Cezar battled back the lethal need to sink his fangs deep into the fey’s throat. “Are you trying to get me to kill you?”
Troy’s smile abruptly vanished. “It would be preferable to another round of Morgana’s slap and tickle.”
“What did she do to you?”
The imp shook his head as a shudder shook through his body. Whatever happened, it was still too raw to speak of.
“Conde Cezar, I have a request to make of you,” he said instead, his expression suddenly grim with determination.
“What?”
“If I can’t get out of there I’d rather you drain me than leave me with Morgana.”
Cezar gave a slow nod. He better than anyone understood that there were many things in this world worse than death.
“Very well.”
Anna kept her eyes closed as the Hummer raced down the dark highway. At her side Styx was behind the wheel with the terrifying Jagr seated in the back.
There was another Hummer behind them filled with Viper, Dante, Shay, Abby and Darcy. Anna had only been briefly aware of the low-pitched arguments that had erupted when the three women had insisted on being a part of the rescue mission. And then another argument when Styx had insisted Jagr join them.
She’d been far too anxious to chase after Cezar.
No, not anxious.
Overwhelmingly, chokingly desperate.
Every moment that passed was like a dagger being twisted through her heart and it was only the knowledge that she would need the help of Cezar’s brothers that kept her from damning them all to hell and racing from the isolated house.
After what seemed to be an eternity they were at last on the road, using Anna’s sense of Cezar to steer them out of the city and west through the flat fields and tiny towns that dotted the landscape.
Not that Anna’s sense of urgency eased. Especially when her connection to Cezar became muted, as if their bond was weakening. Eventually the sense of him had returned along with the searing pain in her neck, but it had lasted only for a few minutes before it began to fade once again.
Anna didn’t know what the odd sensations meant, but she didn’t for a moment believe they could be good.
Clenching her hands so tightly that her nails dug holes into her palm, Anna turned her head to regard Styx with a wide gaze.
“He’s stopped moving.”
In the shadows of the car, the King of Vampires looked like some avenging god, all hard planes and coiled power. He was death, just waiting for the opportunity to deliver his gift. And in the back the golden-haired giant wasn’t any more comforting. Jagr might possess the sort of savage beauty that would make any woman’s heart leap in excitement, but there was no mistaking that frigid violence that crackled around him. He was a time bomb about to explode, and Anna didn’t want to be anywhere near when it happened.
If she hadn’t been terrified out of her mind for Cezar, she would never have been alone in a car with these two lethal demons.
“Good,” Styx growled, the tiny medallions in his braided hair catching the moonlight as he shot her a dark glance. “How is he?”
“I don’t know.” Anna wrapped her arms around her chilled body, hating the aching void that filled her heart. “He’s in pain, but he’s distant from me again. As if there’s some sort of shield around him.”
Styx reached out to give her arm a brief pat. “He’s protecting himself, Anna. A vampire has the ability to pull deep inside his own body. It will not only help him battle the pain, but it will convince others that he is not a threat.”
“So he’s…playing possum?” she demanded as she struggled to understand.
A grim smile touched Styx’s lips. “Something like that.”
Anna rubbed the goose bumps that prickled her arms. It was a relief to know that the muffled sensation wasn’t a sign that Cezar was on the brink of death, or that another creature was capable of severing their bond.
Still, it was unnerving as hell.
“I wish he wouldn’t,” she muttered. “I need to feel him.”
“We will get him back, Anna, that much I can promise you.”
She sucked in a deep breath, sensing they were getting closer to Cezar with every passing mile.
“I still don’t understand why Troy would kidnap Cezar. It makes no sense.”
“It makes perfect sense,” Jagr said from the backseat, his voice a low rumble.
Turning her head, Anna regarded the dangerous vampire with a hint of puzzlement. “Why?”
His smile was no more than the baring of his huge fangs. “So long as Morgana holds the vampire captive she knows that none of you will risk his life, not even to save your own. She can lure you to her lair and kill you at her leisure.”
Anna’s breath caught in her throat. Oh…God. Of course Morgana would hide behind Cezar like the coward she was. Somehow she knew that Anna would offer her life to save the man she loved.
“Jagr,” Styx rasped in warning.
The large vampire shrugged. “It is what I would do.”
“You really need to work on those social skills of yours, brother,” Styx muttered.
Jagr’s expression hardened with fury. “I am not your brother.”
Sensing that an ass-kicking was stirring, Anna hastily cleared her throat.
“No, Styx. I would rather know the truth.” She touched Styx’s hard arm, grimacing at the ripple of muscles that warned he was itching to hit something. Hard. “Do you think that’s Morgana’s plan?”
“Yes,” he grudgingly agreed.
“So what do we do?”
“Obviously we walk straight into the trap,” Jagr muttered.
There was a low growl as Styx’s power filled the air, sending odd prickles over Anna’s skin and making Jagr hiss in pain. Clearly whatever Styx was sending through the air was specifically directed toward a fellow vampire.
“Jagr, when I want your input I’ll ask for it. Are we clear?”
Anna held her breath as a tense silence filled the Hummer, the sense of violence so tangible in the air she could almost taste it.
Oh…shit.
Preparing to slide off the seat and hide beneath the dashboard, Anna was spared such indignity when Jagr gave a low grunt, and with obvious anger forced himself to speak.
“Yes, my lord.”
The prickling sensations ceased, and Anna managed to suck in a deep breath. Holy…crap. That was waaaay too close for comfort.
Casting Styx a wary glance, Anna blinked at the man’s smooth, aloof expression. There wasn’t the faintest hint he’d been on the verge of committing murder.