Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel)

by Linsey Hall

  “Are you really hundreds of years old?” She searched my face, avoiding my eyes. “Really Vlad the Impaler?”

  Guilt streaked through me, so visceral and real that I almost twitched. Those memories were long buried—for my own sanity. I’d done things I wasn’t proud of, and in terrible moments, I wondered if I’d wanted to do them.

  I had.

  It had been more than the blood lust and insanity of a newly turned vampire.

  I’d wanted to do terrible things.

  The wall in front of me began to dissolve, and I turned to it, grateful for the interruption. I could feel her gaze on me as the wall disappeared entirely.

  A pale man stood there, tall and broad-shouldered and wearing the long black cloak of the Sorcerers’ Guild. I felt a streak of annoyance as Carrow’s attention shifted to Remington. I didn’t want her to look at him. I wanted her gaze on me, always.

  “Devil.” Remington nodded his head, his eyes going to Carrow. He frowned. “And a guest?”

  “Indeed.”

  “This is unusual.”

  “Don’t think too deeply about it.” I had no intention of introducing Carrow. She was mine, though she didn’t know it yet, and Remington was powerful and dangerous. I didn’t want him to get too interested in her.

  “I’m Carrow Burton,” she said.

  I stifled an annoyed noise. I should have anticipated that Carrow would do whatever the hell she wanted. I hadn’t known her long, but I did know that.

  “Remington, Sorcerers’ Guild.”

  “I can see that.” Her gaze moved over the building. “Nice place you have here.”

  Remington’s brows rose. Nice place.

  I nearly chuckled again. That was two times she’d nearly made me laugh, two times in hundreds of years. It made my throat feel strange, and I resisted rubbing it.

  “Come.” Remington turned and led us into a darkened stairwell, a magical and secret set of stairs that he’d created.

  We strode up the dark, narrow steps, six stories that rose up and up, until we arrived at the roof. Remington opened the hatch at the top of the tower, and we followed him out and into the open air.

  It always felt closer to the moon up here, something that I enjoyed. One of the few things I enjoyed these days. A faint breeze blew across the top of the tower, bringing the scent of rain with it. The city sprawled beneath us, ancient streets twisting alongside each other, golden streetlamps glowing.

  Remington turned to us. “What can I do for you, Devil?”

  I held out my hand to Carrow. “Your mobile, please.”

  She pulled it out of her pocket and fiddled with it for a moment. When she handed it to me, the image of the body was on the screen. The burn mark was clear—two stars overlapping each other. I showed it to Remington. “We want to track whoever made this mark.”

  He studied it a moment, a frown stretching across his face. “A necromancer?”

  “We believe so.”

  He grimaced. “Best find him soon, then.”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “Give me a moment, and I’ll get what I need.” Remington strode back to the stairs.

  “He won’t be long.” I handed Carrow her mobile back.

  “He’ll do the spell up here?”

  “It seems so.”

  She looked like some kind of ancient goddess with the wind blowing her hair back from her face and intensity gleaming in her eyes. “Why didn’t you answer my question down on the wall?”

  Bloody hell. She wasn’t going to let that one go. “Are you happy in the human world?”

  She frowned. “You’re changing the subject.”

  “You’re quick.”

  “And not susceptible to flattery.”

  “Answer my question, and perhaps I’ll answer yours.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that perhaps.”

  “It’s the best you’ll get.”

  “Fine.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I am happy in the human world.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “You don’t know me.”

  “I’d like to.”

  She hesitated at that, surprise flashing across her face. “Really?”

  “Very much.” My candor startled me. I rarely shared my thoughts with anyone. Unnecessary when I could get whatever I wanted. I was very good at getting my own way. “Tell me. Are you happy in the real world? The human one?”

  “What is happy?”

  “That’s a no, then.”

  She shrugged. “It’s my home.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.”

  She looked past me, out at the city. Her face turned wistful, and something tightened in my heart. I grimaced, barely resisting rubbing my chest.

  Feelings.

  I didn’t like them.

  Unfortunately, around her, it seemed impossible not to have them.

  “What is it about the human world that you like?”

  She blinked at me, seeming confused. “My books from Beatrix, I suppose. Cordelia.”

  “Who is Cordelia?”

  “A raccoon.”

  “What?”

  “I like her, okay? She lives in the alley behind my flat. Or at least, I thought she did.”

  I couldn’t do anything about a raccoon. But the books… “Your books? Surely you could bring those here.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe? That doesn’t make any sense. They are just books. They can be taken from London to Guild City.”

  “I’d need to go back and get them, and as it stands, I’m a wanted woman.” A shadow crossed her face. “There’s every chance the police have taken them into evidence.”

  “Well, with any luck, we’ll have you off the hook for that crime soon. And we’ll avenge your friend.”

  “It may be too late.”

  “It’s never too late.” That was a bloody lie. It was often too late. I’d learned that the hard way. “But if that’s all you have there, I see no reason why you would stay in the human world.”

  She was silent for a moment, and I could see the thoughts turning behind her eyes. “What about you? I answered you. Your turn.”

  My enhanced hearing picked up the sound of footsteps, and I grinned. “I believe Remington is returning.”

  “You haven’t answered my questions.”

  “Alas, I have not.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “It certainly isn’t.”

  Carrow

  I grumbled, giving the Devil one last annoyed look. He’d told me his name was Grey, but it was still hard to think of him that way.

  Remington appeared through the trap door, a leather bag in his hands. He approached, asking, “Could I see that image again?”

  I pulled out my mobile, showing the picture to Remington. He studied it for a moment, then nodded. “That’s all I need, thank you.”

  Quickly, I put the mobile back in my pocket. The Devil stood next to me. His face was impassive as the sorcerer reached inside his leather bag. This was old hat to him, but magic still astounded me.

  He still astounded me.

  A vampire, and one who so quickly saw to the heart of me. Who distracted me so easily. Who played me like a fiddle.

  I didn’t like it.

  I stepped away from him, determined to ignore him. It wasn’t easy when his scent wrapped around me, rich and delicious. I wanted to breathe him in. Hell, I just wanted to stand in his presence and feel whatever strange connection it was that we had. I was afraid of him, I didn’t particularly like him, but damn if he didn’t make me feel good just by standing next to me.

  Alive. That’s how I felt. So alive that I vibrated with it.

  In the human world, I’d existed, a shadow life in a shadow world. There, but not there. Half dead, even. Just me and Cordelia and my little single-size boxes of wine.

  And now I was here, and the world seemed so big and open and amazing.

  Remington pulled various vials of potion out o
f his bag and poured them on the ground like paint, drawing a pattern that matched the image on my phone. The symbol that had been carved—or burned—into the victim’s chest appeared on the rooftop, two meters wide, a perfect duplicate at a larger scale.

  As Remington finished, the moon began to glow more brightly. A ray of light shone from it, strong and distinct, illuminating the symbol on the rooftop.

  “What’s happening?” I asked.

  “The moonlight will find your murderer,” he explained. “It helps that it’s nearly the full moon—the spell will be stronger. It is searching Guild City and then London, looking for whoever created the symbol in the body of your victim.”

  Wow. “How long will it take?”

  Remington gave a faint shrug. “It depends on where your murderer is. Could be minutes or hours.”

  “Could you alert me when it is done?” the Devil asked.

  “I will, yes.”

  “Thank you, Remington.” The Devil reached into his pocket, withdrew something small I couldn’t see, and passed it to Remington. The sorcerer took it and appeared satisfied. That done, the Devil turned to me. “Shall we go?”

  “Is that it?”

  “Unless you want to stay up here, it is.”

  “All right, let’s go.”

  I gave Remington a last nod of thanks, then followed the Devil off the roof. We made our way back to the city wall in silence. When we reached it, the Devil said, “I’ll walk you back to where you are staying.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Do you know your way?”

  “I do.” We’d taken a circuitous route to get there—all of the routes seemed that way in this ancient city—but I thought I could find my way back to Mac’s place. “I have a good sense of direction.”

  “I’ll walk you anyway.” He strode toward the stairs that led down from the wall.

  I hurried after him, knowing there was no point in arguing.

  As we walked, I tried to ask him about the Vlad the Impaler stuff, but he didn’t answer. Irritating, but I didn’t press it. He was still a vampire, after all. And even though he hadn’t bitten me, he’d definitely been looking at my neck more than I liked.

  He stopped at the green door that led to Mac’s stairs and turned to me. “I’ll let you know when I know something.”

  “Thank you.”

  He didn’t wait for me to say anymore, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to. There were questions I still wanted to ask, but I hadn’t come up with the guts.

  As the Devil disappeared down the street, I knocked on the door. A few seconds later, her voice sounded from above me. I looked up, spotting her hanging out of the window and grinning. “Hey there! Any luck?” she called.

  “Yeah.”

  “Come on up. It’s open.”

  I pushed my way inside, climbing the stairs to her flat. The door was open to the stairwell, and Quinn and Eve were inside, drinking a beer. The raven sat on the windowsill. It was well after midnight.

  “The Haunted Hound closed, so we were having a little after-party,” Mac said. “And waiting for you.”

  “Worried?” I asked.

  “With the Devil as your companion?” Eve raised an eyebrow. “Yes.”

  “Are you really not susceptible to his mind control?” Quinn asked.

  “I’m not.”

  Eve hummed. “That’s interesting.”

  “I’m really the only one?” I couldn’t believe it.

  “Really and truly,” Mac said.

  I whistled low under my breath.

  “Where are you with the murderer?” Mac asked.

  I told them about the Sorcerers’ Guild and Remington and the finding spell, not leaving anything out. He hadn’t told me that any of it was meant to be a secret, and I considered Mac my ally here. Quinn and Eve, too.

  “He’s got his own secret entrance to the Sorcerers’ Guild?” Eve’s brows rose.

  “Yep. And Remington at his beck and call.”

  “Can’t say I’m surprised,” Quinn said. “His power goes deeper than any of us know.”

  “Was he mind-controlling Remington?” Mac asked.

  “Not that I could tell.”

  “You’d be able to tell,” Eve said. “Remington’s eyes would have gone slightly unfocused, and he’d have seemed a bit off.”

  “That didn’t happen,” I said.

  “Now that I know you’re safe, I’m getting out of here,” Quinn said.

  “Do you live nearby?” I asked.

  “Top floor of the building next door. Right next to the empty unit above Mac.”

  “I’m right beneath him,” Eve said. “And believe me, he sounds like a freaking buffalo when he’s walking around.”

  Envy wasn’t my favorite emotion, but I was feeling it in spades. What would it be like to live close to people I liked instead of the weirdos at my flat block in London? Cordelia was great, but she was a raccoon. It was time for some real friends again.

  The Devil’s questions echoed in my mind. Why didn’t I live here? Why shouldn’t I?

  16

  The Devil

  I couldn’t sleep, but that wasn’t unusual. Sleep wasn’t a companion of mine. But normally, I would find respite for at least a few hours each night.

  Not tonight.

  The clock said that it had only been an hour since I’d seen her.

  It felt like more.

  I raked a hand through my hair, disgusted. I was behaving like a besotted idiot.

  A knock sounded at the door of my office, followed by Miranda’s soft voice. “The Oracle, here to see you, sir.”

  “Send her in.”

  The door creaked, and the Oracle drifted through it before it was fully open, her form partially transparent. As she stopped in front of my desk, she turned fully corporeal, her face flickering from old to young. She had a strange magic that even I didn’t understand, but I liked that she was nearly as old as I was. Made me feel less alone, though we rarely saw each other.

  “Thank you for not just barging in.” My tone was wry. Of all the people I’d known over the years, the Oracle was the one I’d known the longest. I even almost liked her. “I suppose you have something horrible to share?”

  “I do like to bring you bad news.” Amusement echoed in her voice.

  “Please sit.”

  She collapsed in the chair, heaving a sigh. “I’ve found her.”

  “Her?”

  “Her. Yes, her.” She leaned forward, eyes intense. “The one who will thaw you.”

  I scowled at her. “That prophecy again?”

  “The prophecy. At least, as far as you are concerned.”

  “I’ve told you—I’m fine as I am. And that prophecy is bloody nonsense.”

  “No, it is not. You are an animated block of ice who can barely see color or smell the night air or taste anything decent. And she will thaw you.”

  “The curse is what it is. There is no cure.”

  “That is not true. Your immortality can be cured.”

  “What says I want it cured?”

  She looked around the quiet office. “This, for eternity?”

  “I’ve tried everything else.” And I had. Sumptuous mansions, parties, lovers, every dangerous sport in the history of humanity.

  Anything to pass the interminable years of immortality.

  What the movies and books didn’t understand was that immortality was a curse. Years upon years of the same thing, all of it experienced in a haze and punctuated only by the death of anyone you might grow to care for. It cast the world in shades of gray.

  Born vampires didn’t have to suffer it—they died and went to an afterlife like any normal creature. But turned vampires did. We were inhuman monsters, cursed to walk the earth forever. It made me good at business and miserable at everything else.

  “I’ve accepted my lot, Oracle. You should, too.”

  “I won’t accept a lie. And what I have seen is the truth. Her blood will make
you feel alive again.”

  “It’s all bloody nonsense,” I said.

  Quick as a quip, the Oracle leaned across the table and gripped my arm tight, forcing a vision into my mind. It burst to life—Carrow and me in vivid color. Her hair was golden, her lips red. Her lavender scent was so strong it made me dizzy, and I could imagine the taste of her so well. The air turned warm. Suddenly, I felt alive. The air around me vibrated with it. Everything vibrated with it.

  The Oracle yanked her hand away, and the world returned to gray. Stale and cold.

  I blinked at her. “Impossible.”

  “Not impossible.”

  “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

  She shrugged, her gaze enigmatic. “If this whole thing is impossible, then you don’t need to know, do you?”

  She was right. It was impossible, so it didn’t matter. I didn’t have time for fairy tales. All the same, it felt like there was something she wasn’t telling me.

  Carrow

  I slept well that night, dreaming once again that Cordelia came to visit me. After the raccoon’s help at the morgue, I knew I wanted to find her again. Something to add to my to-do list when I finally cleared my name.

  Near noon, Mac woke me with coffee and more Oreos.

  “This is a thing with you, isn’t it?” I asked.

  She chomped into a biscuit. “You’d better believe it is. Try dipping it in your coffee for a little something extra.”

  “I’ll consider it.”

  After we’d finished eating, she leaned close. “I want to show you something.”

  “Yeah?” I raised an eyebrow.

  She stood. “Come on.”

  I followed her to the door. She led me to the stairs outside her flat and turned right, heading up to the next floor. The door was unlocked, and she pushed it open, revealing a small, empty flat. It was charming, though, with wooden floors and white walls and a heavily beamed ceiling.

  I looked at her. “Why are we here?”

  “I thought you might want to give it a look. In case you wanted to move in.”

  She was the second person in less than a day to encourage me to leave the human world, and something about this place pulled at me so hard I could feel it.