Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 1)

No.

There was a connection, one that I’d never felt before.

And I wanted to sink my fangs into her pale neck and feel every bit of it.

I wanted to touch her. It was something I hadn’t felt in hundreds of years, and she ignited it.

I reached out for her mind, attempting to make contact in a way that would compel her to do my bidding. I wouldn’t use it in an unscrupulous way—I never did that with women—but I wanted to feel that connection. I wanted to make her look at me.

She didn’t comply.

How was that possible?

Did my power not work on her?

She stiffened her spine and demanded, “What do you know about the man in the alley?”

“You could see me there, then?”

She nodded. “I saw you.”

“But you weren’t there. Not when I was.” I studied her, trying to get a hint of her magical signature. It was locked down tight, though not by her own effort. I detected the faintest hint of a suppressor potion.

She wasn’t used to keeping her signature locked down, which confirmed that she wasn’t from Guild City. Everyone here knew how to keep their magic under tight lock and key—the Council of Guilds demanded it. Their strict control of magic in the city was half of what made it possible for me to run my business. Smuggling boomed under strict law and governments. It was perfect for my particular talents.

But then, I’d already known she wasn’t from my city. I knew everything that went on in this part of London. It was impossible not to be painfully aware of her.

“Well?” I prodded. “You weren’t in that alley at the same time I was. I’d have noticed you. But you made a connection with me there.”

She nodded sharply, and I spotted the indecision in her eyes. Finally, she said, “I saw you in one of my visions.”

“Does that happen normally?” If my power didn’t work on her, then she was special to me. I wanted to know if I was special to her.

“Tell me about the body in the alley.”

I grinned, liking that she evaded my question. She wasn’t an easy woman, and I found that it appealed to me. “If you were worried that I was the murderer, why come here?”

“Because I can take care of myself.”

I believed it—for the most part. She could handle herself around others, yes. Still, I could have her underneath me in seconds if I wanted.

But no, that monster was dead inside me now. Killed by my own hand.

These days, I found I preferred the chase.

And no matter how much the citizens of Guild City believed otherwise, I wasn’t a monster. Not all of me.

“No.” I tilted my head to better study her. “You came because you are backed into a corner.”

She scowled at me but didn’t press for more answers. “Tell me about the man in the alley.”

“Persistent, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea.”

“I’m not the murderer.” I sipped the coffee and watched her from my spot across the room.

“I’m not sure I believe you.”