Devoured by Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #7)(8)

Tane stood in the middle of the cave, covered in blood and looking like some magnificent conqueror. Just for a moment, Laylah had the opportunity to appreciate the fierce elegance of his profile, the chiseled perfection of his muscular body, and the bronzed satin of his skin.

Then, shoving a hand through his mohawk, he turned to reveal his eyes glowing with a honey fire and his fangs extended in fury.

She shivered. Holy shit. She’d met dangerous predators before, but nothing like Tane.

“I sense the other vampires,” he rasped.

“Not vampires.”

He frowned. “What is it?”

Realization hit at the same moment the stunted gargoyle waddled into the cave.

Laylah grimaced, easily recognizing the tiny demon.

Of course. Who could forget a gargoyle who stood barely three foot tall with large gossamer wings in brilliant shades of crimson and blue with veins of gold that were more suitable for a fairy than a fearsome beast? Not that he was entirely a un-gargoylish. He did have the usual grotesque features of his ancestors, as well as the long tail that was lovingly polished and horns atop his head.

He had been a companion of Salvatore when she and Caine had kidnapped the Were, and it had been her duty to carry him back to Caine’s lair.

It hadn’t been her fault that Tane and his gang of curs had been in such quick pursuit and she’d been forced to literally drop the gargoyle on his head and shadow walk to escape.

Or that in her haste she had released a small surge of power.

“Oh,” she breathed, her gaze remaining on the approaching gargoyle even as two new vampires burst into the room and launched themselves at Tane.

“Damn,” Tane muttered, his dagger slicing into the dark-haired vampire who looked like an extra out of a Tim Burton movie. “Like I don’t have enough troubles.”

Laylah frowned. “I thought he was on your side?”

“Can we save the discussion for later?” Tane grunted as the second vampire slammed into him from behind. “I could use some help here.”

She clenched her hands, ignoring the ridiculous urge to wade into the battle.

“Why should I help the man who intends to turn me over to the Oracles? I don’t care if you get killed.” She tilted her chin. She didn’t care. She didn’t. Dammit. “In fact it’ll save me from having to do it myself.”

Slipping past the smack down Tane was delivering, the tiny gargoyle halted next to Laylah, his gray eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Ah, a belle femme after my own heart,” he murmured with a thick French accent, sinking into a small bow. “Allow me to introduce myself. Levet, Defender of Damsels in Distress, Prince Charming, and overall Knight in Shining Armor, at your service.”

Laylah blinked. She’d knocked out the gargoyle with a bolt of lightning during their first encounter. She had no idea he was so … hmmm. Flamboyant?

“Good God,” she breathed.

He waved a dismissive hand. “Non, non. It is a common mistake, but I am not a deity. Well, not unless you consider being a sex god as …” His eyes abruptly narrowed, his head tilted back as he sniffed the air. “Sacrebleu. You are the Jinn.”

Tane swore, pinning one vamp to the ground with his knee while he tried to dislodge the other that was latched onto his back.

“Levet, either make yourself useful or get the hell out of here.”

The gargoyle ignored Tane’s command, turning about to reveal the imprint of her hand that she had scorched onto his ass just before she’d dropped him in the tunnels.

“Look what you have done.”

“It was an accident.”

“An accident?” Levet turned back, his wings twitching. “You have marred perfection. It is like desecrating the Mona Lisa.”

In spite of herself, Laylah found her lips twitching. Levet was unlike any creature she’d ever met before.

“I truly didn’t mean to hurt you,” she said with genuine sincerity. “Please forgive me.”

He pursed his lips. “Well, I suppose I could consider a measure of forgiveness. I am, after all, renowned for the generosity of my heart.” He sent a raspberry toward Tane as the vampire muttered his opinion of worthless gargoyles. “And our introduction was not under the best of circumstances.”

“No.” She cleared her throat. “I suppose that Caine’s been captured and his lair overrun with Weres?”

The tiny demon snorted. “The last I saw of Salvatore he had rescued Harley and they were fleeing from Caine while his mangy minions were in pursuit.”

Laylah sucked in a sharp breath, her heart slamming against her ribs. So Caine was away from his lair and obviously distracted.

She would never have a better opportunity.

“Can we save the reminiscing?” Tane abruptly intruded into their conversation. “Levet, get over here.”

They turned to watch as Tane decapitated one of the vampires just as the one he had knocked out earlier came to his senses and rose to his feet to barrel across the cave.

“Surely the mighty Charon does not need assistance to deal with three scrawny vampires?” Levet demanded.

Tane managed to yank the vampire clinging to his back over his head, stabbing his dagger deep into the attacker’s chest.

“Not if they’re busy draining a mouthy gargoyle,” he muttered.