Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity)

by Alexandra Ivy

  Cassie dug her nails into his shoulders, her legs wrapping around his hips as he began a slow, steady pace.

  “My mate,” she whispered, her words settling deep in his heart. “At last.”

  He leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss that spoke of his unwavering commitment.

  “Forever.”

  Six hours later, Cassie still hadn’t managed to get to the shower. Not that she was complaining.

  Laying in a tangle of rumpled sheets and sweaty male Were, she rested her head on the wide width of his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as her fingers drew aimless patterns on his skin.

  Having Caine as a lover had been magical from his first kiss. Their chemistry had nothing to do with fate or mystic bonds, and everything to do with old-fashioned lust. But there was no denying that their mating had amped up the intensity of her pleasure to almost unbearable heights.

  Now she was exhausted in all the right ways. Well, mostly, she ruefully corrected. Her body was so limp with pleasure the mere thought of moving made her groan. But her mind . . .

  The stupid thing refused to float in the same sated bliss as the rest of her. It kept churning, searching for answers to the question that refused to leave her peace.

  Assuming that Caine had fallen back to sleep, Cassie was unprepared when he slid a finger beneath her chin and tilted back her head to study her pale face.

  “There’s something troubling you.”

  She had to concentrate not to be distracted by his masculine beauty. Good . . . Lord. With the dying rays of sunlight shimmering like the finest gold in his pale hair and his eyes glowing like flawless sapphires, he could easily have rivaled Adonis.

  “These are troubling times,” she managed to hedge.

  His jaw hardened with an unexpected flare of annoyance. “Don’t bother,” he warned in flat tones.

  She blinked. “I’m sorry?”

  “You’re, without doubt, the worst liar I’ve ever met.”

  She lifted herself to a sitting position, glaring down at his ruthless expression. “Hey.”

  “Trust me, that’s a compliment, pet,” he said, folding his arms beneath his head. “But it does mean that you can’t fool me. Besides, I can feel you worry through our bond.”

  Oh.

  She’d been so enchanted by the obvious benefits of their mating bond, she’d never considered the possibility there might be a downside. A sigh escaped between her parted lips. It was too late to regret that she’d forever chained this magnificent Were to her crazy existence.

  It was no doubt inevitable.

  “I suppose it’s a good thing that I don’t have a ton of secrets I want to keep hidden.”

  Without warning, he reached out to cup his hand behind her head, tugging her down to kiss her with blatant possession.

  “I don’t need a mating bond to discover your secrets,” he murmured against her lips.

  A shiver of heat raced through her, stirring the passions that she would have sworn were too weary to be stirred. “No?” she breathed.

  He nipped her bottom lip, the scent of his musk filling her senses, imprinting his claim on her skin. “I have more creative methods of making you talk.”

  Catching a glimpse of his smug pleasure at her tremors of need, Cassie boldly trailed her hand downward, rubbing her hardened nipples against his chest as her fingers curled around the thickening length of his erection. “Do your worse.”

  He groaned, his eyes squeezing shut as she explored the hard shaft with a bold touch. “Ah, how the mighty are fallen,” he ground out.

  She tilted back her head as his lips branded a path down her jaw before finding the sensitive curve of her throat.

  “What do you mean?”

  He bit the flesh at the base of her neck, making her arch in a jolt of shocking bliss. Then, releasing his teeth, he soothed the tingling flesh with tiny kisses.

  “My creative methods appear to backfire when it comes to you.”

  “And that’s a bad thing?”

  Reaching down, Caine grasped her wrist and gently tugged her fingers away from his throbbing cock.

  “Cassie.”

  “Yes?”

  His gaze narrowed at her small smile, and he abruptly twisted to the side so he could pin her to the mattress. Tugging her hands over her head, he regarded her with a determined expression. “I’m not going to be distracted,” he warned. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

  She grimaced, accepting playtime was over. The real world was about to intrude whether they wanted it or not.

  “Nothing.”

  His brows snapped together. “Cassandra.”

  He never used the full name they’d chosen only weeks before, revealing he was nearing the end of his patience. As if his annoyance wasn’t sizzling through their mating bond.

  “I mean ‘nothing’ quite literally,” she hastily corrected.

  He stilled. “You’re going to have to be a little more specific.”

  “If the Dark Lord is truly on the brink of returning . . .”

  “Wait,” he interrupted, his voice harsh. “I need you to back up, pet. Why do you think the Dark Lord is on the brink of returning?”

  Cassie felt a sharp pang of remorse. How had she forgotten he’d been in no condition to comprehend what was happening during the past few days?

  “She has Maluhia.”

  His breath hissed through clenched teeth. “I was hoping that was just a nightmare,” he muttered. “Has she become the Gemini?”

  Cassie shrugged. “I didn’t see it happen, but she must have completed the transformation if she’s able to open rifts to this world.”

  “Rifts?” His eyes abruptly held the power of his wolf. Hunter. “Where?”

  “I don’t know. I only heard Styx mention them to Salvatore.”

  “Is the Dark Lord attempting to come through?”

  Cassie shook her head. “I think she intends to empty out the bowels of hell first.”

  Caine considered her words before giving a slow nod of agreement. “That would make sense. Why would she risk her neck when she could send her minions to do her dirty work?” His lips curled in pure hatred. “Bitch.”

  “Agreed.”

  His thumbs absently rubbed the skin of her inner wrists, his gaze sweeping over her pale face. “Are you worried we won’t be able to stop her?”

  She hesitated. “In part.”

  “Cassie, talk to me,” he growled.

  Stubborn wolf. He wasn’t going to let this go. Not until he was convinced he’d wrung out her entire confession.

  “There haven’t been any visions.”

  He seemed more puzzled than frightened by her revelation. “Since when?”

  She licked her dry lips. Just talking about her lack of prophecies made her stomach cramp. “Since we escaped from the Dark Lord.”

  “Surely that should make you happy?” he asked cautiously. “You hate the visions.”

  “My preference doesn’t matter.” She shivered at the cost of losing her visions when she needed them the most. “They might make the difference between our survival and the end of the world.”

  He tensed at her blunt words, belatedly understanding why she was so distressed. “You’ve never been able to conjure them on command,” he tried to soothe. “They might simply . ..”

  “Yes?” she prompted.

  “Be on hiatus.” He clearly reached for the first excuse that came to mind. “It’s been a stressful few days, after all.”

  She smiled wryly, appreciating his effort, even if she didn’t believe for a minute that it was a temporary glitch. “Trust me, I’ve had more than a few stressful days over the years,” she said dryly. “But there’s never been a time I haven’t had visions. And when the future is in chaos, like it is now, I have hundreds of them. It doesn’t make sense they would suddenly disappear.”

  Caine went rigid above her, his face draining of color. “‘The Gemini will rise and chaos shall rule for all ete
rnity,’” he quoted in his husky tones.

  She gave a slow nod. “Exactly.”

  Their gazes locked as the full implication of her words sank in, Caine’s eyes darkening with unease.

  “You think . . . ?”

  “Maybe I’m not having visions because the Gemini has already won.”

  Chapter 23

  Styx’s study

  Although he’d managed time for a shower and a few blessed hours in the arms of his mate, Styx was still in a foul mood as he entered his study to find Viper waiting for him.

  The Chicago clan chief had only minutes before returned from the rift, and as Styx watched him pace the floor, he wasn’t surprised to discover that the younger vampire looked as fatigued as Styx felt.

  His silver-blond hair was hanging loose down his back and his usually immaculate velvet jacket and black slacks were wrinkled and coated with dust. Even the pale features were lined with a weariness he couldn’t disguise.

  Crossing to lean against his desk, Styx folded his arms over his chest, which was covered by a black T-shirt that matched his black jeans.

  “Well?”

  Coming to a halt in the center of the room, Viper met his questioning gaze with a grimace. “Ariyal’s tribe has managed to block the rift, but it’s taking all of them to do it.” He shrugged a shoulder. “They’re only a temporary solution.”

  Styx gave a nod. It was as much as he could hope for. “They’ve given us time.”

  “True.” Viper’s lips twisted. “Now what the hell are we going to do with it?”

  Styx snorted. That was a hell of a question. “I’m open to ideas.”

  Without answers, Viper instead turned the conversation. “Has Jagr taken off?”

  “Yes.” Styx had seen his Raven off less than an hour before. “He’s promised to report in with Regan.”

  There was a sudden chime and Viper reached beneath his jacket to remove his cell phone. “Speaking of checking in,” the clan chief muttered, swiftly reading his message. “It’s Santiago.”

  Styx lifted his brows in surprise. Not that the powerful warrior wouldn’t be a welcomed addition. “He’s here?”

  “No, he’s still with Nefri. They’re traveling to the rift.”

  “Why?”

  “To see if her medallion can close it.”

  Styx hissed in self-disgust. “Clever. I should have considered the possibility myself.”

  “You can’t think of everything.”

  “I have to if we’re going to survive.”

  With a sharp movement, Viper crossed to the sidebar, pouring two shots of the finest whiskey in Chicago before returning to shove one of the balloon glasses into Styx’s hand.

  “You aren’t fighting this battle alone,” Viper said.

  “No.” With a wry smile, Styx took a sip of the whiskey, enjoying the expensive burn as it slid down his throat. His companion was right. The demon world was coming together as it never had before to face the evil confronting it. “Thank the gods.”

  Viper emptied his drink with one swallow, setting the glass on a nearby shelf. “What about the prophet?”

  “She’s still in her rooms, although that damned guard dog of hers finally let Darcy in to see her.”

  “She hasn’t had a vision?”

  Styx set aside his own glass, his brows lowering in an annoyed scowl as he recalled his earlier attempt to speak with Cassandra. “Not that I know of, but Caine won’t allow me close enough to ask.”

  Viper rolled his eyes. “Newly mated Weres are a pain in the ass.”

  “Yes.” Styx abruptly chuckled. “You on the other hand were the very essence of a civilized gentleman during your pursuit of Shay.”

  The younger vampire’s lips twitched. They both knew that Viper had become an obsessed predator the moment he’d found Shay being held captive by a coven of witches.

  Their courtship had been the stuff of legends.

  “There might have been an occasional glimpse of my more primitive side,” he ruefully conceded.

  “You were a raving lunatic.”

  Viper sent him a speaking glance. “It takes one to know one.”

  Styx thought back to his pursuit of Darcy with an unexpected pang of bittersweet longing. At the time, his battle had been with Salvatore. A tangible enemy with enough honor to understand the rules of warfare.

  Now...

  He shook his head. “It all seems like a very long time ago.”

  “I feel you,” Viper muttered.

  They shared a glance of mutual regret at the loss of simpler times before the moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

  Styx glanced toward the open doorway, already sensing the identity of the approaching vampire. “Roke.”

  Viper scowled. “Why is he still here?”

  “We can use all the help we can get.” Styx pointed a finger at the younger vampire. “Behave yourself.”

  Viper pressed a hand to his chest, his fallen-angel beauty emphasized by his overly innocent expression as he quoted back Styx’s own words. “I promise to be the very essence of a civilized gentleman.”

  Styx snapped his fangs toward his companion. “You’re a pain in the ass.”

  “At least we can agree on one thing,” Roke drawled as he stepped into the room.

  Viper stepped forward, but Styx grabbed his arm before they could come to blows. If the world managed to survive the looming apocalypse, he was going to lock the two clan chiefs into a room and not let them out until they could play nice.

  “Have you completed your task?” he demanded of Roke.

  “Task?” The Nevada clan chief narrowed his gaze, his strange silver eyes shimmering with a dangerous glow. “You make it sound like you asked me to rotate your tires, not find a way to tempt the ultimate evil into this world.”

  “If I wanted my tires rotated I would call a mechanic,” Styx informed him without apology. “I expect my clan chiefs to perform miracles.”

  “No shit,” Roke muttered.

  Styx waved an impatient hand. He could feel the relentless ticking of the clock beating against him. “Well?”

  Roke stood with a quiet confidence that went deeper than his position as vampire or clan chief. He was a lethal predator to the very bones. “We can’t force her out of her lair.”

  Viper pulled away from Styx’s grip, his expression mocking. “Genius.”

  Roke curled his lips to expose his fangs. “At least one of us has brains.”

  Styx muttered a foul curse, giving another wave of his hand. “Continue.”

  Roke returned his attention to Styx, although he looked like he would rather continue bantering with his fellow clan chief.

  Not a good sign.

  “So we have to offer her a temptation too great to resist,” Roke said.

  There was an empty silence as Styx waited for more, swiftly followed by Viper’s sound of disgust.

  “That’s it?”

  “Viper,” Styx growled, more to prevent yet another headache-inducing squabble than to protest his skepticism. He wasn’t too enthused about the vague solution either.

  “Fine,” Viper snapped, lifting his hands in a gesture of peace. “What temptation would lure the psycho bastard . . . wait, the psycho bitch, from her bat cave?”

  “The person who locked her in her bat cave in the first place,” Roke smoothly retorted.

  Viper frowned. “The Phoenix?”

  “No.” Styx’s voice filled the air with a frigid power that shattered the overhead chandelier and coated the marble figurines with ice. “No way.”

  Roke stood unflinching, his raven hair blowing around his lean face as the power rushed over him. “You asked for a suggestion, I gave you one.”

  Styx clutched his hands. The Phoenix was too vital to the future of the world to risk her in such a dangerous gamble.

  “Not one that’s feasible,” he rasped. “Return to Cezar and—”

  “Wait, Styx,” Viper interrupted, his expression grim.
/>
  “What?”

  “As much as I hate to agree with Roke on anything, I have to admit his suggestion has merit. We should at least discuss the idea.”

  Styx hissed in shock. Was Viper suggesting that they offer up Abby like a sacrificial lamb?

  “Before or after Dante chops off your head?” he snarled.

  Viper glanced toward the vampire standing silently near the door.

  “Roke, will you give us a minute?” Viper’s words were more a command than a request.

  The clan chief paused, then with a glance toward Styx’s dangerously composed expression, he gave a sharp nod. “I’ll be in the library.”

  Viper waited until Roke was out of the room and headed down the hallway before he stepped toward Styx.

  “No,” Styx growled, holding up a warning hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”

  The younger vampire planted his hands on his hips, his expression warning it was going to take violence to halt him from sharing his opinion. “Styx, you are without a doubt the finest Anasso to ever lead the vampires.”

  “You think you can sway me with flattery?”

  “I’m not done.”

  Styx snorted. “Don’t let me stop you.”

  “I was about to say that what makes you such a great leader is also your greatest weakness.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Loyalty.”

  Styx froze, catapulted back in time to when he was the trusted servant of the previous Anasso. He’d been a savage until the master had recruited him to become his soldier in the fight to pull the vampires out of the dark ages.

  It hadn’t been pretty. Nefri had led her clan beyond the Veil to create peace among her people; Styx’s master, on the other hand, had used brute force and intimidation.

  But it had worked. At least marginally. They were, after all, feral creatures.

  Unfortunately, at some point the ancient vampire had become infected by the blood of human drug addicts. Styx had tried his best to save his master from his own weakness, even to the point of hiding the Anasso’s growing madness from others, but in the end there had been no choice but to put him out of his misery.