Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity) Page 0,33
your partner?”
“If you prefer to leave I won’t stop you.”
Yeah, like that was ever going to happen. Not until he had fulfilled his promise to Styx, and more importantly, not until he had this aggravating female well and truly out of his system.
“What I want is an explanation for why the Harpies believe the vampires are infecting the humans.”
Her jaw clenched at his smooth attack, but astonishingly she didn’t try to pretend she didn’t know what he was talking about. In fact, she met his gaze squarely. “Not vampires,” she said. “Gaius.”
“So it’s true?”
“Yes. I witnessed the human. He’s . . .” Her words broke off with a grimace.
“He’s what?”
She took a few seconds to answer, her composure a brittle facade that was clearly about to shatter. Santiago resisted the urge to tug her into his arms and offer her comfort. Not only was she more likely to slug him as thank him for his efforts, but he needed to know just what the hell was going on.
“He carries violence with him like a plague,” she at last admitted.
“Did you know this was possible?”
“No,” she denied, her sincerity unmistakable. “But we must warn Styx. He’ll need to send his Ravens to track down any infected humans and contain them.”
He made a sound of disbelief. People accused him of being arrogant? He was an amateur compared to Nefri.
“You expect the Anasso to send his personal guard to clean up a mess that the Oracles specifically told him was none of his business?”
“Yes.”
He gave a rueful shake of his head. There was no point in arguing. Styx would agree that the humans had to be halted before they could cause chaos.
“And what do you intend to do?”
She shrugged. “Find Gaius.”
“And his companion?”
Her expression gave nothing away. “If he has one.”
Santiago gave a low hiss. Not just at her refusal to admit exactly what they were facing, but at the growing fear that they were all stumbling in the dark.
Including the Commission.
“I don’t like this.”
She gave a weary shake of her head, stepping around him without warning to move toward the back of the room. “Neither do I.”
With a swift motion he was blocking her path, ignoring the burst of her icy annoyance that crawled over his bare skin, just a breath from true pain.
“Where are you going?” he demanded.
“I intend to have a shower and then rest for a few hours.”
His earlier fantasies of Nefri in the black and gold bathroom consumed his thoughts, instantly making him as hard as a rock.
“Here?”
“This is the only guest room available.” Her head was held at a proud angle, but she couldn’t disguise her reaction to his blatant arousal. “We’ll have to share.”
“Share?” He chuckled in wicked anticipation.
Chapter 8
Nefri sniffed at her companion’s male pleasure, pretending as if she hadn’t been the one to insist that she share a room with Santiago.
Why give him the satisfaction of knowing she couldn’t bear the thought of him in another woman’s arms while she spent the day alone and aching with unfulfilled desire?
Besides, she hadn’t actually lied.
These were the only guest rooms, although Solaris had offered to have one of the numerous bedrooms belonging to the Harpies cleared for her use. It was ridiculous to put the younglings out of their own beds.
Right?
Turning her head, she avoided the dark promise smoldering in his eyes.
“Can you contact Styx or would you prefer that I speak with him?” she asked, her tone brisk.
He reached to smooth a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek. “I’ll take care of it.”
She shivered beneath his soft caress, a tingling excitement racing through her blood. Oh . . . heavens. It had been so long. So insanely long.
And now the desire that she’d kept locked away for more years than she could remember threatened to turn into an avalanche.
Too fast, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. This is all going too fast.
“Then if you don’t mind, I’ll use the shower first,” she said in a sudden rush. “Once I’m done you can have the bedroom and I’ll use the couch.”
His grin widened as he stepped back and waved a hand toward the connecting door. “It’s all yours, cara.”
Jackass.
She swept regally out of the room and crossed directly to enter the large bathroom.
He’d sensed her growing desire. Just as he sensed the flare of panic at allowing herself to be consumed by the unfamiliar sensations.