A flare of humor raced through him. "True."
"For God's sake, if we're not looking for the coven, then what the hell are we doing out here?"
"I said I'm not looking for the coven and I'm not," he corrected smoothly. "I'm trying to smell it."
The prickly anger slowly faded as she realized her hasty mistake.
"Oh. Are you having any luck?"
That icy shiver once again crawled over his skin as Dante turned toward the hidden coven.
"It's just beyond that line of trees."
She followed his gaze, her eyes narrowing. "I'll have to take your word for it since I can't see jack crap."
"It's there."
"Then why are we waiting?" She sent him a puzzled frown. "I thought you wanted to get this over with?"
"Something is not right."
He felt her tension at his blunt admission. Obviously whatever her feelings for him, she at least had learned to trust his instincts.
A dark satisfaction lodged itself in his heart but was swallowed swiftly by an inner shudder.
Bloody hell, he was acting as sappy as any mortal. To imagine an immortal vampire scrounging about for pathetic scraps tossed at him by this woman.
Perhaps he should be staked.
"How do you know something's wrong?" she demanded in a soft whisper.
With an effort, Dante wrenched his thoughts back to the troubles at hand. They were surely enough to deal with.
"I smell blood."
"Blood?"
"Lots of blood."
"Oh God."
"I must find out what happened."
Without warning, she reached out to grasp his fingers with her own. The warmth of her swiftly traveled through his skin to heat his entire body.
'You think the witches have been attacked?"
There was no point in lying. Not when they would have to approach the coven.
'Yes."
"I…" She paused, tilting up her head to stab him with a narrowed gaze. 'You're going to try and make me stay here, aren't you?"
"No." He made the decision swiftly. "Until I know what's happening, I can't be certain that there isn't something still creeping about."
Her grip abruptly tightened upon his fingers. 'You had to say that, didn't you?"
"I want you to be on your guard."