Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity #10)(35)

Roke barely swallowed his growl of annoyance. “Why?”

“I’m leaving in a few minutes to try and gain an audience with the Oracles.”

“And?” Roke prompted.

Styx shrugged, his expression guarded. “And I need you to protect the lair.”

Roke was getting a bad feeling about this.

A very bad feeling.

“And?”

“And to keep an eye on our guest.”

Shit, he knew it.

“The witch?” he ground out.

“Unless you’ve added to our collection in the dungeons?”

“Why would I?” He planted his hands on his hips, glaring at the older vampire. “I don’t want to take care of the one we’ve got.”

“It’s only until we’ve discovered what the hell is going on with Gaius.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Easy?” Styx met him glare for glare. “Would you rather go speak with the Oracles?”

Oh . . . hell, no.

Not that he was about to admit as much to the towering Aztec in front of him. “You know what I want,” he instead snapped.

Styx paused, studying Roke with a piercing intelligence. “Is there something going on with this witch I should know about?”

Roke clenched his hands. What was there to know about? That he’d spent the daylight hours plagued by the thought of warm ivory skin and glorious autumn hair that smelled of peaches? That he’d had to force his feet to carry him to the library rather than heading down to the dungeons?

“Not a damned thing,” he snarled.

Styx lifted a brow, but he was smart enough to keep his opinion to himself. “Good, then I want you to question her again,” he said. “See if she knows anything about the supposed infection that Gaius is spreading.”

Roke was shaking his head before Styx was done. “Get someone else. She won’t talk to me.”

Styx leaned forward, the air taking on a distinct chill of irritation. “Then make her talk.”

“Torture?”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake. I don’t torture helpless females locked in my dungeons.” Styx shook his head, the tiny turquoise amulets threaded through his long braid tinkling at the movement. “I meant charm. You do remember how to seduce a young, beautiful woman, don’t you?”

A combustible heat scalded through his lower body, assuring Roke that he remembered in exquisite detail how to seduce a beautiful woman, even if it had been far too long since he’d felt like indulging in it.

Until now.

Dangerous.

“She’s not a woman, she’s a witch,” he muttered.

“Christ. Fine,” Styx snapped in exasperation. “I’ll send Spike to—”

“No,” Roke interrupted before he could halt the harsh words. There was no way Spike was getting anywhere close to Sally. The younger vampire would have her flat on her back and his fangs deep in her throat before she knew what was happening. And that was . . . unacceptable. Why? That was a question he didn’t intend to answer. “I’ll take care of the witch.”

Chapter 9

Harpy house in Louisiana

Santiago woke with every expectation of finding Nefri in his arms.

Why wouldn’t he?

They’d come together in an earth-shattering explosion of pleasure. More than once. The sort of pleasure that made lovers want to linger in bed and explore one another for hours. Days. Perhaps centuries.

Instead Nefri was not only out of bed, but she’d showered and changed into a pair of clean jeans and a pale blue sweater that she must have gotten from the Harpies. More telling, she was putting off vibes that warned she wasn’t in a hurry to leap back into bed.

With a grimace, Santiago headed into the shower, not surprised to discover a pair of jeans and sweatshirt waiting for him on the counter.

If Nefri didn’t need him to track down Gaius she would no doubt have escaped while he was sleeping. As it was, she was doing everything in her power to make sure he understood that last night (or rather early this morning) was a mistake.

One she didn’t intend to repeat.

Not that he was about to be tossed into the pile of Nefri’s bad decisions, he grimly decided, stepping beneath the hot water.

She’d been with him all the way.

Hell, she’d nearly shredded his back during their last delectable tango.

A shudder raced through his body at the vivid memory of Nefri spread beneath him, her eyes dark with a passion that threatened to drown them both.

Oh no.

This wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

Swiftly washing his hair and skimming the soap over his body, he exited the shower and dried off. Then, taking time to pull on the jeans and black sweatshirt, he braided his hair, and headed out of the bathroom.

The bedroom was empty. No surprise there. But the tidal wave of her power assured him she hadn’t gone far.

He stepped into the living room, his brows lifting at the sight of Nefri seated cross-legged in the middle of the floor, her eyes closed and her hands folded in her lap as her hair floated on the faint breeze stirred by her powers.

At his entrance, her lashes lifted to reveal eyes that were carefully devoid of emotion.

“Meditation?” he drawled, trying to keep his temper in check. Not easy when she was studying him like he was a virus that had to be endured for the greater good.