Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(37)

“I offer my apologies, Your Majesty,” she said. “It was not my intent to trespass upon your territory.”

Salvatore’s gaze remained trained on Santiago. “A leech with manners? Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

“Such a big word for such a mangy dog,” Santiago said.

With a lethal swiftness, all sense of amusement was wiped from Salvatore’s handsome face to reveal the true predator beneath.

“How did you get here?” he demanded.

Seemingly realizing that playtime was over, Nefri reached to brush her fingers over the medallion hung around her neck.

“I have the power to travel between worlds.”

“Like a Jinn?”

“It is similar, although my powers come from the medallion and not my innate abilities.”

Salvatore’s eyes narrowed, clearly not comforted by her explanation.

“A nice trick,” he growled. “Perfect for an ambush.”

“I do try not to abuse the skill,” Nefri assured him.

“If you didn’t abuse the skill then you wouldn’t be in my very private wine cellar, would you?”

“Watch your tone, Salvatore,” Santiago snapped.

Nefri waved her slender hand. “He has a right to answers.”

“More than a right,” Salvatore corrected, his inner beast prowling close to the surface. “In fact, let’s pretend your lives depend on your explanation.”

“As you are perhaps aware, Santiago is searching for the seer,” Nefri answered before Santiago could tell the King of Mutts exactly where he could shove his threats. “I have come in search for Cassandra as well.”

“And you think I have her hidden in my wine cellar?”

“Do you?” Santiago asked. “It would certainly explain ...”

“Gentlemen, please,” Nefri gently protested.

“Gentlemen?” Salvatore snorted. “He’s a cold-blooded bastard who will kill on a whim.”

“And you’re a mangy prick who likes to play Dr. Frankenstein.”

Nefri’s power swirled through the air with just enough force to make both men shudder at the promise of pain.

“I am beginning to think the term ‘children’ would be more appropriate,” she said in dry tones.

The men grimaced in unison before Salvatore gave a wave of his hand.

“Continue.”

“We entered your clansman’s lair... .”

“Clansman?” the Were interrupted with a frown.

“Caine,” Santiago clarified.

Salvatore gave a sound of disgust. The King of Weres still blamed the one-time cur for being a pawn of the demon lord intent on destroying the werewolves. Caine’s transformation to a pureblood hadn’t dimmed Salvatore’s desire to eat him for breakfast.

Literally.

“Did you find any trace of them?” Salvatore demanded.

“No, they had disappeared,” Nefri explained.

“And it didn’t occur to you to follow?”

“There was no means to track them.”

“A pity,” Salvatore retorted, “but I’m still not hearing what brings you to my humble abode.”

Nefri shrugged. “If I cannot follow her trail forward, then I must follow it backward.”

“Backward? Is that some sort of vampire logic?”

“If we can retrace their steps then we can speak with those who saw them last.” Without warning, the female vampire drifted toward the nearby shelves, her beautiful face distracted. “It might tell us if they were traveling to a particular destination or if they feared they were being followed. If nothing else they might have mentioned if they were to meet anyone in Chicago.”

Seemingly impressed by Nefri’s logic, Salvatore slid a glance in Santiago’s direction.

“Intelligent as well as beautiful—you’re in trouble, amico mio.”

Santiago wisely ignored the taunt, suddenly realizing why Nefri had brought them to these particular cellars.

She had followed Cassandra’s scent to this location.

“You failed to mention that Cassandra paid you a visit,” he said in cold accusation.

Salvatore scowled. “That’s because she didn’t.”

“Are you certain?” Santiago demanded, shifting so he could keep an eye on Nefri as she ran a hand over a wooden shelf.

The golden eyes glowed with an eerie power. “No one calls me a liar and survives.”

“Keep your fur on,” he snarled. “Maybe she visited your mate while you were out.”

Salvatore looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Harley has been desperate to be reunited with her sister. If Cassandra had dropped by, then I would have heard every detail, no matter how insignificant, of their reunion.”

“Maybe Cassandra asked her to keep the meeting a secret.”

“Obviously you’ve never been mated,” Salvatore muttered. “She wasn’t here.”

“She was.” Nefri intruded into the argument, giving a sharp shove of the shelves.

There was the sound of creaking wood; then the shelves swung to the side, revealing a cement-lined room the size of a walk-in closet. The perfect size for a prison cell. At the moment it was empty, but clutching the medallion in her hand, Nefri briefly closed her eyes and muttered a low word. The air stirred and Santiago stiffened in shock at the unmistakable scent of a female pureblood.