Ryker glanced at the clock, realizing he would be late if he didn’t getgoing. He slipped out of the hotel room and took the stairs two at a time. Gripping the railing with one hand, he balanced his phone in the other.
Have fun reading.
Have fun… captaining. Is that a word? If not, I’m making it one.
He snorted and pushed open the door with his hip. As he was slipping his phone into his pocket, it vibrated again.
This was nice. *Heart emoji*
Despite the morose reasons for his presence in the desert city, Ryker felt more relaxed than he had in weeks. Maybe talking through texts was easier because it reminded him of how their relationship had started, or maybe it was just because they were both trying to fix things, but things between them almost felt… normal.
And it was good.
CHAPTER 17
Danger Comes in Many Forms
Like all urban areas, Golden City had good areas and bad ones. Happy homes filled with loving parents and laughing, smiling children co-existed alongside places where darkness reigned.
Dressed in fitted black leggings and a tight sweater with slits in the back for her wings, Brynleigh stood across from one such dark spot now. Shadows wrapped around her like a cloak, and she studied the location where Jelisette had sent her.
From the outside, 16 Upper Red Road looked like every other warehouse in the northern district of Golden City. The building was a nondescript, enormous rectangle nestled among other factories and warehouses. White metal walls and a steel roof added to its industrial appearance.
It was quiet…
Too quiet.
Darkness surrounded this place. It was in the shadows swarming at the base of the building, in the cold midnight air, and in the starless night. Clouds hid the moon from view as if protecting it from whatever occurred within this building.
Danger, danger, danger,Brynleigh’s shadows shouted. Turn back now.
She did not heed their warning. She couldn’t. This was bigger than her.
Besides, danger came in many forms. Perhaps whatever was happening here wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe instead of physical danger, it was more of the “we’re scamming people out of money” danger. Still bad, but not nearly as terrible.
A vampire could hope.
Either way, it didn’t matter. Brynleigh was here, and she would follow through with this meeting.
She’d spent the day texting on and off with Ryker. Their conversations had been less stilted with every message, and she’d had a smile on her face for hours.
Earlier, Brynleigh had told Ryker she had another job to do for her Maker. She’d considered not telling him she was going out, but then she remembered the tracking bracelet. Zanri probably could’ve helped with that, but obviously, that wasn’t an option. Besides, she was in this mess because of the shifter.
To say that Ryker had been displeased would have been an understatement, but Brynleigh had stood her ground. This was important.
She pulled out her phone, rereading her last text.
Brynleigh
Cooperating with Jelisette is how we get information about the Black Night. That’s why I’m going.
Ryker’s reply had been sohimthat she’d heard him say the words as if he’d growled them in her ear.
Ryker
If you get yourself killed, I’ll never forgive you.
The words would have sounded harsh coming from anyone else, but Brynleigh knew better. She heard the care in his words and felt his worry wash over her.