When Darkness Comes (Guardians of Eternity #1)(64)

Suddenly she was in Dante's arms, and his cheek was rubbing against her own.

"Don't, Abby. There's not another mortal who would still be alive after what you've gone through."

It wasn't true, of course. But it made her feel better anyway.

She laid her head against his chest. "I don't understand how this happened to me. I'm not some chosen slayer or demon hunter. Hell, I didn't even know there were demons." Her lips twisted. "Unless you count my dad."

"Perhaps it was fate," he murmured.

"Then fate sucks."

A chuckle was wrenched from his throat as he pulled back to regard her with a searching gaze.

"Are you ready?"

"No."

He gave a tug on her hair. "Let's go."

Dante had even less desire than Abby to leave the peace of his lair.

What more could a vampire desire?

The woman he had chosen as his mate. A large comfortable bed. No phone, no neighbors, no relatives.

Satellite radio so he would never miss a Cubs game.

Paradise.

Unfortunately there were still hordes of demons, wizards, and zombies just waiting for the opportunity to corner them.

Taking her hand, he led her to the door, pausing as he touched the lock and spoke a low word.

Silently the door slid open, and he took a step forward. At once he realized that something was wrong.

"Wait," he breathed softly.

Abby instinctively froze. "Is there something out there?"

He slowly tasted the air. There were humans near. At least four. And one of them was very familiar.

'The wizard is here. Upstairs."

"Crap." He heard her suck in a deep breath. "Do we wait here?"

He didn't hesitate. "No. The wizard has managed to tap into the power of the dark lord. Given time, he will be capable of discovering this lair."

Her face paled. If she didn't carry the Phoenix within her, he could remove her horrid memories of the wizard and his pack of zombies. For now it was just another burden she would have to shoulder.

"The door—"

"We can't allow ourselves to be trapped."

'Then we try to make a run for it?"

"I believe stealth will serve us better at this point."

Her eyes widened. She was thinking that he had lost his mind.

And she might be right.

'You intend to sneak past them?"

"Yes."

"Great."

"Trust me."

She gave a growl low in her throat "One of these days."

'This way." He tightened his grip on her fingers and led her from the room. In silence they moved toward the very back of the basement. Reaching the wall, Dante bent down to remove the grate that hid his secret passageway.

No vampire worth his salt was without a secret passageway.

Beside him Abby gave a faint gasp. "A tunnel?"

"It will lead you beyond the gates," he explained, holding her gaze. "Go two blocks north and wait on the corner behind the large oak. Can you remember that?"

It took a moment for his words to sink in. "No, Dante. I will not leave you."

"If I don't lay a false trail, then they will be upon us before we can reach safety. Besides, I must know which direction the Shalott took when she left the grounds."

She reached out to grip his arm. Dante flinched as he felt the heat from her fingers brand through his shirt.

The Phoenix would react to her emotions until she learned to control her powers.

"You can't—"

Gently he removed her hand, lifting the fingers to his lips. "Don't fear, lover. I'm far too swift for them to harm me."

He didn't feel the need to explain that he intended to confront the aggravating wizard and put an end to his interference. Full disclosure was for lawyers, not vampires.

Not that most people seemed to think there was much difference between the two.

One bloodsucker was much like the other.

"What if they have some magical trap?"

He cocked a brow. "I'm not completely helpless. This was once my home. I have a few traps of my own."

"Dante."

He pressed a kiss to her palm and stepped back. 'There will be no argument."

She frowned at his stern tone. "You're far too fond of giving commands, vampire."

"And you're far too fond of ignoring them, Chalice." He held her gaze a long moment. "You must do this for me."

"I don't like it."

'Yeah, I got that." He bent beside the entrance to the tunnel and watched as she grudgingly crouched and stepped into the darkness. He pressed the cell phone he pulled from his pocket into her hand. "Don't leave the tunnel if you sense someone is near. Speed-dial Viper and he will come."

Her eyes glittered with frustration. "Don't you dare let anything happen to you or—"

"You'll stake me someplace unpleasant?" he finished for her.

'Yes."

He brushed her lips in a lingering kiss. "I will take the greatest care."

Chapter 18

Rafael chanted a simple spell as he moved through the shattered house. It was frustrating to depend upon magic that the rankest amateur could perform. Magic he hadn't used since he was a fledgling acolyte. But after the disaster of losing the Chalice when she was within his grasp, he was not foolish enough to dare calling upon the dark lord's powers.