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I narrowed my eyes and leaned forward, perching my elbows on the table between us. “If I do this, you must swear that you will not stop until you fulfill your half of the deal.”

Caesar matched his stare. “You have my word that once Hadrian is dead, I will go to the ends of the earth to reunite you with your mate.”

It wasn’t even an option anymore. Caesar’s network of shifters was the widest in the world, and it was only growing each day. If anyone could find a shifter or witch with the power to resurrect Alice, it was him.

There was nothing on this earth that I wouldn’t do to see my love again, and if that meant offering myself up to Hadrian on a silver platter, I would gladly pay that price.

I extended my right hand to Caesar. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

The gryphon firmly clasped it, and I held it tight and pulled it slightly toward me. “But if you go back on your word, know that Iwillgo full vampire on your ass.”

Caesar nodded, failing to hold back a smirk. “I’d expect nothing less.”

Satisfied with that response, I released his hand. “Well, I guess I should get going. I’ve got a psychotic megalomaniac to sell my soul to.”

Caesar chuckled darkly as we both rose. “Keep me informed of your progress with Hadrian. Any knowledge you acquire about his plans with mermaids or shifters at all could be enough to tip the scales in our favor.”

I nodded as I hooked my thumbs into the front pockets of my jeans. “It might take me some time. Hadrian doesn’t forgive easily, and there’s a good chance that he’ll just kill me on sight. So maybe start working on your side of the deal now because you might have two people to bring back from the dead.”

“I’ll start searching right away,” Caesar assured me as we walked to the front door. “And, try not to get yourself killed,” he teased, slapping a hand on my shoulder.

“No promises.”

We exited the diner, no doubt to poor Vicky’s great relief, and went our separate ways.

Walking down the sidewalk, I decided to take the quickest way home. The less I had to be around humans, the better—for everyone. I had to get to an alley, out of everyday traffic, so that I could use my vampire speed without detection. I only had a few blocks to cross before I could get to a safe location.

Pausing at the next intersection, I looked across the street.

And my heart completely froze in my chest.

There, waiting at the crosswalk, was the face I’d been dreaming of for over a hundred years. Those same emerald eyes that had enslaved my soul.

“Alice!” I shouted, the rest of the world falling away and leaving only her.

She didn’t hear me, didn’t stop as she crossed the street and hurried down the sidewalk. My vampire instincts taking the reins, I sped after her, not caring who witnessed my preternatural speed. The Devil himself couldn’t stop me.

Finally getting close enough, my eyes detected what my soul feared. She wasn’t Alice. Her hair was brown and she seemed to be a few inches shorter.

But the resemblance in her face, those green eyes, was striking. Unmistakeable. And the aura of magic that surrounded her was distinctly familiar. I could sense it just as keenly as I could sense the warm blood flowing through her veins. It felt almost identical to Alice’s magic.

This girl may not be my long-lost love, but she was undoubtedly a witch. I may not need Caesar, after all.

All my worries about Caesar and Hadrian vanished, and I was a man driven with one mission. I had to learn more about this girl.

Chapter 20

Shea

I trudged down the road to the subway entrance, cursing my luck. Of all the stupid things to do, I had to show off and get myself busted. I’d been surrounded by beautiful people—shifter people, people I felt a deep kinship with—and in my rush to impress them, I completely fucked everything up.

Well, at least no one had seen me naked this time.

I stopped and closed my eyes, wishing I could rewind and change what happened. Why wasn’t there a spell for that? Not like anyone would teach me if there was.

The fire had felt so close, so hot. I scared myself, and I opened my eyes to make sure I was okay. I should’ve just released the spell. But when I opened my eyes, the faces around me had gone from gleeful to horrified.

Because I wasn’t one of them.