Embrace The Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #2)(61)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

The tall, bronzed vampire simply known as Styx did not strike her as a particularly stupid man. Cold, ruthless, and inflexible. But not stupid.

Pausing only long enough to make sure the street was vampire-troll-hellbound free Shay slipped through the shadows, and began retracing her steps to Dante’s sprawling mansion. She needed help and she needed it fast.

The thought had barely flashed through her mind when her sensitive nose caught a familiar scent. Coming to a halt she cast a startled glance toward the top of a nearby building, nearly missing the vague shadow that scampered along the roof.

Levet.

Thank God.

With a burst of speed she was across the street and down a narrow alley. The ladder that zigzagged its way up the side of the building was rusty and none too steady, but she barely noticed the drunken sway as she clambered up the steps and landed softly on the flat roof.

The tiny gargoyle had reached the edge of the building, but at the sound of her footfalls he abruptly whirled with his hands outstretched as if to toss a spell in her direction.

"No… Levet, it’s me," she hastily whispered.

"Shay?"

"Yes."

"Holy mother of God. You nearly gave me a heart attack," the gargoyle breathed as he swiftly waddled to join her. A few steps away he came to an abrupt halt, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "Gak. What is that stench? Where is your shirt? Did you…"

Shay lifted an impatient hand. "Shhh. Where is Dante?"

"He went charging off to gather the cavalry." Levet planted his hands on his hips. "How did you get loose? I thought those vampires had you for sure."

She shivered, and not just from the cold.

Vampires. Why did it have to be vampires?

"I used a drainage pipe to escape the warehouse, but Viper is still stuck in there."

"Not any longer."

She reached out to grasp his arm. "What do you mean?"

"They tossed him into a very long limo and took off."

Her heart gave a painful jerk. Shit. It was precisely what she feared the most.

"Damn." She licked her dry lips and battled back the flare of fear. Panic, bad. Thinking, good. "We have to go after him."

Levet gave a twitch of his tail. "That’s what I was in the process of doing when you came leaping behind me."

"Fine, let’s go."

The gargoyle moved just enough to block her path, his expression concerned.

"Shay?"

"What?"

"Do you really think it’s a good idea for you to come with me? It’s you they’re after. If you get anywhere close …"

Shay reached out to grasp his shoulder, shivering as a cold breeze brushed over her skin.

Damn. She needed to find some clothes.

And a cross.

And several very, very large stakes.

"I’m coming Levet."

"Ouch. No need to pinch the wings." Pulling free the gargoyle gave a flutter of his delicate wings. "If you want to plunge into danger and get the rest of us killed, then so be it."

Shay wrapped her arms about herself. "I’m already in danger."

"Not if you return to the Phoenix. There’s not a demon around who would dare to piss her off."

"Not even Abby can protect me now."

"Of course she can. She’s a goddess, isn’t she?"

"Think, Levet," she commanded. "They have Viper."

"Are you drunk? I know they have Viper. I just told you that."

Her teeth gritted as she resisted the urge to give him a good shake. "They have Viper and I’m Viper’s slave. He holds my amulet."

"And… oh." The gray face managed to become downright white. "Oh. No, you truly must be drunk if you think Viper will deliberately call you into the hands of your enemies. I might think him an arrogant pain in the ass, but he would never allow you to be harmed."

This time her shiver was not from the cold. "Not intentionally."

Levet frowned. "Shay?"

She hunched her shoulders as old memories rose up like nasty bile.

"Levet, we have both been at the mercy of enemies. We know what it is to be tortured," she said in raw tones. "All that blathering about glorious honor and loyalty is for fairy tales, not reality. In truth a person can be forced to do anything. Even if it goes against everything they hold dear."

He flinched, as his hand instinctively lifted to touch the scars that marred his chest. The trolls had found it loads of fun to use a miniature gargoyle as target practice. At least until Shay had arrived and threatened to cut off their manhood. Amazing how that threat managed to transcend race, culture, and species.

"No." Levet gave a shake of his head. "Not Viper. The amulet must be freely given and he will never do that."

It was what she feared the most, she abruptly realized. Not that he would break beneath the torture, but that he wouldn’t. Viper was just stubborn enough to allow himself to die before he would call her to his side.

It was a sacrifice that would break her as nothing else could.

"Then they will kill him and I will still be at their mercy," she rasped.

Levet lifted his hands to rub his temples. "You are giving me a headache. What do you mean?"

"If they hold Evor then killing Viper will still force me into their clutches. I cannot escape the curse."

Levet muttered a string of French curses as he at last understood her head was directly beneath the guillotine.

"Sacrebleu, when you tumble into a quagmire you really tumble, don’t you?"

That was one way of putting it.

"We have to rescue him, Levet. And we have to do it now."

Chapter Twenty

Viper decided that the black limo could hardly compare to his own.

Although suitably large and boasting soft leather seats, it offered few other luxuries. No soothing music, no plasma TV, no champagne cooling on ice.

Of course, he had to concede, his own limo didn’t have any silver shackles hanging from the ceiling that could conveniently hold even the most furious vampire captive. An oversight he would have corrected if he ever managed to get out of this damnable mess.

Ignoring the silver that burned into his wrists, he gave another futile tug on the chains that bound him. Anything was better than brooding on the traitor who sat on the seat opposite him, or worse, the knowledge that Shay was out there alone.

With a click of his tongue, Styx pulled off his cape to reveal the black leather pants and thick sweater that covered his large form.

"Your struggles are futile and will only hurt you, Viper," he said.

Lowering his gaze Viper glared at the man who had once stood at his side. Whatever their friendship in the past he would never forgive Styx for this.