More impressive, they were walking, talking lie detectors. Supposedly no demon could deceive them.
Like he needed that kind of headache.
Christ. He should have left her in Siberia.
“If you knew how to escape the island, then why didn’t you?” she demanded.
“Because I couldn’t rescue my brothers without alerting the guards.”
“So you stayed?”
He frowned, puzzled by her curiosity. “I wasn’t leaving them behind. Does that surprise you?”
An unreadable emotion rippled over her beautiful face before it was swiftly wiped away.
“Sylvermysts aren’t renowned for their generous hearts or noble natures. As Tearloch proved.”
Ariyal couldn’t argue.
Sylvermyst had a long, well-earned reputation for their cruel natures and hunger for violence, but he’d be damned if he allowed a cold-hearted leech to judge him.
Not after everything he’d sacrificed to save his people.
“Tearloch’s frightened and ... confused,” he admitted. “Once I track him down I’ll convince him of the error of his ways.”
“You mean, he’ll do as you want or you’ll kill him?”
“Ah, you understand me so well, poppet.”
“I understand that you’re a bastard who is out to save your own worthless skin,” she charged.
“Good. Then I don’t have to convince you that I will happily leave you here to rot unless you agree to do exactly as I say.”
A frigid smile curved her lips. “Don’t be a moron. If I disappear the Anasso will send out a dozen warriors to search for me.”
“He can send out a hundred if he wants. They’ll never be able to sense you behind the mists.” His gaze lingered on her lush, full lips, easily imagining the pleasure they could bring a man. With a growl, he took an instinctive step closer, ignoring the danger. “Face it, poppet, they already assume you’re dead.”
“Then they’ll hunt you down and execute you. There’s nowhere you can go they won’t find you.”
He grasped her chin, staring down at the eyes that had lost their ice to flash with indigo fire. His gut twisted with need.
“I spent centuries in the harem of Morgana le Fey. Leeches don’t scare me.”
“What does scare you?”
“This ...”
Ignoring the fangs that could rip out his throat with one swipe, not to mention the claws that could dig through solid concrete, Ariyal leaned forward and claimed her mouth in a kiss of pure possession.
Mine ...
Chapter 2
Jaelyn was never taken by surprise.
Never.
She was a Hunter. A vigilant, razor-sharp warrior with such superior skills that she’d been taken by the Addonexus (the vampire equivalent of black ops) mere weeks after she’d been turned.