Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(56)

“I said I didn’t want to take the risk. You might drive me nuts, but I feel ...” What was the word? “Aware of you. Like we’re connected on some level I don’t even understand.”

“And you think ignoring the connection will make it go away.”

Bingo.

“That’s exactly what I think.”

“And I don’t have any say in the future of our relationship?”

She turned back to meet his scorching gaze, fiercely determined to hold her ground.

It wasn’t like she had a choice in any of this, did she?

“There is no relationship.”

“That’s not how it felt when you were begging me not to stop.”

She shifted, just the memory of being wrapped around this beautiful Sylvermyst sending a heat swirling through her chilled body.

“Sex,” she muttered, ignoring the fact that she would happily beg again given the opportunity.

“No.” He shook his head. “It was more than sex.”

“It can’t be.”

“Why not?”

She hissed in frustration. Weren’t men supposed to want a female who didn’t expect “happily ever after”?

Ariyal acted as if he wanted her to claim him as her mate. As if ...

No. She shook off the mere thought.

What was the point?

“Because I’m a Hunter.”

“And?”

“And we’re not allowed to mate.”

He studied her with a grim expression. “Never?”

“Never.”

“What happens?” He sharply pushed away from the door, moving to tower over her. “You get voted off the island?”

“No.” She tilted back her head, her expression equally grim. “There’s only one way out of the Addonexus.”

The bronzed eyes darkened with swift comprehension. “Death.”

“Death.”

Chapter 13

Santiago shuddered as the King of Weres’ power blasted through the air. The mangy mutt wasn’t pleased that a pack of traitors had managed to waltz through his wine cellars without his knowledge.

Dios.

He’d known Salvatore was the top dog, but he hadn’t realized just what that meant until this moment.

It wasn’t an entirely pleasant revelation.

Barely aware he was moving, Santiago positioned himself between the Were and Nefri. As if the insanely strong vampire needed his protection.

And why the hell would he protect her anyway?

It was a puzzle he easily dismissed as the Were gestured for his overgrown guard to step forward.

“Hess, question the guards,” he commanded. “I want to know if anyone noticed anything out of the ordinary over the past two weeks. I don’t care how meaningless it might have seemed at the time.”

The cur fell to his knees, his bald head pressed to the floor.

“Yes, sire.”

“And bring each of them down here.” A scowl marred the Were’s brow. “It might be that someone will recognize one of the scents.”

“At once.”

Scrambling with surprising haste considering his bulk, the cur was on his feet and darting toward the stairs leading to the mansion above.

“Does he fetch and roll over on command?” Santiago mocked.

Glowing golden eyes turned in his direction. “No, but he does kill unwanted intruders when I whistle. Do you want a demonstration?”

Santiago didn’t need one.

He was absolutely certain the cur killed on command.

Not that he was particularly concerned.

“He’s welcome to try,” he said with a shrug.

With that tiny sound of impatience that all women made when men were having fun, Nefri stepped around him to speak directly with Salvatore.

“Is there any way in or out of this room beyond this entrance?”

“No.” He lifted his hand as they both regarded him with suspicion. “I swear.”

Santiago wasn’t entirely convinced, but he turned his attention to the beautiful vampire, who was busy pacing from one end of the cellar to the other, her movements as graceful as a water sprite.

“What is it?” he at last demanded.

“I can sense the path of the prophet and her Were,” she explained, returning to stand at the entrance of the cell even as she waved a hand toward the hidden doorway where Salvatore and his goon had made their appearance. “They entered the basement through the tunnels. But I can find no indication of where their attackers came from.”

“They couldn’t have appeared out of thin air,” Santiago pointed out.

Salvatore snorted. “You did.”

Abruptly reminded that Nefri had indeed managed to bring them to the cellars out of thin air, Santiago grasped the female vampire’s arm and tugged her toward the center of the wine cellar.

He wasn’t stupid enough to think he could have a private conversation with a pureblood Were standing a few feet away, but he wanted to make clear that this was vampire business, and opinions from the Lassie-section weren’t welcome.

“Nefri?” he prompted as she stood lost in thought.

“Hmmm?”

His jaw clenched. “It’s obvious the mystery vampire has rare abilities.”