Her gaze scanned the seemingly empty fields and clusters of trees that could hide any number of nasty creatures. Her senses told her that there was nothing near, but her finger remained on the trigger.
She’d had a stomach full of unwelcomed surprises over the past few days. She’d be damned if it was happening again.
Perhaps a mile down the road, Salvatore bent and touched the ground, his brows drawn in a frustrated frown.
“They took off in a vehicle,” he muttered.
“Can you follow it?”
He tilted back his head, dragging in a deep breath. “On foot.”
“Then what are we waiting for?”
Straightening, he considered her for a long minute, clearly wanting to demand that she return to the safety of Styx’s mansion. Then, proving he wasn’t completely without a functioning brain, he heaved a deep sigh and pulled his cell phone from the inner pocket of his jacket.
“As amusing as it would be to leave Viper’s car for the nearest chop shop, I might have need of the leeches before this is done,” he said, punching in a series of numbers and holding the phone to his ear.
He exchanged a few abrupt words with Viper and then slipping the phone back in his pocket, he grabbed her arm and urged her into a steady jog down the dark road.
“Do you consider vampires your enemy?” she demanded, slipping the guns back into the holsters that hung at her lower back before easily falling into step beside him.
“I did.”
“And now?”
He didn’t immediately answer, and Harley was startled by the vague sense of foreboding she could sense deep in his heart.
“Now, I’m beginning to suspect that we must negotiate a truce,” he grudgingly admitted. “Times are changing and we must change with them or perish.”
“Do you mean technology?”
“That’s a part of it.” He grimaced. “The humans’ ability to detect our presence increases with every passing year, as does their ability to harm us. It’s foolish to assume our natural superiority will protect us.”
Harley lifted her brows. Few demons were willing to admit that lowly humans might pose a threat, despite growing proof of the danger.
“And the other part?”
“I’m not sure I should share.” He shook his head, his expression hard. “You might think I’ve lost my mind.”
“I assumed that you’d lost your mind the minute you crashed into Caine’s basement,” she assured him.
He chuckled, the golden eyes glowing in the darkness. “Grazie.”
“What’s bothering you, Giuliani?” She held up a warning hand as his lips parted to blather some useless denial. “And don’t tell me it’s nothing. I can sense it.”
His lips twisted. “This mating is going to take some getting used to.”
She snorted. “Ya think?”
His eyes narrowed. “Harley…”
“Just tell me what’s bothering you,” she interrupted.
His jaw tightened, his gaze returning to the road and the faint tire tracks that were still visible.
“The ancient magic is returning. I can feel it flowing through my blood.”
Harley slowly nodded. She’d felt the potent magic stirring since they’d escaped from the caves.
“Yes.”
“And it’s whispering to me of danger.”
A chill inched down her spine. “The demon lord?”
“No.”
She studied his grim expression. What could be worse than a demon lord?
“Salvatore?”
“I don’t know, cara. It’s as if…” He shook his head in frustration. “The world is holding its breath, waiting for something that will change us all.”
“You’re scared?” she breathed.
“Cautious,” he said softly. “It seems wise to consolidate my power base.”
“The vampires?”
“For a start.”
“The Weres and the vamps working together.” Her voice held an edge of teasing. It had never been a secret that the two species had often attempted to exterminate the other. “The demon world is going to think that hell has frozen over.”
“I told you you’d think I’d gone mad.” He glanced in her direction, his brows pulling together as she stumbled to a sudden halt. Turning, he cupped her chin and lifted her face to study her troubled expression in the moonlight. “Harley?”
“I just remembered there was an elderly witch who Caine hired to create hexes of protection for his labs. She spoke of warning signs. At the time…”
“You thought she was nuts?” he asked wryly.
Harley grimaced. “Maybe a little.”
“What did she say?”
Harley had to strain to recall the old woman’s ramblings. She’d always liked Anastasia, but the witch had often creeped her out with her dire omens.
“She claimed that a new Oracle had been discovered.”
“Si. Anna Randal, an Elemental. She’s mated to a vampire.”
“She seemed to think that was some sort of portent of coming upheaval.”
He slowly nodded. “There is an old legend that a new Oracle is only discovered during times when the need is the greatest. Vague mumbo jumbo, like all prophecies.”
“She also said…” Harley’s eyes widened. “Oh.”
“What?”
“She said that the wind spoke of ancient powers returning.”
“The Weres?”
Harley shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Do you think she was a seer?”
Harley laughed. She might have been sheltered from the world, but everyone knew that seers were extinct.
Like dragons and leprechauns.
Well, everyone but Caine, who’d been stupid enough to believe in visions.
“No, she didn’t claim to read the future, only the various omens and signs that she could see around her.”
“Did she say anything else?”
Harley searched her mind. “Most of it was gibberish, but I remember she said something about the rise of Gemini.”
“The astrological sign?”
“That’s what I assumed, but she didn’t really make much sense.”
Salvatore lifted his head, his brooding gaze turned toward the moon as he considered her revelation. Watching the spring breeze ruffle the raven hair that framed the proud lines on his face, Harley’s heart forgot to beat.
He was so stunningly beautiful.