Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity) Page 0,122

of eternity with.

“No.”

Her dark eyes filled with a fear that sent a stab of agony through his heart.

“Santiago, I couldn’t bear it,” she pleaded, her face still ashen and drawn with weariness. “You know I couldn’t.”

“And I can’t bear to lose you,” he said with a blunt honesty. He’d intended to save his proclamation of love until a more appropriate time. Like when the current life or death situation was over. Perhaps at a location that could be considered at least a little romantic. And at the very least, he’d intended for them to be alone. Now, he accepted that the time or place was meaningless. If the past few months had taught him nothing else, it was that there was no promise of tomorrow. He wasn’t wasting another second without telling this woman what she meant to him. “You are my very reason for living.”

The dark eyes softened with a love that he could tangibly feel flowing between them even as her expression remained set in stubborn lines. “But . . .”

“No.” He brushed his lips over the chilled skin of her cheek to the corner of her mouth. “Ask me to be your mate. Ask me to stand at your side for the rest of eternity. Ask me to love and honor and respect you,” he husked. “But don’t ask me to sacrifice you. I can’t.”

“There will be no further sacrifices required,” Siljar said in a weary voice. “At least not today.”

Santiago glanced up to discover Roke carrying an unconscious Sally toward the door and Siljar leaning against a pile of rubble. He frowned as he realized the book had disappeared.

“Where’s the spirit?”

Siljar grimaced, her devastating power for once muted. “It has been sent to the Commission. There are those qualified to keep it imprisoned.”

Chapter 30

Nefri regained her balance, although she allowed Santiago to keep a protective arm around her shoulders. She already sensed that there wasn’t a power on this earth that could force him to release his hold on her.

Besides, she liked the solid weight. It reminded her that after endless centuries of being alone, she now had a companion she not only trusted, but who filled her heart with a joy she’d never dreamed was possible.

This man.

This glorious, irreverent, sexy vampire she loved without condition.

The man she intended to claim as her mate.

At least once she could be absolutely certain the danger was over.

“Why didn’t you destroy it?” she demanded of the Oracle, belatedly noticing that the tiny demon looked as drained as Nefri felt.

“Because none of us could be certain what would happen if we did.”

Styx stepped forward, his arm still healing from her savage attack and his face bloody. “Cryptic as ever, Siljar,” he accused her.

“Not cryptic. The simple truth,” Siljar answered, one of the few demons in the world not terrified of the King of Vampires. “The creature is dangerous, but it did spawn vampires as well as other species of demons.” She shrugged. “To destroy it might very well damage its offspring in ways we can’t predict.”

Nefri gave a grudging nod. Life and death were a far more delicate balance than most people realized.

“So it’s in that . . .” She struggled to remember through the haze that had clouded her mind. Hadn’t the witch been pressing something against her? Something that had driven the spirit from her body? Ah, yes. “Book?”

“It’s trapped in a vacuum between time and space,” the Oracle said. “So long as it’s properly monitored it won’t be allowed to escape.”

“Shouldn’t you have thought of that before sending Nefri’s clan into danger?” Santiago asked, as always living on the edge.

Thankfully, Siljar didn’t appear offended. Instead she gave a lift of her brows. “Nefri’s clan?”

Santiago tightened his arm around her. “Our clan.”

Siljar smiled in satisfaction. Not the most reassuring sight considering the razor sharp teeth. “The sorcery created by the witches was enough to hold it prisoner for centuries.”

Santiago lifted a brow. “So you had no nefarious purpose in allowing Nefri to lead her people beyond the Veil?”

“She came to me with a request for a place of peace.”

“And?” Santiago pressed, ignoring Nefri’s frown. He wasn’t fooled for a moment by the Oracles display of innocence.

The tiny demon gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “And we hoped that having her people living beyond the Veil would give us an early warning if the spirit did start to waken.”

Before Santiago could say something even more stupid than usual, Nefri smoothly cut him off. “But the spirit never disturbed