by Ciara Graves
“Move it!” the woman shouted.
I stayed right on her heels as she covered us with another couple of shots.
We were out the front door, in the crowd, but never slowed down.
The woman let go of my hand, keeping her gun out as we rushed through Sector 13, getting as far away from the mansion as we could. The rest of the crowd scattered, the further we went until it was just the two of us.
She never said a word.
Then the transport was in view.
“Hurry up,” she muttered, throwing a worried look over her shoulder.
“I don’t think we were followed,” I assured her but sped up all the same.
We stepped into the transport, and she told it to take us back to Sector 21 without my even asking. “You live there?”
“Something like that,” she replied, holstering her gun as a golden light surrounded us.
The familiar sensation of something tugging on my gut filled me, and then we were taken from Sector 13 to Sector 21. And to safety.
She staggered out of the transport, sucking in air and holding her side like she was in pain.
“Did you get hurt?” I asked.
She waved me off, not giving me a chance to look.
“Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” she mumbled, grumbling to herself as she removed the pins from her hair and let it fall down well past her shoulders. She grimaced again, and her hand went back to her right side.
I made to reach for her, but whatever brief moment we shared back at the mansion was over.
I finally answered her. “Get me out of there. I’m a Fed.”
“And? Leaving anyone there is out of the question. I know what those assholes do to people. And so do you.” She shrugged. “But thanks to you, Liam is out in the wind, so thanks for that. Because this week wasn’t shitty enough already.” She walked away.
I moved faster and blocked her way.
“Can we not do this right now? I’m tired, my feet are killing me, and I just lost my man. So move.”
“No, I want a name, right now.”
“Are you arresting me?”
“I should, after the stunt you pulled.” I crossed my arms, leaning down so I could stare right into those dark blue eyes. “You impeded a federal officer in the duty of apprehending Liam. Plenty of reason for me to bring you in.”
“You really want to get shot tonight,” she said sarcastically.
My lips parted to tell her exactly what I did want—another damned kiss, but all that came out was an annoyed growl.
“Good night, Fed.” She went to walk around me.
I sidestepped and stopped her again.
Her hands curled into fists, and I waited to get yelled at.
Instead, she punched me square in the jaw, hard enough to throw my head to the side. “Asshole.”
Then she was around me, and I was holding my face.
“I’m not finished talking to you!” How the hell did she hit so hard? I assumed she was a witch, but there had to be something else in her. I was tempted to say shifter of some kind, but all I smelled on her was magic. Strong magic.
She paused long enough to glance at me over her shoulder.
Suddenly there was only the two of us, staring at each other, while the rest of the city faded away.
Whatever magic she’d been using had worn off, and there on the right side of her face was a jagged scar. She chewed on her bottom lip, scoffing at me.
“See something interesting?” she snapped, sharp enough it was like she’d slapped me out of my daze.
The transport behind me hummed to life. I barely looked away for a second to glance at it.
When I turned back, the woman I realized was the bounty hunter, after all, was down the street, and around the building.
Head throbbing with how wrong this night turned out to be, I waited to see who was coming through the transport. Would the guards have followed us here?
But then Iris appeared and stepped toward me.
“Hey, you alright?” she asked, checking me over.
“Yeah. Fine. What the hell were you thinking?” I marched away from her, realizing I was not in the mood to keep standing there, arguing with her. “Doesn’t matter. I’m going home. In the morning, you and I are talking to Nor.”
“Good. We need to figure out who that woman is.”
“I know who she is,” I replied too quietly for her to hear. “Good night, Iris.”
“Rafael, can you just wait one damned second?” She yanked on my arm, but she’d never get me to stop on her own. She was only a siren, hardly any real strength advantage there. “Will you let me explain?”
“Explain what? You went off on your own with no plan. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“No, but I knew you’d save me.”
“Seriously?” I glanced toward the stars, asking for patience before I strangled her. “It wasn’t me who found you, Iris. That woman did, so next time you decide to do something insane, do it on your own time. I won’t have your death hanging over me, too.”
“Too? What does that mean? Rafael!”
I picked up the pace and rushed away from her. I hadn’t meant to say that last part, but too late now. I
t was out, and Iris would hound me about it for days to come.
My mind switched gears, and by the time I got into my apartment and out of the tux, the bounty hunter was the only thing I could think of. That scar running down her face, I’d read about it, but seeing it… what she must’ve gone through to get it. Magic had left that scar on her face. Dark magic.
I rolled my shoulders, knowing the agony she suffered and marveling at the fact she’d lived through it. Many would not have survived such an attack.
“Why do you care?” I asked myself out loud. “She got in the way.”
And she made me lose Liam.
It was going to be a long morning. A very long morning.
I crashed on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, feeling her hand in mine again. Her lips moved over mine. How she’d pushed herself as close as possible to me during our impromptu embrace.
She’d come back to get me out of there.
And those eyes, so cold.
I grumbled and rolled over.
Didn’t matter.
If I saw her again, I’d arrest her ass and ensure she wasn’t anywhere near Liam the next time we got a hit on his location.
Chapter 6
Mercy
Safe inside my apartment, I tugged the rest of the pins from my hair, chucked them across the living room, then kicked out of my boots viciously. The dress was driving me nuts, and I was about to rip it off and fall into bed, but stopped short. Gigi made this for me, and if she found it in rags one day, she’d curse me.
Grabbing my comfy sweats, I carefully stepped out of the dress, draped it over a chair, and changed before collapsing into the chair at the table.
Liam.
I’d had him in my fingers the second he saw me. I did exactly as Gigi told me, hardly said a word. Just smiled and moved with him, made sure my arm brushed against his, laughed at what he said, smiled and winked. It was the flirtiest I’d ever been in my life, and it was all for a damned criminal. And it freaking worked until those effing Feds showed up and screwed everything up.
Damian. He was going to be pissed. No. Beyond pissed.
This was not how I saw this night ending. I convinced myself I’d walk out of that mansion with Liam on my arm, thinking we were going back to his place. Then I’d knock him over the head and drag his unconscious ass back to Damian. We’d get paid and end of story.
But no, I had no mage to show Damian, and the Fed knew my face now. Never said my name, so that was a relief, but doubted he was going to let this drop. Didn’t exactly seem like the letting go of things type. No, he was more like the hunting whoever he needed to down to get the answers he desired kind.
And by damn, now I was on his radar. Should’ve left his ass behind,
but I’m not a bad guy—girl. I’m not Damian. Or the scum I track down. Then again… I never said I was a good guy either. Shit.
Holding my face in my hands, I wondered if I shouldn’t cut my losses and take what I had, duck out of the city tonight while I had the cover of darkness. But I wouldn’t get far. Damian had contacts everywhere. He’d find me. Or he’d tell the world the truth, and I’d be the one running from bounty hunters.
Sleep was going to be impossible, so I settled for walking around and around my apartment making plans I would never follow through on. Eventually, I found myself sitting on the wide ledge before the arched windows that took up the far wall, staring out into the city.
That demon, there was something about the way he’d looked at me, almost like he was trying to figure me out, which was curious since he was supposed to be there with that other girl. His date.
A sharp pang of jealousy stabbed me in the chest, and I knocked my knuckles against the window. But that kiss, I’d started it to get the others to stop watching us, but then I hadn’t been able to stop. His lips had been softer than I expected. And they’d been demanding. His arms stayed closed around me, and for the first time ever, the sensation of being safe had overwhelmed me and made my knees shake. Staying in his embrace forever crossed my mind… then I’d landed hard back in reality, and it was over.
“Why do you care? So he was hot, so what?” I muttered to myself, attempting to forget the kiss, forget his touch. “He’s a Fed.”
And the girl he’d been with, she was gorgeous, powerful. I sensed it beneath the overwhelming presence of Liam’s magic. What would the demon ever want with someone like me? Gigi’s charms wore off, and the second they did, my scar came back, and he saw it. Knew he did. I hadn’t wanted to stick around a second longer to see the pitying looks I was used to getting from people. Or disgust. Or whatever else might’ve shown up on his face.
“Maybe you should just date Rufus.” I smirked at my reflection in the window. “At least the gobs think you’re pretty.”
My hand rose to trace my scar. Gigi offered to give me a charm that would last longer, but I was never a huge fan of magic. Only used it when I had to get a target. The longer I sat on the ledge, the more my mind drifted and eventually, my eyes closed…
“Run! Just go!”
Mom was screaming…
I had to help her, but I couldn’t get to her. The fire, it was everywhere.
I yelled for help, but no one was coming.
And Dad, where was he?
I ran blindly from the farmhouse into the woods, tears streaming down my face and freezing in the chilly air. My breath puffed out in front of my face, but I ran barefooted through the snow.
And ran right into the legs of a man I didn’t know.
He leered as he looked down at me, dark shadows in his eyes. He opened his mouth wide, baring fangs…
I screamed as a bright flash of light filled my vision—
A crash had me jumping, then falling off the window ledge to land on the floor as I scrambled to figure out what was going on.
“Where is he?” Damian bellowed as he marched through my apartment to glower at me.
“Obviously not here,” I snapped, rubbing my face hard as the last remnants of the nightmare vanished. “Did you just break my door? Damn it, Damian. Why are you such a pain in my ass, huh?”
His eyes widened. “I’m a pain in your ass?”
“Yeah, you are. In case you hadn’t noticed.”
“Mercy, you seem to be in a very bad mood this morning,” he said calmly. Too calmly.
I froze.
“Let me spell it out for you very carefully, so you understand. And so I don’t offend you anymore.” He crouched before me.
It took everything I had not to flinch back from his furious glare.
“Where is Liam Manchester? If you do not have him, this is going to be a very long day for you.”
“I don’t have him,” I replied.
His head dropped.
But it’s not my fault.”
He pushed backward and walked away, waving for me to go on.
“The Feds were there, and this demon and his partner, they got between me and Manchester. They’re the reason he figured out I was onto him and he got away. But I’ll get him, I swear I will, Damian. You just have to give me time.” I was rambling. I knew this. But shit, I was scared.
His silence had me more on edge than his yelling.
I got up and sat back on the window ledge, waiting for him to tell me this was it.
My gun. Damn, it was on the other side of the room. Ah, but I had a knife under my pillow. That was only a yard away. I could snatch it, stab him, catch him off guard, give myself a chance to run. Gigi would hide me for a few hours until I could get my funds and get the hell out of this city. It was my only chance.
“You believe you can find him?” Damian finally said.
“Yeah, might take some time, tracking down some old contacts, but I can find him,” I insisted. “All I need is time.”
“And how do we know this Fed and his partner won’t get to him first?”
“Trust me. I’ll throw them off the trail. However I have to.”
“Or,” he said, holding up his hand as his eyes shimmered with mischief, “you can use them.”
“What?”
“Use them, see what they know. Offer to help… And then stab them in the back, of course.” His grin was wicked. Wicked, like only a demon’s grin could be.
“You want me to get that close to the Feds?” My hands curled around the window ledge, failing at hiding the sudden inkling of fear at the risk I would be taking. Almost worse than venturing into Sector 13. But then, the kiss I shared with the demon rushed back to me, and I gripped the ledge even harder. The edge cut into my palms at the sudden longing that clutched at my chest. It was like a wild animal, that longing. Damn it. What was going on with me? It meant nothing. He meant nothing. He couldn’t.
“I want you to do whatever necessary to get your hands on Liam Manchester,” Damian corrected. “If it means getting close to the Feds then so be it, understand?”
“You realize, if they figure out anything about me, it’ll lead back to you.”
“Oh, I’m touched by your worry for me,” he mocked. “You worry about yourself. Nothing will happen to me any time soon.”
The threat was damned clear as he turned and headed for the door.
“And the Gathered?”
“I’ll tell them we’re working on it, but don’t waste time. The clock is ticking.”
“How long are you giving me?”
He shrugged as he reached the door. “A week.”
“A week! You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Afraid not. Biggest payday either one of us has seen, so I suggest you get your shit together and go track down this Fed of yours.”
“Damian,” I called out before he could leave. “The mage. What aren’t you telling me about him?”
“Everything you need is in the file.”
“There’s nothing in there about him having fangs.”
Damian whirled around, brow furrowed. His usual angry frown slipped. “What did you say?”
“Fangs, he has fangs and not vamp fangs. These were huge… and he was trying to get donors at the ball. What is he?”
“A mage.”
“And who told you that? The Gathered? Maybe you should be asking more questions.”
Damian and I might not always get along, but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew as much as I did how dangerous it was to go after a target with unknown capabilities.
“I’ll see what I can find out for you, but don’t wait around for it. They might not give me anything.”
“Thanks.”
He smirked and turned to go for a second time, pausing long enough to study the dress draped over the chair. “Pity you weren’t still wearing it. Maybe some other time.”
I pursed my lips as he winked then was gone, closing my b
roken door behind him.
First order of business was to fix the door.
After that, I’d be paying another visit to Gigi. Mostly to fill her in on what happened last night then to ask for her help again. Good thing she was my friend, or I’d be out of money from all the shit she did for me.
“Here, drink this.”
The glass of blue liquid bubbled on the table. “And what is it exactly?”
Gigi puttered around the back room of her shop. There was nothing brewing in the cauldron today, but her magic pressed in all around me, comforting for once, after facing Damian nearly going into a rage Thank god he was only half-demon.
“Something to calm your nerves. You haven’t stopped shaking since you walked in here.”
My hands were currently in my lap, clasped together to try and stop that very shaking. Since waking up from my nightmare of memories that never made sense to me, to find a real nightmare standing in my apartment, my nerves were fried more than normal.
After another stern look from Gigi, I picked up the glass and drained it. The liquid burned going down, and I gagged, coughing as she unhelpfully whacked me on the back.
“What’s in that?” I gasped, wiping my mouth on my arm and shuddering.
Gigi grinned as she sat down, pouring out two steaming mugs of herbal tea that smelled like lemon and honey with some cider thrown in. “Oh, you know. A bit of this. A bit of that… Some vodka.”
“Wow. Thanks for that. It was great.”
“You know that sarcasm is going to get you jinxed one day,” she warned, sliding me a mug.
Carefully, I lifted it, swirling the liquid around, sniffed at it until Gigi rolled her eyes, propped her feet up on the table, and told me just to drink it before she decided to kick me out of the shop.
“Then you won’t get to hear about last night.”
“From how pale you are, I’d say it did not go well.”
“That’s the nice way of saying it.” I sipped the tea, enjoying that drink, at least, and started in on how the night began.
She stayed quiet, though her facial expressions were louder than any exclamations she could’ve made as the tale went from good, to bad, to worse. I left out the part about me and the Fed kissing. No way in hell did she need to know that occurred. I’d never hear the end of it. When I got to the part about chasing Liam into the ballroom and the damned explosion that ruined any chance of snagging the asshole, Gigi reached out and grabbed hold of my hand.
