Darkness Everlasting (Guardians of Eternity #3)(46)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

"You mean your world."

"No, our world." The Were allowed a strategic silence to descend, his gaze carefully monitoring her every expression. "You are truly one of us, Darcy."

Her heart gave a sharp leap. "A demon?"

His lips parted as if he would at last answer her most pressing questions, and then with an impatient shake of his head, he deliberately glanced around the open park.

"This is no place to speak. Come with me and I will reveal everything."

"We can speak just fine here."

"You are amazingly stubborn for such a tiny thing," he muttered before a rueful smile curved his lips. "It should make our life together very interesting."

Life together? As in happily ever after? Gripes.

She pressed against the car as she regarded him with a new sense of wariness.

"Hold up, chief. You’re getting a bit ahead of yourself," she muttered.

"Chief?" He appeared remarkably offended. "I am a king, not a chief. You will discover that the Weres are far more sophisticated than vampires, despite our reputation as savages."

Caught off guard by his obvious annoyance, Darcy gave a lift of her brows. "I would never mistake you for a savage. Not in a thousand-dollar suit."

"Thank you .. ." He regarded her for a long beat. "I think."

"That doesn’t mean, however, I intend to spend my life with you."

"But you will, you know," he assured in a dropped voice, a sensuous rasp overlaying his words. "It is our destiny."

Darcy shivered. There was no doubt the man possessed a sheer animal magnetism. Even from a distance he managed to make her knees a bit weak. But Darcy wasn’t interested in the raw, consuming passion he offered.

She far preferred the aching tenderness of her vampire.

The thought of Styx sent an unexpected flare of pain through her heart.

Even though she was furious with him, and with darn good reason, she couldn’t deny she missed him.

When he was at her side she felt no fear, no uncertainty.

She felt complete in a way that had no basis in sense or reason.

"I’m not much of a believer in destiny. I prefer to think I have some control over fate," she said, her arms wrapping around her waist. Suddenly she felt cold to the bone. "Kind of ridiculous when you consider the situation I’m in, isn’t it?"

The pureblood abruptly shifted in discomfort, regarding her with a strange wariness.

"Darcy, cam, you are not going to cry, are you?"

She sniffed, surprised to discover that she was indeed on the verge of tears.

The realization stiffened her spine as nothing else could have. Dang it. She wasn’t about to shed tears over an arrogant vampire.

Not even a vampire who had managed to lodge himself in her heart.

"It’s nothing." She gave a disgusted shake of her head. "I’m just tired and scared and hungry."

Still appearing ridiculously unnerved by the thought that he might have to deal with a weepy female, Salvatore cleared his throat.

"I fear I can do little about the tired and scared, but I am quite willing to feed you, if you wish." He made a sharp gesture toward his companion. "Hess."

Moving to his side, the Incredible Hulk performed a deep bow. The black T-shirt protested, but it didn’t burst open, as Darcy half expected.

"Yes, my lord?" His voice was harsh, as if he spent more time growling than speaking.

"Go to the nearest restaurant and bring back Ms. Smith some lunch." The golden eyes swept toward Darcy. "Do you have a preference?"

She was too hungry to reject his offer. Besides, she couldn’t deny a small measure of relief at being rid of Hess. He had a feral gaze that made her distinctly nervous.

Like she was a pork chop being dangled just above the maws of a rabid dog.

"No meat," she said with more emphasis than was precisely needed.

Both men’s jaws dropped open in astonishment. "No meat?" Salvatore demanded. "Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn’t I be serious? I’m a vegetarian."

"Impossible," Salvatore breathed, clearly shocked.

"What’s wrong?" she demanded. "There are a lot of people who don’t eat meat. You know it’s much healthier to eat fruit and vegetables."

"But not a—" The pureblood abruptly cut off his words, his features smoothing to an unreadable expression.

"A what?"

He ignored her question as he turned toward his companion. "Hess, bring back Ms. Smith something that doesn’t include meat."

A threatening growl trickled from the large man’s throat. "My lord, I don’t think I should leave you alone here. This could be a trap."

Salvatore narrowed his gaze. "A very clever trap considering that it is full daylight and not even the most determined vampire would dare creep from its lair.’

"Vampires are not the only danger."

"True enough, but I’m not helpless."

"I still think I should stay." Hess turned his head to bare his teeth at Darcy. "I don’t trust this woman. She smells of deceit."

"Hey . . ." Darcy began to protest only to choke off with a gasp when Salvatore lazily backhanded the man.

Giving a startled yip, the man fell to his knees and pressed a hand to his bleeding mouth.

"This woman is destined to be your queen, Hess,"

Salvatore said in a dark tone. "And more importantly, I have warned you more than once that when I want your opinion I’ll ask for it. Until then, you will do as I command without question? Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord." After climbing to his feet, Hess performed a bow, then backed away with obvious caution.

Darcy waited until Hess disappeared into the trees and the hovering sense of violence slowly eased before breathing a deep sigh.

"Cripes."

Salvatore moved smoothly forward, halting only when Darcy tensed at his proximity.

"I’m sorry if he frightened you, cara," he soothed. "Curs are unruly by nature, and Hess more so than most. It makes him a less than dependable servant."

She wet her suddenly dry lips. "He wasn’t the one who frightened me," she said slowly. "Do you always hit your servants like that?"

He shrugged. "We are werewolves, Darcy, not humans. And, like all demons, we are violent beasts. We respect strength. I am not king just because I am a pureblood. It is my power that makes me a leader."

A chill touched her heart. "I can’t believe that all demons are violent."

"Perhaps a few can claim a more gentle nature, but I assure you, most demons depend on sheer brute force. It is the way of our world."