And Amber brought up the weapon she’d just palmed into her left hand. She yanked up the make-shift taser and shoved it against him as hard as she could. The volts of electricity pumped into him and he gave a jerk. He let her go because he had no choice—the Reaper was falling back and slamming into the floor.
She’d tinkered with that taser a bit. Amber had always been good at tinkering with things. So she’d given the device a paranormal upgrade. The taser wouldn’t kill him. Actually, she wasn’t sure anything could kill the Reaper, but it would give her a few precious moments to escape.
The costumed humans—at least those within a ten-foot radius—had turned to stare at the fallen man in shock. Amber didn’t waste time staring. She leapt over the bar in one very agile jump. She landed on her feet and prepared to race for freedom.
But his gloved hand curled around her foot.
“Not…so fast…”
She smiled at him. “Want more?” Then she gave him another shock. He cursed her as his body shuddered. But even as he jerked and twitched, he yanked the taser from her hand. His strength is going to be a problem.
Amber broke free from him and raced for the doorway. She shoved the humans out of her path and tasted sweet, sweet freedom as she burst out of the bar.
***
“Dude…” A vampire stared down at him. A vampire with crooked fangs. “She totally tased your ass. Twice.”
Cass narrowed his eyes on the vampire. Then he rose, slowly. When Amber had tased him for the second time, Cass had yanked the taser from her. Now, he crushed it in his gloved hands. Crushed it to dust. “Where…is…she?”
The vampire pointed toward the door.
Cass would find her. He’d follow her. He had her bracelet after all, so that meant tracking her wouldn’t be any challenge at all to him and—
No, hell, no. Cass did a quick search.
Amber had taken the bracelet. She’d tased him with one hand and stolen the bracelet with the other. Talk about tricky.
And impressive.
Without the bracelet, he’d just have to do things the old fashioned way. No more magic beacon right to him. But, he would find her. He’d just have to work harder.
Because she was not getting away. He always brought back his bounties. Always.
She would be no different.
Chapter Two
She’d tossed everything she owned into a small, black suitcase. Everything including the bracelet she’d retrieved from the bar. Amber rushed through the alley behind her building, clutching that suitcase as if her life depended on it. She had to get out of New Orleans. She loved the city, but it was time to move on. When the Reaper came calling, it was definitely time to head the hell out. Maybe hanging in New Orleans had been her mistake. She’d lingered too long in the Big Easy. She usually only stayed in a city for around three months, then she shipped out.
She’d been in New Orleans for six. She’d gotten too complacent. Too certain that Luke didn’t give a flying fuck about where she was or what she was doing.
Oh, how very wrong she’d been.
Amber’s footsteps were silent as she dodged a dumpster and slipped around the corner. Her car waited just on the next street, tucked away in the parking garage there and—
“Going somewhere?”
She bit back a startled scream because he was suddenly looming out of the dark. The Reaper. Looking big and pissed and dangerous. He still had his hood covering his head, and he was still making goosebumps rise on her arms.
Amber staggered to a halt before she barreled into him. Touching him again was not on her to-do list. Not if all those tales about him were true. “Stay away from me!” Maybe she should throw her suitcase at him and run.
“Why? Do you have another taser on you?”
Unfortunately, no. Dammit. And since she didn’t have a weapon handy, she did throw her suitcase at him. It slammed into his chest and bounced before hitting the ground.
He blinked. Then he focused those too-bright-to-be-real blue eyes on her suitcase, before looking back up at her. “Why did you do that?”
“Because you’re pissing me off!”
“And anger is your response?” He shook his head and made a tut-tut-tut sound. “You need to work on that anger management issue.”
How fast could he run? She didn’t have enhanced speed. These days, she barely seemed to have any paranormal bonuses. But if she turned around and ran, would he grab her instantly?
“Come on.” He waved toward her with an impatient flick of his gloved hand. “We need to go. Luke is waiting, and the sooner I finish up this job, then the sooner I get what I want.”
And the sooner she had a swift trip to hell. No, thank you. She retreated one small step, her shoe sliding over the broken cement beneath her. “I can pay you,” Amber blurted, desperate.
His eyes narrowed. That stare raked over her.
“Whatever Luke is offering, I can double it.” A total lie. She barely had any cash.
“I don’t think you can give me what I need.” His hands went to his hips. “But thanks for the offer. It was tempting.”