Any other creature would have fainted in sheer terror. Styx was a demon who put the bad in badass.
Darcy, of course, rose on her tiptoes and poked her finger into the center of his chest. As badass as Styx might be, he was no match for this tiny Were.
“And let you go in there alone?” Her eyes sparked with emerald embers. “No. Way.”
“Darcy.”
“Don’t you Darcy me.” Poke, poke, poke. Her finger nearly drilled a hole through his chest.
He grabbed her hand to lift it to his lips, as much to end her painful prodding as to offer her comfort. “Angel, we both know that Kostas is foaming at the mouth to get his hands on me after I demoted him.”
“Which is precisely why you shouldn’t be the one to confront him,” she pointed out through clenched teeth. “He’s obviously gone over the edge.”
Styx shrugged. “He’s also involved with the plot to return the Dark Lord. It’s my duty to stop him.”
“Hasn’t he already done his part?” Darcy demanded with a scowl.
Styx growled at the unwelcomed reminder. His fangs ached for blood. Kostas’s blood. The bastard had snuck into his lair and stolen the precious baby who had become as beloved to him as if he were his own son. And why? Because his bloated pride had been dented at being removed as the head of the Addonexus.
“One part. At least, that we know about,” he said. “I need to know if there’s more. And just as importantly, I need to know if I have more traitors among my people.”
Darcy froze, their bond allowing her to fully feel the sense of unbearable failure that pulsed through him. “You think he’ll confess the truth to you?” she asked softly.
“He believes he’s beaten me. He’s too arrogant not to boast.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“I’ll kill him.”
She heaved a resigned sigh, her beautiful features somber as she stepped forward to lay her head over his unbeating heart.
“Be careful.”
Styx pressed his lips to the top of her head, savoring the feel of her warmth seep into his chilled blood. How the hell had he ever survived without this astonishing female?
“Aren’t I always?”
She harrumphed, pulling back to reveal her frown. “Being immortal doesn’t mean you’re immune to death.”
“Don’t worry, angel.” He brushed his lips over her forehead. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
“Styx,” she muttered, needing to be reassured that he wouldn’t allow his desire for revenge to overcome his common sense.
“I will take the greatest care, I promise,” he swore, stroking another kiss over her forehead before shifting his gaze toward the hovering gargoyle. “Take care of her.”
Levet gave a solemn dip of his head. “Always.”
Pulling away from his mate, Styx turned to cross the empty parking lot. It was too late for a stealth approach. Thank the gods. Six-foot-five Aztec warriors didn’t do sneaky. At least not very well.
Of course, they did do destruction quite well, he consoled himself, slamming his foot against the steel doors. With an ear-piercing screech the doors were wrenched off their hinges and flying across the narrow lobby.
Styx didn’t hesitate. Jogging across the peeling linoleum, he ignored the doors that opened into the warehouse floor and instead headed for the stairs that led to the basement. The air was edged with a distinct chill as he descended into the darkness, and pulling his sword from its scabbard, Styx followed the thickening scent of fairy.
The traitor was near.
Pressing his back against the wall, Styx inched his way down the narrow corridor, slowly entering the room at the end.
A swift glance revealed that it was little more than a six-by-six cement box that had been stripped of everything but a long wooden table that was stained with blood.
An altar?
It would explain why Kostas had run to this location. He no doubt hoped his new mistress would protect him from Styx’s wrath. Where else would he go to seek her assistance, but to the shrine where he worshipped her?
Curling his lips in disgust, Styx stepped through the doorway, briefly glancing toward the fairy who was cowering in the corner. The poor creature was shivering in obvious terror, her deep red hair hanging in tangles around her tear-stained face and her arms wrapped around her naked body. It was her wide gaze, however, that captured Styx’s attention.
Following the direction where she stared in obvious terror, Styx moved to stand directly beside the altar.
“You can drop the shadows, Kostas,” he commanded. “I know you’re here. I smell your worthless ass.”
The musty air stirred, and then the darkness in front of him faded to reveal Kostas.
Wearing a too-tight T-shirt that matched his cammo pants, the vampire gripped a large dagger in his hands. Another dagger was strapped to his waist with two guns holstered on each side of his chest. He looked like a paranoid Rambo on steroids.
With a snort, Styx move forward, his lips twisting with amusement as the large Hunter took a hasty step backward, his hands curled into tight fists. Then, realizing what he’d revealed, the vampire squared his broad shoulders and glared at Styx.
“Did your nasty little pet rock manage to lead you here?” he mocked.
Styx shrugged. “Does it matter?”
“You should be ashamed,” Kostas sneered. “No self-respecting Anasso would need the talents of lesser demons to fulfill his duties. Especially not a stunted gargoyle that has been banned by his own guild. You are a disgrace to vampires.”
Styx flashed his fangs. The savage desire to slash open the bastard’s throat pulsed through him.
It was only the knowledge that he couldn’t afford to destroy the traitor until he was convinced he didn’t have any information that could help to rescue Maluhia that kept him from striking the killing blow.
Then . . . oh then, the bastard was going to become up close and personal with a whole world of hurt.
“You dare to claim that I’ve disgraced myself when you are one who has betrayed your own people?” he accused with frigid disdain. “And for what?” He pointed his sword toward the center of the barren room. “This?”
“You will soon discover.” The dark eyes glittered with a feral hatred. “The child has been delivered and nothing can halt the return of the Dark Lord.”
Styx hissed in pain despite having suspected that Maluhia was in the hands of the evil bitch. Someday very soon he intended to obliterate everyone responsible for the kidnapping. For now, however, he could only try to provoke the traitor into revealing what information he might possess.