Sally ignored his command, moving around the room to light the wax candles with a solemn expression. Next she laid several long feathers in a bowl and set them on fire, filling the air with a cloud of smoke.
Then, once satisfied she’d performed the proper ritual, she slipped on a heavy black robe and shifted to stand directly in front of him.
Gaius made a sound of disgust, unimpressed by the elaborate ceremony. “Is this going to take all night?”
She lifted her hands, a slow smile curling her lips. “You might want to brace yourself.”
That was the only warning before the spell slammed into him, sending him to his knees. Gods. He bent his head, quivering as the pain ravaged through him.
It felt as if he were being seared from the inside out.
As if the damned witch had ignited a bonfire in the pit of his stomach that was burning its way out of his body.
He groaned, his eyes squeezing shut as he battled back the howls of misery.
The bitch was doing this on purpose, he savagely told himself. She had him at her mercy and was obviously intent on making the most of her brief moment of power.
There was another wave of blazing pain and the sense of his very . . . what? His essence? Yes, his essence, being yanked from deep inside him.
He bent down until his forehead was pressed to the wood planks of the floor. This was no simple spell. This was a soul-deep invasion that was threatening to destroy him.
A sudden fear crawled down his spine as he recalled Sally’s reference to the Dark Lord assisting her with the spell. Had the master decided to put an end to his faithful servant? It wouldn’t be the first time the evil bastard had killed one of his minions for the sheer pleasure of watching him die.
Then, as quickly as the ruthless pain had struck, it was gone.
Slowly coming back to his senses, Gaius remained kneeling for a long moment. It was shameful enough that the witch had seen him collapse like a spineless sprite beneath her spell. He wasn’t going to make it worse by trying to rise to his feet before he was certain he wouldn’t end up planting his face into the floor.
When at last he was confident he could stand without embarrassing himself, Gaius flowed to his feet, glaring at the witch.
“You . . . whore,” he growled, his hand pressing to his unbeating heart. “Did you take my soul?”
She paled as the candles flared, then were snuffed out by his icy fury, but grimly held her ground. “You sold that a long time ago, Commander.”
Well, wasn’t that the god-awful truth?
He shrugged off the dark thought. What was done, was done. There was no going back now.
Instead, he pointed a finger toward the witch, his powers lashing against her with enough force to pin her against the wall.
“Tell me what you did to me.”
She licked her lips, the scent of her fear teasing at his senses.
“I . . .”
He took a threatening step closer. “Tell me.”
“I removed your existence,” she hastily babbled.
Gaius barely resisted the ridiculous urge to glance down and make sure he hadn’t simply vanished.
“Explain.”
She lifted her hands in a pleading motion. “I don’t know how.”
“Try,” he snapped. “Try very, very hard.”
“The spell is designed to purge your identity,” she haltingly attempted to clarify. “You have no scent, no . . . presence. Others will know that you’re near, but unless they’re an extremely powerful demon they won’t be able to detect anything about you. Not even the fact you’re a vampire.”
It was exactly what he expected. So why did he feel as if he’d just been raped? He hissed, wishing he could at least have the satisfaction of killing the witch responsible for his sudden sense of loss.
“Gods.”
Easily sensing his desire for death, Sally inched her way along the wall. At last she reached the door and, never allowing her wary gaze to leave his grim expression, she shoved it open. “Go to your female,” she husked. “She’ll make you all better.”
His fury was abruptly forgotten.
Dara.
No. He gave a shake of his head. Not Dara. But a female who would ease his most pressing hungers. Surely he would feel better once he’d taken care of his needs?
Strolling toward the door, he paused long enough to whisper in Sally’s ear. “Someday soon, witch,” he warned.
He had the pleasure of watching her turn a sickly shade of gray before he was headed back down the hall and entering the lead-lined cell. Closing the door behind him, Gaius halted to savor the moment.
Was there anything sweeter than the rich scent of warm, female blood? Or the sight of his prey struggling in helpless terror?
A smile curved his lips as the female strained against the shackles chaining her to the wall. She turned her head from side to side, able to hear his arrival although the room was too dark for her human eyes to see him.
“Who’s there? What do you want with me?” she rasped, the frantic beat of her heart like a siren’s call to Gaius. “Talk to me, you perverted freak.”
Compelled forward by his sharp-edged hunger, Gaius used his powers to light the lone candle set on a stool in a far corner. The flickering flame was barely noticeable in the vast darkness, but it provided just enough of a glow for the female to see Gaius’s approach.
Her lips parted to scream, but cupping her face in his hands, Gaius peered deep into her wide eyes.
“Shhhh. Look at me,” he purred, capturing her gaze and easily ensnaring her mind. He wasn’t as talented as some vampires in enthralling humans, but the female readily succumbed to his power. In a heartbeat her face became slack and her muscles eased until her arms hung limply at her side, the heavy shackles forgotten.
“What is your name?” he asked softly.
“Farah.”
Her voice was too high with a harsh American accent instead of Dara’s husky, singsong voice, but Gaius grimly blocked out the reminders that this female could never fill the empty ache in the center of his heart.
“Pretty, but from this night forward you will be known as Dara.”
“Dara,” the female obediently parroted.
“Yes, and I am Gaius. The man of your deepest fantasy.”
Instantly, her eyes darkened with a mindless devotion, her lips parting on a soft sigh. “Gaius,” she breathed.
“Very good,” he commended, his hands tightening on her face as he guided her down to her knees. “Now you will demonstrate just how pleased you are to be reunited with your beloved mate.”