Beyond the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #6)(88)

She reached to place a comforting hand on his forearm. “I ran across Hess when I was searching for you. He was…” She abruptly halted, considering her words. Salvatore didn’t need to be reminded that he’d been forced to beat the poor cur to a bloody pulp. “Disoriented, but I’m sure he managed to get the others free and lead them out of the caves.”

His lips twisted with rueful amusement at her unusual attempt at tact.

“Even if they weren’t caught in the collapse, they will need to be near me.”

She couldn’t argue with that. Salvatore could help heal both the physical and mental wounds the curs had suffered.

Luckily, there were any number of other things to argue about.

“You didn’t answer my question. Are you going after Briggs?”

“It’s my duty.”

“This has nothing to do with duty,” she gritted. “You want revenge.”

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “I might have more than one motive, but the bottom line is that I can’t allow the bastard to escape.” The golden eyes glowed, his voice roughening with fury. “He nearly destroyed the Weres once. He won’t get a second chance.”

She understood his desire for revenge. She really and truly did. But that didn’t mean she was going to let him stumble into a potential trap. Not when he was blinded by anger.

“What could he do without the demon lord to give him magic?”

“No doubt he’s already attempting to discover a way to reopen the portal.”

Her brows jerked together at the mere thought. “Good God. Is that possible?”

“I don’t intend to find out.”

Her lips tightened. “So your plan is to charge off like the Lone Ranger to capture the bad guy?”

A hint of amusement sparkled in his eyes. “Lone Ranger?”

“Do you prefer Batman? Hellboy? Incredible Hulk?”

He framed her face in his hands, peering deep into her eyes.

“Does it matter if I do charge off?”

“You’re damned right it matters.”

“Why?”

“Because…” She licked her dry lips. “Because it’s stupid to take such a risk. You’re supposed to be a king. You have an endless number of Weres and curs who can kill Briggs.”

“Hardly endless.”

“You know what I mean.”

His gaze lowered to her mouth, his thumbs teasing the corner of her lips.

“I could send others in my place, but I won’t be satisfied unless I watch him die with my eyes, preferably by my own hands.”

Her heart faltered. Not at the jolt of need that clenched her stomach. Being near Salvatore would always stir her desire. No, it was the melting tenderness of his touch that was doing all sorts of dangerous things to her heart.

“Fine.” She was forced to halt and clear the huskiness from her voice. Just like a starry-eyed romantic. Damn. She determinedly squared her shoulders. “But you can forget going by yourself.”

His thumb feathered over her bottom lip. “Are you giving me orders, cara?”

“I’m a queen, aren’t I?”

He stilled, his gaze sweeping over her upturned face with an unnerving intensity.

“You said you didn’t want the position. Have you changed your mind?”

“I…” Her mouth was dry, parched.

With exquisite deliberation, Salvatore slowly lowered his head, brushing a soft kiss down the line of her nose.

“Harley?”

“I’m going with you.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

Salvatore pulled back, regarding her with lifted brows. “That’s your explanation? Because?”

She ignored the hint of smug pleasure in his voice. She didn’t want to dissect her violent reaction to the thought of Salvatore leaving her behind.

All that mattered was that she kept him from doing something stupid.

“My explanation is that you’re not going alone, and that’s final.”

“Hardly a reasonable argument,” he countered.

“Fine.” Her chin tilted. “Either I’m worthy of being your queen or not. If you insist on going after Briggs, then we’ll go together.”

He stilled, as if caught off guard by her words. Then, with a slow smile he bent his head.

“Si.” His kiss was soft and savoring, as if she were the most precious treasure. “Together.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Caine didn’t know how long he had been unconscious.

Actually, he didn’t know how he became unconscious.

He remembered shifting as a black, malevolent fog had entered the cave. There had been pain. Not the someone’s-going-to-pay-for-this kind of pain, but the holy-shit-I’m-going-to-die kind of pain.

He had wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball on the floor and whimper. Just like a beaten pup. And that might have been his fate if he hadn’t seen the strange mist headed directly for Cassandra.

Instinct had taken over, and with a howl of fury, he had leaped directly into the path of the advancing fog. He didn’t care what the hell the thing was, it wasn’t going to touch the female pureblood.

And that’s when things got fuzzy.

Groaning, he forced his eyes open, wishing he hadn’t when the flickering candlelight sent a stab of pain through him.