Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)(3)

“Styx.” Cezar gave a dip of his head, not at all surprised to find that the vampire had followed him to the hotel.

Since Cezar had arrived in Chicago along with the Commission, Styx had been hovering about him like a mother hen. It was obvious the ancient leader didn’t like one of his vampires being in the control of the Oracles. He liked it even less that Cezar had refused to confess the sins that had landed him near two centuries of penance at the hands of the Commission.

“Tell me again why I am not at home in the arms of my beautiful mate?” Styx groused, completely disregarding the fact that Cezar hadn’t invited him along.

“It was your decision to call for the Oracles to travel to Chicago,” he reminded the older demon.

“Yes, to make a ruling upon Salvatore’s intrusion into Viper’s territory, not to mention kidnapping my bride. A ruling that has been postponed indefinitely. I did not realize that they intended to take command of my lair and go into hibernation once they arrived.” The fierce features hardened. Styx was still brooding on the Oracles’ insistence that he leave his dark and damp caves so they could use them for their own secretive purposes. His mate, Darcy, however, seemed resigned to the large, sweeping mansion they had moved into on the edge of Chicago. “And I most certainly did not realize they would be treating one of my brothers as their minion.”

“You do realize that while you may be lord and master of all vampires, the Oracles answer to no one?”

Styx muttered something beneath his breath. Something about Oracles and the pits of hell.

“You have never told me precisely how you ended up in their clutches.”

“It’s not a story I share with anyone.”

“Not even the vampire who once rescued you from a nest of harpies?”

Cezar gave a short laugh. “I never requested to be rescued, my lord. Indeed, I was quite happy to remain in their evil clutches. At least as long as mating season lasted.”

Styx rolled his eyes. “We are straying from the point.”

“And what is the point?”

“Tell me why we are here.” Styx glanced around the glittering throng with a hint of distaste. “As far as I can determine the guests are no more than simple humans with a few lesser demons and fey among the rabble.”

“Yes.” Cesar considered the guests with a narrowed gaze. “A surprising number of fey, wouldn’t you say?”

“They always tend to gather when there’s the scent of money in the air.”

“Perhaps.”

Without warning, Cezar felt a hand land on his shoulder, bringing his attention back to the increasingly frustrated vampire at his side. Obviously Styx was coming to the end of his patience with Cezar’s evasions.

“Cezar, I have dared the wrath of the Oracles before. I will have you strung from the rafters unless you tell me why you are here wading through this miserable collection of lust and greed.”

Cezar grimaced. For the moment Styx was merely irritated. The moment he became truly mad all sorts of bad things would happen.

The last thing he needed was a rampaging vampire scaring off his prey.

“I am charged with keeping an eye upon a potential Commission member,” he grudgingly confessed.

“Potential…” Styx stiffened. “By the gods, a new Oracle has been discovered?”

The elder vampire’s shock was understandable. Less than a dozen Oracles had been discovered in the past ten millenniums. They were the rarest, most priceless creatures to walk the earth.

“She was revealed in the prophecies nearly two hundred years ago, but the information has been kept secret among the Commission.”

“Why?”

“She is very young and has yet to come into her powers. It was decided by the Commission that they would wait to approach her until she had matured and accepted her abilities.”

“Ah, that I understand. A young lady coming into her powers is a painful business at times.” Styx rubbed his side as if he was recalling a recent wound. “A wise man learns to be on guard at all times.”

Cezar gave a lift of his brows. “I thought Darcy had been bred not to shift?”

“Shifting is only a small measure of a werewolf’s powers.”

“Only the Anasso would choose a werewolf as his mate.”

The fierce features softened. “Actually it was not so much a choice as fate. As you will eventually discover.”

“Not so long as I am in the rule of the Commission,” Cezar retorted, his cold tone warning that he wouldn’t be pressed.

Styx eyed him a long moment before giving a small nod. “So if this potential Commission member is not yet prepared to become an Oracle, why are you here?”

Instinctively Cezar glanced back at Anna. Unnecessary, of course. He was aware of her every movement, her every breath, her every heartbeat.

“Over the past few years there have been a number of spells that we believe were aimed in her direction.”

“What sort of spells?”

“The magic was fey, but the Oracles were unable to determine more than that.”

“Strange. Fey creatures rarely concern themselves with demon politics. What is their interest?”

“Who can say? For now the Commission is only concerned with keeping the woman from harm.” Cezar gave a faint shrug. “When you requested their presence in Chicago they charged me with the task of luring her here so I can offer protection.”