Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #9)(52)

Gaius made a sound of shock, abruptly understanding the Dark Lord’s vehemence that the wizard be protected.

The babes had been created centuries ago and, if rumors were to be believed, they were intended to be used as a means of resurrecting the Dark Lord if all other efforts failed to return him to the world.

“The Alpha and Omega,” he muttered.

“Only one.” An anger as vast and merciless as the pits of hell pulsed through the fog. “The other babe is in the hands of the leeches. They can’t be allowed to interfere again. Is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“Then you will lead the curs and the witch to this meadow.” There was another painful intrusion into his mind. This time the image was of a slender fey male with long chestnut hair and oddly metallic bronze eyes. At his side was a slender female vampire with dark hair and blue eyes. They both stood in the center of a meadow not far from the tunnels where the wizard was hidden. “The Sylvermyst and the vampire must not be allowed to reach Rafael while he is finishing his preparations to bring me my child.”

Gaius nodded. Did he have a choice? “Fine.”

“Once the child has been brought to me, I want you and Dolf to return here.” There was a kiss of pain. “Understood?”

“Completely.”

“And, Gaius.”

“My lord?”

“The next time you arrive without invitation I will assume that you’re here to challenge me,” the Dark Lord warned in soft, lethal tones. “You won’t like my punishment.”

Gaius offered a deep bow, wryly conceding he’d miscalculated. Badly.

He’d hauled the prophet and her protector to this dimension in the futile hope that the Dark Lord would be so pleased that he would return Dara in effusive gratitude. Instead, the Dark Lord had barely acknowledged his offering and, rather than being pleased, he’d threatened grim reprisals if Gaius ever approached without permission.

To make matters worse, he had to return to the damned curs and witch to save yet another magic-user.

Not his finest night.

Wrapping his fingers around the medallion, he closed his eyes and disappeared.

The Dark Lord’s prison

Two weeks later

Cassie opened her eyes to discover she was shrouded in a thick mist.

She wasn’t surprised.

Despite being held unconscious in the cur’s spell, she’d been distantly aware of being transported to another dimension and the passage of time.

There had also been dreams. Strange dreams where she’d sensed a female vampire and Sylvermyst creeping through the fog in search of a mage carrying an unconscious child.

And then there had been a terrifying power struggle that had made the very air shudder in fear.

And speaking of shuddering in fear . . .

Shoving herself to her feet, Cassie absently rubbed her wrists, feeling the uncharacteristic smoothness. New skin. Which meant she’d been injured while she slept. No doubt silver handcuffs, she hazarded a guess.

Not that she gave a damn. Not when she was desperate to find Caine.

With shaky steps, she moved through the clinging fog, her senses so muted she nearly stumbled over his unconscious form hidden by the swirling white mist.

Her heart halted as she realized he was still trapped in his mutated form, caught between wolf and man.

“Caine.” She squatted beside him, her hand reaching to touch the silver manacles that had seared to the bones of his wrists. “No, no, no.” Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the bonds of awareness that connected them, only to find . . . emptiness. As if there was nothing left of the man she’d come to love so desperately.

“Oh, gods,” she whispered on a sob. “Why did you have to come after me, you stubborn, stupid wolf?”

“How terribly touching.”

Caught off guard by the mocking voice, Cassie jerked upright, spinning around to discover a slender young woman standing just a few feet away.

Her first thought was that she was an astonishingly beautiful human teenager. In the strange glow, her naked skin was tinted a rich honey with long, dark hair that spilled down her back. Her eyes were a stunning blue and when she smiled a pair of disarming dimples danced next to her mouth.

Then the force of her power lashed through the air and Cassie nearly fell to her knees as her skin was nearly flayed from her body.

Yikes.

Only the Dark Lord could pack that sort of punch.

Which meant that her dreams had been real. The Dark Lord had managed to get his hands on the babe and turn it into his vessel.

Now he was a “she” with a physical body to replace the one he’d lost when he’d been banished from the world.

The words of the prophecy whispered through her mind as she met the eyes that flickered from blue to crimson.

Flesh of flesh, blood of blood, bound in darkness.

The Alpha and Omega shall be torn asunder

and through the Mists reunited.

Pathways that have been hidden will be found

and the Veil parted to the faithful.

The Gemini will rise

and chaos shall rule for all eternity.

“The Omega,” she whispered.

“Yes, my servants managed to resurrect me.” With a preening smile, the Dark Lord ran a hand down her slender stomach. “Do you like my new form?”

Cassie took a cautious step to the side, trying to draw attention away from Caine’s unmoving body. If she was going to get fried, then she didn’t intend for Caine to get caught in the crossfire.