Devoured by Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #7)(21)

Braced for the worst, Laylah nearly fell to her knees in relief as Tane offered a mocking bow.

“Your wish is my command, mistress. This way.”

He turned to flow through a side tunnel, not bothering to see if she were following or not. She hoped it was a sign his powers were at least muted.

In silence they moved through the cramped passageways. Laylah knew she was taking a desperate risk. If she hadn’t gone skitzo with the need to track down information of the Jinn she might already be back under the protection of Caine with the child safely in her care.

Instead she was risking all for what?

Information? Affirmation?

Lost in her broodings, Laylah allowed herself to be led through the maze of tunnels, only vaguely aware they were headed away from London.

Nearly half an hour later, however, she was jerked out of her dangerous distraction. She came to a sharp halt, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Stop,” she commanded.

With a low growl, Tane spun around to stab her with an impatient frown.

“Laylah, we don’t have long until your scent begins to stir unwanted attention.”

She matched him glare for glare. If she’d managed to bind him, he was already proving to be the worst slave ever.

“I’m more interested in the scent that’s already here,” she snarled. “You’ve brought me to a vampire lair.”

He shrugged, completely unrepentant. “What place could offer you more protection?”

“Yeah, and when they learn your companion is a half Jinn they’ll serve me up for dinner.”

Without warning he was standing directly before her, his eyes glowing with a frightening intensity.

“There’s not a chance in hell another vampire is going to sink his fangs into you,” he swore, his voice harsh with male possession. “Not as long as I’m alive.”

She ignored the strange excitement that arrowed in the direction of her pelvis. She wasn’t going to be distracted again.

“I’m not walking into a trap.” “Trust me, my sweet, if I decide to lead you into a trap you’ll never see it coming.”

She ground her teeth. “Not helping.”

He made a resigned bid for patience. “Victor is clan chief of London. We will need his permission if you intend to remain more than a few hours.”

She grimaced. The last thing she wanted was more vampires. One was enough, thank you very much.

“What we need is a witch who is willing to sell us an amulet to hide our scents,” she countered.

Expecting an argument, she was caught off guard when he shrugged.

“Yet another reason to approach Victor.”

“He has a witch on the payroll?”

“Actually he mated one.”

“Seriously?” She gave a disbelieving shake of her head. Magic was the one power a vampire had no defense against. They couldn’t even sense a spell until too late. As a result they possessed a pathological hatred for both witches and mages. “A witch and a vampire? Isn’t that illegal or something?”

“Or something,” he said dryly, his own thoughts of a vampire taking a witch as a mate carefully hidden. No doubt a wise precaution. “Actually, Juliet is half witch and half imp, with a rare talent that allows her to sense magical artifacts. If anyone has a spare disguise amulet lying around it will be her.”

“And that’s the only reason you brought me here?” she demanded, concentrating on her tenuous awareness of Tane in an attempt to impose her will. “The truth.”

“I’ve heard rumors that Victor had a brief encounter with a Jinn.”

His brooding expression made it impossible to know if he was being coerced to speak the truth or merely playing along.

“Recently?”

“I suppose that’s a matter of perspective.”

Her brows snapped together. “Tane.” “A few hundred years ago.” “What happened?”

He folded his arms over his bare chest, making his muscles ripple beneath his golden skin. “That’s his story to tell.”

She turned away from his compelling beauty as she considered her options. Or lack of options.

If Victor had the information she desired, what choice did she have but to approach him? Even if it meant bearding the lion in his den, so to speak.

Besides, Tane was right, may his aggravating soul rot in hell.

Without protection she would soon be at the mercy of every demon in London who wanted to make brownie points with the Commission by turning over a rogue mongrel.

“And you swear you aren’t using the vampires to break my binding?” she demanded.

“I swear.” He pressed a hand to that gorgeous chest. Laylah swallowed a groan. She was terrified and weary and covered in filth, but a liquid heat raced through her at the thought of kissing and nibbling and licking her way down the smooth golden skin until she reached the waistband of his khakis and the … “Laylah.”

Tane’s rough growl jerked her head up to meet his smoldering gaze, a blush staining her cheeks at the sight of his extended fangs and rigid expression as he battled his savage reaction to her arousal.

“Fine, let’s go,” she muttered.

His jaw clenched, his urge to go caveman a tangible force in the air. Then, with grim effort he whirled around and led her through the darkness.