Wicked Deal (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 2)

“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.