by Linsey Hall
“Never seen anything like it,” the woman said.
The man nodded. “She’ll have to stay locked up, there’s no question.”
“Not even evicted?”
“With power like hers? Can’t be allowed to roam free.”
I caught the gaze of the man who’d spoken, seeing into beady black eyes that gleamed with a dark satisfaction.
He’d deliberately spoken loudly enough for me to hear, that bastard.
He was talking about leaving me locked up forever because my magic was weird, a kind they did not understand and feared.
Anxiety thrashed inside my chest like a living beast. I struggled against the guards’ strong grip as they dragged me toward the door.
But as we passed through, another figure appeared.
The Devil of Darkvale.
He looked impeccable—though angry—as he walked toward the main meeting room.
“Your fault!” I tried to shout through the gag. It came out muffled and ineffective, and I wanted to kick him.
I almost did, too. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I probably wouldn’t land a good one and would just look like an ass.
He’d sicced the Council on me when I hadn’t helped him with his damned intruder. What a bastard. I was going to get him for this. If I didn’t have the magic to do it, I would grow it.
Hell, I would burn down his whole damned world for this.
The guards dragged me through the church, heading toward the back and down a set of stone stairs. We descended deep into the earth, the walls around us glinting with dampness and furred with dark moss. A corridor revealed eight cells below the church. They appeared ancient, tiny rooms of stone with metal bars. The whole place had the feeling of an underground world, as if there were more to Guild City below the surface.
The guards put me in the cell, and the only thing I could be grateful for was the fact that they didn’t shove me. That didn’t stop them from slamming the gate in my face, though.
I stared out through the bars, swallowing hard against the fear.
How would I get out of this?
The Devil
I strode past Carrow as she was led away in magicuffs. Hot anger surged inside me, turning my blood molten. I wanted to stop, to jerk the cuffs off her and knock out both guards.
Instead, I looked away from her.
It made something feel strange in my chest—unpleasant—but I couldn’t reveal weakness to the Council. And she was a weakness.
I’d been delayed in getting there by my attempt to discover the Council’s intentions. As much as I’d wanted to run after her outside of Eve’s shop, I’d resisted. Information was power, and I always came prepared. As much as I wanted to tear Black Church apart and put these bastards in their place, it would never work. I couldn’t outright murder people anymore.
Not often, at least.
I drew in a breath as I entered the main meeting room of the Council of Guilds, trying to calm myself. The heavy weight of ceremony imbued the air. As usual, it annoyed me.
I scanned the room, taking in the crowd, and felt my eyebrows rise. Every guild representative was here. Carrow had merited a big crowd. My gaze lingered on the Vampire Guild’s leader. Mateo and I had an arrangement, and it worked. Primarily because I kept strict control of it.
There wasn’t a chance in heaven or hell that I’d participate in a guild, but even I wasn’t exempt from the Council’s demands, so I did what I did best.
I bought my way in.
Thus, the Vampire Guild claimed me as theirs, and I didn’t cause any problems for them. I certainly didn’t go to guild meetings.
Mateo gave me a brief nod, his pale hair gleaming in the light. Unlike me, he had been born a vampire and therefor was not immortal. Youth gleamed in his eyes despite the fact that he was somewhere in his sixties.
Everyone’s eyes looked young when you were immortal.
Mateo stood and inclined his head. “Devil. We were not expecting you.”
“I imagine not.” I stopped near Mateo, avoiding the star in the middle. Powerful magic resonated around that star, and I wanted nothing to do with it. “I see you’ve met our new resident.”
There was a chorus of yeses and nods from the gathering. I could feel the expectation on the air—the anxiety—as they waited to see what I would do. I had control of this Council in a very complicated way. Each person here did my bidding because I bribed them, threatened them, or compelled them with my powers.
It was never an easy process, however. I didn’t want to be a ruler—too much responsibility. This suited me better, but it could be complicated.
My power wasn’t absolute, of course. It was all a careful balance. I wouldn’t be able to free Carrow forever, but I would be able to get her out today.
Then we’d deal with the rest.
I pinned each with a gaze. “What do you want with the girl?”
“She has powerful magic that must be controlled.” Ubhan’s eyes flickered with dislike.
“Are you sure you don’t just want Orion’s Heart?” Her ability to hold that gem was proof enough of her powerful magic. But some members of this Council—the Sorcerers’ Guild, particularly—coveted such items.
“It’s a powerful talisman,” the sorcerer said. “It shouldn’t be held by one with such poor control of her magic.”
His logic was sound, but Carrow was different. Immune from the rules, as far as I was concerned.
“She failed the guild selection ceremony.” There was triumph in Ubhan’s voice.
“What do you mean, failed?” It was an ancient spell meant to determine what species a supernatural was. “It can’t fail.”
“It did.”
That was strange. And it would have to be dealt with. Even I understood the importance of belonging to a guild. The city had been founded on that principle.
“Be that as it may, she stopped a necromancer. She is new to our city, but she could be a very valuable asset.” My voice stung like a whip. “She is not valuable if she is locked up in the dungeons below.”
There was a grumbling from the two who always fought me the hardest: Ubhan, the sorcerer, and Nyla, the elemental mage. I narrowed my gaze on them, using my magic silently. There were those in this room who suspected that I could compel without using my voice, but they’d never worked up the courage to question me about it.
I let my magic reach out to them, floating silently and invisibly on the air to seep into their minds and make them amenable to my goals. I used this gift rarely—better to let people think I controlled others with my voice.
“Carrow failed the guild ceremony because she has not mastered her magic yet.” I was almost positive that wasn’t the case, but I imbued my voice with such certainty and power that they’d be forced to agree with me. For now. “I will take her as my responsibility and teach her to control her magic. I guarantee she will be a safe member of the community. And when her training is complete, she will find a guild.”
There was more grumbling from Ubhan, but his eyes were blurring just slightly, indicating that my magic was working on him. I knew to look for that sign, but hopefully, the others did not.
“Her gift is a simple one, albeit powerful,” I said. “She can do no harm by touching things or people and reading information from them.”
She could do a hell of a lot of harm, in fact, if there was anyone on this Council involved in shady dealings and she touched one of their possessions. She was in the business of secrets, though I doubted she saw it that way.
“That’s hardly all she can do,” protested Nyla.
“Do you have something to hide?”
“I am honest and above reproach.”
She was laying it on a bit thick, but I merely inclined my head, imbuing my voice with suggestive power. “I will take her under my protection and ensure that she is no threat to us.”
There was less blustering this time, and I could tell that my magic was working on them.
Ubhan stood and gazed around the assembly, garnering a nod from each one present before he looked at me. “We will release her on the condition that she learns to master her magic and proves she is no threat. But hear me well, Devil. If she cannot do it to my satisfaction, she goes back to the dungeons.”
I disliked the emphasis on my—he had an agenda here, no question—but I merely nodded and stored the information away for later. I’d spent so much of my early life on bloody rampages. I infinitely preferred manipulation and diplomacy.
“You’ve made a wise decision.” I turned and strode out, not bothering with farewells.
I heard a few annoyed huffs behind me, but my thoughts were already on Carrow. She’d spent at least ten minutes in the dank cells. I didn’t want her to spend a second longer down there.
Penelope, the shifter guard, followed me as I moved quickly toward the stairs and into the dungeons. This place was archaic, but it did have its uses.
Imprisoning Carrow should not be one of them.
I caught sight of her standing at the bars of her cell, her golden hair gleaming in the dim light. I blinked, unable to believe how beautiful she looked—how bright and luminous. She’d brought my senses back to life, according to the Oracle, and I wanted to know more. I’d long ago heard the prophecy that someone would thaw me, and it seemed that was true.
“You did this.” She glared at me, spitting fire with her eyes.
A raccoon sat at her side, glaring at me.
“I did not.” I clenched my fists, wanting to tear the bars off their hinges and slam them into Ubhan’s smug face. How dare he do this to her?
“Unlock the cell.” My voice gritted with anger, and Penelope hurried to comply.
Carrow looked from the guard to me, confusion on her face. I caught the briefest whiff of her lavender magic and the scent of her skin—something undefinable that made me want to bury my face in her neck and—
I wanted to bite her.
No.
I would not think of that. Not here, no matter how tempting the idea. Now that I’d had a taste of her—my first in centuries directly from another person—I wanted more.
The heavy metal lock snicked as Penelope turned the key. The door swung open, and Carrow and the raccoon darted out. She was close enough to touch, and I almost reached for her.
But no.
I’d done terrible things in my life. I didn’t deserve to touch her. Nor did I have permission. Again, I clenched my fists.
“You orchestrated this somehow,” she said. “Got me locked up because I wouldn’t help you, and now you’re conveniently here to rescue me. That is right up your alley.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, but… “You’re right. It’s something I’m capable of.” The fact that I’d manipulated and threatened the entire Council to get her out of here proved that my morals were nonexistent. “But in this case, I did not. It is coincidence.”
She scoffed and crossed her arms.
Penelope shifted uncomfortably, and I cut her a quick look. “You may go.”
The guard scurried away, almost running up the stairs.
“It’s true,” I said. “This is coincidence. Think of Ubhan. Do you truly think he doesn’t want you here, locked up for his own reasons? He wants to force you to use your magic to help him.”
“Why not hire me?” There was the slightest trace of doubt in her voice. “I’m starting a business selling my services.”
“He could. Unless he wants you to read something. Unless he’s worried you will reveal terrible information about him or his allies. Not to mention your power.”
Her eyes flickered.
“The spell that would assign you to a guild couldn’t work on you. Your magic is too strong, too strange.”
Her jaw tightened. “You’re here now. Why?”
“Because I’m fond of you.” Fond was such a weak word. It felt awkward on my tongue, but I didn’t know what else to say that wouldn’t scare the hell out of her.
“Fond? That’s a ridiculous word.”
We agreed on something, it seemed. “You’re right. Frankly, I don’t know how I feel about you. But I do want you.” I could be honest about that. I had to be honest about that. I wanted her more than I wanted her blood, more than I wanted anything.
“You want my magic.”
“That as well.”
“I don’t know how to process this.”
“Why don’t you start by following me out of here?”
She drew in an unsteady breath and nodded. “Hell, yes. Let’s go.”
4
Carrow
I followed the Devil out of the horrible old church, moving at a quick pace alongside him. I didn’t want to spend a second more in that hellish place. Cordelia followed silently at my heels.
My mind spun as we walked through the damp, dark hallways.
He wanted me.
Not just my power.
Me.
I couldn’t deny it. I could feel it coming off him like a heady scent that spun my mind and caressed my skin. I’d felt it during our near kiss, and I’d definitely felt it when he’d bitten me. That bite had been better than any sex I’d ever had.
To be fair, it had all been mediocre sex, but still.
I shot him a surreptitious glance, taking in his lean, powerful grace. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen, but also the most terrifying. Not just for his magic, but for his physical power as well.
His strength and speed, not to mention his charm, were enough to get him whatever he wanted in life. Add his mind control powers to it, and no one could mount a defense against him.
Except me.
His powers didn’t work on me.
He was stronger than me, but my mind was my own.
Except for the fact that I wanted him right back, but it would do me no good if I gave in to those damned instincts.
Cursed Mate.
Especially given that little prophecy that I didn’t understand. Did he know about it?
We approached the main exit, and the sight of the two figures by the door drew my mind from the Devil.
The guards watched us as we left, and I barely resisted hissing at them. Garreth and Penelope. Their names were going on my list of people to avoid.
The afternoon sun welcomed us as we walked out onto the massive front steps of the church. The square spread before of us, its pale stone gleaming. Cordelia disappeared immediately, and I couldn’t blame her.
Mac, who’d clearly been waiting outside, launched herself at me. “You’re out!”
She threw her arms around me and squeezed tight. I hugged her back. “You’ve been hanging around out here?”
“Of course.” She pulled back and looked at me like I was crazy. “I’d have been in there, too, if Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum hadn’t kept me out.”
I grinned. “Thanks, Mac.”
“Duh, I’ve got your back.” She grabbed my arm, obviously ignoring the Devil. “Come on, we’re getting out of here.”
“Not quite yet.” The Devil’s voice was quiet but commanding. It wrapped around me and squeezed, like an overly tight hug that I both liked and loathed.
I turned back to him. “Is it time to pay the piper?”
“If I am the piper, then yes.”
“Seriously?” Mac glowered at him. “Can’t you just do something out of the goodness of your heart for once?”
“Perhaps. If I had a heart.” His slate-gray eyes were so cold that I believed him when he said it.
Yet I’d felt the heat in him, so deeply buried beneath the ice.
There was a heart in there, albeit one that no longer worked. Sure, it pumped blood—vampires weren’t undead like I’d believed when I’d known nothing about this world—but his heart was probably as shriveled as he seemed to imagine.
Almost.
Mac crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you want, O Heartless One?”
“Carrow’s help with the issue that I requested earlier
.”
My mind raced. “Will you let me go if I don’t help you?”
“No.”
Still, he might let me go. I knew he wasn’t a total bastard. There’d been a connection when he’d bitten me.
But I had a big problem with the Council, and it seemed to all stem from my lack of control over my magic. I had to learn how to control it. I could feel it inside me, growing.
Mac and Eve had tried to help, even Quinn. But they hadn’t understood it any better than I had. The tricks they used to control their signatures didn’t work for me.
But the Devil…
He was powerful. And old. He would know all the tricks.
“Help me learn to control my magic,” I said. “I don’t know how you got me out of there, but I can’t imagine it’s permanent. You’re right. They want me for something, and I need to learn how to hide my magic. I don’t want them to give them anything.”
“You’re very clever,” he said.
“Of course I am.”
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “As it happens, that is one of the conditions of your release. You must learn to control your magic—not only so you follow the rules of Guild City, but so you might join a guild.” He inclined his head to the side. “And from a more practical standpoint, you don’t want them to know how powerful you are.”
“You’ll help me?”
“Indeed. You’re under my protection, as it were.”
“Control, you mean.”
He shrugged. “Semantics.”
“Control. You got me out, and you can convince them to throw me back in.”
“Not if you become proficient enough in magic that you enter a guild. Then you’ll be a law-abiding citizen, and they can’t touch you.”
“That won’t stop them from trying,” Mac said.
“Perhaps. But they’ll have less of a leg to stand on.”
Mac looked at me and the Devil, her expression calculating. “I want you to promise you’ll have her back with the Council even after all of this is over.”
