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Chapter1
GRAYSON
Coming home to a package on my doorstep didn’t give me the same joy it once had. A decade ago, when I’d begun offering my services in trade for the things I needed, there’d been a thrill that the hunt had given me.
As I stared at the black envelope waiting for me, I’d much rather have pretended I didn’t see anything and headed inside my cabin. It was in the remote parts of No Man’s Land, a place where the wise people left me alone and the stupid ones provided me with target practice.
As I reached for my metal doorknob, magic from the envelope that had found its way to me sent charcoal tendrils of energy up until they wrapped around my wrist.
Well, that wasn’t normal for a package.
The power encouraged me to bend down and take the invitation inside, overruling my stubbornness. I could have disregarded the spell with my own strength, but someone had taken extra efforts to make sure I considered this request. That piqued my interest.
When I bent over, the magic dissipated, and my fingers grasped the thin envelope. I stepped into the doorway, then listened and scented for anything that didn’t belong, just like I did every time I came home.
I wasn’t part of any of the Houses, and I preferred it that way, but that didn’t mean they weren’t aware of who I was.
Grayson Barrett. A wolf shifter tracker who had never failed a mission. Also a sometimes-assassin when the reward and justification were tempting enough.
Though, there was one little secret of mine that nobody knew. The source of my success, yet, some days, the bane of my existence. The dark part of me that gave me additional abilities and that very few knew existed.
Once I’d confirmed nothing was out of place inside my one-bedroom cabin, I moved past the entryway. I eyed the small wooden table to my right, then the couch and fireplace to my left. Given the sender had used higher-level magic to deliver the letter, I decided a seat in front of the fire would be better for whatever I was about to read.
My heavy-booted feet carried me toward my worn, brown leather couch. I sat on the middle cushion, kicking my legs up onto the already dented, metal coffee table.
With a flick of my thumb and middle finger, flames lit the logs in the fireplace, then I settled in to open up the offer.
The ebony paper was thick with no writing on the front, but when I flipped it over, there was a wax seal, crimson in color, with no logo, just a circular imprint over the flap. I swiped the pad of my thumb over the soft substance, and something pricked my skin.
Pulling back, I considered throwing the envelope right into the fire, but then it floated out of my grip, hovering above the coffee table as it began to unfold.
Interesting.Thathad never happened before.
The aged parchment seemed to be attached to the black envelope as everything came undone at the same time. There were no words on the tanned paper, but swirls of white mist grew around the would-be message until a distorted man’s voice began to speak.
“Mr. Barrett, my name is Johnathon. I require not only your services, but your discretion as well. As you may be aware, the House of Fire and Fluorite has suffered immensely over the last year. Due to their lack of proper leadership, a witch has been able to infiltrate them. Powers have been stolen, and children have been sacrificed.”
That was quite the accusation and would require proof before I believed it.
The voice continued speaking while the mist seemed to grow bigger and thicker around the paper. “We would like the target dealt with quietly and swiftly. If you can return her to No Man’s Land, we can take things from there. If that’s not possible, death is a viable solution as well. We merely require her body to be brought back with you as proof of completion of the assignment.”
“And what do I get out of this?” I asked, assuming the magic was capable of answering back. Though, I was already intending to decline the job regardless of what they offered.
My ability to tell fact from fiction wasn’t sensing any lies, but omissions and carefully worded sentences were always something of a red flag.
The mist shifted, and an image of a silver ring with a clear stone in the middle appeared. “This would be your compensation.”
I scoffed. “I don’t wear jewelry.”
The voice’s haunting laughter echoed around the room. “But this is no ordinary piece of jewelry, Mr. Barrett. This is a shifting House ring.”
I watched as intricate lines changed directions with each transformation and the colors of each House flashed at the center. Red for Blood and Beryl, the home of vampires and misfits. Green for Earth and Emerald, another popular place for witches and people that like to be left alone. Then, there was an iridescent color for Fire and Fluorite, the House currently most likely to fall apart, filled with hot-headed shifters.
The ring disappeared before it finished showing me each of the Houses that had once been what the humans called states and countries.
“This ring will allow you to move through the Houses without hassle,” Johnathon said. “It is the only one of its kind and will be yours upon completion of the contract, should you accept.”
My eyes stared at the mist where the ring had been pictured. No Man’s Land had its problems, but I’d done enough damage to be left alone for the most part. While the idea of being able to slip in and out of the Houses without making noise was tempting, I still wasn’t sold.
