Darkness Unleashed (Guardians of Eternity #5)(42)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

Jagr shrugged, turning to head for the door leading out of the apartment. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on the intense pleasure that had caused his power to shatter Tane’s repulsive works of art. Not when he needed his few remaining brain cells to make sure he didn’t lead them into yet another disaster.

“Tane’s servants can toss it into the trash. That’s where the junk belonged in the first place,” he muttered, opening the door and waiting for her to step past him before closing it and heading down the narrow hallway.

She walked at his side, her dry glance her only reaction to his surly mood.

“So you don’t have your own lair decorated with Hustler rejects?”

“I haven’t bothered decorating at all.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“It didn’t seem necessary.” Coming to an abrupt halt, Jagr cupped her face and stole a swift, frustrated kiss. Lifting his head, he met her startled gaze. “Until now.”

Her lips parted with a scathing remark, but before she could catch her breath, he was stepping into Command Central and speaking to the dark-haired vampire on guard.

“We need transportation.”

The warrior with his dark hair shaved close to his head, and his large body covered with a variety of weapons, rose to his feet, clearly under orders to offer Jagr whatever he needed.

“Follow me.”

Wryly wondering what Tane would demand in repayment for his hospitality, Jagr followed the vampire across the room.

Waiting for the servant to push open a narrow door, he wasn’t surprised to discover the vast underground garage that held a half dozen gleaming cars. Many vampires possessed a fascination with expensive automobiles. Regan, on the other hand, sucked in a shocked breath.

“Jeez. No Batmobile?”

“It’s having its tires rotated.” He led her across the paved garage toward a shadowed corner.

Her hand reached out to stroke over the elegant curves of a silver Mercedes they passed.

“I wonder if Salvatore needs a Were assassin. I could use a pay grade that’s obviously in the Donald Trump territory.”

Jagr bristled. Salvatore might not be willing to take Regan as his queen, but he was more than interested in taking her to his bed. Jagr would see the king in hell first.

“There’s no need for Salvatore. The Anasso would willingly offer you whatever luxury you want.” His lips twisted. “I can promise you that his pay grade is much higher than Donald Trump.”

“I don’t need the Anasso’s charity.” She jerked her arm from his grasp. “Or the strings attached.”

“No, you’d much rather cut off your nose to spite your face,” he growled, ignoring her glare as he stopped next to a battered red truck. “This should do.”

“This?” She wrinkled her nose. “Are you kidding me? There’s a Lamborghini, a Porsche, an Aston Martin, and two Corvettes just begging to go for a drive, and you want to take this piece of junk?”

Opening the passenger side door, he eyed her with a lift of his brows. “I prefer not to attract any unwanted attention. How many Lamborghinis have you seen in Hannibal?”

“Fine.” She folded her arms over her chest. “Then why don’t we just go back the way we came? I’d rather run than be jolted around in this thing.”

“The curs won’t be looking for a red truck,” he pointed out. “And we might need it if either of us is injured.”

“Killjoy,” she muttered, grudgingly grabbing the handle of the door to vault into the high cab.

“So I’ve been told.”

Jagr waited until she was settled on the worn leather seat before closing the door and rounding the front of the truck to take his place behind the wheel. Ignoring the key in the ignition, he used his powers to start the powerful engine and headed toward the tunnel that led out of the underground complex.

They exited the tunnel in the middle of a thick tangle of trees and underbrush that hid the opening from prying eyes. Or at least from human eyes. Regan possessed enough wolf to spot the numerous cameras concealed among the branches, and the occasional vampire that slid through the dark shadows.

“Crap.” Her gaze lingered on the heat detectors hidden in a clump of wild daisies. “What happens if someone accidentally stumbles into this little Area 51?”

Jagr shrugged. “They’re removed and their memories altered.”

“Just like the other Area 51.”

His lips twitched. “Not quite.”

He took the narrow path through the surrounding fields, keeping the lights off until they reached a paved road heading south. Then ignoring any claim to intelligence, he gunned the engine and they hurtled their way toward Hannibal.

For long minutes they traveled in silence, Jagr brooding on his plunge into insanity and Regan watching the passing scenery with an odd sort of curiosity.

At last, Jagr chalked up his peculiar behavior to the onset of dementia and allowed his attention to return to the woman at his side.

“You’re frighteningly quiet. Are you plotting general mayhem, or just my own demise?”

“I’m enjoying the scenery.”

His gaze lingered on the fields that would eventually be planted with corn and soy beans and the occasional patch of sorghum. The recently tilled fields were no doubt a lovely sight for the local farmers, but hardly one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

“The scenery?”

Her lips curved into a wistful smile. “Culligan used to drive through the back roads when we traveled from town to town. I always envied the humans tucked safely in their beds with no idea of the monsters lurking in the dark.”

Jagr grimaced. He didn’t have a memory of his time as a human, but the rumors of his brutal rampages were legendary. There hadn’t been many tears shed when he’d mysteriously disappeared.

“Humans are not without their own share of monsters.”

“Maybe not, but the countryside always seems so peaceful. Especially at night.”

“Obviously you haven’t read In Cold Blood.”

She rolled her eyes. “Spoken like a true city vamp.”

“I haven’t always lived in cities, you know,” he drawled. “I’ve spent centuries hidden in lairs so remote I had to travel hours to feed.”

“Centuries of solitude?” She sucked in a deep breath. “It sounds like heaven.”

“At times.” He slowed the truck as he turned to study the smooth perfection of her profile. “There are also times when it’s lonely and tedious and frightening.”