Guild Hunter 02 - Angels' Flight

Lacarre’s, very aware of Deacon following on a big monster of a bike. He remained outside the gates while she went in to deliver Rodney.
     
    Rodney’s master was waiting for him in the sitting area of his palatial home. “Go,” he ordered.
     
    Sara removed the necklet and put it on the table for Lacarre to return to the Guild as Rodney shuffled off like a penitent schoolboy. Snapping his cream-colored wings shut in anger, the angel picked up an envelope from the table. “A receipt confirming payment. I sent it through as soon as you called to say you had Rodney.”
     
    Checking it quickly, she slid it into a pocket. “Thank you.”
     
    “Ms. Haziz,” he said, scowling, “I’ll be frank with you. I never expected Rodney to attempt an escape. I’m not sure how to punish him.”
     
    Sara wasn’t used to talking to angels for longer than it took to get the assignment. In most cases, she didn’t even see them then—they were way too important to consort with mere mortals. That was what vampires were for. “You know a Mindy?”
     
    Lacarre stilled. “Yes. She’s one of my most senior vampires.”
     
    “Jealous type?”
     
    “Hmm, I see.” A nod. “I’ve been spending extra time with Rodney—he’s a child and I’m afraid he’ll get eaten up if I don’t teach him some skills.”
     
    Sara wasn’t even going to ask how Rodney had gotten through the Candidate selection process. So many peoplewanted to be Made that it was anything but a slam dunk. “He’s no mastermind,” she said. “I think if you punish him too harshly, he’ll break.”
     
    Mr. Lacarre nodded. “Very well, Guild Hunter. Thank you.” It was a dismissal.
     
    Leaving Rodney with a master who was still irritated, albeit no longer furious, felt vaguely wrong. But the vampire had chosen his future when he asked to be Made. Now he’d be somebody’s slave for the next ninety-seven years. As she walked out, her path crossed with that of a slender redhead. The woman was dressed in a daring scarlet suit that molded to her body like second skin. It made a statement.
     
    She would’ve kept going but the redhead stopped her. “You brought Rodney back.”
     
    Mindy.
“It’s my job.”
     
    The older vampire—much older from the sheer ease with which she faked humanity—all but gritted her teeth. “I didn’t expectsurvive this long—he can barely tie his shoe-laces.”
     
    “How did he get Made?” Sara asked, unable to swallow her curiosity any longer.
     
    Mindy waved a hand. “He was fine bef—” She belatedly seemed to realize who she was talking to. “Good-bye, Guild Hunter.”
     
    “Bye.” Interesting, Sara thought. Everyone knew—even if the knowledge had never actually been confirmed—that a tiny percentage of Candidates went insane after the transformation. This was the first time she’d seen an example of someone who’d been diminished instead.
     
    Deacon wasn’t around when she got back into the rental car, but he’d found her again by the time she reached her hotel. She parked in the underground garage and got out to see him bringing that monster motorcycle to a stop beside her. “How did you get past security?”
     
    He took off his helmet, unzipped his jacket, and swung off the bike. Gorgeous male muscle. Oh, so touchable. Something very tight in her stomach wound even tighter. Dear God, but the man was sex on legs.
     

2
     
    T aking a deep breath to wash away the rush of raw hunger, she headed for the elevators, weapons bag in hand. Experience told her management would get a little testy if she walked in wearing her crossbow. “So? Security?”
    “It sucks.”
     
    That was her estimation, too. “It was the most convenient location for this hunt.”
     
    Being stuck in an elevator with the man was an exercise in frustration. His smell; soap and skin, heated up from within to create something uniquely Deacon—pure male with an edge of steel—wrapped around her like an aphrodisiac. Since she couldn’t not breathe, she was overdosing on it by the time the elevator kicked them out on the third floor. “Stay here.” She held up a hand. “I need to check your credentials.”
     
    He leaned his back up against the wall opposite her door. “Say hi to Simon from me.”
     
    Keeping an eye on him, she swiped her keycard and entered the room. It was fairly basic—a double bed beside a small chest of drawers, a table with just enough room for the hotel phone and maybe a laptop, a