Blood And Shadow

r slept, but it did chang

r hip. Inside were twelve vials of premium blood-O negative, fresh from the donation centers in the human quarter. The kind t

that kept

livery, lit

called out from his post. She'd learned early in this business that showing fear was like blood i

lled back, keeping her voice light, ca

tone street. "One day you'll stay for a

with the human couriers, enjoyed the game of it, but he'd never actually touched one. The Blood Accord-the treaty that had governed vampire-human relat

Accord stop

in the distance, its black spire cutting into the star-scattered sky like a dagger. She never delivered there personally. No human courier with any sense

tes from safety w

on metal. A grunt of pain that

p walking. Mind your business, stay invisible, don't get involved-these were the rules that h

ing else. A voice, low an

t this betray

caught up with the decision. She knew that

he most powerful vampire in the city. And the

ound herself creeping toward the mouth of the alley where the

vements. The lone figure was tall, moving with the lethal grace that marked him as vampire nobility, but even from here Sera

urdered in an alley, and S

whispered. Let him die. Let h

alculating the angles. If Daemon died, the Northern Court would collapse into chaos. The other courts would move in like s

d-couriers couldn't carry weapons, as per the Accord-but she had something better. She had

opped the seals, and hur

The scent of blood-rich, intoxicating, ove

, eyes flashing red in the darkness. For vampires, fresh blood wasn't ju

hem started, but Ser

ay from Daemon and deeper into the alley. The assassins followed it like puppets on

econds. Maybe a min

hand pressed to his side where blood seeped between his fingers. His ice-blue ey

e in his voice. Surprise and somethin

. He was heavy, far heavier than any human, but adrenaline made her strong. Or maybe it was the other

he was moving with her, his vampire speed returni

egy. You're welc

nd them, no longer distracted, coming fast. Daemon grabbed her suddenly, pulling h

on was the cold solidity of him, the way his blood-old and powerful-called to some

he breathed a

ast, their footsteps f

back. Blood still stained his shirt, but the wound at his side was already clos

tudying her with unsettling in

avoiding his gaze. "Thr

gative. A month's salar

t pay attention to the humans that served th

era muttered, tryin

to hurt, but firm enough that she couldn't pull away. H

wly, "when someone saves a life,

. They were magic, binding, unbreakable until repaid. And she'd

want-" sh

ime, she heard annoyance in his cultured voice. "But it

hing connecting them, warm and unco

asked, even though she didn

etails she'd never wanted to notice-the sharp angle of his jaw, the aristocratic features that

e debt is repaid. And I'm afraid, little courier, that

ust bound herself to her mother's executioner. To the

istake," Ser

ard from his pocket-black, edged in silver-and pressed it into her hand. "Come t

if I

ntly more pain." He tilted his head, studying her with that unnerving focus. "There

im her real name. The Blackwood name was on a list, marked

leaving off the su

e been amusement in his voice, "I look forward to u

the speed that made vampires apex predators. One m

e black card, feeling the blood debt hu

ody, by hiding what she was. And in one stupid, impulsive moment, sh

alf vampire, half human-he wouldn't just kill her. He'd

finally stumbling out of the doorway and toward

n Tower loomed against

contin