Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel #1)(13)

5





The Devil



A knock on my office door distracted me from my dinner, an unappetizing cup of blood. I looked up as the door opened and the hostess of my club walked in. Miranda was my second in command, and she knew everything that went on in my empire.

She stopped near the door, a courtesy I appreciated. I didn’t like it when people got too close.

Objectively speaking, Miranda was beautiful, with her slim figure and dark hair, but her beauty barely registered on my radar.

No person had registered for me in hundreds of years.

Not until the woman.

“She has entered the Haunted Hound,” Miranda said.

“Excellent.” My heartbeat quickened.

“Shall I alert you when she enters Guild City?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Miranda slipped back out the door, and I returned my attention to the cup of red liquid. I hadn’t drunk straight from the source in more than a century. Not because feeding incited blood lust. It was unlikely, given my strength and age. No… I had no desire to touch another person. And it reminded me of the horrors of my past—of all the terrible things I’d done, of what I’d been.

The Impaler.

That was long ago, though.

This was the present, and it brought with it the woman.

What was it about her?

I’d find out soon enough when she came to me.





Carrow



“Just my luck.” I frowned at the idea of trying to catch the most dangerous man in Guild City. But… “What the heck is Guild City?”

“I can show you.” Mac grinned and looked at the clock behind the bar. “Quinn will be on shift any minute. Then I’ll take you.”

“Could you give me a few more details about Guild City before Quinn shows up?” I prodded.

A tall figure appeared at the side of the bar, and Mac turned to him, a smile stretching across her face. “Perfect timing.”

I turned to look, spotting a man.

He wasn’t bad looking, actually. In fact, he was very good looking. Tall and strong, with dark auburn hair and tanned skin. His arms were big enough that he looked like he doubled as a bouncer.

One dark red eyebrow rose on his forehead, and I realized I’d been staring.

Shit.

His green eyes studied my face as he approached. “Got a new friend, Mac?” His voice had a pleasantly deep timbre.

“Yep!” Mac grinned widely and gestured between us. “Carrow, this is Quinn. He’s a panther shifter. Big one, too. Quinn, Carrow.”

“Hey.” Quinn’s lips tugged up at the corner in a sexy smile. “You’re something special, aren’t you?”

What a flirt. I couldn’t acknowledge the special comment, so I just said, “Hi.”

“Afternoon shift is best, you know,” he said. “Come back when I’m on. I’ll make you the best drink you’ve ever had.”

Mac slapped him on the arm playfully. “You flirt. Lay off.”

He grinned at her, shooting me another look. “Can’t help it. Never met a girl I didn’t like.”

“That’s true.” Mac rolled her eyes at him, and then looked at me. “Come on, Carrow. We’re going to blow this joint and leave this loser to hit on whoever comes in next. With any luck, it will be old Mrs. Wunklebotten.”

Quinn laughed, a rich, good-natured sound. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

Mac came around the bar and grabbed my arm, pulling me behind her. For the briefest moment, I felt a warm feeling, like being in a fluffy cloud of friendship. Like this was a place and a group of people where I could belong. Where I might not be alone and looked at as the weirdo.

I shook my head, trying to drive the thought off. I wasn’t that lame. Seriously.

Mac hurried through the bar, headed toward the back corner. Quinn had come from this direction, but it looked like it just led to the toilets.

“Where are we going?”

She looked back at me with a grin. “Guild City, of course.”

“Is it in the toilets?”

Mac laughed. “Almost.”

She tugged me into a dark hallway. One side was lined with shelves of liquor bottles, but the rest was empty. It was dark and quiet back there.

A frisson of nerves skated across my skin. I trusted her. I did. I could feel it.

But still…a lifetime of wariness left its mark.

In my pocket, my mobile vibrated. Dread unfurled in my stomach as I pulled it out and looked at the screen. A text from Corrigan.



Turn yourself in, Carrow Burton. If the city finds you through a manhunt, the judge will be less lenient.



I swallowed hard, ice chilling my skin. The city was gearing up for a manhunt.

“You okay?” Mac asked.

I jerked my head up, startled. “Yeah, yeah.” I shoved the mobile into my pocket. “Just nervous.”

“Don’t worry, it’s cool. You’ll see.”

She could sense my unease. Because she was a…seer?

Did I even believe this?

“Okay, we’re going to see if you can get in on your own,” Mac said. “I feel your magic, so it should be possible.”

“What do you mean?”