Damocles merely smiled. "We shall see."
"Enough." Styx cursed the realization he allowed himself to become so easily provoked. The past was done. Only the future mattered. "I did not come to bandy empty words with the likes of you. I have convinced the master to allow me to retrieve the Shalott. Once you have revealed to me the location of the demon, you're... services will no longer be required."
Predictably Damocles appeared exquisitely indifferent to the threat hanging in the air. With languid movements he circled past Styx to halt beside the scrying pool.
"I must say that I am surprised that you would take on such a task yourself," the imp drawled.
Styx watched the demon with a fierce gaze. "Why?"
"Surely the master must have told you who is holding the Shalott?"
"If you have something to say, imp, then say it."
"It simply seems odd that after all of your tiresome bleating about preserving vampire blood that you would be so eager to spill it now." Damocles waved a slender hand over the scrying pool and motioned Styx closer. "Come."
A cold sense of dread inched down his spine as Styx moved to peer into the murky water.
At first glance he could see only the delicate bronzed face of the Shalott. A face that looked hauntingly like her father's. He was swift to steel himself against any sense of regret at her fate. Her blood was all that stood between peace and chaos.
The water shifted and his attention turned to the man at her side. The dread spread through his body as he caught sight of the familiar silver hair and arrogant features.
"Viper" he rasped in shock.
"A friend of yours?"
"Where are they?"
With a taunting smile Damocles gave another wave of his hand and the image pulled back to reveal an elegant mansion that Styx recognized at once.
Every vampire knew the address of Dante and Abby.
No demon wanted to accidentally stumble across the goddess.
"I will say the Shalott knows how to pick her companions." The imp slid him a pointed glance. "Two vampires, a stunted gargoyle, and the Phoenix."
Styx abruptly straightened. "What of the troll Evor?"
"I fear my meager attempts to discover his whereabouts have gone for naught." Damocles gave a low chuckle. "Perhaps he has disappeared in the proverbial puff of smoke."
"You find this amusing?"
"I find this deliciously ironic."
Styx narrowed his gaze. "Be careful you do not choke on such irony."
"Oh, I shall do my best."
Styx had endured enough. He knew where to locate the Shalott. He had no further need of the aggravating imp.
"Have your bags packed while I am gone, Damocles. When I return I intend to see that you are escorted from the estate."
"As you wish."
Styx ignored the flamboyant bow the imp offered as he turned on his heel and left the chamber. Soon enough Damocles would be thrown from the estate or killed by his own hands. Either way he would no longer be able to spread his poison.
For now, nothing mattered but confronting Viper and somehow convincing him to give up his slave.
Waiting until he was certain that the vampire had left the cavern Damocles gave a soft laugh and moved toward the deep shadows behind the pool. With a wave of his hand the rock abruptly shimmered to reveal a hidden opening.
Damocles slid inside and carefully navigated the narrow stairs that had been chiseled into the ground. His nose wrinkled at the foul smells that filled the air. The smells of unwashed flesh and excrement.
Holding a prisoner was always a messy business.
Still, it did have its rewards.
Coming to a halt at the bottom step he regarded the pudgy troll who hunkered in the corner and glared at him with hatred in his beady red eyes.
"Well, Evor, I see that your imprisonment has not impaired your appetite," Damocles murmured as he pointedly glanced toward the numerous bones that had been stripped clean and tossed over the ground.
The filthy troll gave a rattle of the heavy chains that held him to the wall.
"What else is there to do in this pigsty?"
Damocles gave a low laugh. "Is that any way to speak of your lovely chambers?"
"Bugger off."
"Tsk, tsk. Such language."
The red eyes narrowed with a low cunning. "What do you want of me? Money? Slaves?"
"Nothing so valuable." With a lift of his hand Damocles patted his golden curls. "All I need from you, dear Evor, is your life."
Chapter Thirteen
Viper didn't bother to hide his impatience. Pacing from one vast end of the foyer to the other he kept his gaze trained on the elegant marble staircase.
It wasn't that he was worried for Shay's safety. The devil knew there were few places more secure than at the side of the Phoenix. What demon would risk daring the wrath of a goddess?
No, his impatience was much more personal.
It had been less than an hour and he already felt anxious that she was not at his side. That he couldn't reach out and touch her.
It was a bad sign. A very bad sign for a vampire who had never given a woman a second thought unless she was under the protection of his clan.
Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to find it in his unbeating heart to care that he was in waters far deeper than he had ever tread before.
No doubt another bad sign.
His acute hearing picked up the sound of footsteps long before Dante, Abby, and at last Shay, came into view. Striding forward he allowed the others to pass but, as Shay reached the bottom step, he reached out to pluck her off her feet and planted a thorough kiss upon her startled lips.
Pulling back she regarded him with wide eyes. "Viper."
He ignored her wriggles as he kept her firmly pressed to his chest. "What?"
"We're hardly alone," she hissed.
Brushing his cheek against hers, he savored the scented heat that clouded his senses.
"That could be arranged if you're interested," he whispered against her ear.
"No," she muttered in an outraged breath, but Viper didn't miss the sudden hardening of her ni**les.
Hard to miss that.
Nice. Very nice.
"Are you certain?" He tightened his arms about her. "I could show you just how much I missed you."
"You were only gone an hour."
"What can I say? You have bewitched me."
She gave a furtive glance over her shoulder, a hint of pink staining her cheeks.
"Speaking of bewitchment, I think your companion is feeling neglected."
With reluctance Viper lowered Shay to her feet and gave a negligent shrug.