The Archer (The Blood Realm Series Book 3)(134)

“I’m hearing no offer.” Mac’s voice was calm, and the difference between the voice passing his lips now and the one he’d used to curse the world on his mad dash through the forest shocked him. He stared at the vampire and the weight of the truth he’d spoken finally settled.

Kirill seemed to notice the moment the realization dawned. “Yes. You can see it now?”

Mac closed his eyes. Some part of his mind that had just woken up whispered its surprise that he wasn’t completely enthralled by the vampire, could still choose to close his eyes and block out that steady crimson stare. Careless, that’s what he’d been. But no more.

He took a deep breath, slowly pulling himself back together, settling his mind and looking at his situation reasonably, logically. He turned to face the fire as he opened his eyes, striding to take the seat by the fire and simultaneously looking away from the vampire’s gaze. He plucked at a few twigs and leaves still clinging stubbornly to his clothes, casting them into the fire without looking at his company. “What is your offer?”

“I want you to work for me.” There was satisfaction in Kirill’s voice now, a respect that hadn’t been there a moment ago. “I have a small group of individuals that I employ for a variety of tasks better kept out of the public eye.”

Mac studied a leaf he’d just pulled from the crease of his shirt. “Assassins?”

“Sometimes. But more often than that, they are my eyes and ears.” He slid around the sleeping wolves to stand near the fire opposite Mac. “You see, sheriff, like you, I believe that there is more to running a kingdom than keeping the human population in check. There are other creatures, creatures whose societies do not police their behavior as well as perhaps they should. Sometimes these creatures need to be punished and in some cases, they need to be…reasoned with. Some of them can be rehabilitated, recruited to do some good for the community they haunt.”

He stood before Mac, but didn’t try to make eye contact. “I want you to lead that group. You will perform duties much like you do here. You will send out spies, gather information, analyze it. You will identify threats, determine which of them can be recruited and which cannot. You will report to me and tell me which threats require immediate attention and which ones should be watched.”

Mac flicked the leaf into the fire then drummed his fingers against his thigh, staring into the flames. Part of him wanted to reject the vampire’s offer immediately, without consideration. This was his home, Scythia was his home. He had duties here, plans.

The memory of the mob that had sacked him on the road floated into his mind. Anger heated his blood and the headache pulsed with new life in his temples, stabbing at his brain. He concentrated on keeping his breaths even, on forcing his heart rate to slow. This was no time to let anger make his decisions for him.

“Then why are your people terrified of you? Look into their eyes and speak with them. See if they see you as the protector you fancy yourself to be.”

Robin was right. Damn his eyes, but he was right. He’d lost control, allowed his desire for revenge to consume him and in doing so had lost his way, lost the reputation that had made him valuable to his people. They were afraid of him now. Afraid enough that they’d obviously sided with Robin against him, had hid their faces and attacked him like forest rabble.

He could rebuild his reputation. It would take time, but he was a patient man. But did he want to?

“What kind of resources would I have as a member of this…team?”

“Your resources would be unlimited. As long as you were successful, I would supply you with whatever means you deemed necessary to do your job.”#p#分页标题#e#

The possibilities stretched before him, opening up a whole new world. A chance to fight for true justice, and to fight it on a level playing field. Well, as level as the playing field could get when it was human against monster.

“I accept your offer.” He looked at Kirill, but avoided his eyes. It was difficult to convey confidence while he was forced to stare at the vampire’s forehead, but caution was called for. At least until he’d had time to refresh his knowledge of the undead.

Kirill smiled, and there was a strange satisfaction there, as if he’d noticed Mac’s precaution and approved. Before Mac could decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing, the vampire spoke.

“There is one more thing.”

Suspicion seized his muscles, sent a sharp spike up the back of his neck into his head. Mac clenched his teeth, struggling to keep the pain from his face. “And what is that?”