Embrace The Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #2)(7)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

She would never be just an easy lay. Her lover would never know when he kissed her whether she would wrap her legs around him or rip his heart out.

It added a delicious dash of excitement that he hadn’t felt in far too long.

With his eyes still transfixed by the gentle sway of her hips Viper was forced to step to the side as Shay came to a sharp halt in front of the gleaming black limo.

"Is this yours?" she demanded.

"For my sins."

She forced a smile to her lips, but Viper could feel her wariness. She seemed more disturbed than impressed by his blatant display of wealth.

"Nice."

"I like to live well." With a smooth motion Viper pulled the door open and motioned with his hand. "After you."

There was a tense beat, and then with a tilt of her chin, Shay was climbing into the dimly lit depths.

"Holy crap." she muttered beneath her breath.

He smiled as he settled in the seat across from her. The cat was a work of art. Plush white seats, polished satinwood, moonroof, built-in wine cabinet, and plasma TV.

What more could a discerning vampire desire?

Waiting until the car smoothly purred from the curb, Viper pulled out two crystal glasses and poured them a generous measure of his favorite vintage.

"Wine? It is a particularly exquisite burgundy."

She took the glass only to sniff at it as if she feared it might be poison. "I wouldn’t know the difference if you had brewed it in your bathtub."

Viper hid his smile by taking an appreciative sip of me wine. "I see I shall have to introduce you to me delights of fine living."

The golden eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you bother? It can’t matter to you if I appreciate expensive wine or mile-long limos."

He gave a small shrug. "I prefer a companion who possesses a bit of sophistication."

"Companion?" Shay gave a short, humorless laugh. "Me?"

"I did pay a great deal of money for you. Did you believe that I intended to hide you away in some damp cell?"

"Why not? You can drain me as easily in a damp cell as anywhere."

Viper sprawled with elegant ease in his seat, wincing slightly as his injuries protested at the pressure against them. They would be healed within a few hours, but until then they would be a painful reminder of his most recent battle.

"It is true that I could make a fortune off your blood," he murmured, regarding her tight expression over the rim of his glass. "Vampires would pay any price for a taste of your potent elixir. However, I have no desperate need for more wealth, and for the moment I prefer to keep you to myself."

"Your own private stock?" she rasped, folding her arms over her stomach.

"Perhaps," he murmured in distracted tones as he reached into a small compartment beneath his seat and removed a small ceramic pot. "Hold out your arms."

She predictably stiffened, her breath catching in horror. She had made it clear that she considered sharing her blood with a vampire a fate worse than death.

"What?"

"I said, hold out your arms."

"Now?"

"Now."

Her jaw worked as she glared at him with fury. Viper held out a slender hand, calmly waiting.

Long moments passed before she muttered a low curse and thrust out her arm.

"Here."

Grasping her forearm in one hand he used his other hand to scoop out the pale green cream from the ceramic pot and carefully began to smear it on the red and blistered skin of her wrists. The wounds from the iron shackles would scar unless proper care was taken.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"There is no need for you to suffer. I have no liking for witches, but not even I can deny they know how to brew a hell of an ointment."

A frown touched her brow as he reached to tend to her other wrist.

"Why are you doing this?"

"You’re injured."

"Yes, but… why do you care?"

Viper met her gaze steadily. "You belong to me now. I take care of my own."

Her lips thinned, not entirely happy with his explanation, but her muscles relaxed beneath his gentle touch and she didn’t try to pull away. Not until he lifted her wrist so he could press his lips to her raw skin.

"No, please," she whispered, "I…"

Without warning her eyes widened, and with a powerful movement that caught him off guard, she had pulled free of his hold and had her hand pressed to the window.

Viper tensed at the sudden danger in the air. "What is it?"

"The darkness from the auction house," she whispered. "It’s following us."

"Get down." he commanded, once again reaching beneath the seat. On this occasion he pulled out a sleek handgun.

There was a sudden thump as the limo was hit from behind and Viper muttered a low curse. He wasn’t concerned they would wreck. The car had been built to withstand a small nuclear bomb. And, of course, his driver was a vampire. Pierre’s reflexes were the best he had ever seen. Not to mention the fact he was immortal.

The perfect chauffeur.

But he would have the heart of anyone stupid enough to so blatantly attack him.

Leaning sideways Viper slowly lowered the smoke-tinted window. A gust of air whipped through the interior, stealing the comforting warmth. Fall had descended without mercy, leaving a chilled edge to the night

Behind them a large jeep was continuing to accelerate in a futile effort to run them off the road. Even at a distance he could. tell that there were two passengers, and that they were both human.

"Give me one."

Startled by Shay’s soft demand Viper turned to regard her with a narrowed gaze.

"You know how to use a gun?"

"Yes."

Keeping his gaze locked on her wide eyes he reached beneath the seat to offer her a handgun similar to his own. With startling efficiency she measured the balance of the gun in her hand, before smoothly flicking off the safety.

He would wager his finest ruby it was not the first occasion she held a gun.

Not precisely reassuring.

At least she wasn’t about to accidentally shoot off her foot, or worse his own, he wryly acknowledged as he rolled down the opposite window.

"Aim at the tires," he commanded, leaning out the window and steadying his hip against the door. He paused, sighted, pulled the trigger, and took out the front tire with one shot. On the other side of the car Shay sprayed a line of bullets, at last puncturing the other tire. The pursuing car pulled hard to the right and Viper managed a shot through the side window, hitting the driver although it was impossible to tell if it was a killing blow.