Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(36)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

They stiffened at the same time, turning their attention to the bulky form that was weaving through the trees.

“Cur,” Levet breathed.

Jaelyn scowled at the unwelcome intruder. He was a young man who appeared to be thirty in human years with blond hair that was buzzed in military fashion and a square face that might have been handsome if you liked the “all brawn and no brain” sort.

At the moment his head was bent over a mirror he clutched in his hands, indifferent to the danger that lurked just above him.

“Damn,” she whispered.

Levet pressed close to her side. “What is it?”

“I’m searching for the witch who is controlling the zombies, not a damned dog.”

The gargoyle sniffed the air. “The magic is coming from the cur.”

She hissed in shock. “You’re certain?”

“Ma enfant, did I not just prove my skills?”

Jaelyn didn’t truly doubt him. It was growingly obvious the tiny gargoyle harbored unknown depths. But … hell. This was a complication she didn’t need.

“I’ve never heard of a dog being a magic-user,” she muttered.

“It is rare,” Levet conceded. “They must be a powerful mage or witch before they are turned or their skills are lost during the transformation. And since most curs are terrified of magic they usually do their best to avoid them. Certainly they would never deliberately try to attack a magic-user.” He leaned forward to study the man below them. “I would guess this particular mage sought out a cur to transform him on purpose.”

“Why?”

Levet gave a lift of his hands. “It could be a desire for greater physical strength, or a longer life span, or perhaps he is mated with a cur.”

Jaelyn regretfully glanced down at the shotgun she’d stolen in town. It was a fine gun, but it was made for humans and they had no need for silver bullets.

“It looks like we’re doing this the old-fashioned way.”

“Do not fear.” Levet squared his shoulders. “I have powerful magic of my own.”

“No.” Jaelyn grabbed the gargoyle’s arm as he pointed it toward the cur. “I think it would be better if I take care of the mage.”

“You doubt my abilities?” Levet asked, his wings drooping in a visible pout.

“Of course not, but I was trained to kill in silence,” she smoothly assured him. “We don’t want to attract any unnecessary attention. You keep an eye open for his companions.”

The gray eyes widened. “Companions?”

“Curs always travel in packs.”

Levet made a sound of disgust, but even as Jaelyn judged the precise distance to the cur, he lightly touched her shoulder.

“Be careful, ma enfant.”

She stiffened at his soft words.

Dammit. Why did he keep doing that?

Surely by now the tiny gargoyle realized that demons weren’t supposed to offer her concern. She was a Hunter. An unfeeling weapon who had been taught that emotions were nothing more than a weakness that others could use to manipulate her.

All this fussing around over her and her safety was … unnerving.

Levet lifted his heavy brows. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” With an effort she pulled her crap together. For God’s sake. Now wasn’t the time to get all sappy. “Nothing’s wrong.”

Before she could make a fool of herself, Jaelyn leaped through the air, landing on the cur with a lethal silence. The dog howled in pain as her fangs sliced through his neck, barely missing his jugular as he tumbled backward.

Jaelyn cursed at having missed the killing blow, although she had at least made him drop the mirror he’d been holding. She assumed he used the thing to control the zombies, which meant that Ariyal, at least, should be safe.

Which was more than she could say for herself. Possessing the strength of a cur and the magic of a witch, the man beneath her managed to toss her aside with a disturbing ease.

They both rose to their feet, circling one another with the wary caution of trained warriors.

“Who are you?” Jaelyn demanded, knowing it couldn’t have been sheer coincidence that brought the cur to this particular place at this particular time.

The cur eyeballed her in annoyance, clearly more outraged at being taken by surprise than upset at the fact he was facing a pissed-off vampire.

Of course, there was the very real possibility that he was too stupid to comprehend his danger.

“Do you know how long it took me to prepare that spell, you stupid cunt?” he growled. “You’re going to pay for every minute.”

Cunt?

Oh, he didn’t just go there, did he?

She smiled, running a tongue along her razor-sharp fang. “I was going to ask you if you wanted to do this the easy way. Now there’s only one way.”

“And what’s that?”

“The hard way.”

“Oh yeah? You and what army?”

With a smirk, he reached toward the glowing crystal hung around his neck as he whispered words of magic.

No doubt he was conjuring a nasty spell, depending on his magical skills to protect him. Unfortunately for him, he’d never encountered a Hunter’s speed and before he could finish his chanting, Jaelyn was moving forward to jerk his tongue from his mouth.

The cur stood in frozen shock, his eyes shifting to the bloody length of flesh she held in her hands. Then with a mangled scream of horror he was spinning on his heels and attempting to flee. Jaelyn allowed him a few seconds of hope that he might actually escape before she slammed her foot into his retreating back and sent him flying into the nearest tree.

He slid face-first to the ground, his arms and legs churning in a combination of pain and panic.

She crouched at his side, her arms loosely wrapped around her bent knees.

“I did warn you it would be the hard way,” she taunted, dropping his tongue near his head. Eventually he would heal, but for now his wounds had to be near unbearable. “Listen very carefully, I’m going to ask you a series of questions. You will nod your head for yes and shake it for no. All very simple. Oh—” She leaned down far enough he couldn’t miss her deadly fangs. “And for every lie I will rip off another body part. Got it?”

He flattened himself against the underbrush, as if wishing he could sink through the hard ground. But his hasty nod assured her that he was ready to play nice.

“Were you responsible for the zombies?” There was a faint hesitation before the cur was nodding. She patted his head. “Good boy. Are the rest of your pack nearby?” Another hesitation and another nod. “Are they all curs?” she demanded, certain she was sensing a presence at the edge of the woods, but unable to determine exactly what it was.