by Kaye Draper
When I arrived at the police station for my meeting with Oswald, my mind was still whirling with everything Oisin had said. We needed to stop his father. Not to mention I had a lost sea creature with no voice and a dangerously powerful homeless kid to deal with. My life had been so simple when I was just hunting down low-level supe criminals. Where had I gone so wrong?
I cursed the moment I had walked into Oisin's strange club and been taken in by his beauty.
But then I took that back. Because I couldn't even pretend I was sorry for that. Or meeting Con. Or taking in my current stray roommates.
Gods, I was a sucker.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I rounded a corner on my way to Oswald's office and slammed into a rock-hard bundle of leather and magic. "Son of a bitch," I muttered, rubbing my stinging chin, which had just come into contact with the guy's forehead. Was he made of granite?
"Motherfucker," he muttered at the same time, gloved hands coming up to grab my shoulders to keep us both from going down.
I stepped back immediately when my brain registered what my body was telling me. "Sorry," I muttered.
"Watch where you're going next time," he groused in a rough voice, rubbing the red spot on his forehead. The guy was decked out like a bad Vanhelsing wannabe, in a black leather duster, weird steampunk goggles with runes etched into the lenses, and a belt full of knives and vials strapped to his thick waist. A scar cut across one side of his stubbled face, and I doubted he had any expression other than "mean."
I saluted him and stepped aside as he stormed off wherever he was headed, deeper into the bowels of the station. "Sure thing buddy."
I slipped into Oswald's office and shut the door behind me, leaning against it to try to calm my pulse, which was thundering in my ears.
Oswald glanced up at me from behind his desk. "About time you showed up, Lionheart. I've got an imp fucking with cars, and the normies are about to arrest a bunch of street kids who haven't done more than spray paint a trashcan."
I straightened and walked over to his desk, ignoring the ugly, butt-numbing plastic chair he had placed there for visitors. "Why the fuck is there a mage in the station?"
He frowned at me. "What?"
"A mage. I just ran into him. Why?" Oisin's warnings about mages bounced around my head like a ping-pong ball fueled by pixie dust and my ears were starting to ring.
Oswald waved a hand dismissively. "New recruit. The higher-ups suddenly decided we needed a stronger magical presence around for consultant work. The normies think he's a bounty hunter like you."
I scowled. "Why? Why is he here, where did he come from? Why now?"
I knew I sounded crazed, but all my alarm bells were going off inside my head, and my gryphon insisted we go rip the guy apart right now for hunting our mate.
"I don't fucking know," the banshee groused. "No one tells me shit around here. All I know is that White guy says 'jump' and the bosses say, 'how high.'"
I clenched my fists. "White? Derek fucking White brought a mage in here?"
Oswald shrugged. "Mr. Money must want more security. Who the hell cares? I have cases to take care of, gryphon." He handed me a manila file folder. "Make sure you get the right guy this time."
I growled, taking the folder without looking at it. "Derek fucking White," I muttered under my breath. I was going to murder him. Sloppily.
"What's your beef with White?" Oswald said, his tone saying he just wanted me to shut up and go do work. "Spoiled rich boy entitlement is annoying, sure, but he is the one who cleans up all your messes, isn't he?"
I growled. "Excuse me?"
He shrugged. "Oh, come on. Like I really believe that story about how all the human supe hunters just packed up for some foreign safari and never came back."
I gritted my teeth. "You think I killed them?"
He raised his eyebrows as if I'd just asked him the dumbest question conceivable. "Well they didn't fucking disappear into thin air, and I know damned well you're lying when you say you don't know what happened."
I took the folder and spun on a heel, storming out of the office like the hounds of hell were on my heels. Close. But the only hell currently following me was the fact that there was a new mage in the city. And the fact that Derek fucking White was about to eat my fist. Maybe I'd shove my gun so far down his throat he choked on it before I pulled the trigger.
My phone rang as I hit the street, and I answered it without thinking. "What?" I growled.
"Oh! Gesa," my mother's cultured, upper-crust voice purred. "I'm so glad you finally deigned to answer my call. I know you're busy shunning us and all, but you need to come home."
"Mom," I ground out, "for the last fucking time, I am never going to set foot on the clan lands again. Ever."
She ignored me, as usual. "You have to hurry, Gesa. It's your sister. She's ill. And she's asking for you, of all people. Just come home, while you still have a chance...before it's too late and—" Her voice cracked and I stopped on the sidewalk, staring at the passing traffic in shock.
"Fine," I said, my chest aching. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
It was official. This was the end of everything. The apocalypse.
I was going home.
Coming Soon
If you enjoyed With Pride, please take a moment to leave a review. It means the world to me.
Grab the next book, Pride Before the Fall.
You can sign up for my mailing list to get updates on freebies and new releases.
Or join my street team for a chance at advanced reader copies of my new work.
Follow me on Instagram.
Don't miss out!
Click the button below and you can sign up to receive emails whenever Kaye Draper publishes a new book. There's no charge and no obligation.
https://books2read.com/r/B-A-DSIF-IFKY
Connecting independent readers to independent writers.
Also by Kaye Draper
Come Love A Fey
Fey Lovers (Come Love A Fey Collection)
Demon's Call
Moonlight Calls
Blood Beckons
Destiny Decrees
The Demon's Birthday Present
The Demon's Call Series (3 Book Box Set)
Forever After
Light of Day
Dark of Night
Forever After
Gesa's Menagerie
Gryphon's Pride
Heart of the Pride
With Pride
Pride Before the Fall
Wounded Pride (Coming Soon)
Wendigo Girl
Beauty and the Feast
Tommy: A Wendigo Girl Short Story
Creeping Beauty
Mangled
Cloud
Snow Fright
Raven
Darkly Ever After
Owl and the Tramp (A Wendigo Girl Spin-off)
Wendigo Girl Box Set
Standalone
Forever After Box Set
Redemption (A Fantasy Romance)
Survivor
A Secret Sky
Kelpie
Watch for more at Kaye Draper’s site.
About the Author
Sometimes our greatest strengths come from our deepest pain. Kaye Draper writes magic and romance, starring a cast of creatures with feathers and teeth. Her books span genres from urban fantasy, paranormal romance, reverse harem, steampunk fantasy to sci-fi romance. Her favorite themes are romance and conquering inner demons, and her books range from sweet to steamy to erotic. She loves the outdoors and still hopes to be abducted by fairies. She may have more in common with her characters than she cares to admit.
You can help Kaye create at patreon.com/KayeDraper.
Read more at Kaye Draper’s site.
