Master Unchained (Stealth Guardians Book 2) Read Free Page A

operated in the background. They’d been given skills to make sure that they were never seen: the ability to cloak themselves so they were invisible—something they could extend to their charges either with their minds or their touch, the former requiring more energy than the latter—and the ability to walk through walls so no place was ever inaccessible to them—a skill they could not extend to their charges.
    And now Cinead wanted him to operate out in the open? Visible to everybody?
    “And the demons?”
    “What about them?”
    “They’ll realize what I am as soon as they see me with her.” They would recognize his aura as that of a Stealth Guardian, something only other preternatural creatures could see. Humans didn’t have that skill.
    “I know. But we don’t have a choice. Besides, based on the rumors we hear about their new ruler, we must assume that they’re employing different tactics now. Zoltan is more innovative than his predecessor. He’ll find out either way that we’re protecting her. He’s too smart to think we’d leave somebody as valuable as Tessa Wallace unprotected.”
    Resigned, Hamish looked straight at Cinead. “Who do you want me to choose as my second?”
    “Enya. However, I want her to operate in secrecy. Ms. Wallace is not to know about her. Just in case we need an ace up our sleeve.”
    At least with this order Hamish could agree. “Very well.”
    Enya, the only female in his compound, would be his backup for those times when he couldn’t be with his charge. A wise choice, because despite her prickly nature, Enya was a fine warrior, and as a woman she would be immune to whatever charms Ms. Wallace had.
    Just as he would be immune to them.

3
     
    “Anton Faldo?” Tessa gaped at Poppy and looked up and down the corridor of the third floor of City Hall, where most of the offices of the council members were located. Seeing that this wasn’t the place to discuss such a sensitive topic, she motioned Poppy toward her office, while murmuring through clenched teeth, “Are you out of your mind?”
    “He’s got the right connections,” Poppy said, following her through the door to the antechamber where several assistants for various council members were working frantically, dealing with visitors and busy phone lines.
    Tessa rushed past Collette, her own assistant, and flung the door to the office open, charging in. “Connections, my ass!” she hissed as soon as Poppy had stepped into her office. “Faldo is a crook. He’s been under investigation several times.”
    “He’s never been convicted,” Poppy threw in.
    Tessa huffed. “Only because he can afford the best lawyers money can buy. And he probably pays off anybody who gets in his way. The man’s bad news.”
    “He supports your campaign and—”
    “What?”
    Poppy grimaced. “Don’t you look at the donor reports I give you every day? He’s one of the biggest contributors to your campaign.”
    Tessa threw up her hands. “That can’t be!” If people found out about this, it would ruin her career.
    “I thought you knew.”
    She fell into her chair, her hands supporting her head. “I can’t take his money.”
    “You’ll have to take much more than just his money. You need his help.”
    Tessa lifted her eyes to look at her campaign manager. They’d gone to college together, and she thought she knew Poppy inside out. Hadn’t they always had the same values, the same high moral standards? What had happened to her friend? Had she sold out?
    “How can you expect me to accept help from a criminal? He’ll want something in return. If and when I’m mayor, he’ll want favors. I’m not going to sell my integrity to some crook!”
    Poppy leaned over the desk. “You have to be pragmatic. Faldo’s donations are routed through one of his companies. Nobody’s gonna put two and two together. As for favors: Faldo assured me that his help comes without any strings attached.”
    “And you believed him?” Because