TheAngryDoveAndTheAssassin by Stephani Hecht Read Free Book Online

wrong?” Grey asked, rushing to his side.
    When Caley held them up, Grey winced. “Let me guess, they were your favorite.”
    “How did you know?”
    “I would act the same way if it was my best dagger.”
    Caley gave a small smile. He should have realized Grey would understand. “So, you don’t think that I’m overreacting?”
    “No, not at all.”
    “I hate this stupid war,” Caley said as he kicked at broken stool. “And what is it over? Just some stupid piece of land.”
    “Land is a big deal to Wolves. It’s all we have at times,” Grey said.
    “That’s what they killed my family for. They wanted the land that our house was on.”
    Grey reached out and brushed away a lock of Caley’s hair. “I’m really sorry to hear that, Dove. Do you want me to hunt them down and kill them for you?”
    “You would really do that for me, wouldn’t you?” Caley asked, a little breathlessly.
    “Of course he would, it’s what he does for a living,” Toby called out with an irritated voice.
    “How is it that you guys became assassins in the first place?” Hales asked.
    For the first time ever, Caley was glad that his friend was so nosey because that question had been nagging him for a while as well. It wasn’t like there was an assassin academy or anything. Or was there?
    “We were all sold to the same master when were young. He raised us to be assassins, so when we were older he could make a profit off us,” Grey explained in a matter of fact tone.
    Horror went through Caley. He couldn’t imagine any parent that would willingly part with their child, let alone make a profit off it. His own parents had died protecting him.
    “And did he make a profit off you?” Alger asked.
    “For a while,” Toby answered before he gave a smile that was so cold it sent chills down Caley’s spine. “Then we decided to go freelance.”
    “So he just let you go?” Alger said.
    “No. We killed him,” Toby said in a perfectly calm voice.
    “You…what?” Alger stammered.
    Toby blinked at him. “Oh, don’t looked so surprised, bunny. The bastard asked for it and then some. He wasn’t fatherly toward us while we were growing up. Do you want me to strip down, so I can show you the most interesting scars he left on my body? Or should I just leave it up to your imagination?”
    “What Toby is trying to say is that our master wasn’t very kind,” Simon interjected. “So we kind of turned on him.”
    “There’s no kind of about it, Simon, as we ripped him to shreds and enjoyed every second of it. I’m just the only one who is willing to admit it,” Toby said before he turned around and walked from the room.
    “Is he always like that?” Caley asked.
    “Like I said, he’s a Leopard. They’re not known for being very social. Sometimes I wonder why he even stays with us,” Grey said.
    “I think in his own way, he cares for us,” Simon answered.
    “If you say so,” Grey responded.
    “I think he’s neat,” Hales piped, a look of worship on his face.
    “Sorry, doggy, but you are literally barking up the wrong tree with that one,” Grey drawled.
    Hales frowned. “Why? Is he straight?”
    “No, but Toby doesn’t do relationships. He doesn’t feel anything inside. It’s like he’s a dead man walking.”
    Hales shook his head. “I don’t believe that. Everybody has the ability to care.”
    “Not Toby,” Simon said firmly.
    “So how did you guys end up together?” Grey asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
    “Zaid,” Caley answered simply.
    “Who’s Zaid?” Grey demanded, a sharp bite of jealousy in his voice.
    Caley bit back his smile. If Grey only knew that there had never been anything between Caley and Zaid. To Caley, Zaid had never been anything but a surrogate big brother.
    “Zaid is the one who found us and took us in. He didn’t find us all at once, of course, but one by one,” Hales explained. “He found me first. I was wandering around, acting like a stray, after my pack