Embrace the Darkness

by Alexandra Ivy

“You wish it and it happens,” she grudgingly conceded.

  “Good.”

  Levet sucked in a deep breath as she hurriedly pressed her fingers to his lips.

  “Don’t do this. Wish for me to be with you. I will rescue your stupid friend…”

  “I wish I were the size of the King of Gargoyles,” he growled.

  He wasn’t sure what he expected. A bit of tingling. A puff of smoke.

  Fireworks and a Sousa band.

  What he got instead was a sharp blow to the head as he was suddenly far too large for the tunnel.

  “Ouch.” He rubbed the rising lump and glanced down at his body that was three times the size it had been.

  His wish had worked. He was now large enough to rescue Shay from anyone and anything that might stand in his way.

  A fortunate thing considering he had barely blinked when the sound of a high, piercing scream abruptly shattered the air.

  “Sacrebleu. Shay.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  It was like one of those horrible nightmares that used to plague her. The one where she was trying to flee from the witches, but her feet were relentlessly sinking into a thick mud. No matter how hard she tried to flee she just kept going slower and slower.

  She could see Damocles with his dagger gleaming in the light. She could see Evor struggling as his life flashed before his eyes. She could see the short distance she had to cross to halt the relentless blow.

  But no matter how fast she traveled she couldn’t reach the imp before the dagger was plunged into the troll’s treacherous heart.

  A scream of fury and fear was wrenched from her throat.

  Evor wasn’t the only one to see his life passing before his eyes, and it was all so brutally unfair.

  For so many years she had taken her life for granted. She had even cursed the miserable existence given to her. Certainly she had never wakened with a fierce desire to leap from her bed and discover what the day might bring.

  Now she at last had that. She had Viper. And the thought of dying now filled her with unbearable despair.

  Continuing to run despite the futility of it all, Shay abruptly felt the earth buckle beneath her feet. She fell to her knees even as the stone around the entrance burst inward to shower her in a cloud of pebbles.

  Not at all certain what had happened, she cleared her eyes and peered through the cloud of dust.

  What she saw was a very large, very terrifying gargoyle. A gargoyle who reached out to bat the imp across the room.

  With a sickening thud the imp hit the far wall and crumpled onto the floor. Even from a distance it was easy to detect the unnatural angle of his neck and the wide eyes that were blank with death.

  Holy freaking cow.

  Too stunned to even appreciate the fact that Damocles had miraculously been killed, Shay began to scoot backward as the looming demon reached down to pluck the screaming Evor off the floor and hold him in his claws.

  She was alive for the moment, but the gargoyle that now held the troll didn’t look in any mood to hear her pleas. In fact, he looked large and fierce and entirely capable of swallowing them all whole.

  The gargoyle took a step forward and she gave a small shriek. To hell with courage. This thing was scaring the crap out of her.

  The demon halted, and then shockingly he held up his free hand in a motion of peace.

  “Shay, it is I” he rumbled. Then, as she continued to regard him with open horror, he gave a click of his tongue. “It is Levet.”

  “Levet?” Shay slowly rose to her feet, her gaze belatedly taking in the beautiful wings that were now as large as a small car. “What… what have you done?”

  He smiled revealing teeth that could snap her in two. “It appears that I have rescued you once again from your own foolishness.”

  Rescued. Blessed saints. She was rescued. The relief flooded through her. Or at least it started to flare through her. It hadn’t gone very far when it was replaced by a flare of fear.

  Viper.

  Spinning about she turned just in time to watch the beautiful, silver-haired vampire take the head off the Anasso.

  This time the relief went unchecked. It was over. Truly, truly over.

  She took a step forward to rush to Viper’s side. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and shout for joy. She wanted to run her hands through his hair and kiss him until they both could forget the horror of the past hours.

  Her steps halted, however, as Viper slowly slid to his knees and an expression of deep sorrow touched his face.

  He had just been forced to kill a leader he had obviously respected for centuries. He deserved a few moments to reconcile himself to the painful death.

  With an effort she slowly turned back to the waiting demon behind her. He didn’t look at all like her beloved Levet. Well, except for the eyes. They could never change.

  A shaky smile touched her lips. “I didn’t know you could alter your shape.” Levet shrugged. “Oh, we all have our little secrets…”

  “He didn’t do it. I did,” a female voice firmly interrupted. Shay’s eyes widened as a curvaceous woman attired in a sheer bit of cloth stepped from behind the looming demon.

  “A water sprite?” Shay regarded the gargoyle with a lift of her brows. “Good grief, Levet, you have been a busy boy.”

  “It looks as if you’ve been a little busy yourself. That one is still alive.” He pointed a claw toward Styx who was beginning to stir on the floor. “Do you want me to squash him?”

  Before Shay could answer she felt a comforting arm slip around her shoulder. Her heart gave a small leap as she glanced into the pale face of the vampire at her side.

  “Viper?” she questioned softly. This man had just lost his leader. She wouldn’t pressure him to also lose a friend.

  “No,” Viper retorted, his voice firm. “He was only doing what he thought was right. He risked his life to save us.”

  “Yes, he did.” she said softly, her gaze returning to Levet. “No squashing.”

  “What of this animal?” Levet gave the troll a vicious shake. “Can I kill him?”

  Shay lifted a hand. “Not yet. He still holds my curse.”

  Levet heaved a sigh. “Well, damn. I can’t kill the vampire. I can’t kill the troll. I hate to waste a good wish. Maybe I should go pillage a nearby village. The local maidens would no doubt appreciate my new, very manly, physique.”

  Viper chuckled softly. It was one of the best sounds that Shay had ever heard.

  “Surely after all these centuries you must know that size doesn’t matter to a woman?” he drawled.

  “Ha. Easy to say for a six-foot vampire “ Levet grumbled.

  Reluctantly, Shay left Viper’s side to gently take Levet’s huge hand and pressed it to her face. She understood just how difficult it must have been for the demon to force himself to charge to her rescue.

  “Levet, it isn’t the size of the demon that matters, but the size of his heart. And there is no gargoyle in all the world who possesses a heart as large as yours.” Her lips touched his rough skin. “You saved my life.”

  “Oui, oui. There is no need to blubber over me.” Levet pulled back, a blush staining his gray cheeks. To cover his embarrassment he held out the squirming Evor and gave him another shake. “What do you want me to do with this creature?”

  “Put him here.” Viper pointed at a spot directly before him.

  Holding his arm outward Levet simply allowed the troll to drop from his hand. Evor managed to crumble to the floor before Viper had him by the neck and he was once again on his feet. His eyes bulged and his round face turned red as Viper’s fingers dug into his spongy flesh.

  “You can’t kill me,” the troll squeaked. “Not without killing the Shalott.”

  With a casual motion Viper slapped Evor with enough force to make his head snap back.

  “The Shalott has a name.”

  “Shay,” Evor gasped. “Lady Shay.”

  Viper regarded him as if he were a bug
he discovered stuck to the bottom of his shoe. “What do you want to do with him, pet? We could take him home and have him nailed to the wall as a trophy.”

  Shay shuddered. “And have to look at that ghastly face every day?”

  “Good point. I do have several creatively themed dungeons he might enjoy.”

  “Creatively themed?”

  Viper gave a small shrug. “Traditional torture, ancient torture, high-tech torture…”

  “No, no. Please.” Evor rolled his head toward Shay, his expression desperate. It was an expression she decided she liked on that ugly mug. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

  She stepped closer to the troll, her expression hard. “I want answers.”

  “Of course.” He nervously licked his lips. “What answers?”

  “How did you get my curse?”

  “I…”

  Viper’s fingers abruptly tightened. “Don’t even think of lying to the lady. I can make you pray for death.”

  “I went to Morgana for a… potion,” Evor gasped.

  “Morgana?” Shay demanded.

  “The witch.”

  “Oh “ Shay frowned. She hadn’t known that trolls used magical potions. “What sort of potion?”

  “It was personal.”

  “Personal? What does that mean?”

  “Trust me, pet, you don’t want any more specifics,” Viper interrupted.

  She grimaced. Viper was no doubt right. The mere thought of what the nasty demon might do in private was enough to give her nightmares.

  “Fine. You went to the witch for a potion. How did you end up with my curse?”

  “When I arrived the store was closed so I… let myself in.”

  “Meaning you broke into the store,” Shay accused.

  “I wanted that potion “ Evor said in tones that revealed breaking and entering was a common part of his moral code. “I thought the place was empty, but there was a hidden door that had been left open and I could hear voices. One of them was Morgana speaking to a younger witch. Her protegee, I suppose.”

  Shay frowned, recalling the door that led to the dirt cellar beneath the store.

  “What does that have to do with the curse?”

  “She was instructing the younger witch on her duties of protecting a young Shalott who was in dire danger. She said that once the curse was passed that she must always be on guard for those who would harm the half demon.”

  “She was going to pass the curse to another witch?” Shay demanded.

  “Yes. Morgana was concerned that she was growing too old to be an adequate guardian.”

  “Oh.” Shay slowly absorbed the words. Perhaps ridiculously she felt a spark of warmth at the witch’s concern. Her father had obviously chosen her guardian carefully. It reassured her that he had truly loved her as much as she had once believed. “So she wanted to protect me?”

  Evor shrugged. “I suppose.”

  Always sensitive to her every emotion Viper tightened his grasp on the troll’s throat. He would realize just how much she needed to know she hadn’t been abandoned by those who claimed to love her.

  “And you heard the word Shalott and immediately realized how much she would be worth,” he accused in a lethal voice.

  Evor squawked, his eyes wide with terror. “I’m a businessman. What would you have me do?”

  “You’re slime.” Shay corrected. “How did you get the curse?”

  “I…” Evor licked his lips, his eyes warily darting from Viper to Shay. “I slipped down the stairs and waited for the proper moment. Once the curse was being passed I leaped forward to kill the young witch and the spell landed on me.”

  “Then you murdered Morgana?”

  “Yes.” A hint of confusion touched the ugly face. “I intended to burn her body, but she seemed to disappear into thin air.”

  Shay remembered finding the skeleton and small box hidden behind the enchanted circle. Morgana had used her last breath to keep the truth safe for Shay.

  “You despicable, coldhearted bastard,” she breathed, clutching her hands at her sides to keep from reaching out and throttling the horrid troll.

  The creature had made her life a living hell. He had bound her, abused her, and sold her like an animal.

  If not for him…

  If not for him she would never have met Viper, an unwelcome voice whispered in the back of her mind.

  The trembling fury slowly faded, and quite unexpectedly she sank to her knees and began to cry.

  She wasn’t sure why she sobbed.

  The utterly senseless loss of her father, perhaps. The horror of her stolen childhood. The years of slavery.

  The knowledge that, but for a fluke, she would never have been in the power of Evor.

  Or maybe she was simply purging the last of her bitterness so she could put it in the past where it belonged.

  Whatever the cause it didn’t take long for Viper to be kneeling at her side, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

  “Shay, please, my love,” he whispered into her hair. “You are breaking my heart.”

  She sniffed, burrowing into the strength of his chest. “It’s over?”

  His lips brushed her face, kissing away the wetness of her tears. “It’s over. Truly over. We can go home.”

  “What about Evor?”

  “He will go with us. I have enough connections to find us a witch powerful enough to break the curse. After that… well, that will be completely up to you, pet.”

  She tilted her head up to meet the troubled silver eyes. “When we bring an end to the curse, I won’t be your slave any longer.”

  A slow, perfect smile curved his lips. “Maybe not my slave, but you’ll soon be my mate. Which means you’re stuck with me for an eternity.”

  “I haven’t said yes, yet,” she reminded him softly.

  “Good.” His lips brushed her mouth. “I want the pleasure of convincing you.”

  She gave a small shiver. She didn’t doubt it would be a pleasure.

  For both of them.

  The sound of Levet clearing his throat echoed eerily through the cavern and Shay glanced up to discover him regarding them with a hint of impatience.

  “Not that I wish to be the pooper of the party, but unless we get out of these caves Dante will soon be bringing his army in with guns blazing “ he pointed out. “Time is ticking.”

  Viper gave a slow nod. “I hate to agree with the gargoyle, but if Dante is on his way then we must stop him before any further violence.” His head turned to regard Styx who was silently gathering the handful of ashes that remained of his master. “There has been enough bloodshed.”

  Shay lightly touched his face in sympathy before returning her attention to the giant demon. He was quite impressive with his bulging muscles and grotesque features. As terrifying as even the greatest of gargoyles. But she missed her tiny Levet.

  “Not that I want to rain on your parade, Levet, but have you given any thought to how you’re going to get out of these caves?” she murmured softly.

  With a frown of surprise, Levet glanced down at his enlarged body. “Can’t I just…” He gave a wave of his hands. “Force my way out?”

  Viper rose to his feet and pulled Shay to stand close to his side. “Not without bringing most of the bluff down on our heads. And while I appreciate your help, my friend, I have no desire to be trapped in these tunnels with you until we can dig our way out.”

  Levet gave a testy stomp of his foot, showering them all with chunks of rock from the ceiling.

  “This totally blows,” he complained. “I finally get to be a decent size and now I have to give it up before I can even enjoy one good pillaging.”

  “No.” The silent sprite suddenly grasped Levet’s arm, her expression pleading. “Don’t listen to them. They are trying to deceive you and make you give up your last wish. We can get out of here. I know a way…”

  “Oh, do shut up,” Levet snapped. “It’s worth giving up a wish just to be rid of you.” He suc
ked in a deep breath. “I wish I were my normal size.”

  In the blink of an eye Levet had shrunk to his three-foot stature and, best of all, the wailing water sprite had disappeared.

  With a small smile, Shay moved forward to wrap her arms about her dear friend.

  “I love you, Levet,” she whispered.

  He gave a derisive snort at her mushy words, but he didn’t try to pull away. With an awkward motion he patted her back with his small hand.

  “Oui, oui. Now can we go home?”

  Home. Yes, she was going home. With her family at her side.

  No demon could ask for more.

  —

  Viper was as good as his word.

  He did have the necessary connections to discover a witch willing to break the curse that bound Shay.

  Of course, he wasn’t pleased with her decision to allow Evor to slink back beneath the rocks he had crawled from. He was fairly straightforward about what he wanted for the troll. A nice, lengthy bout of torture, followed by several hours of being sliced into tiny little pieces.

  Shay, however, discovered that her fierce need for revenge was no longer the driving force in her life. Not when she had an eternity to plan with the vampire she loved.

  She was free of Evor, and as long as he was being watched by vampires to make sure he didn’t hurt any other demon, she was satisfied.

  They had quarreled, of course, but in the end she had had her way. And they had both enjoyed the delicious opportunity to kiss and make up.

  Now the curse was gone and Shay was able to plan her future for the first time in nearly a century.

  With blissful joy she traded her life as a servant for one as a mate.

  It had been a beautiful ceremony at Viper’s country estate surrounded by hundreds of candles and roses and the sweet scent of freshly baked apple pie floating through the air.

  As Viper’s fangs had slid into her flesh and he had called the ancient power to bind them as one, Shay thought that there would never be a more perfect moment in her life.

  She had been wrong.

  As the days had passed she realized that her days were now filled with those perfect moments.

  Shopping or just sharing lunch with Abby. Watching Viper teach Levet how to use a sword with deadly accuracy. Late-night dinners with Viper teasing her as she polished off a huge meal left by the housekeeper. The festive gatherings with his clan where the vampires revealed their profound respect and unwavering loyalty to the leader who kept them secure.