The Anasso straightened to an arrogant pose. "I brought the clans together. I ended the tide of bloodshed. I brought peace to those who never had peace, I achieved what no other could. "
The imp sneered at the proud claims. "No, you devised the one sure method of rallying vampires to your cause so that you could kill those more ancient and worthy than yourself and take control of all. A clever plot, I'll admit. But never pretend to me that it was anything more man a greedy grasp for power."
At her side Viper sucked in a sharp breath at the accusation, but Shay didn't allow her gaze to stray from the gaunt form of the elder vampire.
He seemed the sort to take offense at being branded a power-hungry psycho.
Enough offense to get them all killed.
"You have no right to judge me, imp," the Anasso rasped harshly.
"Ah, but I am not the one to judge you, am I?" The imp waved a dramatic hand toward the unconscious Styx. "It is your own vampires who have at last smelled the stench of your corruption. Who have seen through your pretense of glory to reveal the spineless creature you truly are."
With a terrifying growl the Anasso lifted his clawlike hands and pointed them toward the imp. Viper gave a low curse before pushing Shay behind his kneeling body. The violence was about to explode.
"Brave words for a lesser demon. I will teach you to attempt to rise above your station," the vampire promised in an awful voice.
Astonishingly, the imp merely laughed. "Hardly a lesser demon. I single-handedly managed to bring the glorious Anasso to his knees."
"Lies and tricks," the vampire snarled. "Will you pit your strength against my own?"
"Oh, I don't think that will be necessary. It will be far more fun just to kill you."
The green eyes glittered with an insane amusement as the imp gave a firm tug on the chain. Still shielded behind Viper, Shay clutched at his back. There was a sudden, familiar scent in the air.
One she knew all too well.
"Evor," she breathed even as the troll stumbled into the room and fell to his knees.
Viper stiffened. "Devil's balls."
Shay silently echoed the sentiment. Even suspecting that the troll was in the caves the sight of him still made her heart squeeze with fear.
He looked terrible.
The thin, balding hair was matted to his skull, his face was pale and coated with dirt, and his thousand-dollar suit looked like something from the local garbage dump. Not at all the oily, elegant Evor she knew and hated.
"You think this pathetic half troll can harm me?" The Anasso demanded in arrogant disbelief.
Pulling the troll close to his knee like a leashed dog, the imp ran a hand over Evor's head.
"This is a very special troll. You see, he carries with him a curse. A curse that is about to kill your precious Shalott."
There was a shocked beat as the elder vampire at last realized the true depth of his danger. He had to have Shay's blood to survive, but no vampire could drink the blood of a corpse. Shay had to be alive to offer him his cure.
Expecting the furious vampire to launch toward the smirking imp, Shay gave a small scream when he instead turned and flowed directly toward her.
Clearly he hoped to drain enough blood before Evor could be killed.
Not a bad idea, except for the fact that he underestimated the vampire kneeling before her.
With a fluid motion Viper was on his feet, his sword slicing toward the vampire without hesitation. The Anasso was forced to jerk backward or be decapitated.
"Shay... get the troll," Viper rasped as he moved forward, the sword a mere blur of silver as he grimly pressed his advantage.
She wavered as the elder vampire lifted his hands and prepared to strike Viper with that crippling pain. She knew firsthand that such pain was impossible to fight. Viper would be completely at fee mercy of the ruthless vampire.
As if sensing her hesitation Viper performed another vast swing with the sword that the demon was forced to dodge.
"Shay, go or you'll get us both killed," he gritted, never taking his eyes from the gaunt figure in front of him.
Well, that was blunt enough.
And probably not far wrong.
By lingering her presence was more distracting than beneficial to Viper.
With a shake of her head she was turning to discover that the imp had lost no time. Already the imp had forced Evor onto the floor and he was lifting a knife over his heart.
Shit.
She instinctively leaped forward, but logic warned her that she could never reach him in time.
Evor was about to die.
And she was going to die with him.
Viper sensed when Shay left his side although he didn't spare a glance in her direction:
He didn't dare.
The Anasso might be weakened, but his power was still greater man Viper's own. His only hope was keeping the older vampire on defense long enough to land a lucky strike.
Not the best of battle plans but the only one he possessed at the moment.
Keeping the sword in constant movement he continued to inch forward. The vampire hissed at him in frustration, desperate to get past him. Once again the thin hand lifted to strike and Viper altered his swing to slice through the thin bones of his wrists.
A howl of pain ripped through the air as the hand fell to the floor and the Anasso clutched the bloody stump to his chest
"I am your master," he rasped. "You cannot allow me to die."
Viper ignored the command. He wouldn't allow his concentration to waver.
The one smart choice he made all night, as it turned out.
Cradling his wounded arm the Anasso tilted back his head and called on the forces that he had honed for a millennium. On cue the darkness began to form around him.
Viper didn't hesitate. With a fierce battle cry, he lunged forward.
He wouldn't survive another attack. His only hope was killing the elder vampire.
Now.
Stepping to one side he feigned a blow toward the vampire's heart. The Anasso easily dodged the strike and even the next blow that was aimed at his maimed arm. The darkness thickened and Viper began to feel the first prickles of pain.
His sword flashed through the air, swinging low in a well-known movement that would traditionally be followed by an upward slash. As he hoped the elder vampire instinctively arched back to avoid the blow.
Viper altered his swing in mid-motion to cut across the unprotected legs. It wasn't a killing blow, but it was enough to make the vampire stagger. The Anasso snarled as the blood flowed from a deep slice in his thigh.
The darkness briefly faltered and Viper was swift to take advantage. With a sharp turn he circled the frail form, his sword biting deep into the narrow back before his foe could follow his movement.