Page 98 of Bloodhunter

“This man will gladly sacrifice himself to save the world,”Clayton said.

“Is he sick?” I asked. “Already dying?”

“No,” he answered. “But he has past transgressions he feelsthe need to pay for. He wears his hair shirt every day. He will do this withjoy and will see it as an immense favor.”

“He’s insane,” I realized.

Clayton only shrugged.

“We’ll help you, honey,” Angus said. “All of us. We’ll guideyour hand.”

“It has to be done,” Rhys agreed.

Gray waited, and burned, and hoped.

“Shit,” I whispered, and closed my eyes. “Shit.”

Rhys leaned over the fallen vampire. “Where does the incubushide?”

“I’ll take you there,” Gray said. “Trinity will sendSilverlight to stop me if I try to run. But I won’t trust you to release me ifI tell you now.” He lifted his chin, his eyes dark. “He’s in these woods, butyou’ll never find him without me. Release me, and I will lead you there.”

Angus stood. “Call your exorcist,” he told Clayton. “Gofetch him. We’ll wait here for you.”

“Wait,” I said, but Clayton, after Miriam’s quick approval,jogged away.

We were doing this.

And I wassonot ready.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Shane pulled me away from the silvered vampire, and he wasnot happy. “If you let that vampire lead us to the demon, no one will hire youagain, Trinity. And this isn’t just about you. I’m along for this ride, and Idon’t want your bad reputation to affect my work.”

“Calm down,” I whispered, with a glance in Gray’s direction.“It’s not like I’m going to actually let him go after he leads us to SethDamon.”

He threw back his head and inhaled deeply, then blew it outslowly before looking at me. “You did that with the first vampire you caught inthe city. Once, you can come back from. You do it again, and you won’t.”

“What?”

“You can’t make fucking deals with your targets, and then goback on your word.”

“Why not?” I frowned, confused by his anger. “No one cares.They’re only vampires.”

“Because no one will trust you,” he shouted, drawing a fewlooks from the others. He clamped his mouth shut and when he spoke again, itwas more quietly. “No one will hire you, and no one will work with you. Novampire will make a deal with you when it really matters. You won’t be arespected hunter, Trinity. There’s a rhythm to hunting. There’s a community, anunderstanding, and there are fucking rules.”

“But I don’t—”

He leaned forward and got in my face. “There’s acode.And if you can’t live and hunt by that code, you will not be a hunter.”

I was quiet for a few seconds, and I stared into the littleknot of supernats standing over the silvered vampire, unable to look Shane inthe eye. “I’m sorry,” I said, finally.

I hadn’t meant to be a dick, or an idiot, but I’d ended upbeing both.

He softened. “Honor,” he said. “It’s important.”

I nodded. “But if I let him go…”

“Captain Crawford won’t trust you to hunt for the PD again.”