"Something comes."
Sophia gave a sharp hiss. "Damn, it's the vampires."
"Good." A cold smile touched Salvatore's lips. All thoughts of Darcy and his unpleasant duty were forgotten as a flare of anticipation raced through him. This was what he wanted. The opportunity to rid himself of the bane of his existence once and for all. Rightly or wrongly he held the vampires entirely to blame for the decline of the Weres. And more especially, Styx. They would pay for the wrongs done to his race. "Once Styx enters my lair I will be free to kill him. Not even the Commission could condemn a Were for protecting his territory."
Sophia paced the room with obvious agitation. "You think he will be so foolish?"
"Don't you pay attention to anything?"
She sent him a sharp glare. "If you have something to say, just spit it out."
"He's mated her."
"Mated?" She stumbled to a halt.
"I could smell him all over her. Nothing will halt him from trying to get to her."
"Are you insane?" Sophia was pale as her hand raised to her heart. "A mated vampire? He'll kill us all."
"I'm not without skill in battle, Sophia," Salvatore snapped, his pride stung. "I already have the curs in place and a number of nasty surprises prepared. They will not find us the easy prey that they expect."
Sophia gave a humorless laugh as she headed toward the door.
"You are a fool, Salvatore, and I for one do not intend to remain to be slaughtered by the bloodsuckers."
"Fine, run away, Sophia. I am done bowing and scraping to the arrogant bastards. I intend to stay and fight."
She paused to glance over her shoulder. "I'll return and bury what's left of your carcass."
Salvatore watched as the door closed behind her retreating form before turning his head and spitting on the ground.
"Coward."
* * *
Despite his undoubted skill and the fluid grace of his movements, Styx found himself struggling to keep pace with the tiny gargoyle.
Not surprising considering that Levet's small stature made him a perfect fit for the cramped drainpipe, whereas Styx's far larger body was bent nearly double.
Even worse, the stencil that filled the stale air was enough to repulse the most determined demon.
Kicking aside a rat large enough to swallow a small car, Styx bumped his head on a steel bolt that jutted from above.
"By the gods, gargoyle, slow your pace," he hissed as his fingers rose to stem the sudden flow of blood.
Levet glanced over his shoulder with a twitch of his wings. "I thought you were eager to reach Darcy?"
Styx growled low in his throat. The need to be with his mate had him nearly crazed. Only the realization that cool, concise logic was what was necessary to reach Darcy kept his howling ache at bay.
"In the event you haven't noticed, I am considerably larger than you."
Levet narrowed his gaze. "Oh sure, throw your size in my face."
Styx maintained his patience with an effort. If he didn't know that the gargoyle adored Darcy nearly as much as he did, he would already have choked the annoying twit.
"My point is that I find it much more difficult to sneak through sewers. How much farther must we go?"
As if sensing Styx's fragile control, the gargoyle became unnaturally somber.
"There is an opening just a few yards ahead."
Well, thank the gods for that. "And it opens into the underground parking lot?"
"Yes. There are stairs we can take to the upper floors."
"They will no doubt be guarded," Styx muttered, frustrated by his inability to sense through the heavy iron that surrounded him. He didn't doubt for a moment that Viper and his clansmen were already surrounding the decrepit hotel. And that the wolves were fully distracted by the horde of vampires. But he wasn't about to underestimate Salvatore. He wouldn't leave Darcy completely unprotected. "We must strike before any alarm can be raised."
"Do not concern yourself, vampire. I have the perfect spell..."
"No. No spells," Styx commanded in a fierce tone. "I will deal with any curs we might encounter."
Levet gave an offended grunt. "Ungrateful sod."
"I've seen your magic, Levet. I won't risk Darcy to your mishaps."
The gargoyle flashed a sly smile over his shoulder. "You have it bad, ancient one."
If he hoped to bait Styx, he was wasting his time. Styx had reconciled himself to the knowledge that his world now revolved around one tiny female. And astonishingly, it had been almost painless. Almost. "She is my mate."
Levet fell mercifully silent as they tromped through the guck of the drain pipe. Not that Styx expected it would last. The sky was more likely to fall than this gargoyle keep his lips from flapping.
The miracle lasted less than a minute. Clearing his throat, Levet kept his face turned forward.
"You know it is possible that she will prefer to remain with her family?" he said.
Styx flinched. Damn the gargoyle. The bleak thought was a distraction he did not need at this moment.
Pushing himself ever forward through the damp, filthy drain, Styx clenched his teeth against the flare of pain.
"I have considered that possibility."
"And?" Levet prodded.
The demon was either stupid, or incredibly naive. No one with the least amount of sense poked at a vampire's wound.
"And I will not take her against her will," he gritted.
"Really?" Levet gave a startled chuckle. That's very... unvampire-like."
It was, of course.
And it went against his every instinct.
But he had learned the hard way that he couldn't force Darcy to remain at his side.
His features settled into grim lines. "I didn't say I won't devote the rest of eternity trying to change her mind."
There was a short pause before the gargoyle heaved a faint sigh. "She will have you, Styx. For all her good sense, she seems to have the deplorable ill taste to have tumbled into love with you."
Styx found his heart leaping at the demon's words. Just as if he were a weak, emotional human rather than the master and commander of all vampires.
Pathetic.
Truly pathetic.
But, what was a demon caught in the throes of love to do?
"She confessed this to you?" he demanded.
"She didn't have to. I am French." Levet gave an airy wave of his hand. "I know love when I see it."
Styx didn't even notice when his head smacked into another low-hanging bolt.
He knew that Darcy felt a connection to him. And that her emotions were deeply entangled.