Beyond the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #6)(62)

“Caine’s more likely to hold him captive if he thinks the gargoyle could bring him leverage against Salvatore or the vampires.”

They exchanged rueful glances, both knowing Salvatore or the vamps wouldn’t lift a finger to save the miniature demon.

“And if there is no leverage?” Darcy demanded.

“Then all bets are off.”

“Crap.” Darcy wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m not going to be happy if Levet is hurt.”

Oddly, Harley realized she, too, was worried about the gargoyle. He didn’t deserve to be caught in nasty Were politics.

“I’ll do what I can to discover what’s happened to him,” she promised.

Darcy bit her lower lip, looking far from reassured.

“Harley, I understand if you want revenge after being held prisoner by Caine for so long, but I can’t bear the thought of you putting yourself in danger. If you’ll wait, I’m certain we can figure out a suitable punishment together.”

Punishment? Harley’s brows snapped together. As if she’d waste a minute plotting revenge on the curs.

“Thanks, but I don’t give a crap about Caine.”

“Then why are you so anxious to leave?”

“Because Salvatore’s an idiot and the vampires are jackasses.”

“Okay,” Darcy said slowly. “I don’t disagree, but maybe you could be more specific. Why is Salvatore an idiot?”

Harley’s lips twisted in a humorless smile.

Oh, let her count the ways.

She chose the most pressing stupidity.

“He’s out there trying to stop some mutant freak who might or might not be a puppet of a demon lord.”

“And the vampires?”

“They won’t do a damned thing to stop his suicide mission.”

Darcy was smart enough not to pretend that Styx possessed any warm and fussy feelings for Salvatore. Or that the vamps would charge to the rescue.

“What do you intend to do?”

“Find Salvatore.”

“And then?”

“That’s as far as my plan goes.”

Darcy grasped Harley’s hands and regarded her with a somber expression.

“Harley, will you trust me?”

Harley stiffened. “I’ve heard those words before.”

“Will you?” Darcy squeezed her fingers. “Please?”

There was a short, uncomfortable silence before Harley heaved a noisy sigh.

“Dammit, I’m going to regret this.”

Chapter Sixteen

If Caine’s nerves hadn’t been scraped raw, he might have found humor in the journey through the dark, narrow tunnel that burrowed deep beneath the abandoned graveyard.

It was straight out of a B horror flick.

A brewing storm. Creepy caves. Monsters lurking in the dark.

All he needed was a half-dressed woman screaming at the top of her lungs and a stoner friend wandering off to get chopped in half.

As it was, he didn’t find anything remotely funny about leading the four furious curs through the echoing darkness, his skin crawling at the evil that pulsed through the labyrinth of caverns.

He suddenly realized he knew exactly how a condemned man felt walking to the execution chamber.

Clenching his jaw, he held the gun he’d loaded with silver bullets and glanced over his shoulder at the curs who grudgingly followed behind him.

It hadn’t been a difficult task to capture Salvatore’s faithful servants. Or even to keep them suitably leashed once his own curs had clamped heavy silver collars around their necks. For the moment they were so weak they could barely put one foot in front of another.

But it had taken a whole new level of stupidity to leave Andre to guard the Jeep parked behind the abandoned church and enter the caves.

A damned shame that running away like a freaking puss was no longer an option.

“Salvatore’s going to skin you alive and feed your entrails to the vultures,” the tall, bald-headed cur growled as he stumbled behind Caine.

“That’s the fourth time you’ve used that same threat, moron,” Salvatore snapped. “If you can’t think of a new one, then keep your trap shut.”

“It’s not a threat, it’s a promise.”

Caine tightened his grip on the gun, sick to death of Salvatore Giuliani.

“Are you so certain?” he sneered. “It seems to me that your precious king saved his own hide and left you swinging in the breeze.”

“You know nothing.”

“I know Salvatore had plenty of time and opportunity to warn you that he’d escaped and was having a fine time with his current bitch.”

The blond-haired cur who Caine suspected had a smidgen more intelligence than the others, snapped his teeth in fury.

“You’re wasting your time, traitor. Our loyalty to the king will never waver.”

Caine snorted. Okay, the cur was just as brainless as the others.

“Depressingly predictable,” he muttered. “I’m sick of curs who are content to be the butt-monkeys of the Weres. Just because you were made, and not born a werewolf, doesn’t make you any less worthy. It’s your precious Salvatore that has weakened and controlled you to make sure he always has a ready supply of willing slaves. Christ, he’s brought us to the point of extinction to keep control. Don’t you care that your brothers are dying?”