Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(50)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

His hair shimmered with colors of autumn, his delicately crafted features set in lines of a warrior, and his body honed to an elegant weapon.

Only when he was finished did she straighten, squaring her shoulders for yet another clash of wills.

During her wild run down the hill she’d come to a decision, and now she wasn’t going to be denied. Even if it was destined to drive a greater wedge between them.

“There’s no need for battle,” she said.

He sheathed his sword. “That’s the hope, but we both know our luck isn’t that good.”

“I could improve our luck.”

He turned to meet her stubborn gaze, his face carefully devoid of expression.

“How?”

She crushed her pang of regret. This was how it had to be.

Strictly professional.

“I have the ability to travel in and out of the caves without being sensed,” she reminded him. “Once I’m wrapped in shadows no one will be able to track my movements, not even the wizard. It only makes sense that I go after the child.”

He was shaking his head before she even finished. “No.”

Her brows snapped together. “Have you forgotten there’s a spell on the child that will prevent you from even being able to touch it?”

“I’ll figure out something.”

“But …”

“I said no.”

Her hands landed on her hips as she glared at him. “Why are you being so stubborn?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Dammit.” She stepped forward, poking a finger into the center of his bare chest. Okay, so much for being strictly professional. She was suddenly so mad her fangs throbbed. “I’m sorry if it offends your male pride that I’m not a helpless woman who needs a big, strong man to take care of me, but this is who I am. I’m a Hunter, and that means I’m stronger and I’m faster and I’m better trained than ninety-nine percent …”

He was moving before she could react, grabbing her upper arms in a punishing grip.

“This has nothing to do with my pride,” he growled. She made a sound of disbelief. “Really?”

“Really.” His glare seared over her pale face. “Okay, I’m male enough to occasionally want to flex my muscles just to prove I have them, but I would never want you to be less.”

She stilled, savoring the feel of his warm hands against her skin. It didn’t matter that he held her in anger. She was so hungry for his touch she would take whatever she could get.

Pathetic.

“What does that mean?” she demanded.

“It’s your power and your beauty and your stubborn independence that make you who you are,” he said, as if the words were being yanked from him. “I would never change that. Not ever.”

His words touched the vulnerable place deep inside her, but Jaelyn fiercely refused to be distracted.

In this moment all that mattered was that she keep Ariyal from walking into such an obvious trap.

“Then is this because you don’t trust me with the child?” she accused.

His jaw clenched so tight she could hear his teeth grinding together.

“No, it damn well has nothing to do with trust.”

“Then what?”

“Because if you are hurt or worse …” He struggled against a fierce tide of emotion. “I’m not sure I will survive.”

Stunned by his raw confession she lifted her hands to frame his face.

“Ariyal …”

She didn’t know what she was going to say. Nothing that would have improved the god-awful situation. And Ariyal thankfully didn’t give her time to flounder in her helpless yearning.

“So don’t expect me to be happy when you put yourself in danger.”

She held his smoldering gaze with a wistful smile. “I don’t expect you to be happy, but I need you to understand why I can’t deny my true nature as Hunter. I’ll never be the sort of female to wait in the corner for her man to return.”

“Dammit.” With a shake of his head he conceded defeat. “Let’s go.”

“Ariyal …”

With a foul curse he was jerking away from her touch and running north at a speed that made sure there would be no opportunity for further conversation.

They arrived at the abandoned church with less than an hour left until dawn.

Ariyal ruthlessly ignored the whispers of panic that Jaelyn needed to be tucked in a nice, sun-proof crypt. She’d made it brutally clear that she didn’t want or need his concern, hadn’t she?

After all, she was the big, bad Hunter. And he was just the poor slob who happened to be her current job.

If not for her mysterious contract with the Oracles she would be long gone.

He kept the warning in the front of his mind as he halted at the entrance to the cavern and once again described the exact route through the tunnels to where the baby was being kept.

Thanks to the efforts of his friendly ghost he possessed a complete map of the sprawling caverns burned into his brain. As well as the members of Tearloch’s motley crew.

And while he wasn’t willing to assume that no one had noticed his approach, they would be expecting a Sylvermyst to try and make a grab for the child. There was no way they could prepare for a vampire who could make herself practically invisible.

With the least amount of luck Jaelyn should be able to slip in and out before anyone realized the baby was missing.

His pretense of aloof indifference briefly faltered as he felt the prickles of ice filling the air. She was preparing to call on her powers.

“Jaelyn,” he said in urgent tones, reaching to grasp her forearm. “Wait.”

“I got it.” Her smile was rueful. “Be careful. Get in and get out. Don’t stop for anything or anyone. I am trained, you know.”

He heaved a frustrated sigh. “I don’t like this.”

“And you think I do?” Her eyes narrowed. “There’s no need for a distraction.”

Ariyal shrugged. He’d waited until they had reached the caverns before he announced his intention to enter the tunnels. He claimed he wanted to create a distraction to make sure no one noticed the missing child until she was clear. It was true enough. He would make one hell of a distraction.

But he had his own agenda. One he didn’t intend to share with Jaelyn.

“We’ll only have one opportunity to grab the child,” he said with undeniable logic. “I intend to give us the best possible chance.”

She held his gaze. “And you swear you aren’t going to try and go after Tearloch?”