Embrace The Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #2)(35)

There was a movement behind the gargoyle and Viper locked gazes with the vampires that had been standing guard.

He growled deep in his throat at the sight of the blood that covered their clothing and the wounds that marred their faces.

He was clan chief. Whoever had sent the hellhounds would soon regret their fatal decision.

"Santiago, gather the other guards and take them to your lair."

The tail vampire stiffened at the command. "We will not leave you."

Viper gave a shake of his head. His guards were still young and bound closely to the night. Once the sun rose they would be unable to protect themselves.

"You are wounded and it is too close to dawn. There is nothing you can do."

Frustration shimmered through the air as the guards were forced to accept the truth of his words.

"Your human servants will soon arrive," Santiago at last muttered.

"They are no match for the demon who hunts us. We must attempt to evade him if we can." Viper laid a hand on Santiago's shoulder. "You must take care of the others, my friend. Now go."

Trapped by Viper's demand to protect the lesser vampires Santiago had little choice but to offer a grudging bow.

"As you command."

He waited until they melted into the darkness, headed for the secret lair that Santiago had built when Viper had brought him here to guard the estate. They would be safe and covered by the healing earth. Which was more than he could say, he wryly acknowledged as the distant baying echoed eerily through the air.

He turned to meet Shay's troubled gaze. "The hellhounds return. We must go."

Chapter Nine

On this occasion Shay didn't protest when Viper grasped her hand and tugged her across the kitchen and through a narrow door that led to the basement.

A small miracle, but at the moment she was far more concerned with whatever was creeping closer to the house than asserting her independence.

With Levet clinging to the back of her robe, they moved in swift silence. She could vaguely make out the dark, secluded bedrooms they passed. No doubt spare bedrooms in the event Viper decided to have a sleepover.

Viper would have a room for himself, but it would not be his lair. At least not his hidden lair.

To prove her point the vampire halted before the paneling at the end of the hall. With a movement of his hand and a whispered word the paneling opened to reveal steps leading farther down into the ground.

"Through here." he whispered, waiting for them to pass so he could close the paneling behind them.

Shay could sense the curses that bound the door. They were powerful, but they wouldn't provide protection from the demon that hunted her. Not if it were truly determined to follow her.

The smell of warm, rich earth surrounded Shay as she cautiously moved down the flight of steps and entered what she assumed was Viper's lair. Once on solid ground she was forced to pause as complete darkness folded around her. Unlike Viper she didn't possess the ability to see through the murky black.

Perhaps sensing her troubles there was a sound in the dark and then the faint bloom of tight as Viper held a taper to the tall, silver candelabra.

Shay's eyes slowly adjusted as her breath caught in her throat.

"Holy crap," she breathed, her gaze traveling around the vast cavern that surrounded her. She had never seen so many weapons in one place. Long swords, short swords, daggers, ninja weapons, bows and arrows, handguns, and ancient armor were all carefully stored behind glass cases. There was even a case where she could feel the power of magically blessed weapons. "Where did these come from?"

Taking a key Viper unlocked a case to retrieve an elegant sword that he strapped to his back. He handed a dagger to the oddly silent Levet, and a sword to Shay who held it with the confidence of a woman accustomed to wielding such a weapon.

"It is part of my collection," he answered as he moved to another case and chose a small handgun that he loaded with swift ease.

Moving to stand beside him Shay shot him a glance of disbelief. "Part? Are you intending to invade Canada?"

The midnight gaze lifted to reveal a feint hint of amusement. Shay's breath disappeared at the sheer beauty of his face in the candlelight. It was almost indecent that a man should possess the face of an angel.

The eyes darkened as he felt the fine tremor that ran through her body.

"It's not on the agenda," he huffed, moving to stand far too close. "At least not for today."

There was a disgusted hiss from behind them as Levet gave a vicious tug on Shay's robe.

"I hate to interrupt such a touching scene but those hellhounds are not going to wait for you two to play kissey face. So, unless you intend to nail a chunk of roast beef to my butt and have me run around as a distraction, I would suggest we prepare for battle.";

The glare that Viper shot at the small gargoyle should have made Levet turn to stone, but he stepped back from Shay and waved them both toward the back of the room.

"They shouldn't have been capable of breeching my defenses," he muttered. "There is something with them."

Levet gave a small flutter of his wings. "Something bad."

Shay sensed it as well. A dark, creeping dread that filled the air and made it difficult to breathe. It was not yet at the door, but it was close enough to make a shiver inch down her spine.

Close enough to know that she didn't want it any closer.