Wicked Deal (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 2)

“And that’s fortunate for me.”

“I’ll pay you whatever you want.” Cursed Mates.

It had to be bad. Deadly, even.

What had felt like a gift with Carrow—her blood returning my full senses and the connection I felt to her—was possibly a nightmare.

Given the way my life had gone, it likely was a nightmare. I hurt everything I touched. It was no surprise that I would have a Cursed Mate and hurt her, too.

I dragged a hand over my face, waiting for the Oracle to name her price. “Well?”

“I’ll let you know if I come up with something. Then I’ll charge you.”

“Fine. Thank you.” I nodded sharply, waiting for her to leave.

She vanished. I turned to Carrow’s room, frustration pulsing through me. One of the most powerful oracles in the world had just delivered opened-ended terrible news, then disappeared. I’d have to find out more about this Cursed Mate situation, but not tonight.

Tonight, I needed to watch over Carrow.

I walked toward the bed and took a seat in the chair next to it, leaning back to guard her.

Carrow

Groggy, I shifted within a cocoon of soft sheets, blinking against the shaft of sunlight that shone across my eyes. I opened them, my vision clearing. The Devil was seated in a chair near the bed, watching me wearily.

Affection rushed through me.

“How do you feel?” His voice was slightly rough.

“Fine. What are you doing there?”

“Sitting.”

“Weird.” I sat up, my head spinning at the movement.

Memories rushed back. Last night, my vision, his tattoo. His secrets.

The affection vanished, and I shifted away from the Devil, glaring at him. “Why did you sit there all night?”

He shrugged. “You needed sleep, and I didn’t think we should let down our guard.”

“Oh.” That was…nice.

I ignored it. I didn’t know how to process nice right now. Especially not from him. Not when there was so much happening.

I pulled the bathrobe closer around me. “My vision was different.”

“I could tell.”

“How?”

“You passed out. And your magic surged like I’ve never felt. Something about it is changing.”

I nodded. “I could control it. Zoom around inside the vision like I was controlling a video game. It was…wild.”

“It’s not greater control, Carrow. I could feel your power growing. Your capacity for it.”

“Isn’t that supposed to be finite? Every supernatural is born with a certain amount of power, and they learn to control it, for better or worse?”