"And what need is that, Styx?"
"All your questions will be answered in time. For now I only ask that you call for your companion and come with me."
Viper folded his arms over his chest. "That's a little vague, I fear. You'll forgive me if I want a few more reassurances before we go anywhere."
Styx regarded him for a long measure, his expression never changing. "We have known each other for centuries. What further reassurance do you desire?"
"You can tell me why you're standing in this nasty warehouse on such a chill night."
"Obviously searching for you."
"Why?"
"This is not the place for such a conversation, Viper. If you and your companion will come with me—"
"And if I refuse?" Viper overrode his smooth words.
"That would be... most unfortunate."
Viper narrowed his gaze, his fangs lengthening in warning. "You will take me against my will? Against all the laws that govern us? Tell me, Styx, has the vampire that I admired above all others now become no better than those he once fought against?"
"Enough." The dark voice never altered, but Viper could feel the flare of power that swirled through the air. "You know nothing of the troubles we face."
"I know that we do not enter the territory of clans without requesting safe passage from the chief," he said, his own power flaring strong enough to make Styx wince. "Or compel demons and dark wizards to do our bidding. Or command the murder of another vampire. Tell me why you are here, Styx."
For the first time those golden features held a genuine expression. Disapproval.
"We will not discuss this in public like squabbling trolls. I expected better of you, my old companion in arms."
Viper took a threatening step forward. "Perhaps if I didn't have a knife stuck in my back you would have gotten better. You have broken our treaty and proclaimed yourself an enemy of my clan."
There was a sudden stir in the shadows and five large vampires moved forward with fluid speed. Like Styx they were covered in heavy black robes, although they had their hoods up making it impossible to determine more than the fact that they were big.
Very big.
Viper prepared to confront the charging vampires even as he felt a flare of relief. The Ravens had remained, which meant that they had yet to detect that their prey was slipping from their grasp. Pulling out his daggers Viper tensed for the attack. If he died, he died, but he intended to take more than a few with him.
The vampires, however, were brought to a sharp halt as Styx' gave a lift of his hand.
"Hold," he commanded, his gaze remaining on Viper's furious expression. "I am here at the command of my master, which places me above treaties as you well know. Still, there is no reason we cannot deal reasonably together."
"Reasonably?" Viper sneered. "I'm well past reasonable. If you wish a dignified discussion, then we will return to Dante's and we can put an end to this there."
Astonishingly, something that might have been a smile touched the golden features.
"As charming as I am certain Dante's new mate might be I have no wish to share tea with the Phoenix." The smile vanished as swiftly as it had arrived and the stark somberness returned. With a motion of his slender hand Styx commanded the hovering vampires to surround them. "Forgive me, old friend, but the time grows short. Call for your companion or I will put her in the hands of my Ravens."
The soft words hung in the air and Viper's fingers instinctively tightened around the hilt of the daggers. It was barely a twitch. A movement that would have gone unnoticed by most. But not Styx. The trained warrior was instantly pointing toward one of the hovering vampires.
"DeAngelo, bring me the Shalott," he rasped.
There was the soft swish of fabric as the vampire moved behind the barrels, and then the sharp sound of the grate being pulled from the entrance to the drainage pipe. Within the blink of an eye the vampire had returned holding Shay's sweatshirt in his hand.
"The demon escaped down a tunnel," he intoned. "Shall I follow her?"
Styx regarded Viper with frozen fury. "No. She will not get far. Viper possesses the amulet that will call her to his side."
Viper narrowed his gaze. "I will never call her."
"You will call her, or you will die. The choice is yours."
Levet was wise enough to hover above the narrow streets. There were all sorts of nasty piles of rotting food, rotting clothes, rotting junk, and rotting things that he didn't want to look at, let alone touch. It wasn't the first slums he had ventured into. He was a three-foot gargoyle. He had spent most of his life hiding among the filth and squalor just to survive.
Still, he had come to America in the hope of bettering his lot. There were far fewer demons to plague him here, and enough space to find a bit of land and live in peace.
Or that had been his intention. Of course, his good intentions inevitably led him to some sort of disaster or another, he acknowledged with a sigh.
Following behind Dante he gave a shudder as the stench swirled upward in a stray breeze.
"Such smells," he muttered in disgust. "How do humans bear it?"
The vampire shot him an impatient glance. Dante had argued fiercely against Levet coming with him to track Viper and Shay. For some reason he had been convinced that Levet would prove to be more a help than a hindrance.
Stupid vampire.
It had only been Level's threat to follow him on his own that had at last brought an end to the short, ugly battle.
"Despair always possesses a stench whether it is human or demon," he at last said.
Levet regarded him in surprise. Attired in black with two swords crossed over his back, a handgun on his hip, and at least one dagger hidden beneath his clothing, he looked ready to take on a small army.
"I thought Viper was the philosopher and you the warrior?"
Bending low Dante sniffed the air like a bloodhound.
"For the past three hundred years I was held prisoner to a clan of witches. Being a slave gives you a considerable insight into despair."
"Yes." Levet gave another shudder. His time with Evor was not forgotten. It would never be truly forgotten. "Yes, it does"
Astonishingly Dante straightened and reached up to touch his arm.
"Slaves no longer."
Levet met the steady gaze and gave a nod. "And never again. "
They shared a brief moment of remembered pain, and the Dante was once again on the scent as they weaved their way through the increasingly narrow streets.