Beyond the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #6)(61)

The vampire’s starkly beautiful features tightened, but astonishingly, he headed obediently toward the door.

“I’ll be downstairs. I need Dante to bring Abby here.”

Darcy’s brows lifted in surprise. “Abby?”

“I have a few questions for her.”

Harley’s sister pointed a finger at her mate. “Please remember to make it an invitation, not a royal command.”

A smile curved the vampire’s lips even as he assumed an arrogant expression.

“What is the benefit of being the Anasso if I can’t issue royal commands?”

Darcy chuckled. “I’ll remind you of a few benefits later.”

“You think you can use such a shameless ploy to control me?” he demanded, his fangs extending and his voice thickening with tangible desire.

“Yes.”

“You’re right.” Without the least embarrassment at acknowledging his mate’s power, Styx offered Harley a small dip of his head. “Sister-mate, welcome to our home.”

Waiting until the frightening vampire had stepped over the threshold and shut the door behind his retreating form, Darcy moved to take Harley’s hand in a light grasp, her smile apologetic.

“He promised he only wished to ask you a few questions. I should have known he’d try to bully you.” She rolled her eyes. “Vampires.”

Harley’s wariness eased at her sister’s teasing. Attired in a faded pair of jeans and casual white shirt, with her sweet smile, she didn’t look like the Queen of Vampires.

Actually she looked like a high school cheerleader who should be working on her algebra and dating the quarterback.

“Trust me, Weres aren’t any different,” Harley countered.

“You’re right. It’s men in general.”

“All that testosterone putrefies their brains.”

They shared the universal sigh of female resignation at the follies of men.

“I’m Darcy.” Her sister squeezed her fingers. “And you’re a most honored guest in my home, sister.”

Harley pulled her hand free, bothered by the strange sense of connection flowing through her blood at Darcy’s touch.

As delighted as she was to meet her sister, she wasn’t ready to lower her guard. Darcy was, after all, bound to the vampires. Her loyalty would be to her mate and his people.

“Guest or prisoner?” she demanded.

“Never a prisoner, Harley. I promise.”

Unnerved to be staring into a face so remarkably similar to her own, Harley paced toward the tall arched windows. Night had recently fallen, bathing the rolling parkland that surrounded the mansion in velvet shadows, but in the distance Harley could see the Chicago skyline strikingly outlined in lights.

At any other time she might have appreciated the beautiful view. She rarely had had the opportunity to spend time in a large, vibrant city that offered endless entertainment. But not tonight.

There was a disturbing emptiness in the center of her being that was making her twitchy as hell. She needed to be out of the elegant mansion and on the hunt.

Now.

“Is our other sister here as well?” she demanded, as much to know how many others might try to stand in her path as in genuine curiosity.

Later she would appreciate the sisters she thought she’d lost.

“No, Regan left earlier today.” Darcy heaved a loud sigh. “Like you, she seemed to believe I was secretly plotting to hold her against her will. I really am a nice person. I only want to get to know my sisters.”

Harley turned with a frown. “I thought she was in love or mated to a vampire or something?”

“She’ll be mated once she stops running from fate. Poor Jagr.” The green eyes narrowed as Darcy studied her with unnerving intensity. “And speaking of matings…”

Harley shifted, feeling like a dork as a heat flooded her cheeks.

She hadn’t grown up with sisters or best friends. She hadn’t gone to sleepovers where she could giggle and talk about boys.

Her private feelings had always been that. Private.

She wasn’t ready to discuss whatever was happening between her and Salvatore.

“I’m not mated.”

“No, but Salvatore has marked you.” Darcy’s gaze never wavered. “You know how amazing this is, don’t you?”

“It’s not something I’ve given a lot of thought to. We’ve been a little busy,” Harley pointed out dryly.

“Yes.” Darcy flashed her sweet smile. “Levet did say you were escaping from the curs who were holding you captive.”

“Levet.” Harley happily latched onto the opportunity to deflect her sister’s attention. “Good God, I forgot about the poor thing. Is he here?”

“No, and to be honest I’m worried about him.” There was no mistaking Darcy’s genuine concern. “He contacted Shay when he first escaped the tunnels, but we haven’t heard from him since. It’s not like him to just disappear.”

Harley grimaced, a sudden stab of guilt piercing her heart. They should never have allowed the poor little gargoyle to go off alone.

“He might have been captured by Caine.”

“Would the curs hurt him?”

Despite his reputation, Caine wasn’t completely amoral. But nothing was allowed to threaten his precious dreams of immortality.