“Whatever the cause, it’s frustrating,” she said between clenched teeth, struck by a strange yearning. “There are times when I wonder if I traveled away from this place it might clear away some of the fog.”
“Travel?” Inga jerked, as if she’d just been hit by a bolt of lightning. “Where?”
Lilah glanced around the garden, trying to act casual. Until tonight, the mere thought of leaving this place would have sent her into a panic. Now she felt a tiny tingle of excitement.
And she knew exactly who was responsible for that excitement.
She gave a vague wave of her hand. “Just away.”
Inga looked like she’d swallowed a lemon. “You have a duty here.”
Lilah stiffened, annoyed by Inga’s words. She’d devoted her whole life to this hotel. “I understand my duty.”
“Do you?” Inga pointed toward the large building at the end of the garden. “This place isn’t going to run itself.”
“I could close it down for a few days.”
“And what would happen to your guests? We aren’t so overrun with visitors we can turn them away.”
Lilah hesitated. Inga had a point. They barely scraped by, and if she closed down for any length of time, the few guests they had might decide not to return.
She considered her options before landing on the most obvious one.
“You’re capable of taking care of things while I’m gone,” she said.
Inga scowled. “You intend to travel without me?”
Lilah shrugged. “Why not? I’m a big girl.”
“You have never been beyond the barrier.”
Lilah waited for the fear to hit, but once again, she felt nothing but a tiny tingle of anticipation.
Perhaps she’d finally matured to the point where she could face the outside world, she decided. Or it could be the temptation of spending time with Chiron overcame her natural anxiety.
He could lure a dryad from her tree.
“That’s my point.” She nodded toward the edge of the garden. “Maybe it’s time.”
Inga turned on her heel and began stomping her way up the pathway. The ground shook beneath the impact of each step, the paving stones crumbling to dust.
Lilah sighed as she hurried to keep pace with her companion. She had to replace the pathway every year or so. Inga’s temper tended to require a lot of repairs around the place.
“It’s that vampire, isn’t it?” the ogress snapped as Lilah managed to catch up. “He’s trying to seduce you into leaving.”
“He invited me to visit his resorts,” Lilah admitted.
Stomp, stomp, stomp. Three more flagstones crushed to dust.
“I knew he was going to be trouble,” the female muttered.
Lilah held up her hands in a gesture of irritation. “Why is that trouble?” she demanded. “It’s hardly a crime for a handsome male to ask me to spend time with him, is it? I can’t imagine why you aren’t happy for me. Do you want me to be alone forever?”
The ogress sent her a pained glance, as if Lilah had hurt her feelings.
“You’re not alone,” she reminded Lilah. “And I can’t protect you if you leave here.”
Lilah’s irritation faded as swiftly as it’d risen. There were many things in her life she questioned, but this female’s devotion to her wasn’t one of them. It wasn’t fair to vent her frustrations on the only person in the world who cared about her.
“Protect me from what?” she asked, truly curious.
“Demons. Humans.” Her expression tightened, genuinely afraid for Lilah. “Everything.”
Lilah instinctively reached out to place a comforting hand on the woman’s arm.
“Inga, nothing’s going to hurt me.”
“You don’t know that.” The ogress’s voice was gruff. “Without knowing your bloodline, we have no way to fully understand any vulnerabilities you might have.”
“True,” Lilah readily agreed. “And there’s only one way to find out.”
Inga gnashed her pointed teeth before she finally heaved a resigned sigh. “You’re not leaving tonight, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then we’ll discuss it later.”
Lilah didn’t press the issue. Who knew whether she’d actually have the courage to travel away from the hotel when it came time? Or if Chiron was even serious in his offer to have her stay with him?
Instead, she turned her attention to Inga. “What about you?”
The ogress sent her a puzzled frown. “Me?”
“Don’t you ever want to travel away from here?”
The female shuddered, her face paling. “Never. I know what’s out there.”
“What?”
“Evil.”
Lilah felt a pang of sympathy. The ogress refused to discuss her past, or what had brought her to the hotel, but it was obvious something terrible had happened to her.
“The entire world can’t be evil,” Lilah protested.
“As far as I’m concerned, it is.”
“But what about your family?”
The sound of the female grinding her teeth filled the air. “I’ve told you. I have no family.”
Lilah shook her head. “You said you didn’t have any connection to them. That’s not the same thing as not having any family. Perhaps it’s time you consider a reunion.”
Inga turned her head, her eyes flashing red. “They threw me away like a piece of trash. If I ever decide to have a reunion, it will be to rip out their hearts.”
Lilah grimaced. Okay, then. Scratch the whole reunion thing off the to-do list.
“Yeah, maybe it’s better you stay here,” she murmured, her hair blowing around her face as a puff of wind swirled through the garden. Then she frowned as she caught the unmistakable scent of granite that seemed to be coming from Inga. “Why do you smell like the gargoyle?”
“I…” The ogress coughed, as if she had something stuck in her throat. “His scent must have gotten on me when I chased him into the swamps.”
Lilah glanced toward the nearby bogs. Many of the guests enjoyed spending time with the native demons who lived in the area, but they were full-size creatures who could protect themselves. “That was hours ago,” she said, more to herself than her companion. “Maybe I should go look for him.”
“Why?”
“He might be lost. Or even hurt.” Lilah shrugged. “He’s tiny for a gargoyle.”
“He’s fine,” Inga muttered, her expression angry.
Lilah wondered just what else the gargoyle had done to stir the ogress’s temper. Surely it had to be more than stealing a few meat pies.
“How can you be so certain?”
“He was headed toward the nest of the water sprites. I’m sure they’re keeping him entertained.”
“Hmm.” Lilah wasn’t so convinced. It seemed odd that he would take off without telling Chiron where he was going.
As if realizing Lilah was genuinely worried about the small demon, Inga paused beneath the weeping willow, turning to meet her gaze.
“If he doesn’t return in a couple of hours, I’ll go look for him.”
“If you’re sure.” Lilah gave an absent nod, suddenly distracted.
“I am…” Inga’s words trailed away as Lilah walked past her to lay her hand against the trunk of the tree. “What are you doing?”
Lilah barely heard the question. She didn’t know what she was doing. There was a buzzing in her ears and a strange sensation in the center of her mind. It was as if a curtain was being pulled aside and she was being sucked backward in time.
Her breath tangled in her throat. What was going on? She could see herself walking across the garden with perfect clarity. She was wearing a white, flowing gown and her hair was long enough to brush her lower back. Slowly, she bent down and placed something in the ground. Was it a seed? Yes, she was carefully covering it with the mossy ground and speaking a soft word. Within the blink of an eye, tiny sprouts shot through the dirt, and with a smile
of satisfaction, she straightened.
Was it a dream? Or something that had been placed in her memories?
Inga grasped her arm, digging her fingers into the soft flesh. “Lilah, tell me what’s wrong.”
Lilah gave a shake of her head, pulling herself out of the illusion.
“I had a sudden memory of planting this tree,” she said. “But that’s impossible. It’s hundreds of years old.”
Inga sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes once again flashing red. “What did the vampire do to you?”
Lilah frowned. What did this have to do with Chiron? “Nothing.”
“Did he touch you?”
“He kissed me,” Lilah admitted without apology. Why should she be ashamed of her perfectly natural desire?
Inga continued to glare. “Did he use his compulsion on you?”
“He didn’t have to. But…”
“What?”
Lilah hesitated, not wanting to stir up Inga’s anger. Then again, she wasn’t going to hide the truth. She hated secrets. They caused nothing but trouble.
“He has the ability to see into people’s minds,” she admitted.
As expected, Inga hissed in fury. “That bastard.”
Lilah patted the thick fingers still wrapped around her arm. “He swears he didn’t use his powers.”
“He must have,” Inga argued. “It’s too soon.”
Lilah’s queasy uncertainty was distracted by the bizarre words. “Too soon? Too soon for what?”
Inga released her arm and took an awkward step backward. As if she realized she’d said more than she’d intended.
“He’s clearly been embedding fake memories in your mind,” she tried to bluster.
Lilah snorted. “Why would he embed the memory of me planting a willow tree?”
It took a second for her to come up with an answer. “It was just a first step. Eventually, he’ll use his powers to convince you to leave me.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” Inga narrowed her crimson gaze. “He’s already tried to seduce you. The next step is to lure you away from here.”
Lilah allowed Chiron’s image to form in her mind. It was remarkably easy. The glossy dark hair that begged for her touch. The smoldering ebony eyes that offered all sorts of wicked pleasures. The finely carved features and lips that had created complete chaos when they touched her mouth. Even his glistening fangs were imprinted on her brain, as if she was harboring a dark hunger to feel them sliding deep in her flesh.
A rash of tingles spread through her body. She wanted him.
Desperately.
“He doesn’t need mind control to encourage women to join him at his expensive resorts,” she assured her companion, all too easily able to imagine the flock of women who would eagerly rush to share his bed. “And even if he did, why would he choose me? I’m nothing special.”
A strange expression rippled over Inga’s bluntly carved features.
“You’re more special than you can possibly imagine, Lilah.”
Lilah snorted at Inga’s fierce tone. Had the female been dipping into the grog? Lilah knew she kept a stash of the powerful brew hidden somewhere in the swamps. Not that she blamed the ogress. There were days everyone needed a shot of liquid courage.
“I think you might be a little prejudiced,” she said dryly.
Inga reached out to lightly touch her shoulder. “You have to trust me, Lilah.”
“I do. It’s just…” Lilah’s words trailed away. What could she say? She didn’t know what was wrong. Her mind felt scrambled, as if someone had tossed it into a blender. And there was a ruthless ache in the center of her being. Almost as if being separated from Chiron was causing a physical reaction. Just what she needed, more problems. She heaved a sigh. “I feel like there’s so much hidden from me. I want my mind to be clear.”
Inga squeezed her arm, her expression oddly pained. “Why don’t you go eat your dinner? The cook made your favorite lemon tarts.”
Realizing her words were hurting this female who’d raised her as if she were her own daughter, Lilah forced a stiff smile.
“I am hungry,” she lied, her stomach cramping at the mere thought of food. Taking a step forward, she halted when Inga continued to stand in the middle of the pathway, her nose flaring as if she’d caught some nasty scent. “Aren’t you coming?”
“I have something I need to take care of,” the ogress muttered.
“It can wait.”
“No, I need to deal with it now,” she insisted, waving her hand toward the hotel. “Go on. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done.”
Chapter 10
Chiron remained in the shadows as he watched Lilah scurry into the hotel. His body was clenched tight with frustrated desire, and his fangs ached to taste the blood of his female. But it was the grim urge to rush forward and toss her over his shoulder so he could take her to his lair that worried him.
There was no way he could avoid the truth any longer.
Not when it was seared into every fiber of his being.
He battled against his instincts, watching the ogress who had turned to glare in his direction. Could she see him? Maybe. He didn’t care. He had a few questions for the female who’d been here with Lilah’s parents.
Stepping forward, he frowned as the female abruptly hurried toward the far side of the garden. She clearly was on a mission. Chiron shrugged. He would track her down later.
For now…
Chiron stiffened, his brows snapping together as he caught an unmistakable scent.
He turned on his heel, glaring toward the thick clump of cypress trees.
“Show yourself, Ulric,” he drawled. “I know you’re here.”
The Were stepped into the moonlight, his golden eyes glowing and the musk of his wolf stronger than usual. He was dressed in a black tee that was stretched tight over his bulging muscles and a pair of worn jeans with heavy shitkickers on his size fourteen feet. Chiron’s lips twitched. He might as well have tattooed badass on his forehead.
“How did you find me?” Chiron demanded.
The Were shrugged, strolling forward. “I have a tracker on all our cars.”
Chiron felt a jolt of shock. He was willing to endure Ulric’s habit of fussing over him like a mother hen, and even his tendency to believe Chiron was incapable of protecting himself. But he’d be damned if he allowed his guard to trace his every movement.
“You have a tracker on my car?” he growled.
Ulric shook his head. “Not your personal car, but you used one of the casino vehicles, and I have all of those tagged.”
Ah. Chiron had almost forgotten he’d grabbed one of the fleet cars when they’d left Vegas. There was no way he was allowing Levet into his Jag.
“I followed the trail to the edge of the swamp, then it disappeared,” Ulric continued. “I had to use my finely honed senses to actually locate this hotel.”
Chiron folded his arms over his chest. His annoyance wasn’t entirely appeased. “I thought I told you to stay in Vegas. You don’t obey orders very well.”
Ulric didn’t bother to act contrite. A good thing. He was terrible at it.
“I obey them with spectacular skill if I happen to agree with them,” the Were assured Chiron with his typical arrogance.
“I’m not sure you have a firm grasp of what obey means.”
“My pledge is to protect you,” Ulric reminded him. “That comes above any orders. Even from you.”
Chiron knew he was wasting his breath. Well, not his breath, because he didn’t have any, but at least wasting his time protesting Ulric’s belief he was in Chiron’s debt.
Still, he couldn’t help himself.
“How many times do I have to tell you, there is no pledge? Any obligation has long ago been repaid.”
The Were was as unimpressed with Chiron’s reprimand as he’d been the thousand other times Chiron had tried to convince him to forget the past.
“That’s my decision.”
“You know, I’m beginning to wonder who’s the boss.”
“I don’t want the job.”
Chiron released a sharp laugh. Most people assumed he kept Ulric around because he was loyal and smart and capable of dealing with any enemy who might try to harm Chiron. All those were true. But the reason he kept him as his personal guard was because he enjoyed his company.
A rare friendship for a vampire and a Were.
Of course, Chiron was legendary for his preference in choosing his own path. Since Tarak’s capture, he hadn’t needed to please anyone but himself.
“Smart hound,” he commended his companion. He glanced around the garden, ensuring they were alone. “Now that we’ve established how you found me, tell me why you’re here.”
“I’ve been trying to call you, but I didn’t get an answer.”
Chiron frowned, reaching into his slacks to pull out his cell phone. It was on, but he didn’t have any missed calls.
“Damn, the magic must be interfering with my service,” he muttered. He felt a stab of guilt. He should have checked in with Ulric the minute he’d arrived at the hotel. He’d never been away before when he wasn’t in constant communication with his staff. He could blame his distraction on his fierce desire to free Tarak, but he knew deep inside it had everything to do with Lilah. “Is there anything wrong?”
“Beyond the fact that I had no idea if you were alive or dead?”
Chiron grimaced. “Okay, I’m sorry. I should have checked in. Now, tell me what’s been happening.”
There was a pause while Ulric clearly struggled not to continue his chastisement, then he gave a resigned shrug. “I got a call from Hong Kong. The triads paid a visit to our new hotel.”
Chiron nodded. He’d worked among humans long enough to anticipate that any new enterprise was going to encounter the usual greed, corruption, and local protests. Mortals were depressingly predictable.
“Protection racket?”
“Yeah. Jayla took care of it.”
Jayla was a female vampire who’d been part of the Rebel clan when they’d been banished. She looked as fragile as a lotus flower and was as lethal as a striking cobra. Perfect to open his new venture in Asia.
Not that his choice wasn’t without dangers. Jayla had the cold logic of most vampires, but when her temper was roused she would destroy anyone standing in her path.
Darkness Returns Page 11
