Hunt the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #11)(97)

“All I want is your death.”

“Why?” The demon shuddered, his human form desperately trying to disintegrate to escape the searing magic. “It will give you nothing.”

“You’re mistaken.” Sariel smiled, taking full pleasure in watching the golden glow slicing through the spongy flesh of his tormentor. How many hours had he devoted to imagining this precise moment? Thousands and thousands. His smile widened as he deliberately allowed his magic to burn brighter, increasing the pain. “Killing you is a priceless treasure.”

Raith screamed until his voice came out in a hoarse plea. “What about your people?”

Sariel heard the sound of his daughter urging the vampire away from his power that was spilling through the portal. Not that he cared what happened to the leech.

It would be far better if he died at the same time as the Nebule.

“What about them?” he demanded, his tone revealing his lack of concern.

There was no means for the demon to hurt his people.

“I have them hidden,” the Nebule warned, his voice a mere thread of sound. “They will die if you kill me.”

Sariel frowned. Captured?

Abruptly he realized Raith was referring to the kidnapped fey that he and his partner kept in a holding pen somewhere in the portal.

He waved a dismissive hand. “They’re not my concern.”

“But . . .” The words were forgotten as another scream was wrenched from the Nebule, his flesh slowly melting beneath the heat of Sariel’s magic.

With a ruthless precision honed over centuries of battles, Sariel amped up his magic notch by agonizing notch.

The Nebule pleaded and cursed and threatened until he could no longer speak. Instead he tumbled forward, his body twitching with a pain that was unimaginable.

Sariel allowed it to linger for nearly an hour, his fierce need for retribution only partially fulfilled when the creature abruptly burst into flames. Within seconds there was nothing left of Raith but a greasy pile of sludge.

Walking forward, he passed a hand over the blackened pile, wrapping a layer of magic over Raith that would prevent his people from collecting his remains and giving him a proper burial.

He might be dead, but his soul would remain trapped in this spot for all of eternity.

“I suppose that shall have to satisfy me,” he murmured, turning to find his daughter clutched in the arms of the vampire. “You killed his partner?”

She gave a wary nod. “Yes.”

“You make me proud,” he informed her, knowing that his words of praise would be worth more than the finest jewel to his offspring. “Only the most powerful Chatri could destroy a Nebule single-handedly.”

She frowned, not seeming to appreciate how rare and precious it was to receive his praise. Some of his people had devoted decades of labor just to earn a faint nod of approval from him.

“It wasn’t single-handed,” she protested, glancing toward the vampire.

“Fah.” Sariel sniffed. His daughter’s bond with the vampire was something he needed to break. The sooner the better. “A leech couldn’t be of assistance.”

The vampire flashed his fangs. “I really don’t like you, fey.”

Fey? He was Chatri.

Sariel squared his shoulders. “Trust me, the feeling is mutual.”

Sally continued to frown, seemingly impervious to the male sniping.

“What did he mean?” she abruptly asked.

Sariel turned his attention to her tense face. “Who?”

“The Nebule.”

“Ah.” He forgot the vampire. This was a proper response for a true Chatri. “You wish to claim his treasure?” He offered a gracious smile. “It is yours if you desire it. You have earned a reward.”

Her brows snapped together as if offended by his generous offer.

“No, I don’t care about treasure.”

Impatience flared through him. What was wrong with the female?

“Of course you care,” he told her. “You are my daughter. We are judged not only by our beauty, but by the wealth we have accumulated.”

She snorted, indifferent to his careful explanation. “Then I’m destined to be low man on the totem pole.”

“You have a totem pole?” he demanded in confusion.

She shook her head. “No. What I mean is that I don’t care how you judge me.”

Sariel stiffened. Among his people such a response could have the offending person thrown into the dungeons, if not killed outright.

“You’re tired so I forgive you for your heresy,” he said stiffly. “We should leave this place.”

The vampire tightened his arm around Sally’s shoulders. “That’s the first intelligent thing you said.”

Sally grimly dug in her heels. “What about the people the Nebule mentioned?”

Sariel arched a brow. “People?”

“He called them your people.”

“Oh.” Sariel shrugged. He’d already forgotten the Nebule’s desperate attempt to avoid his painful death. “Raith and his partner would capture a group of fey and keep them imprisoned until they could arrange an auction on their world.”

“Where are they?”

He gestured behind him. He’d heard the screams of the latest prisoners just before Sally’s timely arrival.