Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 1)

Yes.

I shook away the thought as best I could and strode down the hall.

Her footsteps caught up to mine, and she joined me, shoulder to shoulder.

“You have a contact at the Sorcerers’ Guild?” she asked.

“I have contacts everywhere.”

“What now? Do we walk up and knock on their door?”

“Not quite. But we will walk there.”

“Yeah. No cars in town, right?”

“Just motorcycles.”

“You don’t ride?”

“Who needs a ride when I can turn into a bat and fly?”

She choked. “You…what?”

“Joking.”

“I didn’t think vampires had a sense of humor.”

I shrugged. “We are enigmas.”

She huffed a dry laugh.

The club was busy as we passed through, but the crowd parted before us. It was a perk of owning the place. Of owning the whole town, actually. People got out of my way.

We passed the hostess stand, and I leaned closer to Miranda.

“Yes, sir?”

“If I’m not back by closing, see that the shifters come to the Sorcerers’ Guild. They’re to find Carrow and get her out.”

She nodded. “Consider it done.”

“Thank you.”

The night air welcomed Carrow and me, the moon shining bright over the city in front of us.

“What was that about shifters?” Carrow asked.

“The shifters are my bodyguards, though I don’t bring them with me often. And the Sorcerers’ Guild doesn’t . . . like me. If it doesn’t go well there today, the shifters will rescue you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be dead.”

She stumbled, and I stopped to meet her gaze. I raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“You’ll be…dead?”

“It’s highly unlikely. But if we do run into trouble, I’ll get you out of there or die trying.”