Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity #10)(71)

She frowned, pretending she didn’t notice her treacherous flare of warmth at Roke’s protective gesture. Instead she sent him a warning scowl.

She’d be damned if she’d be abandoned alone in this dungeon.

Not again.

“Hey, you’re not leaving me here.”

Styx started to offer a condescending smile at her sharp words only to freeze as his gaze caught sight of the markings on her inner arm. “Christ,” he rasped. “Roke, what have you done?”

The Anasso reached to grab her arm, but without warning Roke was slamming into the larger vampire, pinning him to the bars of the nearest cell.

“Don’t touch her,” he growled.

A deathly silence filled the dungeon. A silence even more shocking after the unexpected flurry of violence.

Sally didn’t dare breathe as the two powerful demons glared at one another. Then, curling back his lips to display his enormous fangs, Styx spoke in low, commanding tones.

“Release me, brother.” Enough power filled the air to send Roke stumbling backward. “Now!”

Roke rammed his fingers through his hair, his jaw clenched so tight it was a wonder his teeth didn’t crack under the strain.

“Dammit,” Roke hissed.

Styx straightened, his warrior features carved from granite. “You’re right, we do need to speak.”

Sally sucked in an unsteady breath as the two men turned, clearly preparing to leave the dungeons without her.

“Roke, if you abandon me here I swear I won’t help with the book.”

Styx halted, sending her a puzzled frown. “What book?” “Sally,” Roke growled.

She slammed her hands onto her hips. It was no doubt suicidal to challenge two of the most powerful vampires she’d ever met, but the mere thought of being locked away overcame any claim to sanity.

“I mean it,” she snapped.

The dark band around the pale, pale eyes narrowed, a sure sign of annoyance. “You aren’t the only witch.”

“Maybe not, but you’ll never find another who has my power, or my familiarity with black magic,” she reminded him. It wasn’t bragging. The gods knew she hated her connection to black magic. It was the simple truth. “You need me.”

For a second they glared at one another in silence, then realizing he was going to eventually need her help, he conceded defeat with all his usual grace.

“Shit,” he growled, turning to stomp his way toward the dungeon door. “She’s coming with us.”

Peaches.

Roke clenched his teeth as they entered Styx’s private study and the large vampire shut the door behind them.

He was furious with the female. Hell, furious didn’t even cover it. She’d bespelled him, forced him to act against his will, mated him, and now blackmailed him to get out of the dungeons. But, that didn’t keep him from placing a possessive hand on her shoulder as Styx moved past them to lean against a heavy desk that held a computer and several monitors.

And it didn’t halt that maddening scent of peaches from making his fangs ache with a desire to sink them deep into her flesh and taste if her blood were as sweet as that tantalizing perfume.

Folding his arms over his chest, Styx studied Roke’s tense expression before turning his attention to Sally.

“I should warn you, Ms. Grace, that this room has been hexed,” he said, his low voice edged with warning. “Your magic won’t work here.”

Roke snorted. “Actually, you shouldn’t be so certain, old friend.” His gaze slid to the tiny witch at his side. “Ms. Grace is full of surprises.”

“Yes, I suppose she is,” the Anasso murmured. “Are you going to tell me how you two ended up mated?”

Roke watched in fascination as a blush crept beneath Sally’s pale face and for the first time he considered the fact that despite her sharp tongue and foolish courage, she was extremely young.

Why did the thought make him feel like a letch? None of this catastrophe was his fault.

“Do you want the honors?” he growled.

Her blush deepened as she warily met Styx’s unwavering gaze. “I’m part demon.”

The ancient vampire hissed, obviously caught off guard by her confession. “What demon?”

Roke’s lips twisted into a humorless smile. Welcome to my world, bud.

“I don’t know.” She held up a silencing hand as Styx’s lips parted. “I truly don’t know. But to make a long story short, over the last few years I’ve discovered an ability to . . . coerce people to obey me for short periods of time.”

Roke made a sound of disgust. “Coerce?”

“Maybe it’s more of an enchantment,” she reluctantly conceded. “But I’ve only used it once or twice on humans. Until a few weeks ago it was never strong enough to influence demons, and then it was only a hellhound. I never dreamed it could affect a vampire. It was only because I was desperate I even tried.”

Styx’s gaze transferred to Roke. “And that’s when you mated?”

“I didn’t notice the bonding until the initial spell was broken.” Roke’s grip tightened on his companion’s slender shoulder. “Or at least, when Sally claims it was broken.”

With an impatient gesture, Sally lifted her arm, waving the crimson marking beneath his nose.