thoughts.
The two women put no pressure on her to believe and she was
grateful. She needed time to think.
*****
“I’m sorry, Nico, but I got nothing. Zip.
Nada.” Nardo shook his head with regret. “The phone number belonged
to a throwaway. I even tried calling the damn thing. I thought I
could set up a buy and we could do a face to face with the bastard.
Nobody’s home. No voice mail. No call forwarding. Nothing I can pin
and trace. I ran the name and Bobby boy wasn’t lying. The guy’s got
a sheet as long as your arm and kidnapping fits right in the middle
of it, but I can’t find him. Got nothing from the cops, nothing
from the hospitals, nothing from the morgue. That’s not to say he
isn’t using an alias, but I checked out all the ones the cops kept
in his jacket. I don’t know what else to do. The guy has
disappeared. I’ll keep checking. For now, though, he’s a dead
end.”
“Thanks, Nardo. Keep doing what you can. I
know this is human business and none of ours, so I appreciate the
help.”
“Hey, she’s a Daughter of Man like Manon and
Grace and while that may not fit with Guardian Rules,” Nardo quoted
with his fingers, “It fits in this House. She’s one of us. Canaan’s
not going to let this drop. And even if he did, my free time’s my
own.”
Nico was grateful. He’d come to this House
because he’d heard rumors of a Liege Lord who was making waves. He
thought it might break the monotony of moving to a new House every
three years only to find each new one to be the same as the old.
Canaan ad Simeon was a man known for speaking his mind and breaking
with the old traditions that were decimating the ranks of the
Guardians around the modern world. Canaan encouraged independent
thinking and action. Nardo was a proof of the rebellion. Nico had
never seen a House that used technology the way this one did. He
was impressed by it and by the people who lived here. They were an
odd lot and yet they meshed well together. He would miss it when he
left.
“Thanks again. If you’ll pass it along to
Canaan, I’ll tell Hope.”
Nardo grinned. “She’s a sweetheart, isn’t
she? A little skittish maybe, but this place would scare the pants
off most women. She’s got grit. You got a good woman there,
Nico.”
Nico gritted his teeth. “I have taken up her
cause, but she is not my woman.”
“Oh yeah, sure. No offence meant there,
buddy,” Nardo said with a wave of his hand.
But Nico heard Nardo’s gentle laughter as he
walked away from the door.
Chapter 10
Nico walked through the alleys and side
streets of his assigned area of the city. As always, he was alert
to his surroundings and mindful of the demon threat. Tonight, there
was no whiff of demon in the air. Things had been quiet since the
elimination of the last lot and he was thankful that Canaan agreed
to his request to patrol alone. It was better this way, to rely on
no one but himself. Safer, too, not only for himself but for those
who fought beside him. Dov had saved his life as he himself had
helped save Col’s. That was the way of the Guardians of the Race
and it was right. Nevertheless, it didn’t do to become
attached.
Most nights, patrolling the streets was quiet
work and when working with a partner, those long stretches of
silence begged to be filled. Something about the dark and the
silence loosened tongues. It was a time when Guardians tended to
share their innermost thoughts; thoughts they might not otherwise
voice. Bonding they would call it today. He wondered if this need
to share was built into them as a way to forge loyalty to their
House through shared secrets. He’d felt the need himself a few
times when keeping watch with Canaan and he’d shared a few things
he hadn’t meant to.
It didn’t matter. He’d signed on for the
minimum three years as he’d done with every other House he’d served
and he would serve them faithfully and then leave as he always had,
with no animosity and no
The two women put no pressure on her to believe and she was
grateful. She needed time to think.
*****
“I’m sorry, Nico, but I got nothing. Zip.
Nada.” Nardo shook his head with regret. “The phone number belonged
to a throwaway. I even tried calling the damn thing. I thought I
could set up a buy and we could do a face to face with the bastard.
Nobody’s home. No voice mail. No call forwarding. Nothing I can pin
and trace. I ran the name and Bobby boy wasn’t lying. The guy’s got
a sheet as long as your arm and kidnapping fits right in the middle
of it, but I can’t find him. Got nothing from the cops, nothing
from the hospitals, nothing from the morgue. That’s not to say he
isn’t using an alias, but I checked out all the ones the cops kept
in his jacket. I don’t know what else to do. The guy has
disappeared. I’ll keep checking. For now, though, he’s a dead
end.”
“Thanks, Nardo. Keep doing what you can. I
know this is human business and none of ours, so I appreciate the
help.”
“Hey, she’s a Daughter of Man like Manon and
Grace and while that may not fit with Guardian Rules,” Nardo quoted
with his fingers, “It fits in this House. She’s one of us. Canaan’s
not going to let this drop. And even if he did, my free time’s my
own.”
Nico was grateful. He’d come to this House
because he’d heard rumors of a Liege Lord who was making waves. He
thought it might break the monotony of moving to a new House every
three years only to find each new one to be the same as the old.
Canaan ad Simeon was a man known for speaking his mind and breaking
with the old traditions that were decimating the ranks of the
Guardians around the modern world. Canaan encouraged independent
thinking and action. Nardo was a proof of the rebellion. Nico had
never seen a House that used technology the way this one did. He
was impressed by it and by the people who lived here. They were an
odd lot and yet they meshed well together. He would miss it when he
left.
“Thanks again. If you’ll pass it along to
Canaan, I’ll tell Hope.”
Nardo grinned. “She’s a sweetheart, isn’t
she? A little skittish maybe, but this place would scare the pants
off most women. She’s got grit. You got a good woman there,
Nico.”
Nico gritted his teeth. “I have taken up her
cause, but she is not my woman.”
“Oh yeah, sure. No offence meant there,
buddy,” Nardo said with a wave of his hand.
But Nico heard Nardo’s gentle laughter as he
walked away from the door.
Chapter 10
Nico walked through the alleys and side
streets of his assigned area of the city. As always, he was alert
to his surroundings and mindful of the demon threat. Tonight, there
was no whiff of demon in the air. Things had been quiet since the
elimination of the last lot and he was thankful that Canaan agreed
to his request to patrol alone. It was better this way, to rely on
no one but himself. Safer, too, not only for himself but for those
who fought beside him. Dov had saved his life as he himself had
helped save Col’s. That was the way of the Guardians of the Race
and it was right. Nevertheless, it didn’t do to become
attached.
Most nights, patrolling the streets was quiet
work and when working with a partner, those long stretches of
silence begged to be filled. Something about the dark and the
silence loosened tongues. It was a time when Guardians tended to
share their innermost thoughts; thoughts they might not otherwise
voice. Bonding they would call it today. He wondered if this need
to share was built into them as a way to forge loyalty to their
House through shared secrets. He’d felt the need himself a few
times when keeping watch with Canaan and he’d shared a few things
he hadn’t meant to.
It didn’t matter. He’d signed on for the
minimum three years as he’d done with every other House he’d served
and he would serve them faithfully and then leave as he always had,
with no animosity and no
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