Anything. I’d give anything to have her.

Beneath my lips, she tilted her head and moaned. The pleasure in the sound shot through me, and I clutched her closer. The connection between us surged, and it was impossible not to think of what the Oracle had said.

She would thaw me.

Was it possible?

Was the myth true?

With the taste of her blood on my tongue, it was impossible not to think so. Impossible not to believe it.

But the Oracle had been keeping secrets the day she’d come to see me—I could feel it.

“Grey.”

The sound of my name on her lips made me shudder. I drew deeper on her neck, feeling my strength return.

Stop.

I had to stop.

With every bit of strength I gained, she lost some. She’d recoup it eventually, but if I drained her, she’d die.

With her taste sweet on my lips, I withdrew my mouth.

“Don’t stop,” she murmured, sounding half out of her mind.

“I must.” I licked my lips, cleaning them of any trace of her, and cupped her face. “We have to stop.”

Her eyes fluttered opened, and she looked at me.

Holy fates, her eyes were beautiful. Brilliant green. And her hair. An impossible gold.

Color.

I could see in color. Not just the faint shades of color that I’d been able to see before, but full blown everything. And the scents…

There were so many of them. I could taste the freshness of the air. And my skin felt more sensitive.

The Oracle had been correct.

She was the one who could make me whole again.

A thrill ran through me, followed by confusion and even fear. How the hell was this real?

“Are you better?” The strength was returning to her voice.

“I am. Thank you.” I shoved aside thoughts of fate, forcing myself to my feet. I pulled her up alongside me, banishing the cloud of dark mist that hid us from her friends and my security force.

As the mist cleared, it revealed her three companions standing around us, anger and worry on their faces. Behind them, my security force was working on binding the bodies of the necromancer’s faithful. The Council of Guilds would owe me for this one.

They’d owe Carrow, too, though she didn’t know it yet.

She gave me one last look, her gaze searching, then turned and hurried to the body of the woman on the slab. I could feel the life force inside the victim, and with any luck, she would have no memory of this.

Quinn strode up to me, back in his human form. His brow was creased with worry, and his eyes flickered with anger.

“Is there a problem?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t like what you did with her there.”

“Too bad, because it is done.” I so badly wanted to say that Carrow had enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t reveal that information. It felt too personal. Too hers.

“Be careful.”

The shifter’s voice echoed with power, and I grinned. “You want her.”

“And you don’t?”

“Of course I do.” I wasn't afraid to admit it.

His lips twisted. “I mean it. I’ll be watching you. If you hurt her…”

“I understand.” If it came down to a fight between us, I would win. But it wouldn’t be easy. And it would cost me.

More likely than not, it would come down to a fight between us. Because I would hurt her. If I pursued her, I would hurt her. It was the only thing I was capable of. My past made that abundantly clear.

Disgusted with myself, I turned from the shifter and looked at Carrow. She was taking the woman’s pulse and speaking with Mac and Eve. It was difficult to turn away from the sight of her. With my ability to see color returned, all I wanted to do was stare at her.

But I forced myself away. I was good at forcing myself away from the things I wanted. There was work to be done, after all, and I needed to begin. Getting the police off Carrow’s back wouldn’t be hard now that we had the real murderer. With a bit of mind control, the hired gun could be convinced to confess to his crimes. I just had to make sure it was all airtight.

I strode toward the head of my security force, determined to get it done quickly and protect her. Then I would leave her alone. No matter how damned hard it was, I would do that for her. I had to.

And yet, I knew there was no way I could say goodbye to her. Not a chance in hell.

Carrow

Three days later, it was finished. The necromancer was dead, and Beatrix’s murderer would go to jail for his crimes. He had confessed, and the police had taken him into custody. I hadn’t seen the Devil since he’d bitten me, but I’d heard through the grapevine that my name had been cleared with the police department. Corrigan had confirmed that Banks had led the charge against me with the wanted posters, and that he’d been reprimanded for bias.

I was no longer a wanted woman.

More importantly, the woman that we’d rescued was safe and sound, her memory wiped of everything bad.

Unfortunately, after the cops had searched my flat, someone had broken in and stolen everything. I’d taken it as a sign.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this.” Mac grinned at me. “I’m so happy.”

“Thanks for helping me figure it out.” I looked at the green door that was now our green door. I held the key to the top-floor flat, right above Mac.

I’d cleared my name in the human world, but I didn’t want to return. It was dim and miserable there, an awful half life where I tried to use my magic to help but ended up on the sidelines.

No. I wanted a new life—one full of color and excitement and friends. And the best way to have that was to move to Guild City. To the flat above Mac’s, in fact. I was going to hang up my shingle as a mystery-solver of some kind. I still didn’t know all the details, but I knew I was going to sell my services to those who needed them.

“You’re going to do great,” Mac said. “Your magic is so strong, everyone will want to hire you.”

I had a reputation now, apparently. The fact that I’d held the necromancer’s gem with my bare hand had gotten around town. We still didn’t know exactly what the gem did, but it was powerful. So insanely powerful that it was supposed to be impossible to hold.

Yet I had.

I could still barely control my gift, but I could hold that gem.

I didn’t understand it, but maybe one day, I would.

I’d considered handing the gem over to the Council of Guilds. I didn’t want to possess something created from such darkness, no matter how powerful it was. But I didn’t trust them, so I wore it on a chain around my neck. For now, at least.

“Go on.” Mac gestured to the door. “Go check out your new place.”

I smiled at her and turned the key in the lock. I took the stairs two at a time, leaving Mac at her place as I continued up to my own. As I pressed my hand to my door, the strongest sense of possibility yawned through me.

A grin stretched my face as I pushed open the door to my new flat.

It was as cheerful and bright as I remembered it, but two things caught my eye. A small stack of books in the middle of the floor . . . and Cordelia.

The fat little raccoon looked at me, and a voice echoed in my mind. Not a bad place we have here.

I gaped at her. “You can talk?”

I’m your familiar. Of course I can talk.

“But…but…”

I like to dig through rubbish bins, but that doesn’t mean you should make assumptions about my ability to hold a conversation.

“Um. True.”

Mac appeared at my side, having followed me up the stairs.

She pointed to a pile of books on the floor. “What are those?”

I frowned in recognition. They were the ones that Beatrix had given me. The ones I’d had to leave behind at my old flat and hadn’t been able to find after my name had been cleared. “Did you bring me those?”

No. That Devil bloke had them delivered.

Grey had them delivered?

My heartbeat fluttered. “She says the Devil delivered them.”

“Oooh, I don’t know about that,” Mac said.

I looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“You heard what the Oracle said. He’s dangerous to you. Cursed Mates.”

“You believe her?”

“Of course I do. Did you see her? She looks totally legit. And Fated Mates are a thing, so Cursed Mates could be one too.”

“I know I’m not up for that kind of thing.”

“Then you know what they say. Don’t make a deal with the devil.”

I nodded. I would avoid him. It was the only smart thing to do.

But more than ever, I had that feeling that we were two stars spinning through space, about to collide with each other. I would see him again. I was sure of it.

I thought of his bite, and how I wanted more. It was crazy, but I wanted more.

This was all happening too fast. Magic. A familiar. Gifts from a vampire. A new life.

I liked it.

I’d had a bite of this new life, and despite the danger and craziness of it, I wanted more.

I grinned at Cordelia and Mac. “How about a girls’ night?”

A girls’ night! I will consult the rubbish bins for a treat.

“Could do,” I replied, leaning out the window to look at the restaurant below. “But why don’t we spring for a kebab? My treat, to celebrate our new life.”