Guardians of Eternity 03 - Darkness Everlasting

by Alexandra Ivy

  "Now, cara, you must be reasonable. For all I know this is a trap being set by your vampire. I'm not entirely stupid."

  "Neither am I. There's no way I'm going to let myself be surrounded by a pack of werewolves."

  "Then we must find a compromise. I am willing to do whatever is necessary—"

  Without warning his soothing words were interrupted as she gave a low growl.

  "You son of a bitch."

  Salvatore frowned. "As a matter of fact I am, but what has you so angry?"

  "You're already here, aren't you? You were tracking me."

  His blood ran cold. Which was saying something for a werewolf.

  His blood was usually just short of an inferno.

  "Someone is there?"

  "You followed me into town, or you've put something into the phone. Dammit, Styx was right. You can't be trusted."

  "Darcy, you must listen to me." His voice was thick with urgency. "Whoever is in the warehouse with you, it's not me, or any of my pack."

  "Oh yeah? Then how did you know I'm in a warehouse, Salvatore?" she demanded. "Admit it, you've tracked me."

  Salvatore gave a low snarl. For the first time in his existence he struggled not to shift against his will.

  If anything happened to Darcy ...

  "Cazzo. Si, the phone is being monitored by my pack, but we are still blocks away," he confessed, silently attempting to judge how long it would take to reach the warehouse. "I do not know who is in the building with you, but you are in danger."

  "Why should I believe you?" She sucked in a gasp as a distant howl echoed in the background. "Shit."

  Salvatore's every instinct shivered in warning. He recognized that howl.

  It could only belong to a werewolf.

  "Listen to me, cara. You must get out of there. Get out of there now."

  Her breath rasped over the phone. "This is starting to feel like a really bad slash-and-trash movie."

  Salvatore motioned Hess to even greater speed. "What?"

  "You know, when the police call to tell the babysitter that the threatening calls are coming from inside the house?"

  He gave a shake of his head, wondering if her fear had driven her nuts.

  "I do not know this movie, but—" He bit off his words as a sudden static punished his sensitive ear. "Darcy!"

  The static was cut off as the line went dead. Throwing aside the phone, Salvatore glared toward the cur at his side.

  "Have me at the warehouse in the next fifteen minutes or I'll eat your heart for breakfast."

  Chapter Thirteen

  Darcy shoved the phone in her pocket as she warily studied the woman standing near the railing above her. Yowser. She didn't look like the sort of woman who would prowl around filthy warehouses. Not with that tall, willowy frame and sleek black hair that framed a perfect oval face and slanted eyes.

  She was more an exotic butterfly that should be drenched in silk and champagne.

  Still, Darcy was smart enough not to be taken in by appearances. If the past few days had taught her nothing else, it was that the most beautiful, elegant creatures in the world were also the most lethal.

  A fact that was only reinforced as the strange woman glided down the stairs. Yes, glided, Darcy acknowledged with a shiver. There was no other word for it.

  The woman wasn't human. Or at least not entirely human.

  Darcy hastily backed toward the closest window. Having an escape route nearby seemed a handy thing. Not as handy as a gun, of course, but since she didn't think she could pull the trigger even if she had one, the window was the best she was going to do.

  "So, you are the mysterious, oh-so-fascinating Darcy Smith," the woman drawled, her tone raising the hair on the back of Darcy's neck. "I thought that your pictures must have been doing you a disservice, but I see you truly are as ... common as I thought."

  Common?

  Well, Darcy had certainly been called worse. But not with that precise hint of malice, or that very personal hatred that shimmered in the dark eyes.

  Somehow she had managed to piss off this woman, and now she was determined to make Darcy pay.

  "Sorry to disappoint," she muttered. "Have we met?"

  "You'd already be dead if we had met," the woman growled, her dark eyes beginning to glow with a peculiar light.

  Another chill inched down Darcy's spine as she instinctively reached to touch the broken window behind her. She was beginning to recognize that distinctive glow.

  The woman was a Were.

  Which meant that Salvatore was lying through his perfect white teeth (a seeming tradition for demons of all persuasions). And that Darcy was in very, very deep shit. She might be able to hold her own against most humans, but she didn't believe for a moment she could manage to fend off a ravaging wolf.

  "I'm going to take a wild leap here and guess you don't like me much." Darcy attempted to distract the ... thing prowling ever closer. "Do you mind sharing what I've done to offend you?"

  A shimmer of energy could be seen glowing around the slender body. "You're offensive."

  "Just overall offensive, or could you narrow that down a little?"

  "You're human." She turned her head to spit on the floor.

  Darcy gave a lift of her brows. "That's it? I'm offensive because I'm human? Rather harsh."

  "You're offensive because Salvatore would prefer you to me," she hissed.

  Well . . . cripes.

  That's all she needed. A psychopathic ex-girlfriend. One who also happened to be a werewolf.

  Thanks a buttload, Salvatore.

  Darcy covertly began to ease the broken window upward. She preferred not to have to plunge through the ragged remains of glass if she could avoid it.

  She was funny like that.

  "Then Salvatore doesn't know you're here?" she countered.

  "Of course not." The glow in the almond eyes became downright spooky. "The fool is so besotted with you that he would kill me if he learned I had so much as crossed your precious path."

  So, Salvatore hadn't been lying.

  A wave of relief washed through Darcy. Foolish, of course, when there was a very good chance she was about to be eaten by his angry girlfriend.

  She pressed the window up a few more inches.

  "And yet, here you are," she said in a tight tone.

  "He shouldn't have sent me away. I may be a cur, but I'm not his bitch to be dumped and ditched." The shimmer became more distinct as the air filled with a prickling heat. "He'll pay for that."

  Darcy swallowed the lump in her throat.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  "Look, I'm sure this is all no more than a misunderstanding. I barely even know Salvatore."

  The window was nearly half open. Just a few more minutes. Oh please, God, give me a few more minutes.

  "In fact, we're practically strangers. Maybe if you went back to talk with him this could all be sorted out."

  "I intend to sort it out now."

  With a hair-raising growl the woman abruptly leaped forward, her slender form smoothly changing from human to wolf before Darcy's stunned gaze.

  Shock held her motionless for a heart-stopping moment. Being told that werewolves existed was one thing; watching a woman transform into a towering beast was quite another.

  There was something oddly awe inspiring about the sight.

  And something starkly terrifying.

  Belatedly coming to her senses, Darcy barely managed to dive to the side as the Were landed only inches away. There was a frustrated growl as the Were turned her head to reveal the glowing red eyes and teeth that looked custom made to rip through flesh.

  Oy. There was nothing human left in those horrible eyes. Nothing that could be reasoned with anyway.

  Crab walking backward, Darcy kept her eyes firmly on the werewolf, who was crouching low as she prepared to leap again.

  She didn't have a clue how she was supposed to fight off the beast, but she did know she had to try. As much as she preferred a
nonviolent solution to the encounter, she was smart enough to realize that it was going to be difficult to reason with a pouncing werewolf.

  There was a low growl of warning and the animal was streaking forward. Instinctively, Darcy kicked out with both legs. It was a desperate act, but astonishingly she managed a direct strike to the werewolf's muzzle, and with a sharp yip the werewolf halted to give a shake of her head.

  Darcy was instantly on her feet and racing toward the far door. She didn't really believe she could make it, but at the moment any amount of space she could muster between her and her attacker was a good thing.

  It was sheer instinct again that saved her life as she felt a prickle run down her spine and with a headlong dive she was on the filthy floor even as the werewolf bounded over her head.

  Her breath had been knocked from her lungs by the sudden contact with the cement floor, and it was only with an effort that she pressed herself to her hands and knees.

  Beyond her she could see that the werewolf's wild leap had landed her in the middle of a stack of rusting barrels. A handful had managed to tumble on top of her, effectively pinning her to the ground.

  But not for long, Darcy realized. On the point of lifting herself to her feet, she noticed a short, metal pipe lying just a few inches away. Reluctantly she plucked the pipe from the ground as she straightened and continued her path to the door.

  She had nearly made it across the warehouse when the scrape of claws on cement forced her to whirl around and confront the approaching werewolf.

  "Crap," she breathed, her mouth dry as she watched the long teeth headed straight for her throat.

  Not allowing herself time to consider, she gave a swing of the pipe directly at the approaching head.

  There was a horrid thud as the steel met the thick skull with enough force to send Darcy flying backward.

  She collected several more painful bumps, but as she scrambled back to her feet, she realized that she had managed to stun the beast.

  Maybe more than stunned, she acknowledged with a deep shudder.

  Lying on her side with her eyes closed, the Were was bleeding heavily from a gash that ran from one ear to the curve of her muzzle.

  A sickness rolled through Darcy's stomach as she realized that she had hit the woman harder than she had intended.

  She had always sensed she was stronger than the average woman, but to best a werewolf...

  She really was a freak.

  With a shake of her head Darcy forced away the absurd thoughts and, still clutching the pipe, headed for the door.

  She charged from the warehouse, and as she headed across the parking lot she noticed a sleek sports car that was parked near a Dumpster.

  Cautiously approaching the car, she peered inside, prepared to bolt at the first indication that the woman had not been alone. Her heart gave a leap as she caught sight of the keys still dangling in the ignition.

  Holy moly, could luck finally be on her side?

  Darcy yanked open the door and slid into the drivel's seat. The motor purred to life on the first try, and struggling with the unfamiliar stick shift, she managed to lurch across the parking lot.

  She didn't know where she was headed, but it was away from the warehouse. And that had to be good.

  She had no desire for round two with the unconscious werewolf. Not when she was bruised, battered, and still sick from the knowledge that she had deliberately hurt another.

  And, of course, there was the knowledge that Salvatore would be arriving at any moment.

  She was far too on edge to trust the pureblood at the moment. Whether he sent the werewolf or not, he was still responsible for the attack.

  It seemed best to retreat so she could take some time to consider more fully just how and when she should meet with the man.

  Turning out of the lot, Darcy pulled the phone from her pocket. As she drove slowly down the empty road she carefully committed Salvatore's number to her memory.

  When she was satisfied that she could recall it without effort, she lowered the car window and with a small smile tossed the phone into the vacant lot she was passing.

  She was tired of being a hapless bargaining chip in a private demon war she didn't understand.

  From now on she intended to play this game by her rules.

  Styx muttered a string of ancient curses as he entered the dark warehouse. Although Darcy's scent was thick in the air, it was obvious she had already fled.

  Even worse, there was the unmistakable stench of werewolf nearby.

  Flowing through the shadows, Styx discovered the woman King unconscious on the floor. She had a healing wound on the side of her face and a lump on her temple that had come from a mighty blow.

  Darcy?

  It seemed unbelievable that his sweet, innocent angel could have battled off this cur, but if he'd learned nothing else over the past few days, it was that it was futile to try to predict how Darcy might react.

  She had confused and baffled and fascinated him from the moment he had taken her captive.

  There was a stir of air behind him as Viper moved to stand at his side.

  Styx had gathered the vampire before setting out in pursuit of Darcy. He had learned his lesson in charging off on his own, and he had already sent his Ravens to travel to Salvatore's lair to keep watch on the damnable pureblood.

  "Her tracks lead to the parking lot, but she must have found a car to escape. She is no doubt miles away by now."

  "Damn."

  Styx tensed with frustration. The night was passing too swiftly. Soon it would be dawn and he would be forced to seek shelter.

  Darcy would be out here alone.

  At the mercy of Salvatore.

  Well, perhaps not utterly at his mercy, he acknowledged as his gaze traveled over the unconscious werewolf. Following his gaze, Viper folded his arms over his chest.

  "Who's the cur?"

  Styx curled his nose in disgust. "She smells of Salvatore. She must be a part of his pack."

  "Do you think she came here to meet Darcy?"

  The mere thought was enough to make his fangs ache to sink into werewolf flesh. Of course, his mood was foul enough to sink his fangs into anything.

  "Whatever she came here for, it doesn't appear to have worked out as she had expected."

  "No, it doesn't seem to have worked out well at all."

  Viper turned to regard Styx with a lift of his brow. "Your woman can hold her own."

  "So it seems." Styx frowned, his heart clenching at the thought of Darcy doing battle with the Were. Not just because she could so easily have been hurt, but because he knew his angel well enough to suspect she was wounded deep in her heart at harming another. "She must have felt her life was threatened or she never would have struck out." He abruptly turned to walk toward the door, sniffing deeply of the stale air. "But why would Salvatore send a cur to attack her? If he wanted her dead, he could have killed her in the bar or even when he crept into the estate. He seemed desperate to take her alive."

  "That does seem to be the question." Viper conducted his own search of the warehouse, his expression intent. "There was another woman here as well. A human."

  Styx gave a low hiss. "None of this makes sense."

  Viper briefly studied the black bag that had been left on the floor before giving a shake of his head.

  "It is a mystery that will have to be solved later, old friend. The dawn is less than an hour away. We cannot linger here."

  Styx clenched his hands. "If Darcy has a car she could be across the state before I can begin to track her again."

  Easily sensing the fury and frustration that boiled through Styx like a volcano on the edge of explosion, Viper crossed to lightly place his hand on Styx's shoulder.

  "Not even the Anasso can battle the sun and win," he said gently.

  "Surely you're not saying that the invincible Styx is afraid of a few stray rays of sunlight?" a mocking voice drawled from the nearby door. "How terribly disappointing. Next tiling y
ou know, you'll be telling me that you can't leap over tall buildings or halt speeding bullets."

  Only the restraining hand on his shoulder kept Styx from leaping through the opening and ripping out the throat of the pureblood.

  "I may fear sunlight but I do not fear dogs," he warned with a frozen disdain. "Show yourself, Salvatore."

  "With pleasure." Salvatore strolled through the door attired in a perfect smoke-gray suit with his trained cur at his heel. He moved with the fluid grace of all Weres although there was an unmistakable tension shimmering about his slender body. "Ah, the magnificent Viper as well. We are truly blessed to be in the company of such notable vampires, are we not, Hess?"

  The hulking cur glowered toward the two vampires and then deliberately licked his lips.

  "Looks like dinner to me, my lord."

  Styx smiled as he allowed his power to swirl outward, knocking the cur to his knees.

  "This dinner has teeth, dog, and I don't digest very well. Of course, if you don't believe me you're welcome to try to take a bite."

  The cur launched himself upright, but before he could commit certain suicide, Salvatore had him by the arm and was pulling him backward.

  "Easy, Hess. We have more important matters to attend to tonight." Strolling forward, the pureblood studied the woman still unconscious on the floor. "Jade. I should have known." His gaze shifted toward Styx. "I'm surprised you didn't kill her."

  Styx flashed his fangs. Maybe a little childish for a dignified leader of all vampires, but he wasn't feeling very damn dignified at the moment.

  "I would have. That isn't my work."

  "Darcy?" Salvatore slowly smiled, a pleased expression settling on his thin face. "Well, well. Who would have guessed? She is becoming quite a woman. One any man would be pleased to call his own."

  Sheer savage fury raced through Styx and not even Viper's tight grip could keep him from darting across the floor and grasping Salvatore by the neck. He would drain Salvatore dry before he would allow the dog to lay a hand on Darcy.

  With blinding speed Salvatore kicked out, managing to strike Styx in the knee. Styx hissed as his fingers tightened on the Were's throat.

  "Did you send this cur to kill her?" he rasped.