Intent on choking the life from his companion, Gaius was unprepared when her dark eyes abruptly flashed with a crimson fire.
“Stop,” she commanded, her voice low and filled with a power that made Gaius pause in astonishment.
Staring at her suddenly blank face, Gaius felt alarm flicker down his spine. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”
Sally’s lips parted, but it wasn’t her voice coming out of her mouth. “Gaius.”
He frowned, realizing that the power choking the air had nothing to do with the witch and everything to do with the strange being invading her body.
“Who is here?”
“It is your master, my beloved son.”
Gaius narrowed his gaze, his fingers maintaining their tight grip on Sally’s neck. “Is this a trick?”
“No trick,” the deep voice assured him. “Sally is a conduit.”
“Conduit?”
“Through her I am capable of speaking directly with my servants.”
Was that supposed to be reassuring?
Gaius grimaced. It’d been bad enough to have the Dark Lord whispering in his mind when he was meditating. To have his voice coming out of the witch’s lips was . . . what were the words used today?
Freaking him out?
Yeah, that was it.
Totally freaking him out.
Not that he was about to reveal his weakness. The Dark Lord was a pitiless monster who would destroy him the moment he suspected Gaius might not be of use to him.
“I have no love for magic,” he rasped.
The black lips twisted in a mocking smile. “Then we will make this swift.”
“Very well.” Grudgingly loosening his grip on the witch, he hid his shaking hands in the folds of his black robe. “I am here as you wished.”
“You have acquired the skills that I requested?”
Gaius gave a dip of his head. “I am capable of altering my shape, although only for short periods of time.”
“And the other?”
“I was able to travel through the Veil with the medallion you left hidden on the other side.”
“Good.” The crimson fire flickered in the female’s dark eyes. “The medallion will also allow you to enter the mists where I am trapped.”
“Is that what you desire of me?” Gaius demanded, hoping his bland tone disguised his reluctance.
He was willing to do whatever necessary to bring back his dearest Dara, but the thought of joining the Dark Lord in his hell dimension was enough to give anyone the shudders.
“Not yet. I have a duty for you to perform before joining me.”
He offered a bow. “I am yours to command.”
“Yes, you are,” the dark voice purred.