Dante frowned. "Never unwilling flesh."
Viper shrugged. He could hardly argue. Those who served him did so at their own choice. He waved a hand toward the bar. "Wine? Or perhaps a taste of my private stock of brandy?"
Dante narrowed his gaze. He was not about to be distracted. "What are you doing with Shay?"
A helluva question. A pity he had no answer.
"What does it matter to you?"
"I can't say it bothers me in the least. Abby, however, will not give me rest until she is assured you mean the demon no harm."
Viper gave a short laugh. "At least you are honest. But tell me, Dante, would your oh-so-beautiful wife have preferred that I had stepped aside and allowed Shay to be bought as a blood whore? Or perhaps a trophy to be hung on the wall of some demon hunter?"
"She would prefer that you set her free."
Allow Shay to slip from his grasp? To disappear like she had done after the battle with the witches?
Over his cold, dead body.
"I did tell you that it is not possible. I hold an amulet that forces her to come when I call, but the curse that binds her is held by a lesser troll named Evor. A troll who has suddenly disappeared."
Dante lifted his brows. "What do you mean?"
As concisely as possible, Viper revealed what they had discovered in the auction house. He was careful to describe the mutilation of the trolls in great detail. It could be that Dante would recognize something about the attack that would assist in tracing the savage culprit.
"You are certain a demon is responsible for the massacre?" his companion demanded.
"What else?"
"A witch or wizard perhaps."
Viper hid a smile. Who could blame his friend for being suspicious of witches? Having someone try to kill you on several occasions tended to make you a bit twitchy.
"Shay sensed no magic."
Dante gave a shake of his head. "If it were a demon, you should be able to track it. There are few who can hide their scent from a vampire."
"A Hunding, an Irra, perhaps a Napchut."
"Are they powerful enough to tear apart a nest of trolls?"
It was the question that had plagued Viper since he had discovered the various troll parts splattered across the room. Unfortunately, he could only imagine one demon strong enough to defeat the trolls and yet possess the magical abilities to hide his scent.
"A Lu warrior would be."
Dante stiffened. Viper didn't blame him. The Lu were the bogeymen of the demon world. The nightmares that crawled from the earth to devour whatever was in their path.
"The Lu haven't been seen for centuries," Dante breathed.
"Neither have Shalotts"
"True enough" Dante moved slowly forward, his expression somber. "A vampire, even a clan chief, would not be strong enough to battle a Lu. Their teeth are capable of severing the heads of even immortals"
"I do not intend to allow anything to take a bite out of me." Viper smiled. "Not unless they happen to be na**d in my bed at the time."
Dante's concern didn't ease. "Your slave has fallen to the attention of a very dangerous enemy. You would be better served to pass her ownership to another."
"I recall saying precisely the same words to you only a few weeks ago."