Rocked by Love (Gargoyles, #4)(85)
“There really aren’t that many.”
Dag’s heart stopped in his chest as his tiny mate climbed up on the stage at Knox’s side and stood facing the ultimate corruption of Nazgahchuhl with nothing but a few feet of space separating them.
Kylie stood as she always did, with her head high and her shoulders back, looking like nothing so much as a bored college student facing off against an arrogant professor. He wanted to grab her and kiss her and tell her how proud she made him; then he wanted to turn her over his knee and beat the stuffing out of her for putting herself in danger and scaring millennia off his life.
“Not that many details, I mean,” Kylie continued. “Mostly it was just a matter of come here, kick your ass, then go home and eat babka.”
Nazgahchuhl turned his attention to Kylie, and Dag rumbled a warning. He couldn’t help it. It escaped without his permission, but at least he maintained enough control not to leap at the Demon’s throat, thus jeopardizing Wynn’s life.
“So you’re the little thing my servants were trying so hard to find,” the Demon mused, tilting his head as he gazed at her. “I can see how they overlooked you. You’re quite insignificant, aren’t you?”
“Short jokes? Really?” Kylie scoffed, which made Dag twitch. “You’re, like, as old as time, and the best you can come up with are short jokes?” Kylie looked at her mate and jerked a thumb in the Demon’s direction. “Is this thing for real?”
“I can assure you I am very real,” the Demon hissed, leaning forward over Wynn’s captive head to glare at the Warden. “If you don’t believe me, I’m certain your friends can share with you a few of my greatest achievements.”
While everyone concentrated on the conversation between the Demon and Kylie, Dag became aware of more movement. From the floor of the auditorium, Fil approached with Spar by her side. They climbed onto the stage between Kees and Knox, providing the last pieces in a wall of opposition to Nazgahchuhl and his plans.
The Demon saw them—everyone saw them—but its reaction was not what Dag had expected. Instead of growing more tense in the face of the combined power of four Guardians and three Wardens, the Demon smiled and seemed almost to relax.
“Well, now, I see the gang is finally all here,” it said, sounding almost cheerful. “Excellent.”
Once again, Kylie’s mouth took off. “What? You were waiting to ask for our autographs?”
Fil snorted and this time the Demon just smiled.
“Oh, no, nothing like that,” it said dismissively. “But now I have the chance to tell you all how much I appreciate your kind assistance.”
Dag’s gut clenched as he realized something was very, very wrong.
“Assistance?” Kylie demanded, fisting her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. “You think we helped you out today?” She looked at Dag. “He’s a meshugener.”
“Oh, no, I can assure you I am quite sane,” the Demon practically purred. “Quite intelligent, too. I had to be in order to plan out this little distraction so convincingly.”
“Distraction,” Dag snarled. He had a bad, bad feeling.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll read all about it in the news, but I really couldn’t have done it without you.”
Kylie shook her head. “Zayn vort zol zayn a brik, volt ikh moyre gehat aribertsugeyn. If his word were a bridge, I’d be afraid to cross it,” she muttered. “You’re trying to tell us that you didn’t really set this up and attempt to massacre all of these people because you wanted to. You just thought it would keep us busy while you did something more important. You couldn’t have just sent us to the movies?”
“I never said this little event wasn’t fun,” the Demon taunted. “And delicious.” It licked its lips, and Kylie made gagging noises. “I’m merely saying that this is not the only city in the world, and that death tastes sweet all over.” It gave a sigh of pleasure that raised growls from all four Guardians. “But enough chitchat. I’m afraid I must be going.”
Dag tensed at the statement and leaped, forgetting the knife at Wynn’s throat, forgetting the poor odds, forgetting everything but the need to seize the Demon before it could escape.
He was too late.
They all were. The Guardians crashed together in the spot where Nazgahchuhl had stood, nothing there but an empty space and an extremely ticked-off witch who told them all in no uncertain terms to get their fat asses off her.
Knox scooped her up in his arms and cradled her to his chest, crooning reassurances at her until she slapped him upside the head and demanded to be set back on her feet.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, loudly, as the others gathered around in concern. “The scratch on my neck doesn’t even need a bandage, and that flying monkey barely dropped me six feet. Quit worrying. About me, anyway. If anyone wants to worry about what the Demon meant by his psychotic little spiel, I’d be happy to join you.”
Suddenly a scream rang out from the middle of the auditorium floor, and Dag turned to see that the spell the Demon had cast to freeze everyone in place had ended as abruptly as the creature had disappeared. Instantly, he and the other Guardians shifted to human and looked to their mates.
“Anyone know how we’re going to explain this?”