Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(71)

She snorted. “Begging for what?”

He grabbed the bulge beneath the loincloth. “Some of this, baby.”

“Ah.” She tapped her tongue against the end of her fang. “That nasty piece of shrunken flesh that I’m going to bite off and shove down your throat?”

“Big talk for such a tiny thing ...”

His taunting words ended in a scream that would have made a banshee proud as Jaelyn leaped over the Andrax’s head and then, pressing herself against his back, wrapped her arms around his body, her hands grabbing the tender bits of manhood he’d been so proud to point out to her.

It made it so much easier to know where to hurt him.

“Now tell me again what you’re going to do, demon,” she murmured, her claws digging through the loincloth as her other hand wrapped around his beefy neck, threatening to crush his windpipe. “Nothing to say?”

“I’m ...”

“Yes?

“Sorry.”

Her claws dug a bit deeper. “Try it again.”

“I’m sorry,” he moaned.

“Sorry that you tried to rape me? Or sorry that I’m about to castrate you so you can’t force yourself on some other woman?”

“No. Please, no ...”

The Andrax stiffened at the sound of approaching footsteps. Always cautious, Jaelyn kept her grip on the demon as she shifted to watch the two males making their way down the staircase.

No, not men.

Vampires.

Those too-perfect features and elegantly muscular bodies could never belong to humans.

She briefly ran her gaze over the nearest, a vampire with dark, spiky hair and crystal-clear green eyes who was dressed like a badass in black leather with a large dagger casually held in one hand. Dangerous. But it was his companion who sent a chill of alarm through Jaelyn.

This one was taller with lean muscles beneath the ruffled white shirt that was worn beneath a gold velvet jacket and black satin pants. He should have appeared ridiculous, but with his long hair the pale silver of moonlight and his eyes the startling darkness of midnight he was hauntingly beautiful.

A fallen angel.

Already suspecting the identity of the powerful vampire, the Andrax took away all doubt as he held out a pleading hand.

“Thank god, Viper. You have to help me.”

Ignoring the whining demon, Viper regarded Jaelyn with a piercing intelligence.

“Hunter,” he at last murmured, offering a formal bow of his head.

She returned the gesture. “Clan chief.”

The dark gaze briefly dipped to the struggling demon, his beautiful features unreadable.

“I see you’ve met Lector.”

She shrugged. “He introduced himself.”

“Viper, do something,” Lector gasped.

A smile of anticipation curved Viper’s lips. “Oh, I intend to.”

Jaelyn tightened her grip. She was the one who had been insulted and threatened by the overly aggressive bully.

“I’m not finished playing yet.”

“I understand your desire for blood, my dear, I truly do,” Viper drawled with seeming regret.

“But?”

“But I fear that I have first claim on torturing our friend.” The dark eyes glittered with a frigid fury that made Jaelyn shudder in relief that it wasn’t directed at her. “I really must make him an example for my other fighters who think they can flout my rules.”

“My lord ...” Dropping to his hands and knees as Jaelyn abruptly released her hold, Lector crawled over the marble floor, desperately kissing Viper’s glossy leather shoes. “Please.”

With a casual ease, Viper kicked the Andrax in the face, sending him flying across the hallway to land in a bloody heap.

“Stop groveling, you pathetic worm,” he growled. “I did warn you what would happen if I caught you out of the pens.”

“Forgive me... .” Lector gave a choked groan as Viper’s power filled the hallway.

“And now you’ve attacked one of my guests.”

The Andrax warily returned to his feet, wiping away the blood draining from his broken nose.

“I didn’t lay a hand on her,” he protested. “She attacked me.”

Viper appeared unimpressed by his defense. “Spike, would you escort Lector to the dungeons?”

The young vampire at his side made a sound of protest. “I told you not to call me that.”

Viper arched a brow. “Will you do the honors or not?”

“With pleasure.” Moving with the eagerness of a vampire who enjoyed his job, Spike grabbed the Andrax and pressed the dagger into his throat. “Any torture in particular?”

“I think you should start with cutting out his tongue,” the clan chief suggested as Lector’s screams echoed off the marble walls.

“An excellent choice,” Spike approved.

“I’ll let your imagination take you from there.”

“Do you want him alive in the morning?”

“Not particularly.”

“No,” Lector managed to rasp despite the hole in his throat. “I’m your best fighter. You can’t do this.”

It turned out Spike could.

And did.

With remarkable ease.

In less than a heartbeat, the young vampire was dragging the struggling demon down the hall, leaving Jaelyn alone to face the clan chief of Chicago.