aHunter4Trust (10 page)

Tamsin watched him until the door closed
and then she headed up the stairs. Whenever he was near she felt a quivering in
her stomach and a tightness in her chest. Her mouth went dry and she had to
force herself to look away. She recognized the signs. She was attracted to him.
It was ludicrous because he certainly hadn’t given her any indication that he
was interested in her. His actions suggested that the last place he wanted to
be was near her.

That’s not how he’d looked in the picture.

The way he’d held her close and the concern
on his face were at odds with his usual behavior. Tamsin picked up a throw and
stretched out on the settee in her bedroom. None of the men had shown any
interest in women. She’d dragged them around to enough nightclubs this past
week to know. Women threw themselves at the men, but they ignored them.

It was a wonderful quality in a bodyguard,
but abnormal behavior for a man.

That wasn’t the only strange thing that she
wanted to discuss with Darrogh. He spoke of Earth as if he was separate from
it. He referred to it as this planet. What other planet was there? It made no
sense. As soon as the men returned from Peter’s house with the photos, she
would insist that Darrogh explain.

Another remark had caught her attention.

Peter mentioned that the Hunters were an
urban legend? Tamsin grabbed her laptop and typed in Hunters. The usual
information about animals and equipment came up. She then tried Hunter
protection and that’s when she saw the website aHunter4Hire.com.

A shiver went up her back when she read the
comments that people had written. Most were treating it as a joke, but there
were some testimonials that sounded very real. Stories of being rescued from
kidnappers, lives being saved, and murders avenged.

It was not the website of a security
company.

This was a site for vigilante justice.

Peter Newton lived in a studio flat that
was large enough to contain his computer equipment, and little else. Darrogh
looked at the cluttered room and fought back his frustration. It would take
time to sort through everything and find evidence that led to the people who
were threatening Tamsin and her father. Peter’s photos were their best chance
of doing that.

It was worth the effort.

“Where are the pictures?”

“You’re impatient,” Peter muttered as he
moved his cat off a large table and turned on his computer. “I told you I had
everything in order.”

Darrogh hoped it was better organized than
his flat. The orange cat sidled up to him and rubbed against his leg. He did
not comprehend why humans insisted on letting animals live with them. He could
understand if they were using them for sustenance, but that was not the case
with cats.

“Here they are.” Peter spoke from behind a
large monitor. “I’ve been following Miss Creighton long before you came on the
scene.”

“We need to see everything from the
beginning of your surveillance.” Darrogh motioned for Savis to go to the
computer. “There may be something in the pictures that you have missed.”

“I doubt it.” Peter pushed away from his
desk and let Savis take over. “Do you want anything to drink? I have tea.”

Darrogh shook his head. “Where are the
written instructions that your client left you?”

Peter took off his coat and tossed it on
his futon before going into the small alcove that served as a kitchenette. He
filled a kettle with water and plugged it in. “I threw everything out. The
envelopes were hand delivered to the postal box, so there were no stamps on
them that would have helped with locating where they were mailed from.”

Darrogh started shifting through a pile of
printed photos that were on a side table. “Are these from your investigation of
Tamsin?”

Peter shook his head. “Not really. I took a
few photos of the bank. It’s a pretty famous institution. The building dates
back to the Victorian age.”

“Is that old?” Kerm had sat beside Darrogh
and was leafing through another stack of photos.”

“Old enough.” Peter shut off the kettle and
poured boiling water into a floral china teapot. “Is the stuff on your website
true?”

“A Hunter does not betray his word,” Kerm
said. “We do not lie.”

“How about exaggerating the truth a bit.”
Peter searched through his dish-cluttered countertop for a mug and rinsed it.
“Some of the feats that your previous clients claim seem impossible.”

“An exaggeration would be a lie.”

Peter filled his mug with tea and pulled up
a wooden chair to sit on. “You’re very literal. Do you see everything as black
or white?”

“We see all colors.” Darrogh frowned down
at a photo. “If we were defective, we would have been killed at birth.”

Peter choked on his tea. “You’re kidding?”

Darrogh shook his head. “A warrior cannot
be physically flawed. Hunters have been bred and trained to fight. If we are
unable to do that, then there is no reason for us to live.”

Peter looked over at Kerm. “Is that what
you believe?”

“We are brothers.” Kerm’s voice was gruff.
“What is true for one, is true for all.”

“You guys take this soldier stuff
seriously.” Peter nodded. “I wanted to enlist in the army, but they said I
didn’t meet the height requirements.”

“Then you understand the need to be
physically perfect.” Darrogh shoved the picture in his hand at Peter. “Where
did you take this?”

Peter squinted. “That was in the back alley
behind Creighton’s. It used to be the mews. Now there are little shops and
restaurants that cater to the office workers.”

“These men stand out.” Darrogh pointed to
two men with dark coats, sunglasses, and fedora hats.”

“They do seem a bit unusual.”

“When did you take it?”

Peter shook his head. “There’s no date
stamp on it, but I probably have it in the computer.”

“Why did you print this one?”

Peter pointed to a figure in the
foreground. “Sir Robert Creighton had walked outside with another man. I thought
I might be able to sell the photo. None of the papers were interested.”

“Sir Robert is with his assistant, Henry
Kingsley.”

“If you say so.” Peter handed the picture
back to Darrogh. “I never met the man.”

“What about the men in black?”

Peter started to laugh. “Don’t tell me you
think this has something to do with aliens and UFO’s.”

“Why is that funny?” Savis looked up from
the computer.

“It’s ridiculous.” Peter snorted. “How
would they get here?”

“On a ship.” Darrogh’s voice was dry. “This
is not the only inhabited planet in the universe.”

Peter stopped laughing and looked from one
of them to the other. “You’re serious.”

Darrogh did not bother answering. Humans
were egotistical enough to believe that they were the only intelligent life
form in the universe. It was a mistake. That was what had made them so
vulnerable to the Albireons. Their presence on the planet was shrouded in
secrecy and that would lead to the destruction of the human race.

He stood and passed the photo in his hand
to Savis. “Find the date on this one.”

“It is not the only one showing them.”

“The men dressed in black?” Peter put his
tea down and went over to the computer.

Darrogh watched as Savis brought up dozens
of photos with the same men in them. There was no mistaking what he was looking
at. Partlan, another Hunter, had recently escaped from the clutches of men
dressed exactly like this.

They were not human.

They were Albireons in disguise.

Darrogh pointed at one of the pictures.
“Did you realize you were being followed?”

Peter’s mouth had dropped open. “I can’t
believe I didn’t notice them.”

“They did not want to be seen.”

Savis hit a button and another screen
pulled up dozens of more photos. There was a man in each shot, always several
hundred feet away from Tamsin. It was Henry Kingsley, Creighton’s assistant.

“It cannot be a coincidence that he is
frequently near Tamsin.” Darrogh fought to keep his voice normal. Anger that
Henry Kingsley had been so close to Tamsin ripped through his body. He should
have realized that Sir Robert’s assistant might be more involved than they had
suspected.

“These were taken before we came to
London.” Savis’s voice was low. He looked up at Darrogh, “This past week he has
not been near. We did not miss him.”

“Good. Continue looking for patterns of people
near her.” Darrogh exhaled through gritted teeth. “We need to do better in the
future.”

“I looked at these pictures every day and I
didn’t notice.” Peter swatted Darrogh on the back. “From what I’ve seen, you
guys are taking good care of her, especially last night.”

Darrogh flinched at Peter’s words. It was a
reminder of how he had failed to protect Tamsin. She had nearly died. They
thought they had covered their tracks and now there were photos showing them at
Saxby’s building.

Those pictures had to be found and
destroyed.

“Last night did not happen.” Darrogh’s
voice was serious.

Peter took a step back and nodded.
“Understood. I already sent those photos off. What happens to them is out of my
hands.”

“We will need to trap your client.” Darrogh
crossed his arms. “He is a threat to Tamsin’s safety.”

“You’re the boss.” Peter shook his head. “I
don’t know how you plan on doing that, though.”

“You will leave him a message that you need
to meet.”

Peter shrugged. “That might work. Then
what?”

“Once we know who he is, we will take care
of him.”

Peter frowned as he looked at each of the
men. “I hope you don’t plan to kill him.”

Darrogh shook his head. “He will only die
if he threatens us.”

“He might be angry that I’ve trapped him.
What if he comes after me?”

“We will protect you.”

“That won’t help if I’m dead.”

“Are you refusing to meet him?” Darrogh
held back his anger. “You agreed to do that for Tamsin.”

“I agreed to help find the person. That
doesn’t mean we need a face to face.” Peter ran a hand over his bald head. “Why
don’t I leave a note for him and we’ll watch the mailbox to see who picks it
up?”

Darrogh considered Peter’s plan. It might
work. They needed more than the person’s identity, though.

“We have to meet with this person to ensure
that they will not hurt Tamsin.”

“We can set up a camera outside.” Peter
suggested. “Once we have their face, we will be able to identify them.”

“That will not tell us who opens the box.”
Kerm’s voice was quiet. “We need a camera on the box itself.”

Peter sank back in his chair. “I have small
remote cameras. I could set one up inside the mailbox.”

“He will see it when he reaches for your
note.” Darrogh shook his head. “The camera has to be located where the box is
visible.”

“I could hide the camera on the underside
of the checkout counter,” Peter suggested. “A remote signal will tell us who it
is and then you can follow them.”

Darrogh nodded.

It was a good plan.

“Copy those photos onto a memory stick and
then erase them from Peter’s computer.”

“Hey,” Peter objected. “Those are my
livelihood.”

“Tamsin is paying you a bonus for them. We
can do as we wish.”

Peter grimace. “I’ve nothing to show for
all of my time.”

“You have been paid by your client and by
Tamsin.” Darrogh raised an eyebrow. “That is more than enough for an honorable
man.”

Peter sighed. “Why do you guys make so much
sense? Just make sure you leave all the rest of the photos on the computer.”

“I have done so.” Savis stood. “It is time
to contact your client.”

“Write him that you have something that
needs to be handed to him in person.” Darrogh advised. “If we miss him at the
mailbox, then we can catch him at your meeting.”

Peter jotted down a message on a piece of
paper then he shoved his arms into his overcoat. “You better know what you’re
doing. The last thing I need is a bullet in my head.”

The ride to the mailbox rental business was
quick. It was close to Peter’s flat. When they had stopped the van, Savis
pulled out a small button camera and handed it to Peter.

“Attach this to the underside of the
countertop.” He pointed to a paper cover on the bottom. “Take the paper off and
it will stick to anything. Aim it at your box.”

Peter grabbed the small device. “This isn’t
the first time I’ve planted a hidden camera.”

“It is the first time we are trusting you
to do it.” Darrogh looked at Peter. “Savis will make certain that the feed is
working. Do you have the message?”

Peter patted his upper jacket pocket. “I’m
ready.”

Darrogh nodded. “Kerm will go in with you.”

“
Watch that he does not signal anyone.
”
Darrogh commanded Kerm through mind connect.

When the two men had left the van, Darrogh
turned to Savis. “Will this work?”

“Yes.” Savis pointed to the monitor. “The
camera is already transmitting.”

“Good.” Darrogh leaned his head against the
side of the vehicle. “I cannot believe that we missed Peter last night. I was
responsible for keeping her safe, and now there are photos of us leaving
Saxby’s building.”

Savis cleared his throat. “Those pictures
of you carrying Tamsin were telling. The team has suspected that you were
affected by her for a while, but those shots show it clearly.”

Darrogh was not surprised that his behavior
was causing his fellow Hunters concern. He had been wrestling with his strange
awareness and attraction to Tamsin for days now. Last night had been the
turning point for him. He could no longer deny that she had a hold on him.

“I have no wish to be pair bonded.” Darrogh
did not hide his hesitancy. “I truly believe it is wrong for a Hunter to be
with a woman.”

“You are not the first to have this
happen.” Savis’s voice was quiet. “Bonding is not meant to be a burden.”

“It is for me.” Darrogh clenched his hands
into fists. “I have spent my life on the front lines and in constant battle.
What do I know about women?”

“I do not believe any man understands
women.” Savis punched a few strokes into the computer. “Part of the bonding is
learning to appreciate each other.”

“You think I should accept this?”

“I do not think you have a choice.” Savis’s
voice was solemn. “We are only bonded with one and it is beyond our control.”