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  His assistant Henry Kingsley, was standing beside him.

  Kingsley was almost forty years old, with auburn hair and a short-cropped beard. Darrogh had read the file on him before arriving in London. Ardal, had requested the records of all of the employees of Creighton’s Bank that Tamsin might have had contact with before they had agreed to guard her. Kingsley had worked as Sir Robert’s personal assistant for the past fifteen years and was trusted without question.

  Darrogh looked around the luxurious study, noting the large windows and bright sunlight shining in. It would be easy for a gunman to target anyone inside. He looked back at their host.

  “Close the drapes.”

  After a few seconds of silence, Creighton nodded to his assistant to do as Darrogh had requested. Once the room had been darkened and privacy was assured, Darrogh turned to Sir Robert.

  “Tell us why you have insisted on this meeting.”

  “I’ve received another threat.”

  “I must know the details.”

  “I can’t tell you.” Creighton pursed his lips.

  “It is impossible for us to continue defending her like this.”

  Darrogh’s tone was harsh. Tamsin had almost been killed last night because this man had refused to tell her the truth. Darrogh was bred and trained to obey orders and succeed. If he was going to continue keeping Tamsin safe, he needed all the information.

  “They insisted that I stay quiet.” Sir Robert shook his head. “These people will kill Tamsin if I don’t do what they ask.”

  “You can’t expect me to just accept your word for it, Dad.” Tamsin raised her voice from where she was seated. Darrogh sensed her agitation and sent her a wave of calm. They needed to convince her father to help, not antagonize him.

  “You have to trust me on this.” Robert Creighton ran his hand though his graying hair.

  “You’ve had me guarded for a week now and there has been no threat.”

  “These people are too clever to show themselves, but they’ll know if I don’t obey.” Sir Robert’s voice was tense. “You can’t fool them.”

  “Who are they?” Darrogh’s voice was sharp.

  Robert Creighton shrugged. “I’ve never met them.”

  “You’re just using this as an excuse to have me followed,” Tamsin insisted. “You’ve been trying to control my life since Mum died when I was ten.”

  “That’s not true.” Creighton pounded his fist on his desk. “I have protected you and have always done what was best.”

  “Like marrying Winchester Nethercott.” Tamsin’s voice was filled with scorn.

  “We needed the merger with his bank.”

  Tamsin shook her head. “I let you talk me into marrying that snake, yet there is only so much a woman can stand. I’m just thankful I found out about him before it was too late.”

  “I know he wasn’t perfect.” Robert Creighton’s tone was conciliatory.

  Tamsin gave a short laugh. “He couldn’t even wait until the wedding before he started cheating on me.”

  “We needed the merger to protect ourselves and marrying him was the best solution. Thanks to your refusal, we’re running out of options.”

  Tamsin’s eyes widened. “You think I should have married him even though I caught him in bed with my best friend, Liz.”

  Robert Creighton smoothed a hand down his tie. “That was unfortunate.”

  “A broken dish is unfortunate.” Tamsin’s tone was sarcastic.

  “Nethercott has no honor.” Darrogh interrupted the argument. He needed more information about the threats “Why did you need the merger? Is the bank in trouble financially?”

  A muscle tightened in Sir Robert’s jaw. He glanced up at Henry, who shrugged. It took a few more seconds of silence before Sir Robert nodded and turned back to Darrogh.

  “A group of men visited me about a year ago and insisted that they have access to my bank’s clients.” Robert Creighton sat back in his leather desk chair. “I thought they were joking. I was wrong. They suggested that I form a partnership with Nethercott’s to make it easier for the takeover of both our banks. They gave me a year to make the arrangements.”

  Darrogh frowned. To threaten two long established banks in a stable country was a bold move. He had been on Earth long enough to know that banks were the financial heart of this planet. Everything depended on them, from personal savings to the economy of countries.

  “Did they tell you who they were?”

  “The Albirsion Corporation.” Creighton pulled a file folder out of his desk drawer and threw it at Darrogh. “I’m not a fool. I looked into the organization and was astonished by what I found. They are involved in everything from mining, real estate, communications, and banks.”

  Darrogh’s internal defense mechanism went to high alert when he heard the name. It was too close to Albireon to be a coincidence. Albireons were a race of aliens who had somehow insinuated themselves into one of the major military installations in Australia. Now it seemed as if their influence was greater than he, and the other Hunters, suspected.

  From the list of their companies and holdings that Sir Robert’s investigation had uncovered, it looked as if they had enough control of the planet’s resources and finances to set up a shadow government. If that was the case, it would not be long before they would conquer Earth and wipe out the humans.

  Invading planets was what they did. First they would harvest all of the genetic material from the populace. At a later date they could recombine it with other genes and create new slave species to sell. Annihilating a species gave them exclusive control over the planet’s genome in the universal genetic market. It was only a matter of time before they carried this out on Earth.

  Albireons were the scourge of the universe.

  “Did you do what they asked?” Darrogh kept his gaze trained on Robert Creighton.

  “No.” Sir Robert shook his head. “Creighton’s has built its reputation on discretion. Our clients are some of the richest people in the world and they look to us to keep their finances and identities private. All that would be destroyed if this Albirsion Corporation took over the bank.”

  “Then why did you want me to marry Nethercott?” Tamsin’s voice cracked.

  “I thought that if I pretended to want the merger it would buy me time. Once the banks were amalgamated, then together, we’d be able to stop these people. We’d be stronger and less vulnerable to a takeover.”

  “So you were willing to sacrifice me.” Tamsin’s voice was filled with pain.

  “It wasn’t like that.” Her father’s tone was pleading. “You liked Winchester and I thought he’d take good care of you.”

  “I don’t need a man to watch over me.” Tamsin straightened her shoulders. “You should have told me what was going on. I was working at the bank. I deserved to know.”

  “I wanted to protect you.” Her father exhaled. “You don’t know these people. They kept coming back with bigger threats and when the wedding was called off they said they’d kill you if their orders weren’t followed.”

  “When was the first direct threat on Tamsin’s life?” Darrogh closed the file folder he’d been looking through.

  “About a month before I contacted you people.” Sir Robert leaned forward in his chair. “I had several private agencies watching Tamsin, but they kept losing her. I needed someone who wouldn’t fail. That’s when I found your website.”

  “What site?” Tamsin’s eyes widened.

  “AHunter4Hire.com,” Darrogh answered. “That is how people employ our services.”

  “Your site stated that you could help when no one else would.” Sir Robert shrugged. “I said that my daughter’s life was being threatened and I was willing to pay. I didn’t lie.”

  “You should have told us the complete truth. You have wasted valuable time.” Darrogh turned around and motioned to Savis. He handed him the file folder with the list of Albirsion companies. “Contact Ardal and let him know that we are probably dealing
with Albireons.”

  “You’ve heard of them?” Creighton’s assistant Henry spoke for the first time.

  Darrogh nodded. “We are familiar with them.”

  “They sound like bullies,” Tamsin said. “You can’t possibly take their threats seriously.”

  “They sent me another message yesterday. It was very explicit.” Sir Robert nodded to his assistant Henry. “Show them the note.”

  Henry pulled a sheet of paper from his jacket and handed it to Darrogh. It was written on thick vellum by someone who was skilled at calligraphy. The message was short and to the point.

  We will kill your daughter on Saturday if you do not hand over the bank.

  Saturday was three days away.

  Darrogh passed the note to Tamsin.

  “Can you protect her?” Creighton’s voice shook. “I need to know.”

  “Yes, now that we know who we are fighting.” Darrogh’s voice was definite. “I have fought the Albireons many times and been successful. It will not be easy. Your daughter needs to depart London. There is no way to protect her here.”

  “I’m not leaving my home.” Tamsin’s protest echoed through the room. “I refuse to run away.”

  Darrogh held back his objection. She was a woman and should be obeyed. If she insisted, then they would protect her in London. There was still the problem of the Albireons and their demands. The information in Sir Robert’s file suggested that the Albireons had far-reaching tentacles on this planet. It would be difficult to hide from them.

  “Can you negotiate an extension on their deadline?”

  “What do you think I’ve been doing for the past year?” Creighton clenched his hand into a fist. “They refuse to give me anymore time.”

  Creighton’s assistant Henry Kinsley cleared his throat. “I have advised Sir Robert to at least let them into the bank. One of the people from Albirsion Corporation could sit on the Board.”

  “They will not stop there.” Darrogh’s voice was definite. “Do you know how many more banks they have taken over?”

  Henry pulled a small booklet from his pocket and flipped through the pages. “They have controlling interests in fifty banks across the world.”

  “You can’t let them have Creighton’s.” Tamsin’s tone was forceful. “Even if they kill me.”

  Creighton’s face paled. “I can’t lose you.”

  “It will not come to that.” Darrogh’s voice was hard. “We have accepted the mission of protecting you. A Hunter does not fail.”

  “Thank you.” Creighton wiped a hand across his face. “I know I should give them the bank. It’s only a business, but my family has owned it since the sixteenth century. It has been handed down from one generation to the next and I intend to pass it on to Tamsin intact.”

  “We need to ensure that the bank is protected.” Darrogh looked over to Savis.

  “Ardal agrees. Creighton’s Bank must not be lost to the Albireons.”

  Tamsin frowned. “I didn’t realize you’d left the room. How do you propose to keep the bank safe?”

  “Ardal is sending more men.” Savis spoke in a matter of fact voice. “With your Father’s help, we will be able to shut down the takeover.”

  “Once they realize that we are shielding the bank, they will know that they are the ones that are vulnerable,” Darrogh explained.

  “I don’t understand.” Sir Robert’s voice was filled with confusion. “You protect people. How can you stop a business takeover?”

  “We are skilled in many things.” Darrogh’s voice was dry. “They will hesitate to continue their threats once they realize that they are dealing with Hunters.”

  “They don’t scare easily.” Sir Robert stood. “I have been trying to get control of this situation for the past year. The best solution I had was to merge our bank with Nethercott’s so that we’d be stronger together, and able to fight the takeover this corporation was pushing for.”

  “We understand how they work.” Darrogh glanced at Henry. “Do you have any contact information for this organization?”

  Henry ripped a page from his notebook. “This is all I have.”

  Darrogh glanced down at the sheet. There were a couple of names and telephone numbers and one email address. It was a start. He handed the sheet to Savis.

  “Give this information to Ardal.”

  He went over to Tamsin “It is time we left.”

  She nodded and stood. “Give me a few minutes alone with my father.”

  “We will wait outside the room.”

  He motioned for the rest of the team to leave. Henry followed them out too. When the door was closed behind them Darrogh sent Kerm to guard the entryway. Now all he had to do was convince Tamsin that staying in London was not the best option.

  Henry cleared his throat. “Do you really think you can stop this organization?”

  “They have gained much control, but we are familiar with their tactics. It is not the first time we have battled Albireons.”

  “You keep talking about them as if they’re a race or citizens of another country.” Henry gave a short laugh. “This is business, pure and simple.”

  Darrogh considered the man for a few seconds and then shook his head. “It is about world domination.”

  Henry crossed his arms. “It’s simple economics.”

  “If the Albireons gain control of this planet’s resources and industries, it means the decimation of the human species.”

  “That’s nuts.” Henry shook his head. “You guys are crazy. I’m not certain where Mr. Creighton found you, but I doubt you’ll be able to stop anyone from hurting his daughter. Don’t think I’m not going to tell him about this conversation.”

  “Just because you do not believe in the threat does not make it less real.”

  Darrogh turned away from the assistant. It was a waste of his time to convince this man. The Albireons were on earth and if they had power over so much of this planet’s assets and institutions, then their threat was greater than they had guessed.

  The study door opened and Tamsin came out. “I’m ready to go home.”

  Darrogh started for the entrance. “Wait until the car arrives.”

  Jehon pulled up a few seconds later. Darrogh stood beside Tamsin, covering her body with his, until she was in the vehicle. Then he signalled the rest of his team. They would follow in the van and keep the car in sight at all times. Darrogh sat beside Tamsin and shut the door.

  “Do you believe that my father has any chance of holding off this corporate takeover?”

  Darrogh glanced over at Tamsin. “They will succeed unless he has something to threaten them with.”

  “So he might as well hand the bank over now?” There was disbelief in Tamsin’s voice.

  “That is not what I said.” Darrogh kept his tone neutral. “We will find a way to stop them, but it will take time. Until we have a solution, you need to let us protect you.”

  “By taking me out of London?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is my home. I refuse to leave it.”

  She was being illogical. Darrogh knew that he should obey her wishes because she was a woman. This situation was different. He had to do what was best for her security. Now was not the time to insist she leave the city, though. He would try and convince her of that once they were safely at her home.

  “You told my father you could protect me.”

  “Not this way.” Darrogh turned in the seat to look at her. “You cannot expect me to continue guarding you without your cooperation.”

  Just then, there was a loud noise and the car jerked to the side. Darrogh threw himself over Tamsin. Jehon was fighting to gain control of the vehicle as it skidded across the road and over the sidewalk.

  They came to a stop just before crashing into a pole.

  When he looked down there was blood on his hands.

  Tamsin was injured.

  Chapter 8

  “I can’t breathe.” Tamsin tried to push Darrogh away.r />
  “Be still.” His voice was a low whisper as he shifted his weight off her. “We must be certain it is safe.”

  “It was a tire blowout, that’s all.”

  “Jehon is very thorough about checking the vehicle.”

  She could feel the tension in Darrogh’s body.

  “The tires were fine.”

  Darrogh wasn’t going to let her up until he was ready. She took a deep breath and relaxed. She felt safe with him and even though it was probably just a freak accident, she’d let him play the hero.

  A vehicle stopped beside them. The door opened and she could hear footsteps running toward them. Could Darrogh have been right about them being followed? It was crazy to think that someone could be attacked in broad daylight in a city as busy as London. Surely someone would stop them?

  “There is no need for concern. It is my men.” Darrogh eased himself away from her. “You are bleeding.”

  Tamsin brushed her fingers across her forehead. It was sticky and wet. “I must have hit my head when the car lurched forward.”

  Darrogh turned her so that she faced him. He moved her hair away and examined the cut. “It is minor. It has almost stopped bleeding.”

  Tamsin leaned back against the seat. “What do we do now?”

  “Once the area is secured, we will move you to the van and continue to your house.”

  It took a few minutes before she was hurried into the rear of the van. Darrogh used his body to shield her, and only left her side once she was safely inside the vehicle. Firbin was in the driver’s seat. Breanon sat with his rifle aimed out the tinted window on one side of the van, while Kerm did the same on the opposite. A shiver went through her. These men didn’t think this had been an accident.

  When had her life become so dangerous? All she wanted was to go home and relax. To put her feet up on the couch and forget about the ordeals she’d been through in the last twenty-four hours.