Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
He thought back to how damn helpless he’d felt because he couldn’t see it. “Not much scares me, but I’ll admit this did the trick. It’s hard to fight something you can’t see.”
“That’s because they’re fast. Normally, there are only shadowy glimpses of them in your peripheral vision. Though I doubt your death is what it’s after, it would be a good idea to have a bodyguard with you for a time until you can figure out who hired it.”
Surprise raised his eyebrows. “Someone hired it?”
Xavier nodded. “More than likely. You don’t strike me as someone who deliberately causes issues in forests that would have pissed it off.”
Julien’s lips twitched. “No, you’d be right about that.”
Xavier studied him for a few moments before tilting his head. “What was the other reason you came to me?”
And here was where he skirted the law. He’d thought long and hard the night before about whether to share this information, but now, after meeting Xavier, he had the strongest feeling this sorcerer was maybe the only one he should share this information with. “I own and run a cloud storage company and came across some suspicious data. I haven’t been able to figure out exactly what’s going on, but apparently some very powerful people are gathering in Seattle.”
Xavier leaned forward again, frowning. “That is concerning, and I’ll share that it actually coincides with some things we’ve already discovered. If this is what I think it is, then you are in bigger danger than from just the penumbra. I urge you to consider a security specialist. I already spoke to one after you contacted us, and I can send him to your office this afternoon.”
Julien nodded, though the thought of having his life interrupted didn’t sit well with him. But he knew Xavier was correct in thinking he was in danger. Seeing that private information alone would have been enough to be actually attacked at his place of work. The fact that it came so soon after discovering the information was the only thing throwing him off. How the hell could they have already known what he’d seen?
“What do you think it could mean?” he asked. “All these powerful people gathering in the city?”
“Nothing good, but I don’t have enough information to know what’s going on yet. I assure you I’m working on it already. If you’d be willing to share what you found, it would help me get closer to an answer.”
Though it wasn’t entirely legal and went against the strict security his company promised, Julien made the decision to turn over the data. “It’s not something I’d normally do but I can’t shake that this feels like special circumstances. Who will see it?”
“Just me and one other. Daniel is the one who already found the information similar to what you shared. He’s discreet, so you have nothing to worry about.” Xavier opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a folder. “This is the contract. Your bodyguard is Emory Sterling. Don’t worry—he’s exceptional at what he does and will keep you safe. He isn’t here at the moment, so I’ll send him to your office.” He handed the contract and a pen to Julien.
Julien settled in to read the contract, which was straightforward and again promised discretion. He signed it before handing it back.
“I’ll continue to monitor those channels and pass along anything else I find,” he said before he stood and held out his hand.
Xavier stood as well and shook his hand. “You’ve made the right decision to hire a bodyguard. Thank you for putting your faith in us.”
A bodyguard was the last thing Julien wanted, but he was dealing with the supernatural, and he was smart enough to accept that this was the kind of help he needed.
Chapter Four
Emory
Spectral Enterprises was located in one of the big office buildings in downtown Seattle. Before he even reached the doors, Emory’s skin started prickling—there was a gathering of magic coming from inside. He wasn’t as sensitive to magic as some preternaturals, but there was enough here to tell him that quite a few like him were inside this building.
He’d had a bad night, so exhaustion rode his shoulders in addition to the sweat gathering on his back from the heat. It was because of another damn nightmare—or really, the same old one he’d been having for years. Being pinned down as his wings were clipped. The image of those angels bending over him and laughing as they took away his freedom was often a part of his waking hours as well. He’d convinced himself this was all in the past, that he was completely over it, but the fact the experience came back to him so often proved that untrue. And lately, the nightmares had been worse. Probably due to all the stress from worrying about what was happening in Seattle.