The Demon's Song - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,44

me around,” Sofia added, unable to hold it in. “The flying was enough. I can walk on my own.”

Phenex’s lips were a thin line before he answered. “We’re here because this is the way in. There’s one other, but I couldn’t risk the chance that we were followed.”

Sofia glanced around uneasily, seeing nothing but the usual foot traffic in the area. No one seemed to think anything abnormal was going on. Not even the budding argument between one very tall, intimidating man and a much smaller woman on the sidewalk.

The problem was, she didn’t even know what Belial looked like. Or what the average vampire looked like, for that matter. She needed to be able to defend herself, but that was going to be tough when she couldn’t identify the enemy.

“Look,” Phenex said, shoving a hand back through his hair. “This isn’t ideal for either of us. But now that Belial knows I’m with you, there isn’t anyplace you could go but where I’m taking you. It’s protected, and not just with physical strength. There are ways to keep Hell out, and the ones who created the place we’re going were good at that. It’s only temporary, Sofia. I’m not tossing you into a pit.”

“And I’m not going anywhere until you give me a little more information. I’ve got one friend who’s disappeared already, and one who’s had her mind messed with…” She trailed off as something occurred to her. “Sara. We’re going where she is.”

Phenex exhaled loudly, his eyes everywhere but on her. It was strange, and unnerving, to see his guard up this way. “Yes. And you’ll get to see her. Is that enough to get you moving? Because this is about the worst place I can think of to be standing and arguing.”

“If you’d do more than give orders, I wouldn’t argue so much,” Sofia replied, though she relented and began to walk up the steps. If it was a choice between this and agony, she’d deal with Phenex. She’d had a clear alternative painted for her, and it was infinitely worse than anything she might imagine for herself.

He was at her side almost instantly, ushering her in past the bouncers, who gave her curious looks as she went by. Then she was in the wide, arched corridor of Amphora, hurrying past the draped entryways into the varied sections of the club, including the one that she’d nearly run out of only a week ago. She certainly hadn’t thought she’d be back.

Phenex’s hand was warm where it was wrapped around hers, the contrast of his alabaster skin striking against the gold of her own in the dim, flickering light of the stylized torches that lined the walls. He didn’t really walk, she decided, watching him. He stalked, all lethal grace. There was nothing weak about him, no matter what this Belial said. She’d never heard hatred like that. Belial obviously loathed everything about Phenex, especially his music.

“Your guitar,” Sofia said suddenly. “You left it at my place.”

“Just the pieces of it,” he replied, barely turning his head. “Bastards smashed it.”

“Oh no!” she said, and was surprised at how bothered she was by it. It was probably the way he’d held it. Like it was important to him, almost a part of him. “I’m so sorry—”

Now he did turn his head to look at her curiously. “No need to be. I’ll get another one. Lots of things I like get broken.” His voice dropped when he said the last, as though he were remembering some of those broken things—or maybe they hadn’t been things, Sofia thought. Then he fell silent, guiding her down another corridor, then another, taking her farther from the public areas of the club. Her footfalls seemed incredibly loud as they echoed off the walls. Phenex, she noted, didn’t make a sound.

They passed various rooms, all of them dark and empty, finally turning into the last of them. There was very little inside, only some spare chairs lined up against one wall, a little table covered in a thin layer of dust. Phenex let go of Sofia’s hand.

“Hang on,” he said. He walked to the heavy wooden door of what Sofia assumed must be a closet and pressed his hand against it, murmuring something she couldn’t quite hear. When he took his hand away, the glowing imprint of it remained, then slowly faded while she watched.

“Wow.” It was the first word that came to her.

There was a hint of humor in his expression when Phenex