Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel #1)(39)

Mostly though, I kept my head tilted down to avoid the stares of men.

When the train reached our destination, I pulled Mac off and hurried up the stairs to the street.

“Thankfully, this part of town is quieter at night,” I said.

“And more boring.” Mac looked up at the towering buildings. The streets were nearly empty.

“That’s good for us.” I led us to the morgue, a building near the police station that I’d rarely visited. We found a good spot across the street from the entrance, and I pulled Mac into an alcove. Together, we stared at the two policemen who stood guard.

“Well, damn,” Mac said. “How are we going to get in there?”





12





Carrow



Unfortunately, the cops on duty at the morgue looked alert and ready for anything.

“We really can’t make a scene on the street,” I said.

“Well, the entrance is inside an alcove.” She pointed at the building. “And it looks like there are nooks on either side. If we could get them back in there, they’d be mostly hidden from the street.”

“And do what, kill them?”

Mac’s jaw dropped. “Uh, no.”

“Whew. Because that is not my scene.”

“No kidding. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be trying to prove yourself innocent of a murder.”

“True enough.” I looked around warily, knowing that all of London was out for my head. Corrigan’s text messages made it clear enough, and now that I was in the real world again, I felt like I had a target on my back.

I shook the worries away and focused on the front door. “There’s also a card scanner at the entrance. Everyone has a badge and has to swipe their way in.”

“That’s harder. There will be an alarm if we just break in, right?”

“Yeah. The police will have badges on them, though, I would think.” At that moment, two people in long white lab coats exited the building, badges around their necks. “Ooh, look at them. They look official.”

“Those coats would make us blend in if we ran into anyone in the hall.”

“I like how you’re thinking.” The two figures nodded at the cops, then headed across the street toward the alley where we stood. “They’re coming toward us. It’s a sign.”

“Let’s follow them and borrow their stuff,” Mac said.

“Borrow. Yeah. Borrow.”

As they neared, I got a better look at their faces. The figure on the left was a slight man with pale hair and large glasses. The woman beside him was a bit taller, with a wild halo of dark curly hair and a stern expression. They reached our side of the street and turned left.

I peered after them, debating. “Are we just going to knock them out? They’re scientists. They didn’t exactly sign up for a life of random concussions.”

“I’ve got it, don’t worry. Come on.” She left our alley and headed after them, walking quickly.

“What are you going to do?” I whispered.

“I’m a seer, but if I really put my power into it, I can disorient people with a touch.” She shrugged. “Can’t do it much, though. Takes a lot of power, then I have to recoup my strength.”

“Let’s try it, then.”

She nodded.

Once we had turned a corner and were out of view of the policemen, we picked up the pace until we were only a meter behind the scientists. Their backs stiffened, and together, they looked back at us. I gave a huge smile, going for charmingly disarming, like someone who was looking for directions. Instead, they grimaced and cringed.

Okay, maybe I’d nailed creepy instead of disarming.

Mac’s hands shot out, and she grabbed each person by the arm. Her magic pulsed briefly, and their eyes started to cross.

“It’s working.” Mac’s voice sounded strained.

They stood there, swaying. I ran around behind them and tugged their white coats off. Mac made sure to keep contact with them as I yanked the white fabric from their shoulders. Last, I took the badges.

“I’ve got them,” I said.

Mac let go, and they stared at her, dazed. Gently, she pivoted them in the direction they’d been heading. She gave them a little nudge that set them walking.

I looked at her, brows raised. “Impressive.”

“Yeah. I’m probably tapped out on that, though. Won’t be able to play the same trick on the guards. Not unless we can wait a while for me to recoup my powers.”

“Can’t.” I handed her a jacket and a badge. “Let’s try our luck. Maybe they’ll assume we’re new and won’t look at our credentials.”

She nodded and shrugged into the jacket, then tugged the hood down from her face, since it just didn’t go with the white coat.

“How do I look?” She gave a faint froggy cringe.

“Honestly, not that bad. You’re still kind of green, but it’s very faint now.”

“Some of the magic from the hoodie is still working, just not as much as if I wore the hood.”

“It’ll have to do. You look like you ate bad seafood and maybe smooshed your nose on a door.”

“Fantastic.” She buttoned up the white coat.