Chapter 2

• He growled again as he lunged toward me, his arms outstretched. I was already across the room when he closed his arms around nothing but air.
• With a hiss, Vincent turned toward me, his eyes flashing in anger. I tightened my grip around the stake in my hand.
• He lunged for me again, knocking over a chair in the process and landing on his side with a thud. With a grunt, he threw the chair across the room and the remaining human woman started screaming. I glanced at her and the glassy look was gone.
• “Get out of here!” I yelled.
• She grabbed a dress off the ground and pulled it over her head while she beelined it for the door. At least I didn’t have to worry about the humans anymore. We weren’t really supposed to let them see our business, but I was guessing she wasn’t going to register that I was holding a stake or that the man growling at me had fangs. Most humans ignored what they couldn’t explain.
• “Shall we?” I returned my attention to Vincent.
• He had something in his hands now and was baring his teeth at me. He was also still naked.
• I rolled my eyes and sidestepped an overturned chair, giving him an easier path to get to me. If he charged me again, I could stake him without guilt. Not that I was even sure I was capable of guilt after ten years of doing this job.
• “You bitch, you’re not going to get me,” he screamed and threw something at me. A bong, maybe? I didn’t really see what it was as it flew past my head. It slammed against the wall and shattered in a satisfying kind of way.
• “Are you going to charge me again or do you want to do this like civilized people?” I asked. “Last warning for me to bring you in alive.”
• His eyes moved toward the open door. The one I’d walked right through because he couldn’t be bothered to lock it.
• “Don’t even think about it,” I said. “You give me a reason to chase you and you’re finished.”
• He was such a young vamp and he moved like a human. He was slow, clumsy, and careless. If he made a run for it, he wouldn’t stand a chance. We both knew it.
• I could see the muscles in his body tensing, his eyes darted between me and the door. The dumbass was considering it. Well, he wasn’t turned for his intelligence, either.
• “Don’t, please, don’t make me do it,” I deadpanned. It was nonsense. He knew it, I knew it. Once a hunter was sent after you, there wasn’t much chance for escape.
• I might look innocent enough, but my trademark pale blue and silver hair had to have given me away. I had a reputation after all and I was damn proud of that. I had a feeling even someone as low on the ladder as Vincent had heard about the lone wolf who rarely let her marks live. I could sense the fear behind his bravado.
• “Try me, blood bag,” I shifted so I was standing between him and the door. “I dare you.”
• “Freeze!” someone shouted from behind me.
• I tensed and while keeping my eyes on the vampire in front of me, I stepped to the side enough that I could catch a glimpse of whoever had joined the party.
• He was tall, dark, and handsome in an uptight, conforming kind of way. I knew right away that I was dealing with someone in law enforcement.Shit.I’d gone three years without a run in with a cop and go figure it happens on what should be an easy, quick, in and out case.
• “Put down the stake and step aside. I’m taking over,” he said as he walked into the room.
• Oh hell no.If this asshole thought he could come in and take my bounty, he was out of his fucking mind. “I don’t think so. I don’t share credit or share my fee.”
• It was clear now that he wasn’t a human cop. Maybe he just dressed like one. Whatever he was, he was trying to worm his way in on someone else’s bounty. “You’re not a member of the guild, are you?”
• He pulled something out of his pocket and I lifted my stake higher. Like I’m dropping my weapon. What was this guy thinking? There’s still a vampire standing awkwardly, and nakedly - is that even a word? - a few feet from me. And let me tell you, the cold air in here was not doing him any favors.
• Newcomer lifted up what looked like a wallet and the flap fell to reveal a shiny metal badge. I lifted my eyebrows in surprise. He was a cop, but not the human kind.
• “Enforcer, step aside,” he said.
• “I’m Guild,” I said. “This is my bounty and there was no order for me to call in backup.”
• “You’re the half wolf, aren’t you?” the enforcer said.
• I narrowed my eyes. I hated the looks I got and the false sympathy for being a hybrid. I might not have the ability to shift or half the magical shit these other supernaturals had but I could stand on my own.
• “I don’t see how my heritage is any of your fucking business,” I said.
• “You shouldn’t be here,” the enforcer said. “This is a dangerous job for a half human.”
• “I knew you smelled delicious,” the vampire said.
• I glared at him as I gripped my stake tighter. The new guy probably wasn’t as much of a threat as this vampire I was sent to kill. “What I am has nothing to do with my confirmed kills.”
• “You can go, miss…”
• “Miss?” I asked. “I’m sorry, no. I’m not going anywhere. I have a job to finish and you’re in the way.”
• “I can’t let you kill him,” he said.
• Vincent started laughing. “Alright, officer, you see that she’s trying to kill me. Not even giving me a chance to go quietly. Shouldn’t you be locking her up?”
• “If she’s active within the Guild, she’s not doing anything illegal.” He glanced at me. “You are active?”
• “Of course, I am,” I said. “But I have no idea why you’re here.”
• “That’s classified. Royal enforcer business on special assignment for Queen Marcella.”
• A shiver ran down my spine. I’d never heard of a royal enforcer but I’d sure as shit heard of Queen Marcella. Just because I hunted these creatures for a living didn’t mean I knew everything about their world. I was only half supernatural and didn’t belong to any pack. I picked up hunting from my dad. It was a family tradition. What can I say? Some of us had fucked up families. But that was another story for another time.
• “Look, bro, I don’t know what kind of hustle you’re trying to pull, but this man is scum who was sentenced fair and square. The bounty is mine,” I said.
• The enforcer shook his head and reached inside his black jacket. I grabbed for the knife strapped to my thigh and pulled it out quickly.
• “Gear down.” He moved slowly, pulling out an envelope and holding it up. “I’m not your enemy.”
• “You’re coming between me and my rent so yeah, I’m pretty sure we’re not on the same side,” I said.
• “Can I go put on some pants?” naked vampire asked.
• “No,” both the enforcer and I said at the same time.
• “I think I might rather let her have a shot at me,” he said.
• “You say that like you think you’d have come out of it alive,” I said.
• I was half watching the vampire and half watching as enforcer guy dug a whole bunch of bills out of the envelope. My eyes widened at the sight of all that cash. He had to have thousands of dollars just stashed in an envelope.
• How the hell did an enforcer have so much cash? That wasn’t exactly a profession you went into for the money. A good hunter typically far out-earned the enforcers. Shit, I’d make more from this job than he’d make all month.
• “Are you trying to bribe me?” I asked.
• “I’m covering your fee,” he said. “What was it? Standard rate, I’m guessing.”
• “Yeah,” I said, wishing I wasn’t so damn honest. I should have told him it was more.
• “I was only standard rate?” Vincent asked. “That hurts.”
• “Like I said, you’d be dead right now if it weren’t for our uninvited guest,” I said.
• “Don’t worry,” enforcer said. “I’m sure he won’t last long after I question him.”
• Huh. Imagine that. Looked like the enforcer had a little bit of a dark streak. Maybe we weren’t so different after all.
• “Go on, it’s all there.” The enforcer was holding out a small pile of cash.
• I considered taking it, but before I could, something slammed into me. I landed hard on the ground, Vincent’s heaving, naked form on top of me. My stake went flying and my hands were pinned to the ground.
• The vampire growled as he lowered his face toward my neck with a hungry growl.
• “Oh, fuck no!” There was no way I was going to be a snack today. Especially not for a mark I was supposed to be taking out. This was all that stupid enforcer’s fault. I was never distracted and I’d never been pinned down by a mark. Dammit. This was so not my night.
• I pulled my knees up, then used my feet to push Vincent. He was heavy and didn’t budge despite my pressing.So you want to play it like that?
• Using my boot heel, I dug down to where I hoped the family jewels were. Based on the sudden release of my wrists and the yelp of pain, I hit my target.
• I rolled away just as the creature unleashed his full vampire side. Fangs fully extended, eyes black upon black, he lunged for me. I grabbed my stake and lifted it, ready to strike.
• Just as Vincent was about to leap on me, he exploded in a mess of blood and guts and goo. I closed my eyes and mouth and tried to cover my face with my arm. It hardly helped. I could still taste the dead vampire.
• I rolled on to stomach and spat on the ground before jumping to my feet and using my sleeves to wipe my face.
• The enforcer was staring at me, his hands lifted in front of him. Gold sparks crackled on his fingertips.
• “What the fuck?” I was staring at him, wide eyed. I’d killed my share of vampires. I’d never made one explode like that. Especially not with my bare hands. Nobody could. You had to stake them in the heart. And sure it was messy, but not bits of flesh and vampire entrails sticking to your favorite leather pants kind of messy. This was something else entirely. “What are you?”