Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 1)

“Is it wise now?”

Something tingled down my spine, and I wondered. “Undetermined. Why are you here?”

“I’m interested in you.”

You. Not the murder, but you.

Maybe because he was the murderer. I couldn’t rule it out, even though it seemed less likely. At least, it felt less likely. I hoped my attraction wasn’t driving me off the scent.

Nerves shivered up my spine. “Oh?”

An unseen force seemed to tug me toward him, and I resisted it. I wanted to get close enough to touch him, but I also wanted to walk out of here with all my fingers intact. Not to mention my throat.

I reached for the vial hanging around my neck, unscrewed it from the chain., and held it up. “This is a truth serum from Eve. Drink it and tell me you didn’t commit this murder or the murder of a woman killed on Fleet Street on the twentieth of June last year.”

His gaze moved between the little bottle and me. “Fine.”

My heart thundered. He took the vial from me, his touch avoiding mine.

In the flash of an eye, the potion was gone. “I didn’t murder either of those people.”

The words flowed easily from his lips, and the slightest bit of tension left my body.

“Who was the woman.”?” he asked.

“A similar victim.”

“With a necromancer’s mark?”

“Yes.” I looked to the left of him.

“Why won’t you look me in the eye?” he asked.

“I’ve heard about your power to control people.”

“I don’t need eye contact for it to work.”

I frowned. “You haven't tried it on me, then?”

“In fact, I have.” His hand moved toward my face, and I froze solid.

Gently, his fingertips rested against my chin. The slightest pressure moved my head. Suddenly, I was looking right at him, unable to drag my gaze away from his icy eyes. It seemed like heat flickered in their depths, but that couldn’t be right. He was an ice-cold statue, no matter how much he heated me up inside. I’d never thought I had a death wish, but my interest in this guy suggested I had a big one.

“I’m really immune to you?” I asked.

“It seems that way.”

“And that’s…rare?”

“Exceedingly.” Interest rang in his voice.

I wanted to know more about him. And that required touching. The contact between my face and his hand didn't count. I needed to lay my own hand upon him.

I drew in a deep breath and slid closer, hoping he wouldn’t notice. His gaze sharpened as he watched me.

“Do you want to use your power on me?” he asked.

“You know about that?”