He waved a dismissive hand. “Non, non. It is a common mistake, but I am not a deity. Well, not unless you consider being a sex god as …” His eyes abruptly narrowed, his head tilted back as he sniffed the air. “Sacrebleu. You are the Jinn.”
Tane swore, pinning one vamp to the ground with his knee while he tried to dislodge the other that was latched onto his back.
“Levet, either make yourself useful or get the hell out of here.”
The gargoyle ignored Tane’s command, turning about to reveal the imprint of her hand that she had scorched onto his ass just before she’d dropped him in the tunnels.
“Look what you have done.”
“It was an accident.”
“An accident?” Levet turned back, his wings twitching. “You have marred perfection. It is like desecrating the Mona Lisa.”
In spite of herself, Laylah found her lips twitching. Levet was unlike any creature she’d ever met before.
“I truly didn’t mean to hurt you,” she said with genuine sincerity. “Please forgive me.”
He pursed his lips. “Well, I suppose I could consider a measure of forgiveness. I am, after all, renowned for the generosity of my heart.” He sent a raspberry toward Tane as the vampire muttered his opinion of worthless gargoyles. “And our introduction was not under the best of circumstances.”
“No.” She cleared her throat. “I suppose that Caine’s been captured and his lair overrun with Weres?”
The tiny demon snorted. “The last I saw of Salvatore he had rescued Harley and they were fleeing from Caine while his mangy minions were in pursuit.”
Laylah sucked in a sharp breath, her heart slamming against her ribs. So Caine was away from his lair and obviously distracted.
She would never have a better opportunity.
“Can we save the reminiscing?” Tane abruptly intruded into their conversation. “Levet, get over here.”
They turned to watch as Tane decapitated one of the vampires just as the one he had knocked out earlier came to his senses and rose to his feet to barrel across the cave.
“Surely the mighty Charon does not need assistance to deal with three scrawny vampires?” Levet demanded.
Tane managed to yank the vampire clinging to his back over his head, stabbing his dagger deep into the attacker’s chest.
“Not if they’re busy draining a mouthy gargoyle,” he muttered.
“As if I would allow such nasty creatures to touch me.” Levet wrinkled his snout. “Mon Dieu, they smell like they just crawled from their graves.”
Tane flashed his fangs at the tiny gargoyle. “Then do something to help put them back in.”
“Well, I do have a magnificent fireball spell,” Levet offered. “Although there was the teeniest trouble the last time I used it.”
“What trouble?”
“There might have been a minor cave-in.” Tane yanked the dagger from the vampire’s chest and pointed it toward Levet. “No fireballs.”
“There is no need to bellow.” Levet sniffed in offense. “Either you want my help or you do not, please make up your mind.”
Laylah forced her attention away from Tane as he cut out the heart of the nearest vamp. Although he was injured from dozens of wounds, it was obvious he would soon be done with his attackers.
“Thank you, Levet.” She patted him between the horns. “I really am sorry for your … injury. Now, I really must run.”
Tane growled low in his throat, grasping the remaining vampire by the throat and lifting him off the ground as he turned his attention to Laylah.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Leaving.”