Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel #1)(62)

Color.

I could see in color. Not just the faint shades of color that I’d been able to see before, but full blown everything. And the scents…

There were so many of them. I could taste the freshness of the air. And my skin felt more sensitive.

The Oracle had been correct.

She was the one who could make me whole again.

A thrill ran through me, followed by confusion and even fear. How the hell was this real?

“Are you better?” The strength was returning to her voice.

“I am. Thank you.” I shoved aside thoughts of fate, forcing myself to my feet. I pulled her up alongside me, banishing the cloud of dark mist that hid us from her friends and my security force.

As the mist cleared, it revealed her three companions standing around us, anger and worry on their faces. Behind them, my security force was working on binding the bodies of the necromancer’s faithful. The Council of Guilds would owe me for this one.

They’d owe Carrow, too, though she didn’t know it yet.

She gave me one last look, her gaze searching, then turned and hurried to the body of the woman on the slab. I could feel the life force inside the victim, and with any luck, she would have no memory of this.

Quinn strode up to me, back in his human form. His brow was creased with worry, and his eyes flickered with anger.

“Is there a problem?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t like what you did with her there.”

“Too bad, because it is done.” I so badly wanted to say that Carrow had enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t reveal that information. It felt too personal. Too hers.

“Be careful.”

The shifter’s voice echoed with power, and I grinned. “You want her.”

“And you don’t?”

“Of course I do.” I wasn't afraid to admit it.

His lips twisted. “I mean it. I’ll be watching you. If you hurt her…”

“I understand.” If it came down to a fight between us, I would win. But it wouldn’t be easy. And it would cost me.

More likely than not, it would come down to a fight between us. Because I would hurt her. If I pursued her, I would hurt her. It was the only thing I was capable of. My past made that abundantly clear.

Disgusted with myself, I turned from the shifter and looked at Carrow. She was taking the woman’s pulse and speaking with Mac and Eve. It was difficult to turn away from the sight of her. With my ability to see color returned, all I wanted to do was stare at her.

But I forced myself away. I was good at forcing myself away from the things I wanted. There was work to be done, after all, and I needed to begin. Getting the police off Carrow’s back wouldn’t be hard now that we had the real murderer. With a bit of mind control, the hired gun could be convinced to confess to his crimes. I just had to make sure it was all airtight.

I strode toward the head of my security force, determined to get it done quickly and protect her. Then I would leave her alone. No matter how damned hard it was, I would do that for her. I had to.

And yet, I knew there was no way I could say goodbye to her. Not a chance in hell.





Carrow



Three days later, it was finished. The necromancer was dead, and Beatrix’s murderer would go to jail for his crimes. He had confessed, and the police had taken him into custody. I hadn’t seen the Devil since he’d bitten me, but I’d heard through the grapevine that my name had been cleared with the police department. Corrigan had confirmed that Banks had led the charge against me with the wanted posters, and that he’d been reprimanded for bias.

I was no longer a wanted woman.

More importantly, the woman that we’d rescued was safe and sound, her memory wiped of everything bad.

Unfortunately, after the cops had searched my flat, someone had broken in and stolen everything. I’d taken it as a sign.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this.” Mac grinned at me. “I’m so happy.”

“Thanks for helping me figure it out.” I looked at the green door that was now our green door. I held the key to the top-floor flat, right above Mac.

I’d cleared my name in the human world, but I didn’t want to return. It was dim and miserable there, an awful half life where I tried to use my magic to help but ended up on the sidelines.

No. I wanted a new life—one full of color and excitement and friends. And the best way to have that was to move to Guild City. To the flat above Mac’s, in fact. I was going to hang up my shingle as a mystery-solver of some kind. I still didn’t know all the details, but I knew I was going to sell my services to those who needed them.

“You’re going to do great,” Mac said. “Your magic is so strong, everyone will want to hire you.”

I had a reputation now, apparently. The fact that I’d held the necromancer’s gem with my bare hand had gotten around town. We still didn’t know exactly what the gem did, but it was powerful. So insanely powerful that it was supposed to be impossible to hold.

Yet I had.

I could still barely control my gift, but I could hold that gem.

I didn’t understand it, but maybe one day, I would.

I’d considered handing the gem over to the Council of Guilds. I didn’t want to possess something created from such darkness, no matter how powerful it was. But I didn’t trust them, so I wore it on a chain around my neck. For now, at least.