She stiffened, but held her ground. “And even more to be said for the powers that come from abstinence.”
“What powers?” he swiftly pounced.
She abruptly turned away, heading toward the door. “If you’re finished we should go.”
He moved to stand in her path. “What powers?”
A burst of frigid energy lashed against him, just a small taste of her displeasure.
Damn. Why was that so sexy?
“I’ve told you before that the talents of vampires are as varied behind the Veil as they are in this world.”
He pretended that he didn’t notice the tightness of her features that warned he was wearing on her last nerve. Unless he pushed the issue he would never truly discover the woman beneath the clan chief.
And he wanted that.
With a brutal need that was more than a little frightening.
“I know there’s shape-shifting and mist-walking.”
“Yes.”
“And the ability to pass as human?” he asked, referring to the rumors that there were vampires who could feign breathing, a heartbeat, and even warm their skin.
“For a rare few.”
“Day-walkers?”
“Even fewer.”
“Dios.” He didn’t bother to hide his surprise. He hadn’t truly believed it was possible. “Can you walk in the daylight?”
“Long ago I could endure the sun for very limited periods of time.”
“Why not now?”
“Because my visits have become more frequent to this world,” she said, her composure a brittle shell. “It steals my abilities.”
“Why have they been more frequent?”
“There was an . . . incident two centuries ago that I had to handle and more recently I devoted my attention to searching for the prophet.” Her dark gaze shifted toward the door, her profile rigid. “I had hoped that once the Dark Lord was defeated I would be allowed to return to my studies.”
Santiago scowled, disgruntled by her regret. It appeared painfully genuine. Was this a warning that her place was firmly behind the Veil?
And if it was, how could he argue?
She was a clan chief. A leader who was treated almost with godlike reverence by her people.
What was there for her on this side? Him? Big freaking deal.
The knowledge made him . . . irritable.
“Return to your studies or to forget me?” he growled.
She turned back to meet his smoldering glare. “What?”
“Admit the truth. You wanted to flee behind your Veil and pretend you hadn’t lusted after a mere savage,” he clarified.
With a cool glare she moved around his stiff form, her head held high. “We’re wasting time.”
“Sí,” he hissed, not sure if he was more annoyed with her or himself for caring that she was eager to leave him behind. “We clearly have better things to be doing.”
“Santiago?”
“Let’s go.”
Gaius’s lair in Wisconsin
Gaius returned from searching the thick woods for any sign of intruders to discover Dara standing on the bottom of the stairs. With her hand on the wood banister and her dark hair floating on an invisible breeze, she appeared to be more a specter than a flesh and blood woman.
A part of him longed to rush across the narrow space to wrap her fragile form in the protection of his arms. A greater part, however, kept him standing frozen in the doorway.
“What are you doing out of bed, beloved?” he asked softly.
A pout marred her perfect face. “My dinner is dead.”
He frowned. “Already?”
“You only brought me three and one escaped.”
Escaped. It took long minutes for the word to sink through his sluggish brain. Then he was clenching his hands in weary frustration.
Dio.
This was how it started in Louisiana. One and then two survivors escaping to stir the locals into a panic. He couldn’t allow it to happen again.
“Which one?”
“The male.”
“I must track him down.”
Dara lifted a slender shoulder. “Why bother?”
“Because he could lead the humans to us,” he said, barely able to contain his rising irritation. The last thing he desired was spending the rest of the night trailing the stupid human.
He wanted . . . what? A few hours of peace, he abruptly realized. A chance to relax and enjoy the return of his mate without the constant need to tend to her hungers.
“No one would believe him,” she sought to assure him, floating forward.
“It’s too dangerous,” he insisted.
“No, habibi.” Her voice was surprisingly commanding, the dark eyes holding his gaze with a hypnotic power. “Allow him to return to the village. He will seed our garden.”
“Seed our garden?” he parroted.
With a slender wave of her hand, Dara pushed open the nearest windows, a coy smile curving her lips.
“Can’t you feel it, Gaius?” She shivered with delight at the strange sense of lust that pulsed in the air. “Our time has arrived.”
Chapter 10
Styx’s lair in Chicago
Roke headed down the stairs as Styx returned to his waiting Ravens.
“Charming,” he muttered as he reached the lower floor. “I’d like to shove a charming fist right into his smug face.”
It wasn’t that he was arrogant enough to assume that the Anasso was deliberately trying to piss him off. It was obvious that Styx had his hands full with this latest threat. Still, he wasn’t pleased to be back on witch duty.
He was supposed to be devoting this night to scrubbing away every thought of Sally Grace. Not giving his overactive libido even more reason to plague his day with erotic dreams.
Muttering a string of curses, Roke was only vaguely aware of his surroundings. Which explained why he’d nearly missed the male fairy who was hurrying down the hallway with a tray of food, along with a rose and several leather-bound books.
Roke came to a sharp halt, knowing beyond a doubt the overly pretty demon was rushing to be with Sally. Who else would put that smile of anticipation on the narrow face that was surrounded by a tumble of golden hair? Or the eagerness shimmering in the hazel eyes?
Although there were any number of lovely, not to mention lethal, females scattered around the mansion, most of them were mated. And not even a fairy was stupid enough to try and come between a vampire and his mate.
Or even a pure-blooded Were for that matter.
Besides, Roke recognized that vaguely bewildered expression beneath the enchantment.