Darkness Unleashed (Guardians of Eternity #5)(46)

Regan rolled her eyes. Not again.

“You know, I thought Culligan was a jackass because he was an imp. Turns out that the whole jackass thing comes with being a male,” she drawled in overly sweet tones. “Now let me make one thing perfectly clear…” She shared her annoyed glare between the two vampires. “I don’t need to be protected by Dumb or Dumber. I can take care of myself.”

Halting next to a door set in the steel wall, Tane turned to regard Jagr with an unexpected amusement.

“You’re right, Jagr, her temper is foul.”

Regan hissed in annoyance. “Oh, it can get a whole lot worse than foul.”

“She isn’t exaggerating,” Jagr added, the half smile playing about his lips. “Wise demons tremble when her wolf is on the prowl.”

She clutched her bags to her chest. “Are you done?”

The two men shared a glance that would make any woman consider the pleasure of ridding the world of males, but wisely Tane shifted to open the door, waving a hand for them to enter the room beyond.

Regan stepped over the threshold, flipping the switch on the wall. It wasn’t that she needed the soft light that spilled through the room, but it helped dismiss the sensation of being trapped underground.

She moved forward, then halted in shock. Good…Lord. It looked like it had been decorated by Hugh Hefner on crack.

Her brows lifted as she studied the rich crimson wallpaper and framed pictures of naked women. The ceiling was painted with satyrs in full arousal, dancing in the shimmering light of the large chandeliers. Even worse, there wasn’t a stick of furniture, but instead a dozen large pillows spread over the acres of ivory carpeting, and an honest-to-God whirlpool humming and splashing in the center of the room.

“This is my guest apartment,” Tane said from the doorway, the mocking amusement in his voice revealing he was thoroughly enjoying her appalled expression. “You should find what you need. However, if you decide to leave, don’t stray from the path I’ve shown you. There are any number of nasty surprises for the uninvited.”

Jagr gently tugged the bags of clothing from her stiff fingers, tossing them into a corner along with his own leather satchel.

“Speaking of uninvited, the Anasso sent his pet gargoyle to be a very persistent pain in my side,” he warned Tane. “If he makes an appearance, you might want to avoid killing him.”

“I’ve heard rumors of the creature.”

“Rumors can’t prepare you for the real thing,” Jagr said dryly.

Tane made a sound of disgust. “I will allow him to perch on the roof if he can behave himself, but if he tries to invade my lair I make no promises.”

Jagr shrugged. “Your funeral.”

Appearing remarkably unconcerned, Tane stepped back into the corridor. “I have business to attend to, but my guards will remain on duty. You won’t be disturbed.”

Without warning, Jagr offered a bow of his head. “I’m in your debt, Tane.”

“Yes, you are. Someday I’ll collect.”

His warning delivered, Tane shut the door, enclosing Regan and Jagr alone in the gaudy apartment.

For a minute, Regan simply enjoyed the absence of Tane’s unnerving presence, but eventually the realization she was completely alone with Jagr, in a place custom-built for sex, made her…twitchy.

With jerky steps, she moved across the ivory carpet, peeking into the compact kitchen with its expensive appliances before moving through the connecting door to the bedroom beyond.

Not her smartest decision.

She’d barely switched on the light when Jagr slipped past her, his brows lifting as he prowled toward the round bed draped in black satin that was reflected in the mirrors above it.

It was like one big bachelor pad cliché.

Her cheeks burned with a ridiculous heat. “I can’t imagine why Tane would need guest chambers. Who the hell would want to visit?”

Jagr tugged open a drawer of the lacquer nightstand. “Unlike you, little one, most women find Tane inexplicably charming. Even among vampires, his reputation is that of a…”

“Hound?”

“Not the word I was looking for, but it’ll do.” Jagr plucked a pair of handcuffs from the drawer and dangled them from his finger. “Well, well.”

“Good grief.” She frowned as he studied her with an expectant expression. “Don’t even think about it.”

His soft, almost tangible chuckle feathered over her skin. “I don’t need toys to please a woman. Of course…”

“I’ve seen enough.”

Spinning on her heel, Regan marched into the kitchen, her back ramrod straight, even as all sorts of delicious sensations fluttered in the pit of her stomach.

No, Jagr most certainly didn’t need toys.

Not when his touch was pure magic.

Only a step behind her, Jagr moved toward the built-in refrigerator and tugged open the side freezer.

“You should eat something. Do you have a preference?”

Refusing to reveal her childish unease, Regan moved directly to his side and peered into the freezer. Her mouth instantly watered at the sight of the neatly stacked packages from some of the most famous restaurants in the world.

Chicago style pizza…New Orleans gumbo…Kansas City barbeque…Maine lobster…