Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)(84)

Troy licked his lips. “Well, it’s a talent you can use to your advantage if you’ll just calm down and consider the possibilities.”

“Troy, when I get desperate enough to need advice on battle strategy from an imp I’ll throw myself in the sun.”

“Just think about it, will you?” An edge entered the imp’s voice. For all his fear, he was determined to have his say. “For the moment Morgana believes she has the upper hand and is arrogant enough to try to alter her fate. Hell, she’s inviting the means to her own doom into her house. But the moment she realizes she might be in genuine danger, she will flee back to Avalon and out of your reach. Your mate will be forced to spend the rest of eternity looking over her shoulder for fear of an assassin.”

Cezar stilled. Dammit. As much as it might gall him to admit it, the freaking imp did have a point.

He’d been so concerned with Morgana’s relentless attacks on Anna that he hadn’t actually considered the possibility that the aggravating bitch might retreat to her stronghold.

If she disappeared there would be no means to reach her, and as Troy pointed out, she could strike without warning whenever she wanted.

Anna would never be safe.

“Did you hear what…” Troy began, only to snap his lips shut as Cezar growled in warning.

“I heard,” Cezar rasped, his mind struggling through his pain to sort out the various ways this night could play out.

“But…”

“Troy, shut your mouth before I rip out your tongue.”

The imp heaved a deep sigh. “You know, vampires might be a bit more popular in the demon world if they weren’t so surly all time. I mean, being gorgeous can only take you so far.” A wicked smile touched his lips. “Okay, it can take you to my bed, but…”

Cezar battled back the lethal need to sink his fangs deep into the fey’s throat. “Are you trying to get me to kill you?”

Troy’s smile abruptly vanished. “It would be preferable to another round of Morgana’s slap and tickle.”

“What did she do to you?”

The imp shook his head as a shudder shook through his body. Whatever happened, it was still too raw to speak of.

“Conde Cezar, I have a request to make of you,” he said instead, his expression suddenly grim with determination.

“What?”

“If I can’t get out of there I’d rather you drain me than leave me with Morgana.”

Cezar gave a slow nod. He better than anyone understood that there were many things in this world worse than death.

“Very well.”

Anna kept her eyes closed as the Hummer raced down the dark highway. At her side Styx was behind the wheel with the terrifying Jagr seated in the back.

There was another Hummer behind them filled with Viper, Dante, Shay, Abby and Darcy. Anna had only been briefly aware of the low-pitched arguments that had erupted when the three women had insisted on being a part of the rescue mission. And then another argument when Styx had insisted Jagr join them.

She’d been far too anxious to chase after Cezar.

No, not anxious.

Overwhelmingly, chokingly desperate.

Every moment that passed was like a dagger being twisted through her heart and it was only the knowledge that she would need the help of Cezar’s brothers that kept her from damning them all to hell and racing from the isolated house.

After what seemed to be an eternity they were at last on the road, using Anna’s sense of Cezar to steer them out of the city and west through the flat fields and tiny towns that dotted the landscape.

Not that Anna’s sense of urgency eased. Especially when her connection to Cezar became muted, as if their bond was weakening. Eventually the sense of him had returned along with the searing pain in her neck, but it had lasted only for a few minutes before it began to fade once again.

Anna didn’t know what the odd sensations meant, but she didn’t for a moment believe they could be good.

Clenching her hands so tightly that her nails dug holes into her palm, Anna turned her head to regard Styx with a wide gaze.

“He’s stopped moving.”

In the shadows of the car, the King of Vampires looked like some avenging god, all hard planes and coiled power. He was death, just waiting for the opportunity to deliver his gift. And in the back the golden-haired giant wasn’t any more comforting. Jagr might possess the sort of savage beauty that would make any woman’s heart leap in excitement, but there was no mistaking that frigid violence that crackled around him. He was a time bomb about to explode, and Anna didn’t want to be anywhere near when it happened.

If she hadn’t been terrified out of her mind for Cezar, she would never have been alone in a car with these two lethal demons.

“Good,” Styx growled, the tiny medallions in his braided hair catching the moonlight as he shot her a dark glance. “How is he?”

“I don’t know.” Anna wrapped her arms around her chilled body, hating the aching void that filled her heart. “He’s in pain, but he’s distant from me again. As if there’s some sort of shield around him.”

Styx reached out to give her arm a brief pat. “He’s protecting himself, Anna. A vampire has the ability to pull deep inside his own body. It will not only help him battle the pain, but it will convince others that he is not a threat.”