Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity #10)(67)

Nefri shook her head as Santiago slid a questioning glance in her direction. She’d never heard rumors of a vampire rescuing a dragon, although she didn’t doubt it would prove to be a fascinating story.

For now, however, she was far more interested in Baine’s implication that the vampires needed to be saved.

“Are we in that much danger?”

“Yes.”

Nefri shivered at the blunt agreement. “From the spirit?”

“It’s more than just a spirit. It’s a—” Baine halted, seeming to consider his words. “A creator.”

Beside her, Santiago stiffened. “A god?”

“That depends on your definition of god.” Baine absently touched a tattoo that resembled an ancient Sanskrit mark that briefly appeared on his neck. Nefri suspected that Baine had been considered a god by more than one cult over the centuries. “It’s no longer worshipped, or even remembered by most, but it did spawn several species of demons.”

Nefri’s growing concern only intensified. It hadn’t occurred to her that the spirit had family in the world.

“Demons that still exist?” she asked.

“Of course,” Baine assured her. “You’re familiar with Lamsung demons?”

“Soul-suckers,” Santiago said in disgust.

The Lamsung had been forced into a hell dimension centuries before. Few demons were willing to risk their souls to a creature that could drain them for dinner. It was claimed that the Sylvermysts possessed rare swords that were made with the heart of a Lamsung demon and capable of giving them strength through the enemies they slayed.

“Descriptive,” Baine mocked.

Nefri ignored Santiago’s prickle of power that crawled over her skin. She didn’t have time for a male pissing match.

“Is that what this spirit does?” she demanded. “Steal the souls of his victims?”

“No.” Baine shook his head. “The feeding of souls is unique to the Lamsung, just as the spirit’s other children have their own special dietary habits.”

“What other children?” Santiago growled.

Baine smiled. “Can’t you guess?”

The truth hit Nefri with blinding force. What other creature lived off the life force of their victims?

“Vampires?”

The dragon’s smile widened. “Vampires.”

Santiago wasn’t a philosophical vampire.

Oh, he was intelligent and well read, and a cunning warrior. But he’d never understood the need to brood and ponder on matters that had no straightforward answer.

He preferred action to reaction.

This, however, was enough to make any man hesitate.

“So you’re saying this . . . thing is the creator of vampires?” he demanded.

Baine gave a wave of his hand. “That’s my assumption.”

Santiago’s low growl rumbled in his throat. This dragon would be greatly improved by a good ass-kicking. A damned shame he’d promised Nefri to be on his best behavior.

“Assumption?” he snapped.

“Santiago.” Nefri sent him one of those glances that held a combination of exasperation and warning before turning back to the dragon. “As you can imagine, this has been a shock.”

Baine lifted a brow. “Don’t you know anything of your history?”

“There’s very little written on the origins of vampires. And the oral history . . .” Nefri gave a lift of her hands. “Well, I don’t have to tell you, we’re an arrogant species. It’s not surprising that most believe we were sent to this world by superior beings to become the ultimate rulers.”

“And it never occurred to you that you might be a mutation from a more primitive demon?” Baine demanded.

Nefri shook her head. “My studies have been slanted toward the mystical rather than the scientific. I’ve never researched evolution.”

The burning amber gaze shifted to Santiago. “And you?”

He shrugged. “I like the ‘ultimate rulers’ theory.”

Baine snorted, a hint of smoke curling from one nostril. “Predictable.”

Nefri ignored their little interchange, her expression hinting that she wasn’t nearly so calm as she was trying to pretend.

“Will you share what you know?”

“My knowledge is fragmented and far too much relies on stories I’ve heard secondhand,” the dragon admitted. “I never encountered the actual spirit in person. Thank my own very mysterious gods.”

Santiago instinctively tightened his hand on his sword. Knowing that the all-powerful dragon was afraid of the spirit wasn’t particularly heartening. “Why?”

“It’s claimed that the spirit is capable of feeding off any demon, no matter how strong they might be.”

“It feeds off demons?” Santiago rasped.

“Demons or humans.” Baine shrugged. “It doesn’t seem to be particular.”

Well, this just got better and better.

Grimacing, Santiago tried to shove aside the growing list of reasons why he should return to Styx and tell him to appoint another vampire to hunt down Gaius.

The spirit was an enemy. He needed to approach it as he would any other enemy. Which meant gaining as much intel as he could.