“Yes.”
His hand lifted to cup her cheek. “Which is why I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”
“Then don’t send me away,” she said, her pleading gaze a weapon of mass destruction on his heart. “Who will protect me if you’re not beside me?”
“Kata . . .” he groaned.
Sensing that victory was in her grasp, Kata turned her head to press her lips to the center of his palm.
“We’ve both been alone too long. Together we can face anything.”
He was whipped, he wryly acknowledged.
A pleading glance, a soft word and he was a lost cause. But, he didn’t care.
If a miracle occurred and they managed to get out of the underworld, he would happily devote himself to Kata’s pleasure.
It was surely the reason he was created?
“I can’t say no to you, even when I know I should,” he admitted.
She flashed a smile. “That’s promising.”
“Only if we get out of here alive.”
“Good point.”
They turned to the worm-like creature who continued to snake its way out of the rock. Uriel grimaced. No doubt the moment it was free all hell was going to break loose, but how did he kill the damned thing?
In the end, the monster took the decision out of his hands.
With a high-pitched cry, the worm swooped downward, aiming his massive teeth directly at Uriel’s head. Uriel held his ground, stabbing the sword upward to pierce the tender skin of the worm’s mouth.
The thing screamed and jerked backward, nearly snatching the sword out of Uriel’s grip. At the same time a shower of acid sprayed over his skin, burning deep into his flesh.
Bastard.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Uriel shifted to make certain he stood between the creature and Kata, swinging his sword before the beast could repeat his attack.
The blade slid through glutinous hide with sickening ease. Like a knife through pudding. Worse, a disgusting flood of acid belched from the wound, forcing Uriel to back away.
Dammit. He needed to be rid of the thing before Marika could catch up with them.
He was busy debating whether he could lure the creature toward the nearby river of fire when Kata moved to stand at his side, her brow furrowed with concentration and her arm lifted to point the dagger at the worm’s head.
Uriel swore. Did she think that tiny dagger was going to cause any damage?
About to tug her back behind him, Uriel was halted as she muttered a harsh word and her curse blasted through the air, hitting the worm with shocking force.
There was a spine chilling cry from the worm, then it suddenly froze, as if it had been incased in ice.
“You might want to step back,” Kata warned, easing away from the towering beast.
Uriel was swift to obey her warning.
He didn’t understand magic, but he was smart enough to stay out of its path.
For long minutes nothing happened. Shifting uneasily, he was beginning to assume that the show was over when there was an odd sound of a crack echoing through the air. Was the surrounding rock being shattered?
But it wasn’t the rock.
No. Even as Uriel took another step backward the towering worm began to crumble, the once spongy flesh now as brittle as chalk.
Flakes of the creature floated through the air as the heavy body crashed onto the path, causing a mini earthquake. Uriel’s attention, however, had shifted to Kata who was clearly on the brink of collapse.
Angling his sword so the blade was pointed backward, Uriel scooped her into his arms and with one mighty shove was leaping over the decaying body of the worm.
“Damn,” he muttered, his heart clenching with fear that she’d perilously drained herself as he gazed down at her too-pale face. “You’re a dangerous woman.”
A weary smile touched her lips. “Don’t you forget it.”
“Never,” he swore, tucking her tightly against his chest as he followed Yannah’s fading scent down the pathway.
Bloody hell, he had to get her out of here.
So far shit-ass luck had kept them alive.
It was bound to run out eventually.
On perfect cue a wave of Marika’s frigid power stirred the toxic air.
“Oh Kata, I smell you,” she cooed.
Crazy bitch.
In his arms Kata giggled, her eyes half-closed as if she weren’t entirely with the program.
“Fee, fie, fo, fum,” she sang.
“Stay with me, Kata,” he muttered, charging down the center of the pathway with reckless speed.
On each side of him the rivers of fire offered liquid death and behind him was a psychotic vampire he couldn’t destroy. If there was another danger looming in front of them then they were screwed.
“I’m never going to leave you,” she softly murmured.
“No.” He bent his head to press his lips to the top of her head, accepting that whatever the future held, Kata would always be in his heart. “You’re never going to leave me.”
Running through the crimson shadows, Uriel could feel his strength waning. Since leaving Victor’s lair he’d spent a large chunk of time in one battle after another. He needed to rest.
And more importantly he needed to feed.
A damned shame he wasn’t going to get either of those things any time soon.
He kept up his punishing pace until it became obvious that he wasn’t going to outrun Marika and that a magical door wasn’t going to open to lead them to safety.
Soon he would be too weak to offer Kata any protection. It was obviously now or never.
Bending downward, he gently settled Kata on the ground, arranging her so as to lean her back against a rock that jutted from the pathway.
She frowned, clutching at his arm in confusion. “Uriel?”
“I love you,” he husked, brushing a tender kiss over her lips.
“Such a smart vampire.”
“It might take me awhile, but you’ll discover I’m trainable.”
Her wicked smile pierced his heart. “Which is why I adore you.”
With a groan, he forced himself to straighten. Then turning, he moved down the path to block the approaching vampire.
Unable to pass, Marika was forced to come to a halt directly before him, a mocking smile curving her lips.
“Get out of my way and I might let you live long enough to pleasure me,” she drawled.
Uriel didn’t bother to hide his shudder as his gaze skimmed her from head to toe.
Christ, she was once again perfect.
Even her gown was spotless.
As if she’d never had her head chopped off her body.
It was creepy as hell.