Instinctively Laylah backed away, pressing a hand to her heaving stomach. It was time to go. Tane was suitably distracted and the food she’d consumed was easing her exhaustion.
At least enough that she could run for a few more hours. She wouldn’t have a better opportunity to escape. So why wasn’t she going?
It couldn’t be because she was reluctant to leave Tane alone to battle the crazy-ass vampire or his band of lunatics that she could sense heading in their direction. Or even the approaching …
She frowned at the musty scent of granite. It was familiar, but why?
“Tane,” she muttered.
With a grunt, Tane ripped his arm from his opponent’s fangs. “Now is not the best time, Laylah.”
“There is someone else in the tunnels.”
With a ferocious motion, Tane wrapped his arms around the vamp and heaved him against the distant wall. The vamp fell limply to the ground, briefly knocked unconscious.
Tane stood in the middle of the cave, covered in blood and looking like some magnificent conqueror. Just for a moment, Laylah had the opportunity to appreciate the fierce elegance of his profile, the chiseled perfection of his muscular body, and the bronzed satin of his skin.
Then, shoving a hand through his mohawk, he turned to reveal his eyes glowing with a honey fire and his fangs extended in fury.
She shivered. Holy shit. She’d met dangerous predators before, but nothing like Tane.
“I sense the other vampires,” he rasped.
“Not vampires.”
He frowned. “What is it?”
Realization hit at the same moment the stunted gargoyle waddled into the cave.
Laylah grimaced, easily recognizing the tiny demon.
Of course. Who could forget a gargoyle who stood barely three foot tall with large gossamer wings in brilliant shades of crimson and blue with veins of gold that were more suitable for a fairy than a fearsome beast? Not that he was entirely a un-gargoylish. He did have the usual grotesque features of his ancestors, as well as the long tail that was lovingly polished and horns atop his head.
He had been a companion of Salvatore when she and Caine had kidnapped the Were, and it had been her duty to carry him back to Caine’s lair.
It hadn’t been her fault that Tane and his gang of curs had been in such quick pursuit and she’d been forced to literally drop the gargoyle on his head and shadow walk to escape.
Or that in her haste she had released a small surge of power.
“Oh,” she breathed, her gaze remaining on the approaching gargoyle even as two new vampires burst into the room and launched themselves at Tane.
“Damn,” Tane muttered, his dagger slicing into the dark-haired vampire who looked like an extra out of a Tim Burton movie. “Like I don’t have enough troubles.”
Laylah frowned. “I thought he was on your side?”
“Can we save the discussion for later?” Tane grunted as the second vampire slammed into him from behind. “I could use some help here.”
She clenched her hands, ignoring the ridiculous urge to wade into the battle.
“Why should I help the man who intends to turn me over to the Oracles? I don’t care if you get killed.” She tilted her chin. She didn’t care. She didn’t. Dammit. “In fact it’ll save me from having to do it myself.”
Slipping past the smack down Tane was delivering, the tiny gargoyle halted next to Laylah, his gray eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Ah, a belle femme after my own heart,” he murmured with a thick French accent, sinking into a small bow. “Allow me to introduce myself. Levet, Defender of Damsels in Distress, Prince Charming, and overall Knight in Shining Armor, at your service.”
Laylah blinked. She’d knocked out the gargoyle with a bolt of lightning during their first encounter. She had no idea he was so … hmmm. Flamboyant?
“Good God,” she breathed.