Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(81)

She shivered as his lips found a tender spot just below her ear, but, dropping the offensive shirt and apron, she pressed her hands to his chest.

“So do I, but you’re not going to distract me.”

“You mean distract you with this?” He stroked his lips down her throat. “Or this?” His hands gripped her hips to pull her against his growing erection.

She groaned, but arching back she stabbed him with a warning glare.

“Ariyal, you promised after your shower you would finish our discussion.”

“Discussion? Is that what you call it?”

“I was attempting to get you to listen to my perfectly logical suggestions.”

He nipped the lobe of her ear before grudgingly dropping his arms and stepping back.

He couldn’t afford to be distracted. Not if he intended to win this particular argument.

“They sounded more like orders than suggestions, poppet,” he said dryly.

She folded her arms, her chin tilting to that familiar angle.

“Only because you refuse to be reasonable.”

“I don’t call asking a Sylvermyst to sashay into a herd of waiting vampires reasonable,” he countered. “In fact, I would call it downright suicidal.”

“Sashay?” Her brows lifted. “Really?”

He held her gaze, his expression somber. “Jaelyn, I trust you with my very life, but don’t expect me to extend that trust to your brothers. They’ve been my enemies for a very long time.”

She wasn’t foolish enough to try and convince him that her fellow leeches were prepared to accept him into the family just because they were mated. He was more likely to believe they were plotting the quickest means to dispose of his body.

“You’re a warrior,” she said with a shrug. “You know that there are times when you have to join forces for the greater good.”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend?”

“Maybe not friend, but ...”

“Jaelyn, those Sylvermyst in the caves are my brothers,” he interrupted, his tone suddenly harsh.

Her expression softened. “I haven’t forgotten.”

“Then you should understand why I’m not overly anxious to allow them to become dispensable fodder for the leeches.”

She moved forward, running her hands down his arms, her touch comforting as he was battered by the memory of his brothers being forced into slavery by the loathsome wizard.

“Styx is not a savage, Ariyal, although he is ...” She searched for the appropriate word. “Intimidating. He has no more desire than you do for a bloodbath.”

He didn’t doubt the truth of her words. It was well known that the current Anasso was attempting to civilize his people. But he also knew that vampires were predators at heart and no command from their king was going to leash their natural impulses.

“Perhaps no desire, but once a battle has started all bets are off.”

Her fingers tightened on his arm. “We can’t allow the child to remain with Tearloch. Eventually they’re going to dig out the altar and resurrect the Dark Lord.”

“I know.”

She made a sound of impatience. “Talk to me, fairy. What are you plotting?”

“I want the opportunity to go into the caves before the vampires start their massacre.”

“No.” Her nails dug into his arm as she shook her head in denial. “It’s too dangerous.”

Gently he extricated himself from her painful grip. He didn’t want to lose an arm when he confessed his plan.

“I want to give my brothers the option to surrender.”

There was a hint of fang as Jaelyn regarded him with a growing frustration. She better than anyone understood his uncompromising need to protect his tribe.

“You think they will?” she slowly demanded.

“Yes, if I can speak with them,” he said, recalling the conversation he’d overheard. “They’ve lost their belief in Tearloch’s cause, but they’re terrified of the wizard. They’ll join me if I can promise them a chance to escape as long as they aren’t being threatened by vampires.”

“It’s still too dangerous,” she muttered.

“They’re my tribe, my family.” He knew she could feel his grim determination. “I can’t abandon them to certain death.”

Her hands clenched, as if she was considering the possibility of locking him in the cellar. Then, bending down, she snatched the silk shirt off the floor and shoved it into his hand.

“I’ll speak with Styx.”

He tugged on the shirt, more pissed by her words than the ridiculous garment.

As if he needed to ask permission from a damned bloodsucker.

“This is not his decision to make.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She rolled her eyes. “Look, we can all work together if no one tries to turn this into a pissing match.”

“Tell that to your Anasso.”

“I intend to.”

He halted his attempt to button the shirt, lifting his head to meet her steady gaze.

“You do?”

“Of course.”

Hmmm. His instincts prickled in warning.

That had been way too easy.

“And you aren’t going to fight me on my decision?”