Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(79)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

“Don’t be an idiot,” the vampire snapped. “I want him to return the mate I lost.”

“Ah.” Another awkward pause. “Just to be clear. When you say ‘lost’ you mean …”

“She was killed when our lair was attacked by a rival clan and their pet witch.” The sheer lack of emotion in the vampire’s voice revealed the depth of his grief.

“Damn, I’m sorry.”

“As I watched her being burned on a stake our mighty prince came to me. He promised me in that moment that my mate would be returned to me if I pledged my loyalty to him.”

He felt Jaelyn’s shiver as they shared a glance of compassion.

Before he’d taken a mate he would never have understood what could drive a man to make a deal with the devil.

Now it was all too easy to imagine.

Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to kill the vampire if given the chance.

“What was her name?” the cur asked.

“Dara.”

“Pretty.”

“Pretty.”

“She was exquisite,” the vampire corrected. “And she will be again.”

Ariyal sent Jaelyn a questioning gaze.

So far as he knew the Dark Lord could give the power to reanimate the dead as a zombie. Or call on spirits like the Sylvermysts.

But he’d never heard of bringing someone back from the dead and returning her to her former life.

Jaelyn gave a small shake of her head, revealing that she was equally confused.

“I don’t mean to be a downer, but are you certain that the master can make good on his promise?” The cur readily voiced their suspicion.

Ariyal shook his head.

Right now he wasn’t sure what was puzzling him more.

How a seemingly rational vampire could believe his mate was going to be returned from the dead. Or how a cur who couldn’t open his mouth without sticking his foot into it managed to survive for so long.

The vampire hissed. “What are you implying?”

“Bringing back the dead … I mean, it seems … iffy.”

Ariyal swallowed a sudden shout of alarm as pain lashed over him, tearing at his skin and threatening to crush his bones into powder.

“Do you doubt my power, or my willingness to fulfill my pledge, Dolf ?” a soft female voice asked.

Ariyal didn’t need to see the two men falling to their knees with their heads pressed to the ground at the approach of the Dark Lord.

It’s what he would be doing if he weren’t holding so tightly to Jaelyn.

“My prince,” the cur breathed, his voice ragged. As if he was bearing the brunt of the Dark Lord’s displeasure.

“Hmm. Intriguing. It would seem as if I will need a new title.” The tinkling laugh was like shards of glass shooting through Ariyal. He clutched Jaelyn tighter, sensing her own distress. Just being near the Dark Lord was punishment. “What do you think, Dolf ?”

The cur whimpered. “Yes, my … master.”

“We will discuss this later,” the Dark Lord assured the cur. “In private.”

“Yes, master. Thank you, master.”

Ariyal had to give the cur kudos for effort. He managed to say the right words. Unfortunately, he couldn’t entirely hide his lack of enthusiasm for his private tête-à-tête with his master.

Lucky for him the monster of all monsters had other things on her mind.

“For now, I have a small task for you to perform.”

It was the vampire who answered. “What would you have us do?”

“Ah, my faithful Gaius.” There was a hint of mockery in that crushing voice. “So pure of heart.”

Gaius.

He met Jaelyn’s gaze to see if she recognized the name.

She shook her head.

“I am yours to command,” the vampire readily offered.

“Yes, you are.” A new wave of pain rippled through the air, nearly bursting his inner organs. Holy hell. If they didn’t get away, the damned Dark Lord was going to kill them without even trying. “You will search for the intruders who killed my precious Rafael.”

Jaelyn stiffened, but she was a trained Hunter. Thank the gods. The bone-chilling shadows that hid them from detection never wavered.

“The wizard is dead?” the cur demanded in shock.

“Yes, and I want those responsible sacrificed on my altar within the hour.” There was a muffled sound of agony from the two servants as the Dark Lord reminded them of the price of failure. “Understood?”

“At once,” Gaius choked out.

Jaelyn and Ariyal remained locked in each other’s arms as the cur and vampire scurried away, followed more slowly by the Dark Lord.

Only when the last prickles of pain had faded did Ariyal take a breath and Jaelyn allow the shadows to dissipate.

“That was way too close,” Jaelyn muttered.

“No shit.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

Chapter 23

Styx paced through the cavern that looked as if it had been through World War III.

Piles of rubble littered the floor, while huge cracks ran through the once-smooth walls and a choking cloud of dust continued to fill the air.

Not that he bothered to notice his surroundings.

His attention was firmly locked on the handful of Sylvermysts who knelt beside a slab of stone that was charred from the recent rip between dimensions.

When the evil fey had first charged out of the caves, Styx had commanded his Ravens to stand aside. As much pleasure as it might give him to drain a few of the rare creatures, he had given his word to Ariyal.

But astonishingly, the bedraggled fairies hadn’t bolted for safety as he’d been expecting. Instead they had informed Styx that the mage was already in the caves, and that Ariyal and Jaelyn had been determined to rescue Tearloch as well as the babe.

They’d also insisted on returning to the caverns after the massive explosion had revealed something bad was happening below.

Styx had grudgingly given in to their demands, only because he was incapable of detecting magic.

There was every likelihood that he would need their talent.

And if they hoped to lead him into a trap … well, there was still the option of draining them.

His decision turned out to be a sound one as they reached the lower cavern to discover it empty.

It had been Elwin who’d discovered the markings on the rock and had been able to sense that there had been a temporary opening through the barrier to another dimension.

He’d also offered the services of his men to try and reach through the barrier to return Ariyal and Jaelyn.