Priceless (13 page)

Deep levels
? What was he talking about? I didn
’
t ask
,
though
,
as I knew it would only cost more and it likely didn
’
t matter.

“
How much?
”
I chose to ignore his warning. Shamans were like that, always full of doom and gloom
,
and
in that at least, he
was no different
.

“
The price is steep, I
’
m not sure you
will be willing to pay it.
”
He lifted an eyebrow, the two rings catching the
last of the
light
from the setting sun
through the windshield.
“
Come in, it
’
s far more cozy in my home.
”

Leaving the safety and additional weapons in my Jeep,
I followed him into his territory after a quick glance around to be sure no one was looking. A shiver of air ripple
d
around me as I stepped across the veil.
It was what separated t
he human world
from the worlds where
many of the supernatural creatures lived, hiding out just under the human
’
s noses.

A
nyone watching would have seen us disappear and
,
though I was nervous, Doran didn
’
t seemed to be bothered at all.
I knew most humans
, if they did see something,
would shake it off as a trick of the light.
That
’
s not
to say some humans didn
’
t go looking for the supernatural
;
they just didn
’
t know what they were looking at most of the time.

The fountain splashed merrily and the koi swam to the surface as we passed.
“
Little beggars
,
”
Doran muttered, tossing them
some small crumbs from his pocket. They gulped at the pieces, their mouths opening wide and showing
flashes
of silver and gold as they jostled for the bits of food.

Inside the adobe house, the air was warm,
and
a large open fire pit in the middle of the structure roared upward
,
keeping the chill autumn air at bay.

“
Sit, we will discuss your needs . . .
and mine
,
”
he said, motioning to a plush cushion on the edge of the fire.

A worm of unease began to crawl through the base of my spine, making its way upward. I didn
’
t know this shaman and I
’
d walked in here like it was safe. What had I been thinking?
“
I
’
ll stand. You know what I need, name your price.
”

Doran stared at me across the flames, his gaze travelling the length of my body twice before resting on my face. Slowly, he smiled.
“
Perhaps you can guess at my price for the knowledge you seek.
”

For the second time that day I blushed, the heat from the flames
was
nothing compared to the heat in my face. My jaw clenched at what he was implying.
“
I think you
’
d better just spit it out. I don
’
t like guessing games.
”

He grinned at me, white teeth almost sparkling. My eyes narrowed
;
I didn
’
t like this, but he was the only chance I had at finding India in time. Almost without thinking, I reached for her and was surprised when she reached back
, just the
faintest brush of her mind at the very edges of my own.

“
Help, please.
”

Stunned, I saw Doran
’
s mouth moving but heard nothing. Not one kid had ever reached for me, had ever felt I was going to try and help them.
“
I
’
m coming, just hang on
,
”
I whispered under my breath
, not sure if I could speak to her mind to mind.

“
What was that?
”

I waved my hand at him to continue and tried to piece together what he
’
d already said.

“
You see, I have some very particular needs
,
”
he
said, a smile tipping up the corners of his mouth.
“
I have very refined tastes
,
and quite frankly, the people around here just aren
’
t satisfying them.
”

Jaw tight, I held very still. It was the first time I
’
d ever dealt with a male shaman. I didn
’
t know if he was bluffing or if he truly wanted to get in my pants.
“
I
’
m not that kind of girl.
”
I bit out.

“
Not even to save a child? A little girl?
”
Doran spread his hands across his knees and rubbed his thighs.
“
Isn
’
t she about the same age as your sister
was
when she went missing?
”

Ice formed around my spine and heart. Maybe he thought I
’
d buckle under the mention of my lost family.
“
No
,
actually. Berget was younger by a few years.
”
Stepping around the fire I leaned down until our noses almost touch
ed
.
“
Try to use her for bait again, Doran, and it will be you that will go missing next.
”
By the end, my words were a bare whisper, only just audible above the crackle of the fire.

“
Oh, Rylee, how I wish I
’
d met you years ago.
”
He whispered back, as if I hadn
’
t just threatened his life.
“
A pint of blood will do, I suppose
.
Though I
’
d much prefer it to be taken by my mouth, I suspect you
’
ll insist on a blade?
”

I snapped backwards as if he
’
d slapped me. Blood. If he wanted blood, then . . .
“
You
’
re a daywalker?
”

Steepling his fingers under his chin
,
he laughed softly.
“
What did you think? That any old shaman could step in and replace all those women?
”

Daywalker. Vampire. They were the same thing, only one roamed the night, and the other roamed the day. Why hadn
’
t Dox warned me about this?
Likely he didn
’
t know.

I started to sweat, old fears surfacing. I
’
d faced down a
daywalker
once, to save a child. The end result was the
daywalker
was dead, and the kid safe, but I still had nightmares. Not to mention a few deep tissue scars that would never fade.
The one in my lower back, just above my tailbone
,
started to throb as if I
’
d poked it. The
daywalker
had tackled me from behind, almost wrapping his teeth around my lower spine. If Milly hadn
’
t been with me on that search, I
’
d have been killed.
What Doran had just said caught up with me.

“
Speaking of those missing women, where are they?
”
I forc
ed
the fear back down my throat.

Doran tipped his head to one side.
“
You don
’
t hunt for adults, Rylee, so why would you care what happened to them?
”

“
It
’
s important to a friend. He wants to know.
”
I fingered the handle of my blade.
“
And since you took their places, you should know what happened.
”

“
I do, but if you want that information, you
’
re going to have to give me more than blood. I want you bound to me.
”

Nope, no one was worth that, not even the shamans I
’
d come to count as allies. In fact, I wasn
’
t so sure
I
’
d bind myself to him
even for a kid. I shook my head.

“
Whatever, I
’
m not looking for the shamans.
”
I cracked my knuckles, nerves starting to show through my tough girl exterior.
“
I guess
you can
’
t help me
then
, e
specially not if it
’
s one of your own that took the girl
.
”
I start
ed
to back away from him. No fucking way I was turning my back on him now.

“
Oh, I can help you, Rylee
. Besides, it wasn
’
t one of mine
who
stole the girl, I can tell you that much
.
”
He paused
and took a long slow breath as if tasting the air
.
“
You see, I just want a taste of the good stuff. The blood all the
daywalkers and vamps
sing about when we get together for our yearly convention.
”
His eyes, they were full of laughter. He was having fun with this, teasing me.

“
Only one
blood sucker
has ever bitten me, and he
’
s no more
,
”
I said, sure of myself.

Of course, he blew that out of the water
with what he said next
.

“
Rylee, Rylee. You don
’
t understand.
”
Laughing, he stood and started toward me. For each step he took, I stepped back.
“
All
of us blood suckers
,
as you call us
,
are connected by the same blood. So when he bit you
”
—
he reached out for me and
I
batted his hand away
—
“
we all knew just how delicious you were. It
’
s what got him killed. He was so caught up in
your
blood singing through his veins, he didn
’
t recognize the danger of having a witch behind him.
”

The door bumped against my back. I twisted the handle, but it was slippery under my
sweat
y
fingers, making it impossible to turn.

Doran lunged forward, pinning my body to the door with his own.
“
I won
’
t hurt you, Rylee, I promise
,
you will like the bite I give you.
”

Nope, not doing this again.

Kicking out, I caugh
t him just below the knee. The bone crunched under my foot; he screamed and I caught a glimpse of fangs. Spinning out of his reach, I put the fire between us. The worst part of this was that I couldn
’
t just leave. I needed him to give me an entry point into the other side of the veil.
I pulled my blade, holding it at the ready, eyes narrowed, ready to do what damage I had to without killing him.

Doran limped toward me, a grimace on his face.
“
I don
’
t have time for this
.
I forgot how damn touchy your type are.
”

My ears perked up.
“
You aren
’
t going to try that again?
”