GOE 08 - Bound By Darkness [calibre 0.9.30]

Chapter 13

Santiago shuddered as the King of Weres’ power blasted through the air. The mangy mutt wasn’t pleased that a pack of traitors had managed to waltz through his wine cellars without his knowledge.

Dios.

He’d known Salvatore was the top dog, but he hadn’t realized just what that meant until this moment.

It wasn’t an entirely pleasant revelation.

Barely aware he was moving, Santiago positioned himself between the Were and Nefri. As if the insanely strong vampire needed his protection.

And why the hell would he protect her anyway?

It was a puzzle he easily dismissed as the Were gestured for his overgrown guard to step forward.

“Hess, question the guards,” he commanded. “I want to know if anyone noticed anything out of the ordinary over the past two weeks. I don’t care how meaningless it might have seemed at the time.”

The cur fell to his knees, his bald head pressed to the floor.

“Yes, sire.”

“And bring each of them down here.” A scowl marred the Were’s brow. “It might be that someone will recognize one of the scents.”

“At once.”

Scrambling with surprising haste considering his bulk, the cur was on his feet and darting toward the stairs leading to the mansion above.

“Does he fetch and roll over on command?” Santiago mocked.

Glowing golden eyes turned in his direction. “No, but he does kill unwanted intruders when I whistle. Do you want a demonstration?”

Santiago didn’t need one.

He was absolutely certain the cur killed on command.

Not that he was particularly concerned.

“He’s welcome to try,” he said with a shrug.

With that tiny sound of impatience that all women made when men were having fun, Nefri stepped around him to speak directly with Salvatore.

“Is there any way in or out of this room beyond this entrance?”

“No.” He lifted his hand as they both regarded him with suspicion. “I swear.”

Santiago wasn’t entirely convinced, but he turned his attention to the beautiful vampire, who was busy pacing from one end of the cellar to the other, her movements as graceful as a water sprite.

“What is it?” he at last demanded.

“I can sense the path of the prophet and her Were,” she explained, returning to stand at the entrance of the cell even as she waved a hand toward the hidden doorway where Salvatore and his goon had made their appearance. “They entered the basement through the tunnels. But I can find no indication of where their attackers came from.”

“They couldn’t have appeared out of thin air,” Santiago pointed out.

Salvatore snorted. “You did.”

Abruptly reminded that Nefri had indeed managed to bring them to the cellars out of thin air, Santiago grasped the female vampire’s arm and tugged her toward the center of the wine cellar.

He wasn’t stupid enough to think he could have a private conversation with a pureblood Were standing a few feet away, but he wanted to make clear that this was vampire business, and opinions from the Lassie-section weren’t welcome.

“Nefri?” he prompted as she stood lost in thought.

“Hmmm?”

His jaw clenched. “It’s obvious the mystery vampire has rare abilities.”

She shrugged. “I have no knowledge of a vampire capable of disguising his scent so thoroughly.”

“And what of a vampire capable of arriving in this cellar without leaving a trail?”

She didn’t need him to spell out the fact that curs and witches were incapable of popping from one place to another. Or that the only vampire capable of entering the cellar was one who possessed her own skills.

Her pale, exquisite features smoothed to an unreadable mask.

“It is a possibility I need to explore.”

“Explore?” Santiago tightened his grip on her arm, suddenly sensing he wasn’t going to like where this conversation was going. “Explore where?”

The dark, fathomless eyes gave nothing away.

“I must seek the Council of my Elders.”

Yep. He was right.

He didn’t like it. In fact, the mere thought of this woman disappearing to a place he couldn’t follow pissed him off.

“You’re returning behind the Veil?” he snapped.

“For now.”

“Do you think the vampire was a member of your clan?”

Her slender fingers reached to touch the medallion hung about her neck, her perfect calm only adding to his annoyance.

“It is only one of many possibilities.”

“I thought your precious people had evolved beyond the failings of us mere savages?”

There was a muffled cough before Salvatore was stepping to stand beside Nefri.

“This is beginning to feel like a party for two and I have more important things to do,” he murmured.

Santiago happily shared his annoyance with the Were. There was, after all, plenty to go around.