Chapter Two
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TEX WAS STILL THINKING about the encounter with Nymon the next day.
He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to get so close to the demon when he was in Starhaven for a specific reason, but Nymon wasn’t just a demon.
He was Tex’s mate, and Tex doubted that anyone would blame him for what had happened last night.
It wasn’t like he’d talked to Nymon or anything like that.
He hadn’t even gotten close to him. He’d kept his distance, had watched him and listened to him, and now, he wanted more.
Every fiber of his being wanted him to go back to Nymon’s little house. He wanted to get into the backyard and find his mate, to roll to his back and expose his belly, and have his mate scratch it. He wanted to shift, introduce himself, explain who he was, and what they were to each other.
He snorted. Yes, he was sure that would go down well.
What was he supposed to say? Hi, Nymon, I’m a council assassin and a wolf shifter, and you’re my mate.
Why am I here? Oh, it’s to spy on you and your people and find out more about those who are selling magical services to humans, including services that cause harm or death.
Tex didn’t even know if his mate was involved in this mess.
He hoped Nymon wasn’t. He hadn’t struck him as the type, but what did Tex know?
The only thing he knew for sure was that the man was his mate, but he had no idea what Nymon was like.
There was a chance he was one of those demons selling their magic. He might be killing people for money.
Not that Tex could say anything about that.
He hadn’t become a council assassin, but he’d trained to be one, and he’d known what that would entail.
He would’ve gotten paid to kill people. He had killed people as part of that training.
He understood why the council needed those demons to be kept under control, but at the same time, it felt hypocritical.
They paid people to kill others. Yes, they had their reasons for each killing, and he was sure that, usually, they were good reasons, but they still paid people to end lives.
He shook his head and tried to focus on what was happening in front of him, but it was hard when his every thought wanted to go back to his mate. Even the sight of so many colorful demons, with their tails and bright hair, wasn’t enough to distract him for more than a few moments at a time.
How could it be when his mate’s green hair and sweet face had been present in his mind since he’d first seen Nymon? He wanted to go back to the house where he was pretty sure his mate lived, but instead, he forced himself to stay where he was and people-watch.
The edge of the forest was a good hiding spot.
It made it a little hard to see what was going on, but it gave him a hiding place.
People hadn’t looked his way once since he’d sat in the bushes.
They were going on about their days, doing grocery shopping, meeting friends, and being normal people.
This wasn’t any different from the town where Tex lived, except that the people here were more colorful and clearly not human.
It made him wonder if the people who’d decided that demons shouldn’t mingle with the rest of the world knew how similar they were.
It also made him wonder if there were demons who wanted to see what was outside of their little towns.
He doubted that all of them were happy about being prisoners in their town.
As far as Tex knew, they couldn’t leave, and no one was allowed in.
Tex found his attention pulled toward someone.
He cocked his head as he watched the demon’s back.
He was pretty sure they’d just come out of the coffee shop, and they were talking to another demon and gesturing at them.
The demon turned, and Tex groaned. Of course his mate was here.
There was no way Tex would be able to focus on anyone else now. How could he?
What was he supposed to do? He already knew that this mission was going to be fucked up.
He was having a hard time focusing on anything or anyone who wasn’t his mate, which defeated the purpose of his presence here.
Should he call Gregory to explain what had happened?
Or should he try to push through? But if he did, there was a chance he’d find out that his mate was involved, which wasn’t something he wanted.
At the same time, could he ignore that possibility?
He needed to focus on his mission, but he also needed to talk to his mate.
He didn’t know what Nymon would want or even if he was aware that they were mates.
He had no idea how those things worked for demons.
Nymon hadn’t given him the impression that he’d recognized him as anything other than a shifter—if even that—last night, but he could be wrong.
Tex wanted to be wrong. He wanted Nymon to know they were mates and to try talking to him.
Nymon never turned around, though. He continued talking to his friend, even when the friend started shaking his head.
Tex was tempted to try to get closer, but he couldn’t leave the perfect hiding place he was in.
He was pretty sure that a shifter suddenly appearing in the middle of town would freak people out, and he was supposed to be hiding and spying, not to make his presence public because his mate was standing there being all cute.
This was going to be harder than Tex had expected.
He hadn’t thought he would meet his mate in Starhaven.
How could he have? He’d been sent here on a mission, and now, here he was, too distracted to pay attention to anything that wasn’t the cute green demon in front of him.
He didn’t want to call Gregory and admit defeat, and he definitely didn’t want to be pulled out, which meant he needed to find another solution to his mate problem.
Maybe he should talk to Nymon. He could explain who he was and why he was here, maybe ask him for his help.
Tex didn’t think that his mate had anything to do with the reason he’d been sent here, and if he was wrong, he’d deal with it.
For now, he needed to find a way to find information for Gregory.
He also needed to warn his boss, as little as he liked that.
This was something Gregory needed to know.
Tex had no idea how his superior would take it, though.
He supposed he was about to find out.
Even though he wanted nothing more than to stay there and watch his mate, Tex turned around and trotted away.
He went far enough away that he doubted anyone would walk up on him while he was on the phone, but he stayed close enough that he could get back to town quickly if he had to.
He didn’t know why he should. He doubted his mate would get into trouble, although who knew?
He shifted as soon as he was sure it was safe to and reached for the pouch around his neck. He slid his phone out and turned it on, but once it was, he stared at it for a moment.
Gregory needed to know what was happening.
Besides, if Tex didn’t call him, he’d try calling Tex, and he might get worried if Tex didn’t answer.
Tex had to be careful, but he also had to report in.
It would be suspicious if he didn’t, and the last thing Tex wanted was for Gregory to send the entire assassins’ team to his rescue, especially because he didn’t need it.
No, what he needed was to stop obsessing over his mate, which was easier said than done.
Maybe telling someone about him would help.
But maybe telling Gregory about it would make Gregory pull Tex off this job, which wasn’t what Tex wanted.
Would he be allowed to stay here if he wasn’t working?
It wasn’t like Gregory or anyone else could come to Starhaven and drag Tex away, but Tex stood to lose his job if he didn’t obey his superior’s orders.
It would be worth it, though. He wasn’t going anywhere, no matter what Gregory ordered. There was nothing Gregory would be able to do about it, either. If there was one council law that every supernatural being respected, it was the one about not separating mates.
* * * *
NYMON COULD FEEL THAT someone was watching him, but by the time he turned to check who it was, the only thing he saw was the wolf retreating between the bushes. He took a step forward, eager to go after the wolf, only for Kael to catch his arm.
“What are you doing?”
Nymon hesitated. He wanted to tell his best friend everything, but he wasn’t sure how Kael would react to the news that a wolf shifter was hanging around town.
The wolf wasn’t supposed to be here. No one who wasn’t a demon was supposed to be here.
There was no way anyone had agreed to allow the wolf into the shield, which meant that if people found out he was there, he’d get kicked out, or worse.
Nymon wouldn’t put it past some people to hurt the wolf to keep the secrecy, and that wasn’t something he could allow to happen.
“What are you doing?” Kael repeated.
Nymon looked around. “There was someone there.”
He had no idea why Kael reacted the way he did. For some reason, his best friend blinked, then beamed. It didn’t make sense.
“There was someone?” Kael asked.
“Yeah. I saw them yesterday, too.”
“You didn’t tell me you were interested in someone. Who is he? Which one is it?” Kael asked, looking around.
It took Nymon a few moments to understand what Kael was talking about, and he groaned when he did. Of course his best friend thought he had his eye on someone. In a way, he did. That someone just wasn’t a demon.
“It’s about time,” Kael said. “You know I would never rush you or anything like that, but I don’t like to think of you all alone all the time.”
“I’m not alone,” Nymon grumbled. “I have you.”