Beyond the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #6)(93)

“We’ll go together.”

“Giuliani.” She narrowed her eyes. “If you wanted a female who likes being treated as if she needs a big, strong male to protect her, then you shouldn’t have chosen me.”

Salvatore heaved a sigh. Then, bravely ignoring the handguns that could cause a number of nasty injuries, he brushed his thumb along the line of her stubborn jaw.

“There will never be a moment when I won’t need to protect you, cara. I can’t change that.”

She stepped back, her expression grim. “My entire life was controlled by Caine. I won’t be leashed again.”

Her voice was flat, emotionless, but Salvatore knew that she meant every word.

“And I thought battling a demon lord was going to be difficult,” he muttered. “I’ll meet you back here in an hour.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Aware of the urgency that beat through Salvatore’s blood, Harley moved swiftly past the broken fence of the graveyard and into the cornfield beyond. She should be annoyed. It was difficult enough to deal with her own jumbled mess of emotions without adding a direct, wireless connection to Salvatore’s. Tonight, however, her only thought was making sure that the stubborn Were didn’t end up dead.

And that meant finding Briggs before the freak-of-nature could regain his strength.

Crisscrossing the field to make sure she didn’t overlook any hint of Briggs or the curs, Harley was headed toward the adjoining field when a low whistle cut through the air.

Salvatore.

With a smooth turn, she was running toward the narrow dirt road on the far side of the field, crouched low to the ground, her guns held ready. She sensed Salvatore’s flare of fury and she intended to be prepared.

For anything.

Salvatore was in a deep culvert by the road, staring at a heavy rock that had been pushed aside to reveal a large hole in the ground. Obviously an opening to the caves below the surface.

She scrambled down the side of the culvert, catching the unmistakable stench of rotting meat. Briggs had come out of the hole.

“You got him,” she said, her satisfaction cut short at the unmistakable smell of cur blood. “Shit.”

Salvatore’s face was set in bleak lines as he followed the scent down the culvert and then up to the road. Harley stayed close to his side, keeping watch on their surroundings so Salvatore could concentrate on the trail.

Her gaze scanned the seemingly empty fields and clusters of trees that could hide any number of nasty creatures. Her senses told her that there was nothing near, but her finger remained on the trigger.

She’d had a stomach full of unwelcomed surprises over the past few days. She’d be damned if it was happening again.

Perhaps a mile down the road, Salvatore bent and touched the ground, his brows drawn in a frustrated frown.

“They took off in a vehicle,” he muttered.

“Can you follow it?”

He tilted back his head, dragging in a deep breath. “On foot.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

Straightening, he considered her for a long minute, clearly wanting to demand that she return to the safety of Styx’s mansion. Then, proving he wasn’t completely without a functioning brain, he heaved a deep sigh and pulled his cell phone from the inner pocket of his jacket.

“As amusing as it would be to leave Viper’s car for the nearest chop shop, I might have need of the leeches before this is done,” he said, punching in a series of numbers and holding the phone to his ear.

He exchanged a few abrupt words with Viper and then slipping the phone back in his pocket, he grabbed her arm and urged her into a steady jog down the dark road.

“Do you consider vampires your enemy?” she demanded, slipping the guns back into the holsters that hung at her lower back before easily falling into step beside him.

“I did.”

“And now?”

He didn’t immediately answer, and Harley was startled by the vague sense of foreboding she could sense deep in his heart.

“Now, I’m beginning to suspect that we must negotiate a truce,” he grudgingly admitted. “Times are changing and we must change with them or perish.”

“Do you mean technology?”

“That’s a part of it.” He grimaced. “The humans’ ability to detect our presence increases with every passing year, as does their ability to harm us. It’s foolish to assume our natural superiority will protect us.”

Harley lifted her brows. Few demons were willing to admit that lowly humans might pose a threat, despite growing proof of the danger.

“And the other part?”

“I’m not sure I should share.” He shook his head, his expression hard. “You might think I’ve lost my mind.”

“I assumed that you’d lost your mind the minute you crashed into Caine’s basement,” she assured him.

He chuckled, the golden eyes glowing in the darkness. “Grazie.”

“What’s bothering you, Giuliani?” She held up a warning hand as his lips parted to blather some useless denial. “And don’t tell me it’s nothing. I can sense it.”

His lips twisted. “This mating is going to take some getting used to.”

She snorted. “Ya think?”

His eyes narrowed. “Harley…”