Embrace The Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #2)(36)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

In fact it was almost a relief when he muttered something I beneath his breath and slammed out the back door.

"I do not know why that vampire is in such a foul mood," Levet muttered, working his way through his fourth bowl of stew. "Thanks to me he was not turned into a pile of dust. And with your swift thinking you managed to defeat the Lu. He should be bowing at our feet in gratitude, not stomping around as if he has a stake stuck up his butt."

Shay sighed as she moved aside the empty pie pan. "I wouldn’t push it right now, Levet."

Something in her tone made the gargoyle regard her with a raised brow. "Cherie, exactly what did I manage to interrupt?"

A stupid blush touched her cheeks. "I said don’t push it."

Levet gave a sudden laugh. "Ah … so your hatred of vampires does not extend to the boudoir? I cannot fault your taste. He is gorgeous in a cold, arrogant sort of manner."

Shay regarded her friend with a dangerous frown. "You think Viper arrogant? Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?"

"Pot?" Levet gave a helpless lift of his hands. "I do not know what this black pot is."

Shay rolled her eyes. "Forget it, Levet. You’ve been in America since the Revolution. Your command of English is better than my own."

"English, bah. Such a foul language. There is no romance, no beauty. Just horrid noises that grate upon my delicate ears."

Attempting to appear casual Shay gave a lift of her brow. Somehow, someway, this ridiculous gargoyle had become an important part of her life. She couldn’t bear to think of him being hurt because of her.

"Then why do you remain here? Why not return to France?"

A shudder raced through the small, gray body. "You mean to the loving arms of my family? Sacrebleu, I would not survive such a reunion. The last that I heard my brothers were determined to have my head upon a pike."

Shay grimaced. "Yeah, families are a bitch. From all I have discovered most of my extended kin are bloodthirsty assassins who often keep the skins of their kills as trophies."

"Charming."

She tugged on her long braid that was still damp from the shower. "There are places besides France for you to go. I’ve heard Italy is a beautiful country."

A beat passed as the gargoyle stared at her with growing suspicion. "Are you attempting to be rid of me?"

She hesitated as she tried to come up with a reasonable lie beneath that steady regard. At last she blew out a sigh. Shit. She never could manage to lie worth a crap.

"Levet we both know that I’m not safe to be around. Something out there wants me dead and they don’t care who they have to hurt to get to me."

His wings twitched in outrage. "You think me a coward to run from danger? Why do you not just cut off my manhood and be done with it?"

"I have never thought you a coward, but it’s stupid to put yourself in danger when there is no need."

Levet ducked his head to finish off the last of his stew. And more importantly to hide his expression from her.

"I have nothing better to do for the moment. I might as well remain and protect you while I await something to catch my fancy."

Shay found herself ridiculously touched. For all his grumpiness the gargoyle did care for her.

"Levet—" About to demand that he find someplace safer to be, Shay was abruptly cut off as a roar split the night air. "What the hell was that?"

Levet hopped off his chair to go to the door and pull it open. "The howls of the damned. Or a very angry vampire. They seem to be coming from the garage."

"The garage." Shay slowly lifted herself to her feet as a sense of dread filled her stomach. "Oh."

"What is it?" Levet demanded.

"I might have had some difficulties with Viper’s car."

"What sort of car?"

"A Porsche, I think. What does it matter?"

Levet rolled his eyes heavenward. "Holy mother of God."

Shay frowned as the gargoyle grabbed a loaf of freshly baked bread and headed toward the stairs to the basement.

"Where are you going?"

"To find shelter from the coming storm."

There was another roar and Shay pressed a hand to her cramped stomach. "You just promised you would remain to protect me."

Levet sent her a raspberry. "You wrecked a man’s Porsche. You are on your own."

"Traitor." she called after the retreating demon.

Her voice was still ringing through the kitchen when the back door was thrust open and a surge of power rushed over her skin as Viper stepped into the room.

Despite her best intentions Shay discovered herself backing into the nearby counter as he swept forward.

"What did you do?" He came to a halt a few steps away, as if not at all certain he could trust himself to be any closer. Shay clutched the countertop behind her, grudgingly accepting that even in his fury he was fiercely beautiful. It was almost an effort not to reach out and touch him just to remind herself he was real and not just some fantasy from a woman’s dream. "Stop by a demolition derby on your way?"

She sternly gathered her thoughts.

Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.

"I’m not used to driving a stick."

"So you drove it into every tree and ditch you could discover?"

Her lips thinned at his sharp tone. Beautiful or not there were times when he was damn annoying.

"It’s not that bad."

"It’s a total wreck."

"I’ll admit that there are a few scratches and dents, hardly a wreck."

The midnight eyes narrowed. "The drive shaft is beyond repair, the transmission is shot, the—"

"Okay, there are some problems," she interrupted, inwardly wincing as she recalled just how many ditches and trees she had managed to locate. "It’s just a car."

"Just a car?" He blinked as if she had spoken a foreign language. "That is saying that a Picasso is just another painting. It is … was a masterpiece."

"You were the one who ordered me to take a car and leave."

"I did not realize that I needed to specify that it be returned in one piece."

Enough. Her chin stuck out and she planted her hands on her hips. He had to be the most insensitive, ungrateful, ill-mannered vampire ever to walk the earth.

"What do you want from me? An apology?"

For a moment he continued to glare at her and then without warning his rotten mood seemed to slide away and that dangerous, sinful smile slowly curved his lips.

"Mmm… what do I want from you." He moved forward with a sensuous grace. "An intriguing question."