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

“Gaius.” The witch jerkily moved to pat the top of his aching head, her face still blank and her eyes glowing with an eerie power. “Do not make me wish I had chosen another servant for this important task.”

Forcing himself back to his feet, Gaius managed a stiff smile. “You will have no reason for regret, Master.”

There was a long pause. As if the Dark Lord was debating the pleasure of killing him against the need to capture the prophet. At last the witch gave a nod. “Sally will travel with you as my personal eyes and ears.”

Gaius was proud and stubborn and obsessed with his dead mate. But he wasn’t stupid.

This time there was no hesitation as he gave a nod of his head. “Of course.”

“I will have two others join you.”

Another hasty nod.

He would make certain his . . . companions understood who was in charge when they arrived.

“Where will we find the prophet?” he asked.

The crimson eyes flared. “If I knew where she was I would not need you, would I?”

Good point.

Las Vegas

After consuming enough food to feed a small army, or one hungry Were, Caine escorted Cassie back through the casino. Instinctively, he slowed his pace to match his companion’s as she studied the drunken crowds that weaved their way past blinking machines toward the cover band singing at the back of the vast room.

He wanted to be far away from the chaotic blast of sound and light and emotions that beat at his senses. His change to pureblooded Were left him hypersensitive to even the most subtle stimulus and being stuck in the middle of Vegas made him feel as if he were being sandblasted by sensations.

Worse, his most primitive instincts were stirred to a fever pitch by the male gazes that followed Cassie with blatant lust.

But, he wasn’t a masochist.

With every passing night it was growing more difficult to keep to his role as protector. Spending any extra time alone with her in a hotel room . . .

A very bad idea.

Especially when she’d just dropped her latest little bombshell on him.

Covertly studying her perfect profile, he kept a possessive hand at her lower back, steering her toward the front lobby. Maybe if they were on the streets he could clear the cobwebs and return his mind to the task of keeping this female safe.

Which was all he should be thinking about.

Busy reminding himself that there wasn’t a demon around who wouldn’t kill to get their hands on a genuine prophet, Caine was unprepared when Cassie came to an abrupt halt, regarding him with a baffled expression.

“Have I done something wrong?”

He frowned at the unexpected question. “Why do you ask?”

“You keep staring at me.”

“I’m not the only one,” he muttered, curling his lips into a snarl as a group of men dressed in khakis and polo shirts halted to ogle Cassie’s slender body shown in shocking detail by the sundress. “You need more clothes on.”

“I’m not going to be distracted. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Caine heaved a sigh. For once the emerald eyes held a remarkable clarity. The one time he wanted her to be oblivious to him, he wryly acknowledged.

A typical female.

“What you said earlier,” he abruptly admitted.

She grimaced. “I’m sorry, I still don’t know why I felt compelled to come here,” she said, misunderstanding his confession. “I suppose it will eventually come to me.”

He shook his head. “No, not that.”

“Then what?”

“About you . . .”

“Caine?” she prompted.

Oh hell. He had to know. It had been eating at him for the past two hours. “About you not being as experienced as other women.”

“Oh.” She tilted her head to the side. “Are you asking if I’ve ever had sex?”

With a muffled exclamation, Caine tugged Cassie into a shallow alcove. “Shh.”

“Why?” She waved a hand toward the passing crowd. “They all talk about sex here. A lot.”

He swallowed a moan, his body reacting with predictable enthusiasm to her words. “You haven’t answered my question.”

Without warning, she lifted her hand to stroke her fingertips lightly down the line of his jaw.

“You don’t need to be a prophet to know that a female who has been held in one prison after another doesn’t have a great deal of experience with men,” she said softly. “There were a few, of course, but not like a normal female would enjoy.”

He held her gaze, reaching up to press her fingers against his cheek. “Briggs?” he asked, referring to the demented Were that had helped to hold her hostage.

“What about him?”

“Briggs . . .”—he found it difficult to even utter the question—“never abused you?”

“Of course not.” She allowed a small, mysterious smile to curve her lips. “He was terrified of me.”

Caine released a shaky breath, savagely relieved that she hadn’t been harmed, even though he’d already suspected the truth.

The innocence shimmering in her eyes was more than just a lack of worldly experience.

“So you’re a . . .”

“Virgin.”

Chapter 3

Caine shuddered.