Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel)

by Linsey Hall

  A moment later, an image of the church flashed in my mind. Moderately sized, situated right in the middle of London. A small cemetery surrounded it, packed in between the tall buildings. But the building itself was unusual, with curving walls. I’d never seen a church shaped like that. Not here, at least.

  Contact with the murderer was making me so woozy that it was nearly impossible to stay upright on the chair. I withdrew my hand from the man’s arm, sucking in some of the stale pub air.

  “Is the abducted person still alive?” I demanded.

  “Yes. He wanted her for a ceremony. Had to bring her alive for it.”

  Her.

  He’d abducted a woman.

  “When will the ceremony be?” I asked.

  “On the full moon,” the man said. “Midnight.”

  “Tonight,” the Devil murmured.

  “What does he want her for?” I demanded.

  The man shrugged violently. “Why would I know?”

  “Because you did the dirty work.”

  “Just a job, lady.”

  “Not just a job,” the Devil said, repeating my words. “What organ did you take from your last victim?”

  Oh, that was a good question.

  The man’s jaw clenched. Clearly, he didn’t want to answer.

  “Tell me.” The Devil’s words were cold enough to freeze lava.

  “The liver,” the murderer said.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because I was told to. Gave it to the creepy bloke, along with the woman.”

  “What was the woman’s name?” I asked.

  “Don’t know. Some lady about forty years old. He’s not particular.”

  “What about the other victims?” the Devil asked. “Did it matter who you killed?”

  “No. He just wanted the liver and heart.”

  “Why?” I snapped.

  “Don’t know.”

  “What did he look like?” the Devil asked.

  “Never saw his face. Bloke wore a cape the whole time. Hood covered everything.”

  “Do you remember anything distinct about him?”

  “No.”

  I looked at the murderer, feeling tightness in my throat. “Last year, did you kill a blonde girl with a raven tattooed on her back?”

  The Devil growled. “Tell the truth.”

  The man’s brow furrowed as he looked at me. “Yeah, I killed her for the client. He wanted another heart. What of it?”

  Bile surged in my throat. My fist flashed up, and I punched him square in the face.

  He slumped backward, unconscious, and I shook out my fist. “I want to kill him.”

  The Devil nodded and dropped the murderer. He collapsed off his bar stool. “You can do so later, if you want.”

  I drew in an unsteady breath, knowing that he meant it. I’d never do it, though. As much as I wanted to pay him back for what he had done to Beatrix, committing murder myself wasn’t the answer. I’d figure this out after we saved the other woman.

  I looked toward the window. It was nearing dusk, and tonight was the full moon. I looked at the Devil. “We don’t have long.”

  The Devil nodded and climbed off his stool, then patted down the unconscious man.

  “What are you looking for?” I asked.

  “The dagger.”

  “Oh, of course. Sorry I knocked him out before you could ask him. I was just so…”

  “Angry.” The Devil stood, an expression of understanding on his face. “I get it. Don’t worry, the dagger isn’t important.”

  “Thanks.” I shook my arms, trying to drive off some of the tension I felt.

  The Devil spoke into the little magical gadget strapped to his wrist. “Come into the pub. There’s someone you need to pick up.”

  At my feet, the murderer groaned and staggered to his feet The Devil grabbed him by the arm. The bastard jerked away, but the Devil was too fast.

  He pulled him close, his teeth bared. “Run and I will tear your throat out,” he said in a low, calm voice that sent shivers down my spine.

  The man wilted.

  I didn’t blame him.

  “And this is for Carrow’s friend, Beatrix.” The Devil punched him hard in the face, knocking him cold, and let the body fall.

  “Thanks.” I appreciated that punch more than a million roses.

  The Devil nodded, glaring contemptuously at the hitman at his feet.

  Two enormous men walked into the pub, each dressed in dark trousers and commando sweaters. Tactical wear, if I had to call it anything. They strode toward the Devil.

  “Is this the guy, boss?” one of the men asked. He had wavy auburn hair and broad, handsome features and reminded me of a lion. His shifter form, if I had to bet.. I thought I recognized him from the Devil’s office the first day I’d met him.

  “Yes. Take him back and hold him for further questioning.”

  The Devil’s shifter bodyguards dragged the man out of the pub. The Devil turned toward the bartender, who raised his hands and shrank against the shelves of liquor bottles. “I won’t say anything, I swear,” the poor man babbled.

  “No, you won’t speak of this to anyone. You will forget it immediately.” I could feel the Devil’s magic in the air, and the man’s eyes went blank as he nodded.

  “Good man.” The Devil turned to me. “Now, what do you say we go save this woman and finish getting your vengeance?”

  18

  Carrow

  There were still six hours until midnight, and I insisted on going back to the Haunted Hound immediately. I couldn’t linger on the streets of London, and we were closer to that gate than to the Devil’s.

  As we walked, images of the murderer flashed in my mind.

  “You all right?” the Devil asked.

  “Just glad we got him.” I drew in a shuddery breath. “I want to kill him. And the damn necromancer who hired him.”

  “We’ll get him, too. I promise.”

  Oh, we would. I didn’t relish the thought of blood on my hands, but if I had to kill the necromancer, I’d do it with delight.

  We reached the alley only a few minutes later, and returning to the magical world felt as natural as breathing. I pressed my hands to the dingy, unwelcoming door of the Haunted Hound, and the magic admitted me, swinging the door open.

  I looked back at the Devil, wondering if he would look uncomfortable, since he was clearly on Quinn’s turf.

  No, he didn’t.

  Of course he didn’t. Nothing made him uncomfortable.

  He strode into the crowded little pub like he owned the place. Quinn stood behind the bar, along with Mac, who wiped down the gleaming wood with a cloth. My friends avoided the Devil’s gaze, looking at me instead from across the room.

  “Are you okay?” Quinn asked.

  “Did you get your target?” Mac set down the rag and leaned on the bar.

  “Yes to both,” I said. “Mostly.”

  I approached the bar, the Devil at my side.

  “Fancy seeing you here,” Quinn said to him.

  “You’re right. I should get out more.” The Devil’s words were dry.

  “Update us, already,” Mac demanded.

  I told them about the hired gun and the necromancer, then asked, “Do you have a piece of paper? We need to find a church, and I don’t recognize it from the vision I had. Maybe you will.”

  Quinn nodded and disappeared to the back. He returned a moment later with a notepad and pencil and pushed them toward me.

  I was a terrible artist, but I did my best to sketch the church from memory. I was most interested in capturing the curved walls and low, almost flat dome, which seemed like the most identifiable parts of the church.

  My three companions leaned over the bar as I worked, watching the place come to life. I was painfully aware of the Devil at my side. There was a good half-meter between us, but the air between us tingled with something magical. My whole body was alive with awareness of him.

  Finally, I fini
shed and sat back, staring at the drawing. I blinked at it. Now that I’d drawn it all out… “I think I recognize it. Is that Temple Church near the Inns of Court?”

  “I think it is,” Quinn said.

  “But it’s a church for humans.” I said. It had been built in the twelfth century by the Knights Templar. “Would a necromancer really go there?”

  “Some places are multi-use, yes,” the Devil said. “He would cast a spell to keep humans away, most likely. But there are many places in the human realm that are imbued with great magic. This is likely one of them.”

  I stared at the picture. “And at midnight, he’s probably going to ritualistically murder our abducted person to create some kind of deadly magic.”

  “I’ll see if Miranda can find out what kind of necromancy can be accomplished with a heart, a liver, and a living victim.”

  Just the idea made me shudder, but I nodded.

  “So what are we going to do?” Mac said. “Ambush the church?”

  I looked at her gratefully. “You don’t have to come.”

  “Of course I do. You need help, and you’re my friend.”

  Warmth surged through me. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll close down the pub,” Quinn said.

  “Thank you.” I wasn’t going to refuse an any offer of help. A woman’s life was at stake, and I still needed vengeance for Beatrix.

  At eleven p.m., we took up our places near Temple Church. The church sat in the middle of a small graveyard surrounded by tall buildings, the entire thing behind a gate that we’d had to climb over. The Devil and I stood in the shadows alongside Mac, Eve, and Quinn. Eve’s raven sat in a nearby tree. I touched the bag of potion bombs that Eve had given me, grateful for the magical backup.

  The Devil had brought his own security, half a dozen shifters crouched in the shadows in human form. I’d briefly spotted Quinn chatting with them, and he’d fit in like a pea in a pod. There was a certain energy about him when he was with the pack that made his shifter qualities evident.

  “I think I see someone coming.” The Devil murmured the words against my ear, and I shivered.

  “Where?”

  “To your right.”

  I looked in the direction he indicated, spotting a couple walking down the street. They would have had to have come over the gate, too, so they definitely weren’t supposed to be there. I tucked myself deeper into the shadows to watch them approach. Two men, both of average height and looks.

  “I think I recognize them,” Mac murmured. “A seer and a sorcerer from Guild City. They pass through the pub sometimes but rarely stop to drink.”

  They reached the edge of the small graveyard and hesitated briefly. I squinted as I watched them, the full moon illuminating their movements. They gestured—a kind of circular movement with a flick at the end. The faintest flash of light appeared, and they stepped forward.

  For a brief minute, the air around them turned a faint blue. Then they were on the other side of the barrier, and it disappeared.

  “A magical shield,” Eve whispered. “Only supernaturals can enter the graveyard as long as it is up.”

  “And only if they make that gesture,” Quinn said.

  The figures were blurry now, the barrier seeming to make them almost invisible to the eye. Someone walking by probably wouldn’t notice them.

  I strained my eyes, trying to glean any more clues about what was going on inside. We were only an hour from midnight, the most dangerous time for our victim. We didn’t want to rush in and scare off the necromancer and lose her, so we were trying to play it slow and careful.

  It was making me antsy as hell, though.

  “They’re putting something on,” Quinn murmured.

  As I watched, the blurry figures swirled cloaks around their shoulders and pulled up the hoods.

  “Okay, that’s some creepy ritual stuff,” Mac said.

  “Incoming,” the Devil whispered.

  I looked up, spotting two women headed toward us—incredibly gorgeous women like Eve, who had stashed her wings when we’d come to the human world, magically folding them into her body.

  “Are they Fae?” I asked.

  “They are.” Eve’s voice had a dark timbre. “Vivia and Elona. I never liked them.”

  They entered the protected graveyard in the same way the seer and the sorcerer had, using identical gestures. They were nearly invisible on the other side, but I caught sight of them sweep on their cloaks.

  “It looks like someone from every guild is here,” the Devil said. “Almost.”

  “Is it a council thing?” I asked.

  “No. None of them are high ranking,” Quinn said. “I wonder how many more are coming.”

  “It’s close to midnight.” I frowned. “Maybe not many more will show.”

  “It’s a small church,” the Devil said. “I’m not sure all of us will be able to sneak in unnoticed.”

  “You and I will go.” I didn’t mind risking him as much as my new friends…right? The idea made me uncomfortable, but there was no disputing the value of his abilities. And somehow, I knew he wouldn’t let me go in there without him. I looked at Quinn, Eve, and Mac, who were scowling at me. “You guys can be backup if a fight starts.”

  “How will we know if a fight starts?” Mac said.

  “I’ll call you.” If I had time.

  “Bad idea.” Mac shook her head and yanked off the necklace she wore, handing it to me. “Take my comms charm. When it gets dicey in there, tap it and call us. It’s connected to Quinn’s and Eve’s charms, so we’ll hear you.”

  “I can call my security force as backup as well,” the Devil said.

  “Okay. We’re as prepared as we’ll ever be, then.” I studied the street around us. “Let’s slip into the graveyard and try to ambush the next people to arrive. We can use their cloaks to sneak in.”

  The Devil nodded. I gave my friends a goodbye look, then hurried after him toward the graveyard. When we reached the magical barrier, I could feel it prickle against my skin.

  “Do you remember the symbol?” the Devil asked.

  “I do.” Raising my hand, I mimicked the circular gesture that I’d seen people make. The magic in the air changed slightly, and I held my breath as I stepped through the barrier. At first, it resisted. I had to force my foot through air that felt like jelly, but finally, I was inside the protected space.

  The Devil entered with seeming ease and pointed to a massive headstone. “Let’s hide there. We’ll be covered and have a view of the church.”

  Together, we knelt behind the gravestone. The Devil had changed into the same simple black tactical wear that his security force wore, and somehow, he was even more handsome in casual clothing. My shoulder pressed against his thin jumper, and it was impossible not to feel the heat of his skin. Every inch of me was impossibly aware of him.

  He was so still that I couldn’t help but wonder if he was just as focused on me. I stole a look at him, and tension fizzed in the air between us. It took everything I had to direct my attention toward the path.

  A third pair of people approached, though it was hard to make out their forms through the magical barrier. Fortunately, the barrier worked in both directions, blurring the figures within and without.

  A moment later, they’d crossed through the barrier, and I got a good look at them. They were a man and a woman, each with average features but of similar height to the Devil and me, respectively.

  They stopped and withdrew two red cloaks from their bags. I was bracing myself to lunge from our hiding space when the Devil moved. He was beside them in a blur and smashed their heads together.

  They dropped to the ground, unconscious, and he dragged them by their feet to our hiding space.

  I gaped at him. “Holy crap, you’re fast.”

  His gaze flicked up to me, and something darkened in his eyes. “Being a monster has its benefits.”

  Like super speed and super strength. But it was his use of the word monster that c
aught my ear. There was an edge to it that I didn’t understand. Not that I had time to be mulling over such things.

  The Devil quickly bound the two figures with their belts and shoelaces, then tore strips from their shirts and gagged them. Last, he raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke into his comms charm. “Rafe? Cleanup in the graveyard, two bodies. We’ll put them in the cells before turning them over to the guild.”

  “Cells?” I grabbed one of the cloaks and tugged it on.

  “Another perk of being a monster.”

  He owned cells.

  I pushed the thought aside. The tall, dark figure of Rafe appeared a moment later, along with his partner, both moving with leonine grace. As the Devil put on his red cloak, they disappeared with the two bodies.

  His face was shadowed as he met my gaze. “Ready to wing it?”

  “Ready.” My heart raced.

  Together, we approached the main door of the church. It was nearly midnight now, and anxiety flooded my veins. The massive wooden doors gave way with smooth ease beneath our touch, and we stepped inside the church. It echoed with a silence that seemed to scream through the space.

  I took it all in as quickly as I could, not wanting to hesitate too long. Hesitation might reveal that I had no idea what I was doing.

  That I wasn’t one of them.

  Unfortunately, the main doors led directly into the circular, domed space—right where everyone else was standing. Nearly three dozen cloaked figures stood around the perimeter of the room, staring silently at the empty altar in the middle.

  There were so many.

  Fear pierced me, and I nearly clutched the Devil’s hand for support. I didn’t, of course. This was not the place for hand-holding, no matter how much I wanted to cling to him for safety. No matter what, I couldn’t break character and give us away.

  I couldn’t find the victim amongst the crowd, and no one stood out as the leader. Everyone was identical in their red cloaks, hidden by their cowardice and evil.

  I was deeply grateful Beatrix hadn’t seen any of this. We’d found her body intact, and she hadn’t suffered long.

  I kept my head tilted down as I walked alongside the Devil. If everyone was meant to stand equidistant, that meant that there were two spaces empty across the room. We were possibly the last to arrive.