She battled the urge to pound her fists against the thick iron. No matter what sort of demons might be lurking behind the doors none of them deserved to be in Evor's power.
The sound of her companion's hurried steps brought her back to her senses.
No. She could do nothing tonight.
Not without risking Levet.
The remaining demons were a worry for another night.
They traveled in silence through the spiderweb of tunnels. Levet never hesitated as he angled through me various passageways. Shay found herself having to bend nearly double more than once, but at last the gargoyle turned and began to climb a narrow set of stairs carved into the stone.
As they made their way upward even Shay could begin to sense the brush of fresh, air. Within minutes they were squeezing through the narrowest of openings and were standing on the vast grounds that surrounded the auction house.
She blew out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding.
Holy crap, they had made it.
Even when she had been plotting to rescue Levet she hadn't truly thought she could pull it off.
Not with Evor and his merry band of trolls so close at hand.
On the point of sharing her rush of joy at their success Shay abruptly froze. A cold prickling was creeping over her skin.
A cold that could only belong to one creature.
"Levet, fly," she commanded as she bent low and prepared for an attack.
She had barely lifted her hands when there was a streak of blackness and she found herself flat on her back with a silver-haired vampire perched on top of her.
"Well, well, pet. Fancy meeting you here."
Her breath had been knocked from her lungs, but not from the swift tackle. Viper had made certain his arms encircling her body had taken the impact.
No. It was nothing so mundane.
Cloaked in his rich scent and surrounded by the cloud of his silver hair she could barely think, let alone breathe. He surrounded her. His body pressing against her a shockingly familiar weight.
Even worse his face was so close their noses were nearly touching. So close that she had only to tilt her chin to press her lips to his.
The very fact that the mere thought brushed through her mind sent a thrill of panic racing through her heart.
"Get off me," she gritted.
His low chuckle brushed against her cheek. "Make me."
She reacted more out of the fear of her response than to his soft challenge.
Smacking her fists into his wide chest she pretended to fight as most women would be expected to fight. He instinctively leaned heavier into her arms, which gave her just enough room to move her leg. Before he could suspect her intention she hooked her leg around his waist and with a fierce motion she had rolled him onto his back.
Just for a moment she was perched on top of him, her legs straddling his waist and a smug smile curving her lips.
His beautiful features were briefly startled, and then a smile curved his own lips.
She braced her legs, expecting him to attempt to roll her back beneath him. Men always preferred to use their greater size to overcome an opponent, not realizing their own strength could be used against them. Once he began to roll she would use his own momentum to end up on top again.
Unfortunately, Viper was a vampire not a man.
His smile widened as he simply lifted her upward, his arms wrapping about her as he flowed to his feet. Shay gritted her teeth as she abruptly bowed backward, throwing her arms over her head and wrapping her legs about his waist.