Page 10 of Deceived (Shifter's Vault 2)

"If you were paid to come here, you'd be a fool to die for it," Bain said. "It's someone else's cause."

The young tiger shifter twitched.

"Your friend is already dead," I pointed out. "You don't have to die too."

"The Keeper won't let me live," the guy snarled. He glanced toward the bathroom.

The source, I realised, of the stink of death. It wasn't so strong where others would smell it as easily as I could. Whatever it was hadn't died that long ago.

Orwhoever.

I took a tentative step toward the bathroom.

Czari, the maid Dex assigned to me, lay still on the floor. I couldn't see a mark on her, nor any blood, but she was clearly dead.

"I might not let you leave alive," I said, a hitch in my voice.

I turned back around. The smell of death pervaded the room. Czari and the tiger weren't the only dead things. I spied a bag near the door, big enough to hold a small animal.

I didn't want to look. The smell was strong enough.

"That was supposed to slow you down," tiger-boy said. "The woman in there was an accident. She came in at the wrong time."

I threw myself at him and wrapped a hand around his throat. I was as surprised as he was to find myself face to face with him. I should let go and step back, but I squeezed a little tighter.

"Who sent you?" I demanded.

He let out a choking sound.

"Viva." Bain's tone sounded like a warning.

I relaxed my grip slightly. I accidentally killed a fox shifter in the Residence's cells and I hadn't forgiven myself for it. This was different, but the shit feeling I would experience would be the same. This littlefuckwasn't worth it. He didn't need to know I wouldn't kill him though.

"He killed Czari," I said through clenched teeth. "He deserves what's coming to him."

"Tell us who hired you and I won't let her kill you," Bain said. He stepped into the corner of my line of sight, but I didn't take my eyes off tiger-boy.

"Let's start with your name," I said coldly.

"N… Nico," he stammered.

"Good, we're getting somewhere," I said. "You were going to tell us who sent you."

Nico pressed his lips together.

I adjusted my grip. He looked like he might pee himself. I would too if I stood in his bare feet.

"Who. Hired. You?" I ground out.

He flinched. "He said he worked for the god of the north. I swear, that was all he told us."

Bain swore.

I glanced over my shoulder at him. "Sounds like your friend Slade." According to Urla, a shoemaker in the city, he sent the last lot of foxes to learn about me and eradicate Urla. I always assumed that was the cover story the hemitheos gave to try to throw suspicion off them. The description Urla gave sounded a lot like Helene.

Helene herself claimed she wasn't working with Slade, but this whole thing sounded awfully familiar.

"Or it's another hemitheos cover story," Bain said.