Embrace The Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #2)(39)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

"You know I was furious when I discovered that he had bought you from that horrid slave trader. I couldn’t believe that he would do such a thing after you had saved his life."

Well, thank freaking God.

At least someone understood her outrage.

"Trust me, neither could I."

"But now, I must admit, I begin to wonder if his intentions were entirely selfish."

"Well, he most certainly didn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart," Shay felt compelled to point out.

"Perhaps not entirely. He is after all a vampire." She gave a chuckle. "But, I do think that you intrigued him enough that he felt compelled to seek you out."

Shay gave an unconscious shiver. She agreed that she had intrigued Viper. Just not for the reasons a woman wanted to intrigue a man.

"I’m the last Shalott. Vampires have been hunting us since the beginning of time."

"That might be true, but you don’t look like you’ve been too harshly abused."

Shay could have lied and pointed out that as a demon she healed with remarkable speed, but it would have been grossly unfair.

Viper had treated her with a tenderness that was as unnerving as it was unexpected. And even if she couldn’t entirely trust that he wouldn’t abruptly become the monster she dreaded, she had no reason for complaints.

"He has made… certain promises," she admitted.

"Ah."

What the ah meant Shay was never destined to discover as the door to the library was pushed open and a tall, raven-haired vampire entered the room.

"Sorry to intrude, my love, but Viper has returned," Dante murmured with an apologetic smile.

Shay stiffened, her stomach clenching with dread. To have returned so swiftly could only mean he couldn’t dig up any information of value.

"Already?"

Dante glanced toward his wife. "He has brought with him a witch."

It was Abby’s turn to stiffen. "He brought a witch to this house?"

Dante lifted his hands in a helpless motion. "He swears she is here to help Shay find the truth of her curse."

There was a tense moment before Abby turned to regard Shay with, a searching gaze.

"Do you wish to meet with her?"

Shay licked her dry lips. She better than anyone understood Abby’s distaste for witches. Nothing like a near-death experience to bring people together.

Still, she had to trust that Viper knew what he was doing.

Dammit.

"I suppose I should"

As if sensing the effort the words had taken, Abby gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

"Don’t worry. We’ll be with you."

Chapter Twelve

Styx was waiting in the lower caverns when Damocles strolled in through the darkness and moved toward the scrying pool.

As always Styx felt a surge of disgust for the flamboyant imp. Despite the bare rock and muddy floor the fool was attired in a rich, velvet robe that was heavily embroidered with golden thread. Even his hair was carefully arranged and threaded with those ridiculous leaves that filled the air with an annoying sound of bells. But it was more than his frivolous clothes and mocking manner that made Styx grit his teeth. The demon had brought nothing but misery and grief in his wake.

Had he been wise he would have turned the imp away the moment he had appeared. How could they possibly trust a demon who had once been a faithful servant to a vampire the Ravens had been forced to kill?

Unfortunately he had been blind to the danger until too late. Now he was forced to clean up the unfortunate mess as best he was able.

Waiting until the imp was nearly upon him Styx slid silently from the shadows to block his path.

"So you have failed again, imp," he said in cold tones. "We do not have the Shalott, and even the pathetic troll eluded your grasp."

Coming to a halt the imp performed an elaborate bow before rising to regard Styx with a lift of his brows.

"Failed? Such a harsh word. Especially for a poor man who has just lost his most treasured pet." His hands swept down the black velvet of his gown. "Can you not see that I am in mourning?"

Styx bared his fangs. He had been furious when he had learned that Damocles had wakened the Lu and sent him rampaging through Chicago. They might as well have sent an engraved invitation to every one of their enemies.

"All I can see is a treacherous imp who feathers his own nest while serving poison to his master."

Damocles pressed a hand to his chest, his expression one of mocking innocence. "Poison? Whatever do you mean?"

"Do not think that I am unaware of those goblets that you sneak to the master’s bedchambers each night."

"It is true that I send a mixture of rare potions to help ease our master’s pain." The imp shrugged. "Would you rather watch him suffer, or perhaps waste away entirely?"

"It was your foul concoctions that have brought him so low."

Something flashed in the pale green eyes. Something that was dark and dangerous. Instinctively, Styx slid his hand beneath his robe to touch the hilt of his dagger.

"An evil charge? Can you offer proof?"

"I know that the master was improving greatly after…" In spite of himself Styx discovered that he was reluctant to continue.

"After you captured the Shalott’s father and offered him up as a sacrificial lamb?" Damocles finished with a smile that made Styx struggle to maintain his icy calm.

By the saints he hated to be reminded of that necessary evil. Even after all these years it possessed the power to strike deep at his conscience.

Strange considering he could drown in the blood he had shed.

"Yes," he gritted.

"I heard that he managed to kill three of your Ravens before you were able to beat him senseless and drag him to this cave."

The desire to sink his teeth deep into the imp’s slender throat and drain him dry was nearly overwhelming. Only the commands of his master kept him from being rid of the nasty pest.

"Regardless, the blood of the Shalott had cleansed him of his illness until you arrived with your… potions," he accused, his hand still on his dagger.

The imp gave a toss of his golden curls. "I have only done what was commanded of me by my master. Do you question his decisions?"

"I should have sliced off your head the moment you appeared."

"Ah, you would lay the sins of the master at the feet of the servant? Is that your notion of justice, Sir-Holier-Than-Thou?"

Styx gave a low hiss. "If there were any true justice, you would have died alongside your previous master."

"As you would have done?"

"If necessary."