Burned by Darkness - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,17
arm and yanked her to a halt. Dammit. He’d been so preoccupied by this female, he’d completely missed the danger waiting for them.
Idiot.
“Wait, Tayla,” he snapped.
He felt the second she caught sight of the front door that’d been ripped off the hinges and the window that was broken.
“What have you done?” she demanded in tragic tones.
Baine bristled, instantly offended. He’d treated her with the utmost care. How dare she imply he would vandalize her home like a common thug?
“Why would you assume this is my work?”
“You’re my only enemy.”
“I am not your enemy—” He broke off the ridiculous argument as the scent of granite filled the air.
Turning his head he watched as a miniature gargoyle rounded the side of the house and hurried directly toward Tayla.
“Ah, ma belle,” the odd creature called out, his large wings flapping in agitation. “Have you been harmed?”
Tayla appeared annoyingly happy to see the gargoyle. “I’m fine.”
“Thank the gods. I have been so—” The gargoyle gave a startled squeak as Baine grabbed him by one stunted horn and lifted him off his feet. “Eek.”
Baine frowned. He recognized that smell. The stunted demon had recently been in the company of the vampires who’d sought his assistance.
So why was he in Tayla’s home? And more importantly, why did he assume he could treat her with such familiarity?
No male, no matter how tiny, was allowed to touch his female.
“Who are you?” he snarled.
The gargoyle gave a snap of his wings. “I am the mighty Levet. No doubt you have heard of me.”
“No.” He allowed his fire to dance over his skin. A tangible warning of the lethal flames he could conjure with one breath. “You will pay for what you’ve done.”
Tayla reached out to lay a restraining hand on his arm. Immediately he quenched his fire. The flames wouldn’t hurt her, but her skin was so delicate he wouldn’t risk even the smallest mark.
Unless it was his dragon marque, he silently reminded himself. He was fiercely pleased that she wore the golden chain that would warn every male that she was claimed.
“Baine, don’t,” she pleaded.
He scowled at the gargoyle who called himself Levet. “This creature has dared to damage your property.”
“Moi?” The gargoyle wrinkled his tiny snout. “Why would I garbage my own home?”
Baine frowned. What the hell?
“Trash,” Tayla corrected him, “It’s trash your house.” She turned her attention to Baine. “Release him.”
Baine experienced an odd pang in the center of his chest. “You share your home with this…thing?”
“Hey,” Levet squawked.
“He is demon with feelings, not a thing,” Tayla protested. “And he’s my friend.”
Her fierce defense of the gargoyle did nothing to ease Baine’s annoyance.
He continued to glare at the creature. “Why are you so small?”
Levet’s tail tangled around his clawed feet that dangled off the ground.
“I am not small. I am pleasingly compact.”
Baine narrowed his gaze. “Hmm.”
Tayla made a sound of impatience, stepping so she could study the gargoyle’s ugly face.
“What happened?”
“I was attempting to find a means of rescuing you when a pack of trolls barged into the house,” Levet told her.
Baine abruptly dropped the gargoyle, his attention locked on the house.
First his father was demanding Tayla’s return. And now trolls?
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
Tayla pressed a hand to her chest, as if the sight of the damage was physically painful.
“Why would they tear up my house?” she breathed.
Levet moved to stand at Tayla’s side. “I think they were looking for something.”
“Looking for what?”
“You.”
“Oh.” She bit her bottom lip, her eyes darkening to jade in the fading moonlight. “I always feared they wanted to punish me for escaping,” she whispered, glancing toward him with a vulnerability that made his gut clench. “Do you think that’s why they were here?”
He didn’t have a fucking clue, but he would rip apart the world to track them down and destroy them.
“We need to collect your belongings and leave this place.”
“You think they’ll return?”
He gave a slow dip of his head. “Now that they have your scent I think it’s a distinct possibility.”
“How did they get my scent in the first place?” Her brows abruptly snapped together. “For that matter, how did you? I have the house layered with spells that should have protected me.”
Baine shrugged even as Levet cleared his throat. “As to that—”
“Later,” Baine interrupted. He didn’t have time to worry about the reasons her spells had failed. The only thing that mattered was taking her someplace where he could make sure she was safe. “We can’t linger here.”
“Bossy,” Tayla muttered, moving to head up the stairs and