Darkness Everlasting (Guardians of Eternity #3)(77)

With a small laugh Darcy held up her hand. "I think I get the point."

"That was only the beginning of the list. He even insisted that Viper's housekeeper be brought here so that she could fix your favorite dinner."

A small smile touched her lips as she glanced toward the waiting tray. Being independent was all well and good, but she couldn't deny a renegade flare of pleasure at Styx's obvious concern.

She had never been fussed over before, so why shouldn't she enjoy it just a little?

"I suppose Styx does tend to be a bit bossy, but you can't really blame him. He's accustomed to giving orders."

"I can blame him," Levet swiftly corrected. "And I thought you did as well. You did run from him, didn't you?"

Darcy shrugged. "Yes, well, like all men he is thick skulled enough that a woman must occasionally take strong measures to get her point across."

"I'd say you managed that. According to Viper . . ." Levet's words broke off as he tilted his head back to sniff the air. Then, without warning he was lunging forward. "Sacre bleu."

More startled than frightened, Darcy instinctively backed away, her eyes widening as the small gargoyle grabbed her arm in a firm grip.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"You're mated." Levet shoved up the sleeve of her sweatshirt to reveal the crimson tattoo that stained her forearm. He gave another sniff of the air. "Or more precisely, Styx is mated. The ceremony is not yet completed."

Jeez. Could she go one day without something sniffing at her?

"So it would seem," she muttered.

Stepping back, Levet studied her with a curious expression. "You're very calm about this. You do understand what's happened?"

Darcy battled the urge to laugh hysterically.

Understand what's happened?

Hell no.

Her life had been a blur of confusion since the moment that Salvatore had walked into the bar.

Vampires and werewolves and demons...

Oh my.

"Not entirely," she admitted, with a rueful smile. "Styx claimed that it means he is somehow tied to me."

"Somehow? There is no 'somehow' about it. He is most certainly bound to you for all eternity." The gargoyle gave a slow shake of his head. "Mon Dieu. Who would have believed that the coldhearted bastard was even capable of mating a woman?"

Darcy sent her companion a withering glare. Or what she presumed was a withering glare. She had never been entirely certain, but it always seemed to work in romance novels.

"He is not coldhearted. In fact, he possesses the most generous, loyal heart of anyone I've ever met."

Levet blinked in surprise at her fierce tone. "I will have to take your word for it, since he most certainly does not reveal it to the rest of us riffraff."

"That's only because he isn't used to showing his feelings."

"No shit," Levet muttered.

Why did everyone persist in treating Styx like the Darth Vader of the demon world?

He devoted his entire life to protecting those demons he considered his responsibility without asking anything in return. They should be showering him with gratitude, for goodness sake.

"That doesn't mean he doesn't have them. Or that he can't be hurt when he is constantly misunderstood."

"Perhaps." Levet appeared far from convinced, but he dismissed her arguments from his mind and allowed his attention to return to her arm. Suddenly he began to laugh.

Darcy frowned. "What's so funny?"

"It just struck me that you have leashed the most powerful demon in the entire world. I do not know whether to congratulate you or offer my condolences."

Ah.

Actually she didn't know either.

So far she had alternated between sheer terror and a peaceful bliss.

Not the most comfortable of mood swings.

"Styx is hardly leashed," she protested.

"Oh, but he is." Levet's smile became downright wicked. "And it's so deliciously ironic. Female vampires have been attempting to lure Styx from his self-imposed celibacy from them for centuries. They will be gnashing their fangs in fury when they discover he is mated."

"Great." Darcy rolled her eyes. If Levet had dropped by to offer comfort, he was sucking big-time. "That's all I need. A pack of angry vampires after me."

"Oh no." The delicate wings gave a sharp flutter, making the beautiful colors shimmer in the faint light. "There's not a vampire alive or dead who would dare to harm the mate of their Anasso. They may wish you in hell, but they will fight to the death to protect you."

Okay. That sounded better.

At least marginally better.

"Maybe, but as you said, the . . . ceremony is not complete," she felt compelled to point out. "Nothing has been decided."

Levet winkled his lumpy brow. "Maybe not for you, but it most certainly has been for Styx. That mark on your arm proves that he is bound to you for life. To the vampires you are now their queen."

She wrapped her arms around her waist as a shiver raced down her spine.

Queen? Her?

Well, that was just... pathetic. For the entire vampire race.

With a shake of her head, she paced restlessly across the floor.

"This is all moving too fast," she muttered. "Way, way too fast."