Born in Fire (Demon Days, Vampire Nights World Book 1)(5)

The rest of the vampires took off, not even sparing a kick for the animals trying to kill them. Wolves took up the chase. In a moment, the streets were bare of all things magical except me and my sword.

There went my air conditioning.

“Crap,” I said softly as someone started hesitantly clapping. The rest of the onlookers joined in, applauding me losing my mark. It was not an awesome end to the night, that was for sure.

I stashed my sword and gave the onlookers a bow. Lou would smooth everything over.

As I started walking, one question nagged at me: what were vampires doing coming after my company’s marks? Vampires were supposed to get clearance for things like that.

A thought struck me that I couldn’t shake.

Suddenly, I knew exactly what was going on.





Chapter Two

Iburst into the office early the next morning with a chip on my shoulder and a hole in my bank account. Cubicles dotted the floor in systematic rows, one of the many reasons I wouldn’t succumb to being a paid employee of this establishment. In front of me was an aisle leading through the best of the best, my competitors in the bounty-hunting gig and the A-list of the Magical Law Enforcement office. The ones who got all the jobs I wanted, leaving only the insanely dangerous marks for me.

Okay, fine. I’ll admit it. I wished I were in a position to get a regular paycheck from a comfy job. I’d deal with cubicles for a little security, but that option was denied to me.

“Look who it is. Miss I-Can-BringIn-Anybody.” Garret, the man who constantly taunted me for being an outcast, rolled to the edge of his cubicle and laughed. “I heard you screwed the pooch last night. Useless.”

Nearing his cube, I caught the edge of his chair with my toe and thrust my hips forward, shoving. His chair rolled backward so suddenly that he tipped out and tumbled onto his face.

“Not entirely useless,” I said with a smirk, continuing onward.

Snickers filled the floor as I reached the large corner office. The covered windows and closed doors didn’t exactly scream welcome. Neither did the underpaid receptionist who sat out front.

“He in there?” I asked her.

“You need to make an appointment,” she said in a bored voice.

“Will do.” I kicked the door. The hinges tore free. Wood groaned as the door fell inward, crashing to the ground and wobbling.

Captain John Lox looked up, startled. After seeing me, his expression mellowed. He leaned back in his chair.

“So you don’t think I can bring in a mark, is that it? You have to resort to the vampires to do it?” I stepped on the door on my way into the office.

He threaded his fingers together in his lap, studying me. His gaze flicked to the chair facing his desk, a silent invitation for me to sit down and speak about this calmly.

I grabbed the chair, picked it up, and threw it at the doorway.

I missed.

The chair hit the frame and ricocheted, hurling back in my direction. I dodged it, then stumbled on the edge of the fallen door.

This confrontation wasn’t playing out how I’d hoped.

“You owe me ten grand,” I barked, trying to regain control of my intimidation tactics. Humor sparked in his eyes.

After a silent beat, he said, “Come again?”

“You owe me ten grand,” I repeated slowly.

“You got the mark?”

“I did not. You know why.”

His brow furrowed and he shifted, his chair squealing under his weight.

“The bloodsuckers got him first.”

I rolled my eyes. “Bloodsuckers? Really? Every vampire TV show ever called—they want their catchphrases back.”

“Vampires suck blood. Hence the term.”

“Use a little originality. They screw like rock stars, too. So why don’t you call them rock-star screwers?”

“Besides the clumsiness of that phrase, rock stars are mortal. They couldn’t possibly screw as well as vampires.”

“Whatever. Regardless, yes, the vampires got the mark. They brought enough people out of the Realm to organize the effort. The shifters couldn’t compete with that kind of power, but they knew the vampires were around.

Which means there is no way you didn’t. Being that you didn’t give me a heads-up, what do you think that says to me?”

“I have no idea.”

I cracked my neck in frustration. “Clearly you are covering your bases again.”

“I did that one time.”

I glared at him.

“Fine, twice. I didn’t realize you found out about the second.” He leaned against his desk and spread his hands in front of him. “They didn’t tell me they wanted the mark. The first I heard of it was this morning, when the mark’s head was delivered in a cooler.”

I crinkled my nose at that visual. “So much for me getting him back,” I muttered. “You expect me to believe you didn’t know about a mass entrance of old vampires? Give me a break.”

“I don’t care what you believe. That is the truth. I’m no happier than you are. That mark was supposed to come in alive. The bounty is void. But…” A flash of confusion crossed his features. “I did get a note. It was taped to my office door when I got in this morning.” He reached into his drawer, extracted a piece of paper, and pushed it across the desk. “The head arrived via parcel, so the note was delivered independently. We checked the security cameras, but we didn’t see anyone deliver it.”