Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #9)(78)

Their almond black eyes were outlined in heavy kohl and their full lips were touched with color. Long, ebony hair was pulled into a braid that hung down their backs.

And their insanely beautiful bodies were covered by . . .

Good god, were those loincloths?

One of the two stepped closer, a gun in his hand. “Don’t move.”

Cassie held up her hands. “Please, I need to speak with the King of Weres. Is he here?”

The almond eyes widened as the vampire took a closer look at Cassie’s face, belatedly realizing she had a few twins of her own.

One of which was the Queen of Vampires.

“God almighty,” vampire one muttered, glancing over his shoulder at vampire two. “Get Salvatore. Now.”

The warehouse

Styx had killed two of the troll-like demons and was watching a third crawl through the rift when Jagr dashed into the room. Thankfully, the opening had remained narrow enough that only one creature could crawl through at a time, but Styx was suffering from a dozen small wounds and it wouldn’t take long for him to become too weakened to hold back the slow tide of evil.

“What the hell?” the vampire muttered.

Styx swung his sword at the demon’s thick neck, having discovered after several futile attempts that their hearts were covered by a layer of bone armor that was impossible to penetrate.

“A rift has been opened,” Styx growled, lopping off the head of the demon and kicking its body back through the opening. The things were not only ugly, but they reeked.

There was a momentary silence as the rift remained empty, although he could catch glimpses of various creatures that prowled through the hell dimension. He didn’t doubt that once they discovered there was an open doorway they would eagerly try to enter this world.

Jagr moved to his side, grimacing at the gaping rip in space. “Can you close it?”

Styx snorted. If he was as omnipotent as people expected him to be, he’d be wearing a cape and leaping over tall buildings. “No. We’re going to need backup.” He grimaced, barely able to form the words. “Get Levet.”

Jagr blinked. Then blinked again. No doubt wondering if Styx had taken a blow to the head. “I hate to question your decisions,” he said cautiously, “but I don’t think the gargoyle has the magic to deal with this.”

“No, but my power has no doubt drained our phones,” he admitted, all too familiar with his effect on modern technology. Usually, he was happy as hell to do without the constant buzz and intrusion of electronic devices, but right now he’d give his right nut for a working phone. “And he’s the only one who can contact the lair so they’ll send out the troops.”

Jagr pulled out his phone to glance at the black screen with a grimace. “Fine. I’ll have him contact Regan. She’ll be able to organize things from Chicago.”

Styx nodded. Regan was Jagr’s mate and his own mate’s sister. The female Were was proving to possess a talent for detailed organization. She’d already rearranged Jagr’s massive library so a covey of harpies—who were astonishingly brilliant when they weren’t in mating season—could sift through them in search of any prophecies that might have been overlooked, as well as set up safe houses for children and those too weak to protect themselves.

Jagr was torn between undiluted pride in his mate and a resigned acceptance that his life would never be the same.

There was a blast of frigid air as Jaelyn skidded into the room at the same moment a demon with jagged horns, skin the color of puce, and a long snout that made him look like a perverted anteater climbed through the rift.

“What the hell?” the female vampire hissed in shock.

“Yeah, my words exactly,” Jagr muttered, stepping forward to swing his sword at the creature.

Styx motioned Jaelyn forward. “I’m going to need you, Hunter.”

“Of course. I haven’t had a good fight in days.” She smiled, revealing her razor-sharp fangs in a smile of anticipation. “Move out of the way, Goth-boy.”

Pulling out her sawed-off shotgun, Jaelyn began firing silver bullets into the creature as Jagr muttered a curse and leaped to the side.

“You’re a menace,” he informed his fellow vampire.

Jaelyn shrugged, kicking the demon back through the rift. “You should see me when I’m pissed off.”

Both men shuddered. Jaelyn pissed off was a sight neither wanted to experience.

Then, as there was the sound of nearing growls through the rift, Jagr turned to head for the door. “I’ll return as soon as Levet has contacted Regan.”

“Jagr,” Styx called out.

“Yes?”

“Have Salvatore send some of his Weres, but tell him to remain at my lair. This could be yet another distraction.”

Jagr nodded. “Is that all?”

“Make sure my mate returns to Chicago.”

The large vampire snorted as he continued out the door. “I’m not a miracle worker.”

Styx grimaced. He knew better than to hope his mate would return to the safety of his lair. But then, he wouldn’t leave her behind. Why should he expect anything different from her?

Poised for attack, Jaelyn glanced over her shoulder. “Did Kostas create this?”

“No.” Styx’s expression was grim. “The Dark Lord.”