Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity #10)(19)

A figment of his imagination, he assured himself, ignoring the fact that it wasn’t the first time his mate had appeared less than . . . corporeal.

Continuing forward, he gazed down at the perfect oval of Dara’s honey-tinted face framed by a curtain of straight, blue-black hair. She was so beautiful, he acknowledged with a pang of longing.

Exquisite.

A daughter of the desert.

Carefully, he perched on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his black hair he kept short and slicked back from his lean face, which had once been considered handsome with a wide brow and prominent nose. Although now it was covered with dirt and blood, making him look more like a savage than the proud Roman general he’d once been.

Even his black chinos and silk shirt that had once been pristine were wrinkled and torn and so filthy they were impossible to recognize.

He needed to remember something, he thought in confusion. Something important. But what?

Almost as if sensing his growing confusion, Dara lifted her lashes to reveal eyes as dark as the night sky. “Gaius.”

He leaned forward, unconsciously careful not to touch her. “Yes, beloved?”

“I need to feed.”

He frowned at the soft words. “Again?”

“I’m still weak.”

Gaius shuddered. He was a vampire who had more than a passing acquaintance with violence. During his years with the Dark Lord he’d committed atrocities that would once have sickened him.

But Dara’s uncharacteristic lust for feedings that were as depraved as they were bloody was more than disturbing. They were dangerous.

“Yes, but—”

“Is something troubling you, habibi?”

“The humans become annoyingly agitated when their families begin to disappear.”

“So?”

“We just got settled here.”

A pleading expression touched her beautiful face. “Do you want me to suffer?”

“No, of course not,” he harshly denied. “What if I bring you a few demons? An imp or some fairies?”

“And draw the attention of the Oracles?” A strange heaviness filled the room. “Don’t be stupid.”

A warning fluttered at the edges of his mind. “The Oracles.”

She slowly sat upright, her liquid gaze holding him with a gripping intensity. “I warned you, habibi, they will send me back if they learn I have escaped my grave.”

Stark fear filled his heart at the mere thought of losing his mate. He’d mourned her for decades. He couldn’t endure such loss again.

“I will protect you with my life,” he swore.

A smile of satisfaction touched her lips. “Yes, you will.”

Chapter 5

Louisiana wetlands

Santiago’s seething frustration was briefly forgotten as he glared at the pale face that flushed with anger. Her quiet, aloof perfection was transformed into a vivid, blazing beauty that seared through him, changing him on some fundamental level.

The odd thought had barely time to form before Nefri was smoothly returning behind her frigid barriers, her emotions retreating to a place he couldn’t reach.

Santiago’s hands clenched, a snarl caught in his throat. He didn’t know why her icy composure set his teeth on edge, but the sight of her rigid expression made him want to smash through her defenses. She could play the ice princess with everyone but him.

Never him.

Ignoring his power, which sizzled through the air and stirred the silken curtain of her ebony hair, she squared her shoulders, as if preparing herself for some unpleasant duty.

“Can you find Gaius?” she at last demanded.

He studied her with a brooding gaze. “He’s moved far enough away that I have only a general direction, but once I’m closer I won’t have any trouble cornering the bastard.”

“Then I will allow you to lead me to him.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’ll allow me?”

She gave a regal nod. “Yes.”

So, not just an ice princess, but Queen-of-the-freaking-Universe.

“No.”

She went predator-still at his blunt refusal. “I don’t understand.”

“Then let me make it easy.” A humorless smile touched his lips. “N. O. No.”

She frowned. “You just demanded that you be included in the search.”

“I told you that the rules have changed.”

“And I told you that you don’t make the rules.”

“And if you want my help you will not only plead nicely—”

“Never.”

He ignored her interruption, reaching to run his fingers down the cool silk of her hair. “But you will tell me what you know.”

He expected her to knock aside his hand; instead she turned smoothly away, offering him a view of her rigid back.

“Levet,” she murmured.

With a smug twitch of his wings, the aggravating pest waddled forward. “Oui, ma chérie?”

“We’re leaving.”

Santiago was moving to block her path before his brain was fully engaged. “Don’t be a fool, Nefri.”

The gargoyle made a choked sound, stepping behind Nefri to avoid being damaged in the crossfire. Not so stupid as Santiago had assumed.

Nefri arched a dark brow, the temperature dropping by several chilling degrees. “Do you think because I’m a female I won’t hurt you?”