Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)(58)

“And what’s up with them always getting the girl?” Levet groused. “Oh sure, they’re tall and they have those cool fangs. And I suppose a few aren’t entirely repulsive, but look at me.” His wings gave a delicate flutter. “What woman in her right mind wouldn’t think that I’m three feet of delicious goodness?”

“Umm…”

Blithely ignoring her hedging, Levet ran a loving hand over one stunted horn.

“Not to mention the fact I also happen to be a powerful sorcerer.”

Anna hid her smile. “Yes, I can see where you would be quite a catch.”

Levet sniffed in annoyance. “And yet a vampire has only to enter a room and suddenly I’m minced eggplant.”

“Minced…?” Anna gave a shake of her head. Levet’s English was nothing if not creative. “Never mind. Do vampires do a lot of…dating?”

“That depends on what vampire you’re talking about. If they’re mated then they are completely monogamous. Of course, they have no choice. But before they are mated…”

“Before they’re mated they’re what?”

“Hounds.” The gargoyle shook his head. “Complete, utter hounds.”

She bit her bottom lip. Cezar had claimed that he hadn’t wanted another woman since they had first met all those years ago. And certainly he made her feel as if she were some sort of cherished treasure. Still, a true womanizer was skilled in making a woman believe she was special, wasn’t he?

At least until the moment came for him to move on to his next victim.

“Oh,” she breathed softly.

“Anna?” Levet leaned forward with a frown. “Is something wrong?”

She gave a shake of her head. What did it matter if Cezar was bound to disappear from her life again? It wasn’t as if…

With a flare of panic she refused to allow the rest of the thought to form.

She had enough troubles on her plate for the moment.

Good God, did she have enough troubles.

“Nothing,” she said firmly.

Levet frowned, but obviously realizing she had no intention of baring her heart, he nodded. “Then let’s try to shield again.”

Anna grimaced. So far all she’d managed to accomplish was one big, throbbing headache. “Not fences.”

“Fine. Close your eyes and picture yourself walking down a long corridor.”

Closing her eyes, Anna sternly forced her wayward thoughts to picture a long, narrow hallway. When she was certain it wasn’t about to fade into oblivion, she sucked in a deep breath. “There.”

Levet’s hands cupped her face. “Bon. Now with every few steps imagine that you are closing a door behind you. No, a steel door. Oui, oui. Very good.”

Tossing herself completely into the illusion she was creating, Anna walked down the brightly lit hallway, forcing herself to create a new door every few steps.

It seemed so very real. Almost tangible.

So real, in fact, that it took a moment of listening to the strange knocking on the door behind her before panic actually set in.

“Levet?”

“What?”

“Is there supposed to be someone knocking on the door?”

There was a flurry of French curses as Levet’s fingers tightened on her face. “Concentrate, ma petite. Do not let them in.” Without warning Levet’s hands fell from her face and he was sucking in a sharp breath. “Oops.”

“Oops?” Anna kept her eyes scrunched shut, her head throbbing as she frantically pictured the steel door. “The door is shut tight. What’s oops?”

“That.”

Not at all sure it was a good idea, Anna slowly opened her eyes, her head turning to follow Levet’s wide gaze.

Oh no. It most certainly wasn’t a good idea.

What the hell was that strange shimmer floating in the air near the window? It looked almost like a mirror that wasn’t entirely formed. Or maybe it was a wavering tunnel of light.

“Holy crap,” she breathed, her heart lodged in her throat. “What is it?”

Levet hopped off the bed, his tail twitching in agitation. “A portal.”

“Portal?”

“A door between time and space.”

Oh, of course.

Shaking her head, Anna forced herself to simply accept Levet’s explanation. She’d seen too much over the past few days to be shocked by a bit of warp-speed travel.

“Why is it here?”

“Obviously your visitor decided if they couldn’t reach your mind they would call in person.”

She slid off the bed, her body knotted with tension. There was only one person who would be trying to force their way into her mind.

“This isn’t good.”

“It’s rude, is what it is. You do not just make a portal in the middle of someone’s bedroom without permission. What if we were…you know.” Levet lifted his brows at Anna’s sharp, disbelieving glare. “Don’t look me like that, it’s entirely possible.”

She blew out a sigh. “Levet, let’s just concentrate on what’s coming.”

His tail twitched, his hand reaching up to grab hers. “I think we both know what’s coming.”

True enough.

Already the scent of pomegranates was filling the air, the fruity scent making Anna’s skin crawl with fear.