Unique Ink (Shadow Assassins Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

displeasure tightening his features. “Nazerel is like smoke. We get close enough to smell him, but there’s nothing there to catch.”
    “Hopefully the new guy will give us something useful,” Bates said.
    “If he survives,” Larossa grumbled.
    “What are you talking about? What new guy?” He pushed the door to his office open and Lor followed him inside while Bates and Larossa loitered in the doorway. Neither of the soldiers had worked directly with aliens before and their unease tended to show. He couldn’t blame them. The Mystic Militia weren’t going out of their way to network with their human counterparts. Master-level Mages were treated with respect and reverence on Ontariese and they expected the same deference on Earth. Only trouble was most humans weren’t used to bowing and scraping to anyone.
    “Jillian sensed danger as she and Odintar were headed back here,” Lor explained. “He flashed her to the source of the disruption and they found Gerrod Reynolds.”
    Now that was completely unexpected. “Why would Jillian’s father be a danger to her?”
    Lor shook his head again. “Jillian wasn’t in danger, Gerrod was. In fact his throat had been slit and he’d been left to die.”
    Which explained Larossa’s comment. “Was Odintar able to heal him?”
    “They’re still working on him, so hope for the best. We really need an opportunity to question him.”
    “Gerrod’s still alive,” Blayne announced from the hallway. Elias wasn’t sure how long the other Mystic had been standing there. His attention had been focused on Lor. “But Jillian just told me Gerrod and Odintar both need energy.”
    “Are you going?” Lor asked and Blayne nodded. “Then I’ll stop by later and transfuse them again.”
    Blayne stepped farther into the office. Bates and Larossa automatically moved out of his way. They might not be as awestruck as the Mystics would have liked, but his men could sense real power. “Jillian wanted Elias to know that Jett is expecting a video call from Roxie within the next hour or so. He threatened to call the media if he doesn’t hear from her.”
    Elias rolled his eyes. “As if anyone would believe him. I can see the headline now, Tattoo Artist Kidnapped By Secret Government Operatives . Details to follow on TMZ .”
    Blayne hesitated a moment longer. “Jillian promised Jett she’d make it happen.”
    With a frustrated sigh, Elias rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Roxie isn’t being very cooperative at the moment. I doubt I can convince her to do anything.”
    “You’ll figure out something,” Blayne said with a cheerful smile. Of the three Mystics currently in residence at the Bunker, he was the most likable. Then Blayne looked at Lor and spoke in Ontarian. Lor nodded and Blayne hurried off down the hall.
    The exchange annoyed Elias, but not enough to confront Lor with the rudeness of telling secrets. It was little things like that that made it hard to mesh with the Mystic Militia. “Do you know who tried to take out Gerrod?”
    “My money’s on Sevrin,” Lor told him.
    She topped the list of usual suspects, but they needed to be careful not to be overly focused on any one person. “What’s her motivation?”
    “I’m not sure. All indications were that Gerrod was one of her father’s spies. Maybe he knew too much or maybe he tried to blackmail her.” He shrugged, then added, “She’s the only one on Earth with any connection to Gerrod.”
    “Except for Jillian.” He stopped Lor’s immediate objection with an upraised hand. “I’m not accusing her. Sevrin could have set her up to take the blame.”
    “There are a lot of possibilities and Gerrod is the only one who can confirm the truth. We need to make sure he survives.”
    “Well, I’ll leave that to you and Odintar. I have one seriously pissed-off tattoo artist to deal with.”
    “Good luck with that.” Lor chuckled and turned toward the doorway.

     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    Nazerel stood on the wide