Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)

Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4) Page 19

The heat in the air thickened until the demon was struggling to breathe.

“You’ll do exactly as I say or you will discover just how painful my displeasure can be.”

He touched his throat, as if it might ease his discomfort. “Actually, I think I’ve already discovered.”

With a wave of her hand the power lessened. “Go.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Anna stood directly before Cezar as she waited for his answer. She might not know jack squat about the demon world, but she was perfectly capable of sensing when someone was hiding something from her. She was a lawyer, after all.

And Cezar was definitely hiding something.

It was simply too much a coincidence to think he would make a public appearance that was bound to lure her to Chicago, just when her life could be in jeopardy. And even if she were willing to stretch her imagination and assume that it was all one big fluke, why would he make such an effort to protect her? It wasn’t as if she meant anything to him. He’d proved that two hundred years ago.

While vampires might be many things, she wasn’t idiotic enough to believe there was even an ounce of Good Samaritan in their unbeating hearts.

She planted her hands on her hips and grimly ignored the sheer beauty of the man standing before her. The lingering feel of his touch was distraction enough.

“Cezar, what are you hiding?”

The bronzed, heart-rending features were smooth, unreadable. “I have told you all I know of Morgana and her threat to you.”

Which was a nice sidestep.

“Cezar…” Intent on grilling him until he was forced to confess the truth or gag her, Anna was abruptly distracted as a soft glow filled the room. Turning her head she realized that the glow was coming from Sybil. Her stomach churned as she watched the strange aura flicker and dance over the dead body. “Good God.”

Cezar was on guard instantly, his eyes darting about the room as he searched for the threat.

“What is it?”

“Sybil.” Anna instinctively backed against a wall. If the dead fairy so much as twitched, she was out of there. “She’s glowing.”

“I see nothing.” Cezar studied her horrified expression for a heartbeat before he was flowing toward the open door. “Levet.”

“Oui?” Entering the cell, the tiny gargoyle instantly turned his attention to the glowing body. “Ew…”

“What is it?” Cezar demanded.

“An Adar demon.” The gray eyes briefly flickered toward Anna before landing on Cezar. “He’s tracking her.”

Cezar muttered a curse, his dark expression not doing a damn thing to relieve Anna’s growing fear.

“What’s an Adar demon?” she demanded.

“Very bad news,” Cezar muttered, turning back toward the door. “Styx.”

The warrior appeared in the doorway. “What?”

Cezar leaned close enough that they could speak in undertones, only an occasional word reaching Anna’s straining ears. Styx muttered something about caves and Commissions and hiding, only to be firmly vetoed by Cezar. Then the word Viper was bandied back and forth. At last Cezar placed his hand on the larger vampire’s shoulder and gave a short nod.

Reaching out, Styx captured the arm of the gargoyle and they disappeared from the room. Cezar headed directly for Anna.

“We must leave.” His expression was commanding, hard. “Now.”

Anna’s instincts screamed in agreement, but she forced herself to ignore the hand that he held out.

She desired the vampire (okay, maybe it was more than mere desire, maybe it was lust on an epic scale) and she was even discovering that she actually enjoyed his company (when he wasn’t being an annoying ass) but that inner voice continued to urge caution.

He had proven over the past hours that he was determined to keep her alive, but the question was…for what purpose?

The alternative to death was not always preferable.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on,” she said, her voice grim with warning. “Why is Sybil glowing?”

She could feel his frustration wash over her in a blast of icy energy. He clearly wasn’t in the mood to offer a reasonable explanation. He was more in the mood to toss out orders and have them obeyed.

Or maybe knock her on the head and drag her out by her hair.

“Once Adars have the scent of their prey they are capable of casting a spell that will lead them straight to their quarry.”

Oh. That didn’t sound good.

“Then why not just move…” She winced as she glanced toward Sybil. “The body?”

“Because the scent of her will linger. The Adar will know that Sybil was held here for some hours.”

She shivered, struggling to understand what was happening. “Why would the demon be searching for Sybil?”

With a low hiss Cezar began pacing the cell. Like a panther in a cage that was too small.

“They’re what humans would call bounty hunters.”

“Bounty hunters?”

He turned his head to stab her with a dark, smoldering gaze. “The Adar has been hired by someone to find Sybil and nothing will halt him until he has found his prey.”

“Hired by Morgana,” she said, her voice thick.

“That would be my guess.” He deliberately held her gaze. “And very soon she will know just where to find you.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “God.”

“We have to go.”

“Where?” She forced herself to open her eyes. It was way past the point that she could pretend all of this was some horrible nightmare. “If that demon is after me…”

“So far he is only tracking Sybil, but we must be swift. We can’t take the risk that he has already contacted Morgana.”

“What of Styx and Darcy?” She frowned, belatedly realizing that more than her own life might be threatened by the demon. “Will they be in danger?”

Cezar shook his head, stepping toward her. “Styx is the Anasso, the King. If there is need he can call in the entire vampire nation.”

She managed a strained smile. “Handy.”

Another step and he was close enough to brush the back of his fingers down her cheek.

“Besides, Darcy would kill anything that threatened him.”

Anna widened her eyes. “Darcy? Sweet, tiny, vegetarian Darcy?”

He gave a low laugh. “She might possess the soul of an angel, but her heart is all werewolf.”

Chapter 8

Standing at the mouth of the tunnel, Cezar was wrapped in shadows, his gaze trained on the woman who was restlessly pacing the dirt floor.

It had been less than ten minutes since they had realized she was being hunted, but in that short time Styx had gathered his servants to search the grounds for the Adar, Darcy had brought Anna’s possessions to take with her, and Levet was busy conjuring some spell that would supposedly destroy any scent that Anna might leave behind.

Cezar wanted to be far away from the estate when that particular spell went off. Levet was well-known for creating large-scale disasters when he attempted magic.

Just beyond the tunnel was a narrow path that circled the back of the large estate. Styx had promised he would send a vampire to pick them up, but so far there was nothing to be heard but the sound of the distant frogs and Anna’s soft, nervous footsteps.

He had attempted to give her a sense of privacy as she struggled to collect her shaken courage. If he had learned nothing else in their short time together, it was that she hated for him to see her vulnerable.

At last, however, he was forced to give in to his screaming instincts. He could tangibly feel her bewildered fear. It cloaked around him, stirring a fierce need to do…something.

Something that involved his fangs and blood and death.

Unfortunately, there was nothing nearby that needed killing—well, unless he counted the annoying gargoyle.

With a low growl he moved to stand directly before Anna, bringing her to a halt by lightly placing his hands on her shoulders. A frown touched his brows as he felt her tremble.

“You’re shivering,” he said, his voice soft enough it wouldn’t carry. “Are you cold?”

She stood stiff beneath his touch, perhaps afraid that if she relented an inch she might shatter.

“I’m fine.”

“The air is damp. Do you have a sweater in your bag?”

She took a step backward, dislodging his hands. “Cezar, if I’m cold I’ll simply warm the air around me.” Her eyes abruptly widened. “Did you just hiss at me?”

Cezar folded his arms over his chest as a sharp anger surged through him.

Dios. The woman took stubbornness to a whole new level.

“I’m weary of you treating me like the enemy, querida,” he said coldly. “I have done nothing but try to protect you since we have met again.”

Her gaze briefly flickered, as if he managed to strike a nerve. Then, with a forced determination she lifted her chin. “Well I haven’t forgotten our first little rendezvous, Cezar.”

Heat arced through him as the memory of pressing this woman to the wall and entering her with a long, delicious stroke rose to mind with a vivid clarity. “You think I have?” he husked.