeking out of her fingertips.
“Now, ain’t that a shame. Sassy ain’t home.” The taller Guard moved closer until his chest almost touched hers. “You can visit with us though.” He ran his finger across her cheek.
That was it. He wasn’t going to do nothing while they mauled her. He strolled in their direction. These Guards were young. How this played out would depend a lot on first impressions. “Let her be,” he said, his voice barely a whisper but without hesitation. Guards were excellent at sensing fear.
They all turned in his direction. Trinity was not happy. Too bad.
“I told you to wait for me,” she said through clenched teeth.
The tall Guard tipped his head, sniffing. “This is interesting. Can’t quite make out the scent. Too much”—he shook his head, wrinkling his nose—“stink.”
Hugh climbed the stairs, keeping eye contact with the lanky leader. The younger two had moved back several feet and were fidgeting and glancing around.
“Go away. I can handle this.” Trinity moved to his side, glaring at him.
He ignored her. “Where is this Sassy if she’s not at home?”
The leader waved to his companions and they moved closer again, surrounding them.
“Why should we tell you?” The older Guard shifted, trying to get a closer look under the hood of Hugh’s cloak.
“Listen closely.” He tipped his head so that he could see the Guards but they couldn’t get a good look at his face. “I’m only going to say this once.” His voice was faint as he grabbed the smallest Guard by the neck. The boy struggled, but stopped as soon as Hugh pressed his knife against the kid’s throat. “Back up and tell us where Sassy is or junior, here, dies.”
“Let him go.” The lanky Guard snarled, showing long white canines.
“I will, as soon as you tell us where Sassy is.” He shifted, tightening his hold. “I don’t want to hurt any of you”—he flicked the knife a little so that the boy gasped—“but I will.”
“This is a mistake.” Trinity edged closer to him, claws bared.
“Tell him, Rocket,” said the other young Guard. “Mom will kill me if something happens to him.”
“Sassy’s at the Hut,” said Rocket, glaring at them.
Trinity touched Hugh’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“You know where or what that is?” His question was directed at Trinity but his eyes never left Rocket.
“Yes.”
“Open the door.” He nodded toward the building. The Guards didn’t move. “Do it!”
The younger Guard went up the stairs and opened the door.
“Both of you get inside.” He pressed inward with his knife, making his captive squeak.
Rocket hurried up the stairs and they both grumbled as they stepped into the building. He followed a few paces behind.
“Keep moving.” He waited until they were several yards down the hallway and then he shoved the boy inside, slamming the door behind him. “We need to block this door.”
“With what, genius?” Her hands were on her hips, her claws fully extended and her eyes snapped with anger.
Okay. Maybe he hadn’t thought this through. He grabbed her arm, dragging her into a corner beneath the stairs.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Shhh.” He shoved her behind him.
The door to the building slammed open and the three young Guards raced down the stairs and into the street.
“We’ll catch you and then you’ll pay,” yelled Rocket.
After they disappeared around a corner he turned and smiled at her. “See, I’m not useless.”
“No. You’re an idiot.” She elbowed him in the gut as she pushed past him.
“Stop doing that. You have boney elbows.” She seemed to know exactly where to hit to cause the most pain. She’d probably learned that from Gaar.
She headed down the street in the opposite direction of the Guards. “Now, we’re going to have to backtrack to the Howling Hut.”
He caught up with her. She may not want to admit it but he’d helped. “So, we lose a little time. We would’ve lost more if those Guards had attacked you.”
“They weren’t going to attack me.” She shot him a glare. “They may now though, because they’ll be waiting for us.”
He hadn’t considered that. The Guards did know where they were heading.
She ducked down a side street. “And Sassy may refuse to help us. Rocket, the leader of that little group, is her brother.”
Okay. That was a problem, but she shouldn’t be angry with him. She should be thanking him. “If you didn’t see that those boys were planning to...hurt you then you need more lessons in survival.”
“I told you. They weren’t going to do anything to me. They’re a bunch of young Guards. They like to pretend they’re tough.”
“Gruntshit! They’re young males and you’re an attractive, young female. That situation was not safe,” he said. She didn’t understand anything about males.
“You sound just like my dad.”
“Good. He’s an intelligent man.”
“Even if they’d tried something”—she shot him a glare over her shoulder—“and they wouldn’t have, I could’ve handled it. I can take care of myself and you.” She glanced at him again. “Don’t forget that I’m the one taking care of you on this mission.”
He grabbed her shoulder and shoved her against the wall. Her golden eyes were wide with surprise and something else...curiosity. His gaze lowered to her lips, full and pink. All he had to do was lean in a little and they’d be kissing. He shoved away from her and started walking again. “I’ve changed my mind. Your mother’s right. You do need a mate to keep you in line.”