The Enemy's Kiss

by Zandria Munson

  Nicholas slipped the knife back into its sheath. “And what, dare I ask, would you require help with? Reforming yourself?”

  She’d nearly forgotten how rude he could be, but she wasn’t aspiring for his approval nor did she care for it. She needed his help to find her sister and that was all. “If you don’t mind removing yourself I will tell you.”

  His dark eyes narrowed on her, but he slowly eased from her body. He stood at the foot of his bed and waited with his arms folded.

  Happy to put some distance between them, Daniela sat up and slid to the floor at the opposite end of the four-poster. “Apparently I was recognized at the monastery last night. My accomplice was attacked and my sister was kidnapped.” She inhaled as she made an effort to throttle the emotion that was rising within her. “The buyers want the rune in exchange for her life.”

  From beneath his heavy lashes, Nicholas watched her quietly. The expression on his face was almost impassive. Daniela’s stomach began to churn again. She knew nothing of the runes or their worth. Perhaps for Nicholas, their value was only sentimental. If he decided that retrieving the ancient stones was simply not worth getting involved, then her back would be against the wall.

  With the intent to bring more than her own crisis into the matter, she continued as she bent and retrieved her flashlight. “I was also attacked at the cemetery.”

  This got Nicholas’s attention. “Attacked by whom?” he asked.

  “Two women. They resembled the pair that Cradle had described to us, only…” She paused, realizing just how false her claim would sound. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

  “Try me,” he said.

  Daniela hesitated, but continued. “They appeared out of the darkness as if they were some sort of ghosts. They confronted me and demanded that I give them the rune, and when I didn’t one of them sent a flock of crows after me. It was as if she was controlling them. I know this sounds ridiculous, but…”

  “You say she commanded the crows?”

  She nodded. “Yes, while her twin tried to poke holes in me with a knife.”

  He looked pensive, his eyes narrowed as he studied her. It was hard to discern whether he believed her or not.

  “How did you escape them?” he asked.

  “The one who’d summoned the crows had a crystal in her hand. It seemed that her power revolved around it. I managed to get it away from her and I destroyed it. And believe it or not, they disappeared.”

  She waited for his sarcasm, but was surprised when a contemplative look crossed his face. It was as if he’d absorbed her extraordinary tale without question.

  “Describe this crystal,” he said.

  Daniela focused on the glare of the lamp and made an attempt to recall the details. As she’d been fighting for her life, the specifics of the gem had hardly been on the top of her list of interests. “It was attached to a chain and she dangled it from her wrist,” she supplied. “It was green and had an odd glow about it.”

  Nicholas’s arms fell away from his chest and he moved a few steps toward her. “Did she speak when using the crystal?”

  Again Daniela nodded. “They were both muttering some kind of Romanian chant.”

  He nodded slowly. “I will assist you, but we will do this my way.”

  The look she gave him was far from agreement. “We tried it your way before and look what happened.”

  “I am not to blame for your inability to follow orders or your negligence to properly cover your trail. We do this my way or not at all,” he said stubbornly.

  Daniela gritted her teeth. It was useless arguing with him. “Fine,” she agreed. “But if I don’t approve of something I will speak up and you will listen.”

  His eyelids lowered slightly and he watched her for a few seconds. She held his gaze, knowing full well that she would need to establish her ground now if it was to be effective later. Finally, he turned and stalked toward a tall wardrobe and swung the doors open. He pulled a shirt out.

  “Those you encountered tonight are witches of the Raba clan,” he informed.

  Daniela’s brows drew into a slow frown. “Witches? Like pointy hats and broomsticks?”

  The speculation in her tone was drowned by the breath-snatching shock she experienced as Nicholas slipped out of his satin pajama pants. They glided to the floor, revealing the entirety of his tall and very muscled body. A huge tattoo of a black dragon spanned the width of his shoulders, its tail tapering down his spine and forcing her attention to his very firm backside. Daniela nearly choked on the lump she swallowed and her gaze snapped away. Had he no shame? Something indiscernible fluttered within her, but she quickly dismissed it.

  “No,” came his response. “Witches like those who would sell their own souls and that of their spawn if only to glean a profit.”

  She could hear him shuffling into his clothing. In her mind she was trying to rationalize what he was saying. There was hardly a reason for her to doubt his revelation. After all, she’d witnessed the entire thing firsthand. What other explanation could there possibly be for what she’d experienced?

  Nicholas continued speaking. “They are a gypsy clan—wild and lawless, and are loyal only to those with the fattest purses.”

  “So they were hired like me?”

  “Yes.” The heavy thud of his boots moved toward her. “Someone has made an extensive effort to cover his trail.”

  She looked at him then. He wore a fitted black pullover and jeans. His steps took him to another tall closet. He threw the doors open and a light flickered on, revealing a collection of weapons. He pulled out a strap and slipped his arms into it. It resembled a gun holster, but two curved blades were contained on either side.

  Daniela eyed him with both caution and curiosity. What sort of man, aristocrat or not, kept weapons in his bedroom? He was more than a collector, she was sure. It wasn’t hard to recognize his familiarity with his weapons. He handled them as one who practiced daily and who knew how to wield them with deadly force.

  He shrugged into a leather jacket, leaving it to gape in the front. “Where were you instructed to deliver the rune?” he asked as he pulled a knife from the closet and slipped it into his right boot.

  Daniela shook her head. “I don’t know yet. I was given seven days. I was instructed to wait to learn the location of the drop-off. But I can’t wait for that. Something tells me that my sister and I won’t just be allowed to walk out of there once I hand over the rune.”

  “You are correct,” he agreed. “But there is much we need to learn before we even consider attempting to rescue your sister.” He marched toward the door.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the city of Tiraghol. The majority of the Bara witch clan resides there. I would imagine that word about the rune has moved among them.”

  Daniela matched his stride as he headed down the lavish hall and toward a set of staircases. “Do you think they’ll just volunteer the information? They didn’t seem like a very hospitable bunch.”

  “As I’ve said, they can be bought for any price. It should not be difficult to purchase their assistance.”

  At the bottom of the staircase Nicholas took a right and headed down a hall. At the end of it a door opened into what appeared to be a large showroom. On display, were about eight luxury sports cars and SUVs. She experienced a tinge of resentment as she was reminded of just how wealthy the Drakon family was. With so much at his disposal it was no wonder Nicholas behaved the way he did. He was clearly an indulged brat who’d just happened to attain maturity in one of the most beautiful bodies she’d ever seen. Not that she’d seen that many.

  He slipped a key from a collection that was hanging on the wall then headed toward a very sleek and polished silver Lamborghini. A soft humming caught her attention as the Diablo’s doors swung upright.

>   When he looked at her again a warning resonated in his eyes. “If you have been untruthful in any way, now is your final opportunity to admit to it. Going into Tiraghol is not the most pleasant of ventures. If I learn that you have been dishonest there will be repercussions.”

  “Do you think I could make something like this up?”

  He shrugged then slid into the driver’s seat. Daniela circled the car and entered through the passenger’s side. The doors eased down and Nicholas turned the key in the ignition. Simultaneously, the garage door began to lift.

  “You have been warned,” he told her just as he placed the vehicle in Reverse and sped out into the night.

  Chapter 8

  Nicholas slowed his Lamborghini to a crawl until it was partially concealed by the overhanging branches that skirted the hillside. He threw the transmission into Park then reached beneath the seat to retrieve his semiautomatic handgun. He assured that it was loaded then tucked it behind him in the waist of his jeans.

  Thirty years had passed since he’d last been to Tiraghol and he was hardly excited about returning. Often referred to as the Crown of Hades, it had been fashioned into the hills in the mid-1400s and dipped deep into the earth. It was unique, the only creation like it in the world, but accessible from various hidden entry points. An intended sanctuary, it provided refuge to witches and warlocks who cared not to engage in the modern world. Its inhabitants generally stayed within the confines of the gates. There were those however, who didn’t always conform to the rules. Misdeeds were frequent and danger lurked within every shadow. For Nicholas, entering would be an even bigger risk for him now. He was no longer a gargoyle, so was therefore unacceptable; mere mortals weren’t permitted beyond its gates and if discovered, by law, were considered fair game.

  “I don’t see anything.”

  Nicholas cast the woman in the passenger seat a look. She was really proving to be more trouble than he’d anticipated. The ruin she’d left in his grandfather’s tomb could be described as nothing less than a desecration and now she was blackmailing him to find her sibling. Of course, he’d agreed to her demands for it was of the utmost importance that he learned who was behind the missing rune. At this point, he was absolutely certain that the transgressor was a member of the Drakon clan. One who was prepared to do whatever it took, including hiring witches, to obtain what he wanted.

  Again Daniela assessed the backdrop of shadowy hills. “There’s nothing out here. Where’s the city?” she asked suspiciously.

  His gaze roamed the land, finding the barren apple tree. It sat upon a low rise, marking the entrance to Tiraghol.

  “The tree shrouds the main entrance. The city lies beneath the ground,” he told her as he opened the door and stepped out of the car.

  Daniela followed suit. “Is it one of those ancient cities? And why would anyone choose to live down there?”

  “It is hundreds of years old and accommodates many. It is by choice that they remain.” He closed the door. “You will stay here,” he told her.

  From the other side of the car, Daniela frowned at him. “Like hell I will! My little sister could very well be down there, and you expect me to sit and wait? I don’t think so.”

  He pinned her with a steadfast look. “I do not need the distraction of keeping you alive. Tiraghol is no place for you.”

  Her mouth fell open, drawing his attention to her full lips. “Excuse me? Keeping me alive?” she reiterated. “And what the hell gives you the idea that I need you to keep me alive?”

  “Your display at the monastery was sufficient,” he said flatly.

  Her expression hardened. “I see you’re forgetting how we got into that situation. I won’t apologize for being desperate.”

  Nicholas watched her for a few seconds. He wondered whatever happened to the days when women knew their place. “And I will not apologize for refusing to allow you to accompany me. You will remain here.”

  They engaged in a silent battle of wills. It stretched over a full minute before Daniela, in an obvious huff, returned to the vehicle and yanked the door closed.

  Nicholas looked at her through the driver’s side. “Stay within the car. Lock yourself in. If anyone approaches, you will find a weapon beneath your seat.”

  She didn’t respond; didn’t even look at him in fact. She sat there, glaring out the windshield. Her ripe and beautiful chest heaved slightly as if making an effort to calm herself. Nicholas suppressed a smile. It was quite obvious that she wasn’t accustomed to taking orders of any kind. With this amusing thought, he closed the door and headed toward the shadowy portal that led into Tiraghol.

  * * *

  That arrogant bastard, Daniela fumed. Through the rearview mirror she watched Nicholas disappear over a hill. He had some nerve insinuating that she was incompetent. She, after all, was the one who’d managed to steal two runes from him. And what the hell had he meant about Tiraghol not being a place for her? Was he also sexist?

  She reached beneath her seat and her fingers encountered a sleek, cool metal box. Slowly, she removed the semiautomatic handgun and examined it. She’d never used a gun before and her experience with one was quite limited. Briefly, she and Mai had toyed with the idea of adding guns to their arsenal. They’d trained a few times, but in the end had decided against it. Guns were simply too dangerous. However, in this case she didn’t have a choice. She checked to see if it was loaded then slipped it into one of the large pockets of her cargo pants. Two magazines of ammunition sat on the bottom of the box and she grabbed them and stuffed them into her other pocket.

  She opened the passenger door of the Lamborghini and stepped out. If Nicholas thought for one moment that she was simply going to sit by and wait while her sister’s life was in danger, then he was gravely wrong. She was prepared to do whatever it took to find Elaina and bring her back safely. And if that meant battling a few more crystal-dangling witches, then so be it.

  She slammed the door shut and headed the way he’d gone. The ground was wet and muddy; not very conducive to trampling around over hills. She slipped a few times, but regained her balance before hitting the earth. Finally, she came to stand beneath the apple tree that Nicholas had referred to. It was a great and disastrous image: tall and leafless and leaning precariously to the left. Its massive roots wove into the earth and resurfaced to dangle over a dark hollow that was formed into the hill beneath it.

  Daniela paused as she tried to rein in her scattering courage. She thought of Elaina. Her sister was relying on her. She was the only one who could save her. Reaching into her pocket, she removed the handgun before slipping past the curtain of vines. The passage was dark and damp and smelled of dirt. She listened, hearing nothing except the frantic beating of her heart. With careful steps, she began to advance over the uneven ground. The passage narrowed and angled left and she could see the soft flicker of light teasing the corner.

  A torch was fastened to the wall of the new passage. Relentlessly, she moved forward. Her free hand was used to guide her along the walls and she soon found herself moving over an even floor. The passage began to slope downward and she leaned slightly backward to maintain her balance. It wasn’t long before another portal appeared. Only this one was an archway that was filled with a hazy glow. Daniela continued her descent until she stood before it.

  She cocked the gun before entering. She was greeted by a scene that would’ve never been expected in the world she knew. Before her a flight of wide stone steps descended onto cobbled streets. Houses that resembled those of the Victorian era lined both sides of the street. The place seemed deserted. It was still and silent with only the fog to move about the shadows. Dust plastered the glass windows and covered the dilapidated carriages that had been carelessly pulled along the sidewalks.

  Slowly, she descended the steps and her attention was drawn to the activity above. She knew that she rema
ined beneath the earth, yet a sky of thick and luminous vapor swirled above her. Its silvery glow lit the atmosphere, giving the impression of a daunting midnight sky. She immediately concluded that it was the work of witchcraft. After what she’d seen that day she had no doubt about what these Raba witches were capable of.

  Exhaling a breath, she randomly turned left as there was still no indication as to which direction Nicholas had taken. She headed down the sidewalk, casting cautious glances at the houses as they loomed in their dirt yards. A broken sign creaked as it swung indolently, and from somewhere atop a withered tree a crow squawked. Daniela hastened her steps.

  It wasn’t long before she came to a fork in the road. As the others before it, it rendered nothing save an eerie stillness. She was in the process of choosing a direction to take when to her surprise a cloaked form emerged from one of the buildings on the right. Daniela quickly retreated back a few steps, concealing herself behind the paint-chipped wall of a house. From her place of concealment, she watched the figure move up the street. Its sex was indiscernible, but from the stride, Daniela deduced that it was female. Something glinted in the woman’s hand, and Daniela remembered the way the witch in the cemetery had held the crystal.

  Without a second thought she began to follow, keeping a safe distance behind. If the woman was indeed a Raba witch then she was sure to know where Elaina was being kept. Daniela’s fingers flexed on the gun; she was prepared to do anything she needed to do to find her sister.

  The figure crossed the street and headed for a wooden bridge that stretched over a wide chasm. On the other side Daniela could see the mammoth shadow of a windmill. It churned slowly as it sliced through the fog that rose from the gaping split in earth. Carefully, she moved over the rotting wood, allowing herself a single glance over the side. The bottom of the chasm was obscured by darkness, but the sound of running water could be heard.