Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(89)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

“My thoughts exactly.”

Grandly indifferent to the fact he was intruding into a private lair, the tiny gargoyle breezed into the room, his wings flapping as he moved to take Jaelyn’s hand and lift it to his lips.

“Bon soir, ma enfant.”

Jaelyn smiled, not nearly as annoyed as she should be by the trespasser.

“Hello, Levet.”

“It was very naughty of you to have a party and not tell me,” he gently chastised, glancing toward Styx and Salvatore, who scowled at him with equal displeasure. “Unless of course my invitation was lost in the mail?”

“Something like that,” Jaelyn hastily assured the ridiculous creature.

“I thought that must be the case. After all …”

His words trailed away and his tail suddenly stood out straight, making him look as if he’d been hit by lightning. Then slowly he turned, his gaze narrowing at the sight of the tiny demon who had remained in the shadows at the back of the room.

“You,” he breathed, his expression stunned.

Siljar lifted her hand and the demon stepped forward. Ariyal blinked in surprise, belatedly realizing the gargoyle was looking like a lovesick sap at the sight of Yannah.

Jaelyn had mentioned the ridiculous gargoyle was jonesing for the mysterious demon, but this went beyond the hope for a drink at the local bar followed by a quickie.

The poor bastard had it bad.

At any other time he might have been amused.

Now he just wanted them gone.

“Yannah,” Siljar said in the stern voice only a mother could achieve. “Is there something I should know?”

The girl tilted her head in the exactly same manner as her mother.

“Not yet.”

In a besotted daze, Levet moved toward her, his hands held out in pleading.

“Why do you run from me?” Levet demanded, his French accent thicker than usual.

She giggled. “Because I like to be chased.”

“But I have much I want to say to you.”

Yannah leaned forward, landing a kiss squarely on the gargoyle’s mouth, her fingers running a teasing path over his quivering wings. Only when the gargoyle was ready to melt into a puddle at her feet did she pull back, her dark eyes shimmering with amusement.

“Then catch me.”

With a pat on Levet’s cheek the demon disappeared.

Really and truly disappeared.

Like there one second and gone the next.

Blistering French curses filled the air as Levet stomped his way to the door, his wings fluttering in a blur of shimmering color.

“Leaving so soon?” Ariyal demanded.

“Do not fear, I will return,” the gargoyle promised, leaving the house in obvious pursuit of Yannah.

Ariyal wrinkled his nose. “That’s my fear.”

Seemingly indifferent to her daughter’s peculiar taste in demons, Siljar pressed her hands together.

“I must leave as well.” She allowed her gaze to sweep the room. “But know this. The days of evil are not ended. The Dark Lord remains a constant threat, as well as his minions, who grow in number with every passing day. We must be prepared.”

Her warning was still echoing through the air when she vanished into thin air.

“Cheery,” Salvatore said with a shiver.

Ariyal didn’t blame him.

He felt like doing a little shivering of his own.

“And right,” Styx grimly pointed out. “We all know that the Dark Lord is still poised just on the other side of the barrier, waiting for the opportunity to escape.”

“While his minions are infesting the world like a plague,” Salvatore added.

Styx lifted a hand to stroke the tiny amulet hung around his neck.

“You know, I have a sudden need to be with my mate.”

Salvatore abruptly grimaced. “Oh … there’s something I forgot to mention.”

Styx narrowed his eyes. “Why do I suspect I’m not going to like what you have to mention?”

“Because it has to do with our dearly beloved mother-in-law.”

“Sophia?”

Ariyal lifted his brows at the edge of fear in the massive vampire’s voice.

Or was it horror?

Salvatore looked equally disturbed by the talk of their mutual mother-in-law.

“Yeah,” the King of Weres muttered. “Harley talked with her yesterday and it seems the bitch from hell, I mean … Sophia, has decided she wants to spend more time with her daughters.”

“What do you mean, more time?”

A sudden smile curled Salvatore’s lips. “She bought a new home just a few blocks from you.”

Styx shuddered. “Oh no. Hell, no.”

“Oh wait, it gets better,” Salvatore promised. “She’s opening a new strip club featuring vampires and pureblooded Weres.”

“A strip club.” Styx threw his hands in the air. “I need something to drink. Preferably something that fights back.”

Salvatore slapped the huge vampire on the back. “Me too.”

“Then by all means, don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Ariyal urged, more than eager to have some alone time with his mate.

Styx pulled back his lips to reveal his humongous fangs, going eyeball to eyeball with Ariyal before he gave a sharp laugh and glanced toward Salvatore.

“He’s going to fit in just fine.”

Salvatore smoothed a hand down his silk tie. “Always assuming we don’t kill him.”

“True enough.”

“Out,” Jaelyn snapped, pointing her finger toward the door.

Still smiling, the two most powerful demons in the world strolled out of the room, putting aside the heavy burden of their leadership to enjoy their fleeting moment of camaraderie.

Ariyal understood.

Completely.

The day of reckoning hadn’t been avoided, merely postponed, and soon he might very well have to lead his people into war. For now he intended to grasp at any happiness the fates were willing to offer.

In fact, he intended to grasp a whole lot of happiness.

With a wicked smile he scooped his mate off her feet, his blood heating as her arms instinctively looped around his neck and her indigo eyes darkened with arousal.

“I thought they would never leave,” he growled.

Running her tongue along her fully exposed fang, she snuggled against him.

“Now that we have this big old house all to ourselves, what on earth are we going to do?”

The mere thought of those fangs sinking into his throat had Ariyal rock hard and moving toward the sofa.

There was no way in hell he was making it to the bedroom.