Devoured by Darkness

Over the years she’d trained herself to use her rare skill, but she avoided using it unless absolutely necessary.

Not only was there danger of accidentally slipping into another dimension, many of which were the worse hells imaginable. But she had nightmares of being trapped in the misty corridors.

Still debating, Laylah abruptly darted behind a stalagmite as the scent of vampire filled the air.

“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty,” a low voice called.

Laylah shifted to catch a glimpse of the approaching vampire, her nose wrinkling at the sight of his filthy jeans and bare chest. His long blond hair hung in tangled clumps, and his gaunt face was twisted with an expression of malevolent anticipation.

Most vampires used their unearthly beauty to lure their victims. But this one … yow. He’d obviously let himself go downhill.

Really, could an occasional dip in a hot bath be that hard?

She swore as he continued forward, clearly aware she was cowering behind the stalagmite.

She didn’t want to hurt anyone. Hell, she would give anything to find a place where she could hide away with her child in absolute peace.

Yeah, as if such a place actually existed.

Grimly she stepped toward the center of the cavern, her hands held out in warning.

“Stay back or I’ll hurt you.”

The vamp flashed his fangs, his nasty gaze taking an intimate survey of her body. “Do you promise?”

Reluctantly, Laylah began to gather her sorely depleted power, wishing she could instead absorb the energy of her surroundings. As a Jinn she was a creature of nature. She should be able to manipulate the powers of the earth. Unfortunately she’d never been able to tap into anything other than her own inner powers.

Still, it was a potent force.

She shuddered, her blood heating and bubbling as the spiritual essence flowed through her.

Gods. It was so beautiful. Beautiful and terrifying and oh, so seductively addictive.

A pity she never knew what the hell was going to happen when she loosened her restraints.

“I mean it,” she gritted.

Ignoring her warning, the vampire slowly circled her trembling form, his hand cupping his crotch. “What are you? You smell tasty.” “I won’t warn you again.”

The vamp leaped forward, his fangs bared. Laylah didn’t hesitate. Lifting her hand she released a burst of power, her eyes narrowing as a blinding jolt of lightning streaked through the air, barely missing the shocked vampire.

“You bitch,” the demon hissed, reaching behind his back to pull a handgun from the waistband of his jeans. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

She prepared to strike again, only to be halted when Tane abruptly returned to the cave, moving with shocking speed to put himself between Laylah and the infuriated vamp.

“Why don’t you play with someone your own size?”

“Charon.” The unknown vamp smiled, forgetting Laylah as he eyed Tane with a weird triumph. Just as if he’d won the lottery.

Could vampires go crazy?

A chilling thought.

“Have we met?” Tane drawled.

“You killed my clan brother.”

An insulting smile touched Tane’s lips. “And you decided to track me down so I can kill you too? How thoughtful.”

The demon growled, his gun pointed at Tane’s head. “I came across your scent when I went out for my evening hunt. It’s been almost a hundred years but I’ll never forget your stench.” He shuddered, his pale eyes shimmering with a fanatical fire. “It’s haunted me.”

“I’m afraid I can’t return the creepy obsession.” With slow steps Tane moved to the side, deliberately leading the vampire away from Laylah. “I don’t know who you are and I don’t give a shit.”

Laylah frowned. Why was Tane risking himself to protect a Jinn mongrel who he intended to see exterminated? And why had the other vampire called him Charon?

“I suppose being a mercenary lapdog for Styx means one kill is just like another for you?” the vamp gritted.

“There are some I anticipate more than others.” Tane wagged his dagger in invitation. “Are we going to fight or do you intend to bore me to death?”

“Oh, we’re going to fight,” the vamp rasped, squeezing the trigger of his gun.

Laylah swallowed a scream as at least one bullet lodged in Tane’s arm before he had crashed into the smaller vamp and wrenched the gun from his grasp. The pistol went sailing toward the back of the cave and Tane’s dagger sliced deep into his opponent’s chest.

Blood flowed freely as the demons used their fangs and claws to cause the maximum damage.

Laylah hovered at the edge of the carnage, mesmerized by the battle between the two lethal predators.

Tane was obviously the superior fighter. Not only did he have the size advantage, but his frigid power spilled through the air with enough force to make her grit her teeth in pain. She could only imagine the agony if he were directing it at her.

But the smaller vamp had an utter lack of sanity in his favor.

With a horrifying disregard for the brutal injuries that Tane was inflicting, the intruder slammed his fangs into Tane, ripping through flesh and muscle like a rabid dog. In return, Tane sliced through the vamp’s back with his dagger, spraying blood throughout the cave.

Instinctively Laylah backed away, pressing a hand to her heaving stomach. It was time to go. Tane was suitably distracted and the food she’d consumed was easing her exhaustion.

At least enough that she could run for a few more hours. She wouldn’t have a better opportunity to escape. So why wasn’t she going?

It couldn’t be because she was reluctant to leave Tane alone to battle the crazy-ass vampire or his band of lunatics that she could sense heading in their direction. Or even the approaching …

She frowned at the musty scent of granite. It was familiar, but why?

“Tane,” she muttered.

With a grunt, Tane ripped his arm from his opponent’s fangs. “Now is not the best time, Laylah.”

“There is someone else in the tunnels.”

With a ferocious motion, Tane wrapped his arms around the vamp and heaved him against the distant wall. The vamp fell limply to the ground, briefly knocked unconscious.

Tane stood in the middle of the cave, covered in blood and looking like some magnificent conqueror. Just for a moment, Laylah had the opportunity to appreciate the fierce elegance of his profile, the chiseled perfection of his muscular body, and the bronzed satin of his skin.

Then, shoving a hand through his mohawk, he turned to reveal his eyes glowing with a honey fire and his fangs extended in fury.

She shivered. Holy shit. She’d met dangerous predators before, but nothing like Tane.

“I sense the other vampires,” he rasped.

“Not vampires.”

He frowned. “What is it?”

Realization hit at the same moment the stunted gargoyle waddled into the cave.

Laylah grimaced, easily recognizing the tiny demon.

Of course. Who could forget a gargoyle who stood barely three foot tall with large gossamer wings in brilliant shades of crimson and blue with veins of gold that were more suitable for a fairy than a fearsome beast? Not that he was entirely a un-gargoylish. He did have the usual grotesque features of his ancestors, as well as the long tail that was lovingly polished and horns atop his head.

He had been a companion of Salvatore when she and Caine had kidnapped the Were, and it had been her duty to carry him back to Caine’s lair.

It hadn’t been her fault that Tane and his gang of curs had been in such quick pursuit and she’d been forced to literally drop the gargoyle on his head and shadow walk to escape.

Or that in her haste she had released a small surge of power.

“Oh,” she breathed, her gaze remaining on the approaching gargoyle even as two new vampires burst into the room and launched themselves at Tane.

“Damn,” Tane muttered, his dagger slicing into the dark-haired vampire who looked like an extra out of a Tim Burton movie. “Like I don’t have enough troubles.”

Laylah frowned. “I thought he was on your side?”

“Can we save the discussion for later?” Tane grunted as the second vampire slammed into him from behind. “I could use some help here.”

She clenched her hands, ignoring the ridiculous urge to wade into the battle.

“Why should I help the man who intends to turn me over to the Oracles? I don’t care if you get killed.” She tilted her chin. She didn’t care. She didn’t. Dammit. “In fact it’ll save me from having to do it myself.”

Slipping past the smack down Tane was delivering, the tiny gargoyle halted next to Laylah, his gray eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Ah, a belle femme after my own heart,” he murmured with a thick French accent, sinking into a small bow. “Allow me to introduce myself. Levet, Defender of Damsels in Distress, Prince Charming, and overall Knight in Shining Armor, at your service.”

Laylah blinked. She’d knocked out the gargoyle with a bolt of lightning during their first encounter. She had no idea he was so … hmmm. Flamboyant?

“Good God,” she breathed.

He waved a dismissive hand. “Non, non. It is a common mistake, but I am not a deity. Well, not unless you consider being a sex god as …” His eyes abruptly narrowed, his head tilted back as he sniffed the air. “Sacrebleu. You are the Jinn.”

Tane swore, pinning one vamp to the ground with his knee while he tried to dislodge the other that was latched onto his back.

“Levet, either make yourself useful or get the hell out of here.”

The gargoyle ignored Tane’s command, turning about to reveal the imprint of her hand that she had scorched onto his ass just before she’d dropped him in the tunnels.

“Look what you have done.”

“It was an accident.”

“An accident?” Levet turned back, his wings twitching. “You have marred perfection. It is like desecrating the Mona Lisa.”

In spite of herself, Laylah found her lips twitching. Levet was unlike any creature she’d ever met before.

“I truly didn’t mean to hurt you,” she said with genuine sincerity. “Please forgive me.”