8. Mia

Chapter eight

Mia

M y heart pounded in my chest as my captors approached my table. How the hell had they found me again? I searched frantically for a way to escape without drawing unnecessary attention from the other diner patrons. My hope fell as they joined me at the table.

“Hello, Kit,” the man across from me said, his voice deep and gravelly.

I considered causing a scene when the man beside me gently placed his hand on my arm. “We’re not going to hurt you, Mia. And you need to remain calm so you don’t accidentally shift in public. Just hear us out, and then if you don’t want to come with us, you don’t have to.”

I looked at him suspiciously; his red-rimmed eyes were soft and kind, not what I expected.

“Who are you, and why do you keep trying to kidnap me?” I asked. “I know I messed up my first contract, but the job was done, and I completed my second contract perfectly. The Guild has to consider that,” I insisted. Why else would they give me a second contract if they weren’t giving me a second chance?

“Ok, let’s slow it down a second,” the red-haired, bearded man at the end of the table said. “I think we’re suffering from a miscommunication, and that’s our fault for the way we approached you initially. My name is Hollis; I’m a bull shifter and like cooking and computers. The man beside you is Theodore. He’s a vampire and likes blood and science.”

“Really? That’s the best you can say about me?” Theodore huffed beside me, running his hand through his short black hair. “Blood and science?”

Hollis shrugged, but I caught the smirk he hid behind his hand. He winked at me when he saw me looking, and I blushed as Theodore cleared his throat.

“As he said, my name is Theodore, but everyone calls me Theo. I like blood and science, but I also enjoy a good cup of tea and reading.” When I nodded at him, he continued. “Across from me is Aiden. He’s—“

“I think we’ve established with you that it’s probably best to make our introductions,” Aiden interrupted. I met his gray eyes, and something tickled the back of my mind. Where have I seen him before? “My name is Aiden. I’m a honey badger shifter. My favorite food is Italian, and I can be a bit moody sometimes, but I don’t mean to be.”

“Sometimes?” Hollis laughed.

“Listen, asshole,” Aiden growled, pointing his finger at Hollis.

We didn’t hear the rest of that sentence because I suddenly remembered where I’d seen Aiden before. When I met him, he wore a hat over his unruly, dirty blonde hair. “You’re the guard from the clinic!”

Aiden’s eyes shifted to me, and his tan complexion darkened slightly as he blushed. “I am,” he replied.

“How the hell did the Guild know I would be there?” I asked. “Is that why you’re following me? What the hell do you want from me?”

“Before we get into all of that,” the man in front of me said, “let me introduce myself. My name is Roman. I’m a wolf shifter. I like the beach and B-rated movies.”

“Nice to meet you all?” This was the most bizarre encounter I’ve ever had. All four stared at me expectantly. “Oh, right. Umm. My name is Mia, but you already know that. I’m a ragdoll shifter, but you already knew that too. I’m not much of a cook. I enjoy Italian food and reading.

I’m not the biggest fan of the beach, but I do enjoy low-budget movies that try really hard. Now, why does the Guild keep sending you after me?”

“I have a better question,” Aiden replied, “Who the fuck is the Guild?” “Who is the—?” I was so fucking confused. “Your employers?”

“Sorry, Kit,” Theodore said, “we don’t have any employers. We’re not from the Guild.”

“Then why the hell have you been trying to kidnap me?! How do you keep finding me?” If they were telling me the truth, the Guild wasn’t after me. I could go back home! I would have to let Evangeline know it was a false alarm.

“Well, Mia,” Roman said, “that’s where this gets a little... odd. When Aiden saw you at the clinic, he realized you were his mate. When we tried to grab you at your house, the rest of us also realized that you were our mate. We want to help you and spend the rest of our lives with you.”

“You aren’t my mates,” I laughed. “You couldn’t be. I would know if my mates were sitting right in front of me.”

“We think the implant Dr. Parote put in your neck is blocking your ability to sense the bond,” Theodore explained. “The first thing we want to do if you return to the house with us is deactivate it.”

“But why would the implant block that? It’s only supposed to monitor my reaction to the drug he gave me.” They’re lying to get me to trust them. They have to be.

“Unfortunately, Mia, it does much worse,” Hollis replied. “We have proof back at the house if you don’t believe us.”

“And this is just a hunch, but I suspect with the implant disabled, you will have better control over yourself,” Theodore added. “It’s also how we’ve been able to keep finding you. It’s a tracker. I bet Parote didn’t tell you that part.”

No, he hadn’t. Why would he need to track me? And why wouldn’t he have told me that before implanting it? This new information didn’t help alleviate my growing worries about Dr.

Parote and the drug he gave me.

“I know you’re scared, Mia,” Aiden said, “but we answered your question, so it’s time you answered ours. Who is the Guild, and why did you kill the car salesman?”

I didn’t owe them anything but felt compelled to answer him anyway. I wasn’t ready to acknowledge that significance or explain why my fear of them had greatly reduced as we sat here together. “The Guild is the Femme Fatale Freakshow,” I replied, expecting the name to ring a bell with them. At their blank stares, I continued, “They’re an elite assassin guild.”

“Which I assume you are a part of, which is why you killed the man,” Roman stated. I nodded. “Correct.”

“If you work for them, why did you think we were them and were trying to kill you?” Hollis

asked.

“I, umm, well, I worked for them as an analyst. I wanted to be an assassin, but they said I was too tame to be an assassin. So, when Dr. Parote approached me with the opportunity to become better, I sent myself an invitation to the Guild. I messed up my first contract, so I thought the Guild must have discovered what I did and sent you to kill me.”

“Are they after you?” Theodore asked. “Are you in danger?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Since they didn’t send you, and I got a second contract, I will say they are still none the wiser about what I did.”

“Ok. That’s good, but you’re still in danger while that implant is active,” Aiden said. “We want to help you, Mia, if you’ll let us,” Rome said. “It’s your decision. We’re parked

in the back and will be in the car waiting for you.”

He nodded to the others, and with hopeful smiles, they all got up and walked out of the diner, leaving me alone at the table with my thoughts.

Why did the table feel so big now, and why the hell did I suddenly feel so alone without

them?