When Darkness Comes (Guardians of Eternity #1)(57)

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Nothing."

'You felt something." He reached out to grasp her arm, pulling her to a halt. "Is there anything here?"

A frown marred her forehead. Not the pissy frown she reserved solely for him. But the one that warned she was sensing something she could not explain.

The one she had had too many occasions to use over the past few days.

"It's not that. It's… I don't know, like an echo."

"From the spell Selena cast?"

"Maybe." She abruptly rubbed her hands over her arms. "It feels wrong, somehow. Not evil, but…"

He tilted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Abby?"

"It's difficult to explain."

"Try."

Her eyes narrowed. A silent warning he would eventually pay for his arrogant tone.

Not at the moment, however.

"I once walked past a chemical plant that was pumping toxic waste into the river. It was nothing I could actually see, but there was a certain smell and foulness to the air that made my skin crawl. That's what I feel now."

"Foulness."

'Yes."

Dante growled low in his throat. He was a preda-tor. A lethal killer. The fact that he could not sense the danger lurking in the air made him long to destroy something.

Something witchy.

"There is something I'm missing." He gave a sharp shake of his head. "Damn. This way."

Taking Abby's hand, he led her farther down the hall. He considered it a minor miracle they managed to make it over a dozen steps before Abby dug in her heels.

"Wait. Where are we going? Selena's rooms are down that wing."

He glanced over his shoulder. "Trust me."

Damn. Wrong words.

Her heels nearly made holes in the floor as she refused to budge.

"Trust you? Again?"

"Have I led you astray yet?" Her mouth flew open far too readily. A diversion was clearly in order. Never one to miss an opportunity, Dante glided forward to cover her mouth in a swift, hungry kiss. "Don't answer that," he murmured against her lips. Her hands clutched his arms as she instinctively arched against him. Devil spit. Dante felt her fiery heat sear through him. It licked over his skin and smoldered in his blood. His teeth clenched. The ache to gather her in his arms and take her against the wall was firmly thrust aside. He would never have enough of this woman. But now was not the time or place, he sternly chastised. Pulling back, he grasped her hand and pulled her firmly down the hall before she could come to her senses. Shoving aside a broken statue, he pointed at the wall. 'This is it."

"This is what?"

'The safe."

"Where?"

He touched his finger to the center of the satin wallpaper. "There."

She shot him a narrowed glare. "Is this some sort of Abbott and Costello routine?''

His lips twitched despite the urgency of their situation. "The safe is set in the wall and has been warded. It's up to you to break the spell."

"Me? I'm no witch."

"Selena was not a witch, lover." He reached out to touch her cheek. "Her power came from the Phoenix."

"A power she had three hundred years to learn to control, not three days."

'You can do this."

Her frown threatened to become permanently engraved. "Easy for you to say. Hell, I don't even know how to start."

'Just concentrate," he urged softly.

"On the wall?"

"On the safe behind the wall." Dante stepped back to watch her closely. He hated putting such pressure on Abby. She had barely accepted that she carried the Phoenix. Now to be expected to wield its magic was rather like expecting a bird to fly only moments after it hatched. Unfortunately, there was no choice. They had to find the witches. A long silence filled the hall, and then her hand lifted, and she twitched her fingers. Dante frowned in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to cast a damn spell."

"By wiggling your fingers?"

"It's a… thing. A stupid thing, but a thing." She angrily blew a stray curl from her forehead. "Now, do you mind? I'm trying to concentrate."

He held up his hands. "Please, concentrate all you need."

There was another silence. A long silence. And then a heavy sigh.

"Damn." She turned to regard him in defeat. "I can't do this."

He grasped her shoulders in his hands. This woman possessed enough power to rip apart the entire city. More power than he could ever dream of. He would not allow doubt to stand in her path.

"Abby, you have killed a hellhound, battled zombies, and escaped from a dark wizard. You can do this."

She grimaced. "What I've done is bumbled from one disaster to another, and the only miracle is that I haven't managed to kill both of us in the process."

"I believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself."

"Which doesn't say much for your intelligence."

He gave her a slight shake. Why had Viper not warned him that mortal women were as stubborn as Stlantd demons?

"Abby."

She met him glare for glare before heaving a frustrated sigh. "Okay, okay. I'll try again."