“So you seek to revoke Mother’s direct proclamation?” Levet mocked. “Perhaps you’ve even decided it’s time to challenge her to become the doyenne?”
Ian took a hasty step away from Claudine. As if afraid of being contaminated.
A legitimate fear.
Berthe would destroy anyone who even hinted at mutiny.
Claudine shook her massive head. “Mother would never have revoked your banishment.”
“I assure you that she did.”
The gray eyes narrowed with suspicion. “How?”
Levet gave another shooing wave. “Go ask her.”
“I’m asking you.”
Levet rolled his eyes. He’d known word of his return to the Guild wouldn’t make his family happy, but he was in no mood for yet another répugnant confrontation.
“I simply revealed my part in saving the world from utter destruction. How could she not include such a hero in the Guild?”
“Liar.” Claudine stomped her foot, making the ground quake. “You are a pathetic weakling that offers nothing but shame.”
Levet heaved a resigned sigh. “As I said, go ask her yourself.”
“Non.” A dangerous expression twisted his sister’s ugly face. She didn’t like being thwarted. Especially not by her deformed, height-challenged younger brother. “You might have deceived Mother into returning you to the Guild, but I intend to make sure it’s a short stay.”
He spread his wings, resisting the urge to take yet another step closer to the vampire.
He was a hero.... Hear him roar.
“You don’t have the power to shun me.”
Claudine pulled back her lips to expose her tusks in a visible threat.
“Perhaps not, but I have the power to kill you.”
Levet blinked in shock. It was against Gargoyle law to kill another gargoyle unless they were banished.
Or unless a formal challenge had been issued. And really, who wanted to deal with the paperwork?
“I’m a member of the Guild,” he reminded his whack-a-doodle of a relative.
“Not for long.”
Raising her hands, which had claws long enough to skewer Levet, Claudine stepped forward, reluctantly followed by her partner in crime, Ian.
Levet squared his shoulders, summoning the last of his fading power.
“Merde,” Elijah snapped, clearly at the end of his patience. “I told you to stay back.”
“This is Guild business, vampire,” Ian growled. “You don’t want to interfere.”
“What I want is to be left alone with the woman I love,” Elijah informed them, a smile curving his lips at Valla’s gasp of shock. “And if that means killing you to accomplish that goal, then that’s what I’ll do.”
“Love?” Valla squeaked, her hands pressed over her heart. “Did you say you love me?”
Elijah turned to wrap the bemused nymph in his arms even as the two gargoyles took another step forward.
“Ummm . . . maybe we could discuss this later?” Levet murmured, delighted that the foolish vampire had at last confessed his feelings, but wishing he’d chosen a more suitable time and place.
For all his newfound confidence, he was fairly certain he couldn’t defeat two full-grown gargoyles at the same time.
Even Batman had a sidekick.
Indifferent to the danger, Elijah studied Valla’s upturned face with open adoration.
“Of course I love you, you stubborn female,” he said in husky tones. “What do you think I’ve been trying to tell you for the past six hours?”
She blushed. “I thought you wanted me to become your mistress.”
He shook his head. “Not my mistress. My mate.”
“Mate?” Her blue eyes widened with shock. “Are you sure?”
“Why else would I find the most ridiculous reasons to show up on your doorstep? Why would I all but ignore my duties to spend time with you? Why would I hire twenty different chefs until I found one who baked your favorite raspberry tarts just like you wanted them?”
“Oh.” She blinked, her shaky hands lifting to touch his face. As if she had to make certain he was real. “You made me think that you were just worried about me.”
“I’m worried about me,” he growled. “I can’t live without you.”
“Oh, Elijah,” she breathed, tilting back her head as he claimed her lips in a kiss of sheer joy.
Levet tugged on the vampire’s pants as Claudine raised her massive foot, clearly aiming at his head.
“Oui. This is all very touching,” he said. “But we are about to be squashed like bugs.”
Lifting his head, Elijah pointed a hand at the female gargoyle.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Claudine reluctantly lowered her foot, but the ground shook as her power filled the air.
“Give me the gargoyle, vampire, or pay the price.”
A nearby bench crumbled into a pile of marble dust as Claudine released a trickle of her magic. Elijah frowned.
“You’re starting to annoy me.”
Ian puffed out his chest. “Then give us the gargoyle.”
The vampire tucked his golden-haired companion behind him as the temperature dropped by several degrees.
Elijah was clearly done playing.
“No.”
“Why?” Claudine snapped. “He can’t mean anything to you.”
“He made me realize how blind I’ve been.” Elijah smiled. Not the most comforting sight considering his massive fangs that gleamed with a snowy white in the moonlight. “That’s enough for me.”
“Fine.” Claudine lifted her hand. “Then you will feel my wrath.”
“Sacrebleu.” Levet’s wings twitched in annoyance. “What a breeze hard you are.”
The beady gray gaze jerked in his direction. “Breeze hard?” the female rasped.
Valla cleared her throat, still hidden behind Elijah. A wise choice. One tiny mark on her white satin skin and the vampire would go nuclear.
“I believe he means blowhard,” she explained.
“How dare you,” Claudine screeched. “I will turn you into—”
“Oh, shut up.” Levet lifted his hands to send a bolt of magic directly at the bane of his existence, astonished that it didn’t sputter and die.
He was, after all, weary to the bone.
There was the sound of sizzling; then Claudine gave a cry of pain as she went sailing backward, taking out two benches and a lamppost before hitting the building behind her.
“Nice shot,” Elijah murmured, flowing forward to block Ian’s massive fist heading in Levet’s direction.
“Merci,” Levet thanked his companion, shuddering as Elijah squeezed hard enough to crush the bones in Ian’s hand.
“Non . . . please,” Ian panted, his tiny eyes bulging with pain as a layer of ice began to crawl over his scaly skin, turning it from gray to blue.
“Are you done playing?” Elijah murmured softly.
“Oui.”
Elijah dropped the gargoyle’s hand. “Then get your companion and get out of here.”
Edging backward to keep his gaze on the lethal clan chief, Ian grabbed Claudine’s arm and yanked her to her feet.
The female gargoyle gave a groggy shake of her head, her hand pressed over her injured chest as she glared at Levet.
“This isn’t over, brother,” she hissed.
Elijah stepped forward, his power lashing through the air with enough force to make the large gargoyles shiver in pain.
“Not only is it over, I will warn you that if you dare to harm Levet while he is in my territory I will make certain that the entire Guild is punished,” he said, his voice sending a hidden dew fairy fleeing in fear. “Do I make myself clear?”
“But . . .”
“Oui,” Ian interrupted Claudine’s whining, tugging her to the center of the garden. “It is very clear.”
“Bon. Now leave,” Elijah commanded.
With a flap of their leathery wings, the two large
demons were in the air and disappearing among the tiled rooftops.
Levet smiled. It had been years since he’d been forced to leave this city he so dearly loved.
Now he realized he’d allowed fear to keep him away. Not fear of his family, although that’s what he’d always told himself, but fear of his own inadequacies.
He wouldn’t allow them to keep him away again.
Realizing that Elijah had returned Valla to his arms and was studying her with blatant lust, Levet hid a smile.
“I believe that is my cue to leave as well,” he murmured.
The two separated so Elijah could give a regal bow of his head.
“I am in your debt, gargoyle.”
Levet gave a lift of his hands. “All in a day’s work for a knight in shining armor.”
Valla stepped forward, the lingering wounds in her blue eyes replaced by a sparkle of hope.
“I hope you find who you’re searching for,” she said softly.
“Sometimes a man simply has to enjoy the chase,” he murmured, offering a low bow. “Au revoir.”
With a smile, Levet spread his wings and flew toward the stars.
A VERY LEVET CHRISTMAS
ALEXANDRA IVY
ZEBRA BOOKS
KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
BLOOD ASSASSIN,
Chapter 1
The Night Before Christmas, St. Louis, Missouri
Levet adored Christmas.
He loved the gaudy decorations. The caroling. The festive spirits of the humans.
Oh, and the mistletoe.
He didn’t know who had invented the tradition of kissing beneath sprigs of branches, but they had clearly understood how to celebrate a holiday.
And this year there was even more to love. How long had he waited for Harley to give birth to her babies? It seemed like an eternity. But at last they were here.
Five perfect babies. Three female and two male who were the first pure-blood Weres to be born in decades.
Which was why Levet had ignored the frigid weather and rushed from Chicago to St. Louis. Such a joyous occasion would no doubt include a grand celebration, with plenty of food and drink.
And of course, for the first time in more years than he wanted to admit, he would be spending the holidays with his friends.
A rare gift for a demon who’d been disowned by his family centuries ago.
Now he wondered why he’d bothered.
Standing on the bank of the frozen lake that edged Salvatore’s sprawling lair, Levet discovered his path blocked by a cur who was the size of a large mountain. Hess, the King of Weres’ right-hand mutt, wasn’t particularly bright, but he was impossible to get around. Especially if you happened to be a three-foot gargoyle with more brains than brawn.
Thoroughly annoyed, Levet folded his arms over his tiny chest, his large wings that shimmered in brilliant shades of blue and crimson with golden veins stretched out behind him.
“What do you mean I am not allowed to pass?” He tilted his head to make sure the moonlight captured the beauty of his stunted horns and handsome gargoyle features. He could only presume the thick-skulled hound didn’t recognize him. “Do you know who I am?”
“I don’t give a shit who you are.” Hess turned his head to spit on the newly fallen snow. “The king was very specific. Only family is given permission to enter the lair.”
Levet scowled. “But I am family.”
Hess narrowed his gaze, his breath sending out small puffs of icy fog. It was barely ten degrees, but the cur was wearing jeans and a too-tight muscle shirt.
“You?”
“Oui. I am like a brother to Harley.” Levet pointed toward the large house on top of the hill, referring to the Queen of Weres and one of his dearest friends. “Go ask her.”
“Everyone knows that the Queen only has sisters,” Hess said. “No brothers.”
Levet rolled his eyes. Did Weres deliberately choose the stupidest humans to turn into curs?
“I said like a brother, you imbecile. Clearly we are not the same species.”
Hess gave a low growl, reaching down to grab Levet by the horns and yank him off the ground.
“What did you call me?”
“Eek!” Levet dangled helplessly, his tail snapping furiously behind him. “Release me, you oversized Chihuahua.”
Hess leaned forward, his eyes glowing with a dangerous light. A cur didn’t have the same control over his wolf as a Were. The brute was on the edge of shifting.
Something Levet would prefer to avoid.
“You have two choices, gargoyle,” Hess warned.
“What choices?”
“Either you flap away with those fairy wings—”
“Hey, my wings are magnificent,” Levet protested, deeply offended.
“Or I rip them off and stuff them down your throat.” Hess ignored the interruption, his voice thickening and the air prickling with the heat of his wolf.
“Why must dogs always be so violent?” Levet muttered.
“Because we enjoy it,” the cur snarled. “Now get the hell out of here and don’t come back. You’re not welcome.”
With one mighty swing of his arm, Hess tossed Levet onto the ice where he slid like a hockey puck toward the far edge of the lake.
Smacking into the far bank, Levet tumbled end over end, at last coming to a halt near a large Dumpster. Furiously cursing, he tugged his horns out of the snow, turning to glare at the house on top of the hill. Since the house was built with large windows overlooking the lake, it was easy to see inside to the festively decorated home that was clearly filled with various demons enjoying Salvatore’s hospitality.
He should be among the guests, Levet silently groused, his gaze shifting to the dark shapes that patrolled the area around the house. Harley adored him. Every female adored him.
Besides, had he not just saved the world from Armageddon?
They should all be bowing down to him in humble gratitude.
Instead he was . . . forbidden?
It was outrageous.
With a twitch of his tail, Levet turned to stomp away from the well-guarded lair. There was no point in trying to slip past the guards. Salvatore was foul-tempered under the best of circumstances. With five new pups to protect, he would be beyond crazed. Levet wasn’t entirely certain that the wolf wouldn’t kill anyone he considered an intruder on sight.
“Uncouth animals,” he muttered. “They should be chained and muzzled.”
His outrage lingered as he left St. Louis behind, following the banks of the Mississippi River as he traveled north.
Once he was far away from prying eyes, however, his steps slowed and his wings began to droop.
The holidays weren’t going precisely as he’d planned.
In truth, they were a total bust.
The vampires were in a frantic search for Cyn, the clan chief of Ireland, who’d recently disappeared from the mysterious land of the fairies, along with Sally’s sister, Fallon. His own family had made it clear that he needn’t bother to travel to Paris to join in their celebrations, despite his having been reinstated into the Gargoyle Guild.
And even Yannah, the exasperating female demon who’d been the recipient of his charming attentions, had refused his invitation to spend a romantic Christmas together. From out of nowhere she’d informed him that he was incapable of a mature relationship. As if it was his fault that they were constantly squabbling. Instead she’d returned to her home in the netherworld to spend time with her excessively handsome Jinn neighbor.
He was . . . alone.
Completely and utterly alone.
His wings drooped an
other inch, his claws already frostbitten as he trudged through the snow.
Zut.
He was a gargoyle who never allowed the tedious difficulties in life to dampen his spirits.
He possessed an unshakable belief in his own greatness.
And why not?
He was handsome, charming, and possessed massive powers.
And while his love life was currently in drought, he had every confidence he would soon be back in the puddle.
No, wait. Not puddle. Piddle? Paddle? Ah . . . saddle. Back in the saddle.
His steps faltered near a heavily wooded bluff, his snout wrinkling as a rare flare of self-doubt darkened his heart.
Certainly he was handsome, but it was true he was far too short to earn the respect of his fellow gargoyles. And while his charm couldn’t be questioned, it did seem that there were a rare few who were clearly jealous of his ability to earn the admiration of women. And as for his powers—well, he couldn’t deny they could be . . . unpredictable.
Lost in his brooding thoughts, Levet was startled by the sound of a high, feminine voice slicing through the chilled air.
“Help,” the voice pleaded. “Please, help me.”
With no hesitation, Levet scurried over the snow, entering a thick band of trees that ran along the bluff of the river. It was his duty as a card-carrying Knight in Shining Armor to answer the call of a woman in distress.
Okay, he didn’t actually have a card, but still....
He had just rounded a large outcrop of rocks when he caught sight of a small female standing at an awkward angle in a dazzling pool of moonlight.
His wide gaze took in the tiny, heart-shaped face dominated by a pair of jade-green eyes and the black hair that tumbled nearly to her waist. Her skin was pale as ivory, and her ears were oddly pointed. And on her back were a pair of gossamer wings in shades of white and silver.
Ooh la la.
She was beautiful.
A vision so lovely that she stole his breath. Then, his momentary enchantment was shattered as she reached down to grab her leg that was stuck in the air.
“Mon Dieu,” he breathed, realizing that the female’s foot was missing. Wait. It wasn’t missing. It was clearly caught on the other side of a portal. “What has happened?”
All About Levet Page 6