Brigette peeled back her lips, releasing a growl. “Like the plague.”
“That’s not nice,” Chaaya chided, taking a cautious step toward the female.
The Were reached beneath her drab gray robe to reveal a small trident. The same type of weapon used by the mer-folk guards.
“You were killed once,” Brigette sneered. “Are you eager for another taste of death?”
Chaaya snorted, taking another step forward. “I’m not afraid of you, dog.”
“You should be. I’m even stronger than before.”
“How?” Chaaya demanded.
“Zella returned my powers.”
“Impossible. The beast is locked out of this world.”
Brigette smirked. “Are you so sure?”
Was she? Reaching out with her senses, Chaaya felt…something. A strange hum of energy that wasn’t Were. Then again, it wasn’t the same black energy that she associated with the beast.
“Why can’t I sense Zella’s magic?”
“It was…” Brigette hesitated, her eyes darting from side to side. “Modified. It was the only way to reach me through the barrier.”
Chaaya’s brows snapped together. “You’re lying.”
Brigette waved the trident in a mocking gesture. “Come and find out.”
“Chaaya,” Basq called out, as if she needed his warning that the pureblooded Were was dangerous.
Idiotic leech.
“I got this,” she snapped, not allowing her gaze to stray from the female.
Without warning, Brigette darted to the side, twirling the trident. “You so don’t got this.”
Chaaya scowled. Why was the female heading deeper into the throne room instead of trying to get back into the tunnel? She had to know she couldn’t overpower all of them.
Chaaya pointed toward Basq. “Guard the door.”
With a nod, Basq angled toward the double doors, passing close to the Were.
“Careful, leech.” Brigette aimed her trident and shot out the silvery strands.
With a curse, Basq leaped back, but instead of pressing her advantage, Brigette moved to the side. She was going to end up in the corner. Was she expecting Zella to arrive and save her? Or was she just crazy?
Inga moved to stand next to Chaaya, her oversized weapon clenched in her large hand as she glared at the Were.
“How did you get out of your cell?”
Brigette shrugged. “I told you. I have the power.”
Her words made Chaaya pause. In the hell dimension the beast had been a swirling tower of fire. When it’d managed to leak into this world it’d taken the shape of a human and called itself Zella. But whatever its form, it had never been capable of manipulating physical objects with its mind.
“The power to unlock a cell door?” Chaaya challenged.
“I busted through.”
“You physically smashed open the door?”
“Exactly.”
Chaaya remained unconvinced. There was something off about this encounter. Not only the fact that she couldn’t detect the evil pulse of the beast, but Brigette’s bizarre behavior.
“And then you came to the throne room instead of escaping?” she demanded, inching her way forward.
“I deserve revenge for being caged like an animal.” She glared toward Inga. This time there was no mistaking the sincerity of her words. A bleak expression twisted her pale features into a tight mask of hate.
With a flap of his wings, Levet scurried to stand directly in front of Inga. “Non, you will not hurt her.”
They all gaped at the odd sight of the three-foot gargoyle standing guard in front of the hulking mongrel ogress. Then, clearing her throat and blinking her eyes, Inga pointed the Tryshu at Brigette.
“Enough,” she snapped. “I promised Ulric that I’d keep you alive as long as you weren’t a danger to my people. Now it’s obvious you can’t be trusted.”
“Ulric.” Brigette made a sound of disgust, but there was something in her eyes. Yearning? No, that couldn’t be right. It was probably a trick of the light. The entire castled shimmered like the Las Vegas strip. “He’s a fool.”
“A fool for believing you could ever change,” Chaaya muttered. Whatever her opinion of the male Were who’d hauled her out of the hell dimension, this female wasn’t fit to kiss his hairy ass. Chaaya glanced toward Inga. “Kill her.”
“No.” Brigette lifted her trident and they all braced themselves for the attack. Chaaya wasn’t entirely sure what all the weapon could do, and she didn’t want any unpleasant surprises.
But even as she clenched her muscles and held her spear ready, Chaaya was caught off guard when Brigette didn’t make a mad dash toward the nearby doors, or even back to the secret tunnel. Instead she leaped forward and grabbed Levet by one stunted horn.
Inga cursed, making a mad grab for the gargoyle, but Brigette was too quick. With a liquid speed, the female Were was standing several feet away, the gargoyle dangling from her fingers.
“Hey,” Levet protested, his large fairy wings flapping in annoyance. “Let me go. You have pooties.”
Brigette frowned down at her captive. “What?”
Levet swung back and forth, trying to break free from the Were’s grip. “Evil beastie germs.”
“Cooties?” Brigette asked.
“Oui, cooties.”
Brigette lifted Levet higher, studying him in confusion. “Have you taken a blow to the head?”
“A question we’ve all asked,” Basq murmured.
Levet stuck out his tongue. “You are not a part of this conversation, leech.”
Basq growled, flowing forward. His expression was hard with anger, but Chaaya wasn’t fooled. This vampire never lost control of his emotions. Never. She assumed that he was hoping to catch Brigette off guard by pretending to be focused on Levet.
There was a momentary bafflement on Brigette’s face, then she pressed the trident against Levet’s neck.
“Stop.”
“Everyone stay back,” Inga commanded.
Chaaya sent the queen a warning glance. “We can’t let her escape, Inga. If she has been in contact with Zella, then she’ll spread the darkness like an infection. The mer-folk will be destroyed.”
She saw the wrenching fear that flared through Inga’s blue eyes. The female was clearly distressed by the thought of choosing between Levet and her people. Before she could answer, however, Brigette called out.
“Do anything stupid and I’ll kill him.”
Chaaya turned her head to watch the female back toward the corner. She swung Levet back and forth like a pendulum, her trident still pressed against his throat.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Chaaya snapped. “You can’t kill a gargoyle with that tiny weapon.”
“That is true,” Levet agreed, his tail dragging against the marble floor. “I have had many demons attempt to be rid of me, including my own mother. I am really quite difficult to destroy.”
Brigette took two more steps back. “Not after I feed you to the beast.”
Inga stiffened, clearly intending to attack. “Don’t you dare hurt him.”
“Stay back, Inga,” Chaaya warned. “We have her trapped.”
“Never!” Brigette released a shrill laugh. “I’ll never be caged again.”
Chaaya started to roll her eyes at the female’s hysterical proclamation. There was nothing worse than a drama queen. But even as she was about to mock the female’s fierce assertion, a shimmer of darkness captured her attention.
What the hell?
It was Inga who was first to recognize the danger. “A portal.”
Chaaya cursed, realizing that they they’d been manipulated by the female Were.
Brigette had obviously known the portal was about to form there. Or maybe it’d been there all along
and hadn’t opened until Brigette was close enough to trigger it.
Whatever the case, they’d been idiots. And now the world was about to pay the price for their inability to stop the Were.
“Levet!” Inga cried out, charging toward the portal as Brigette stepped through the opening and disappeared with the gargoyle.
The ogress moved with surprising speed, but Chaaya easily passed her as she headed into the portal. She had to get in before it closed, or they’d never manage to follow Brigette. She was diving into the darkness when she felt icy fingers wrap around her upper arm.
Turning her head, she sent Basq a glare of disbelief. How had he managed to catch up to her? And why?
“Seriously?” she hissed between clenched teeth, the world dropping away as they were sucked through the swirling tunnel.
His gorgeous face was set in lines of grim determination. “You’re not going anywhere without me.”
* * * *
Brigette tried to shake off the stupid gargoyle that clung to her like an oversized leech. She hadn’t intended to take him into the portal, but even as she’d let loose of his horn, he’d reached up to grasp her wrist. Now they were locked together as they hurtled through the strange portal.
Dammit. Nothing was going right.
After leaving her cell she’d been led on a merry goose chase through the castle, heading ever upward. The unknown merman had at least left a weapon for her before he urged her into the secret tunnel. She’d paused, searching the shadows to make out who was helping her, but it’d been impossible to catch more than long hair and the delicate features of all mer-folk. At last she’d grabbed the weapon and scurried through the narrow tunnel.
The last thing she’d expected was to burst into the throne room, which was filled with her most hated enemies. Chaaya, the bane of her existence. Inga, Queen of the Mer-folk. The strange gargoyle named Levet. And a leech who vibrated with a power she could feel from across the long room.
She’d instantly known she was a dead dog. Literally.
Then she’d caught the shimmer of power in the far corner. That was her exit. It had to be. She just had to stay alive long enough to get to it.
Something easier said than done.
Knowing the only thing that might keep the demons at bay was the fear that she still possessed the power of the beast, she’d babbled about Zella as she’d covertly circled toward the corner. Next she’d grabbed the tiny gargoyle. By then she’d been close enough to make a dash for the portal.
She’d intended to toss the creature aside as she entered the darkness, using him as a distraction to keep anyone from following her.
A mistake she was paying for as Levet weighed her down, making them sluggishly zigzag from side to side.
“Let go of me, you fool,” she growled.
The large fairy wings flapped, glittering even in the darkness. “Not until you return us to the mer-folk castle.”
She shook her arm in the rhythm of her words. “Not. Going. To. Happen.”
Levet raised his free hand. “Return us or I will blast you with my awesome fireball.”
Brigette growled in frustration. They continued to move through the darkness, but they’d slowed to a snail’s pace. What was going on? Was it the portal? Or had the gargoyle done something to block their passage?
“You are ruining everything.”
“Moi?” Levet sounded outraged. “I did not kidnap you and haul you into this very peculiar portal.”
Once again Brigette tried to shake him off. “Go away.”
Levet clicked his tongue. “I did warn you.”
“What are you…” Brigette forgot what she was going to say as she caught sight of the flames that were forming in the palm of Levet’s tiny hand. Christ. This portal was already weird enough. Who knew what would happen if the gargoyle used his magic? “No.”
The word was still on her lips when the blast ripped through the darkness. Heat and pain hammered into Brigette as she cartwheeled through the air, her stomach heaving and her brain scrambled when she abruptly tumbled out of the portal and hit the ground with enough force to crack a rib.
Beside her a small form skidded over the cobblestone street, his wings spread wide.
“Ow,” Levet groused.
“Dammit.”
Brigette shoved herself to her feet, groaning as she struggled to stay upright. The pain from her rib combined with the disorientation of being tossed into a strange place made her knees weak. Of course, that was the least of her worries. First she had to get away from the aggravating Levet, and then…
Well, she’d worry about that very long list of worries once she’d shaken off the gargoyle.
Turning away from the creature, she took a step forward, only to feel a tug on her wrist. She growled, glaring down at her arm. She expected to find the gargoyle grabbing her, but he was still lying on the road. Instead, a glistening rope was wrapped around her wrist and flowed down to encircle the gargoyle’s waist.
Like a sparkly leash.
She glared at the creature in outrage. “What have you done?”
Levet rose to his feet, tilting his head as he studied the glittering rope. “It appears we are magically bound together.”
She bared her teeth. “Then unbound us.”
He furrowed his brow. “I do not believe that is a word.” He shrugged. “Of course, people are forever correcting me, so—”
“Do it!”
The gargoyle sniffed. “There is no need to yell,” he protested, grabbing the rope around his waist and giving it a tug. “I cannot undo it.”
Unease slithered down her spine. “Why not?”
“I don’t know how it happened. I only intended to disrupt the portal with my fireball.” The gargoyle continued to tug at the mystery cord. “This must have been a side effect. If you ask me, there is something cloudy about the magic that you used to form the portal.”
Brigette scowled in confusion. “Cloudy?”
“Non, that is not right.” Levet took a second before he snapped his fingers. “Shady. Oui. Shady about the magic.”
Brigette prepared to grab the creature and shake him until he got rid of the leash, but there was something in his curious expression that suggested he was as surprised as she was that they were bound together.
“Perfect,” she snarled. “I’m freaking tied to a yapping paperweight in the middle of…” She forgot her anger toward the gargoyle as she belatedly glanced around. “Where are we?” she demanded, her gaze moving toward the pine trees that lined the cobblestone road.
In the darkness it was impossible to see more than thick shadows and hints of movement among the branches. Brigette grimaced, turning her attention to the large town that glowed in the valley below.
She could make out large, gray stone buildings with thatched roofs and narrow streets that were lit by torches. It looked exactly like London during the Victorian era.
Had they been sucked back in time?
“How should I know where we are?” Levet intruded into her thoughts. “You were the one who brought us here.”
“It wasn’t me.” She glared at him. “Weres can’t create portals.”
“Was it Zella? I don’t like her.” Levet wrinkled his snout. “She smells like poopy.”
Brigette closed her eyes, trying to reach out to the voice that had promised her salvation. There was nothing. An empty void. Which meant that she clearly wasn’t where she was supposed to be.
“Crap,” she muttered. “The connection has been broken.”
“The connection to who?” Levet studied her with more interest than fear. “Zella?”
“Shut up.”
Levet stuck out his tongue. “Dogs are the worst.”
Brigette yanked on the leash, dragging the gargoyle over the cobblestones. “One more word and I’ll eat
you.”
“No need to be testy.” Levet sniffed the air, glancing around. “I think we must be in another dimension. Or perhaps between dimensions.”
Ah. That made sense. If they were between dimensions, that would explain why she lost contact with the voice.
“I have to find her,” she muttered, heading down the road and dragging the gargoyle behind her.
“Wait. Stop,” Levet protested. “Where are we going?”
“I don’t have a damned clue.”
Chapter 5
Basq was prepared as the portal shuddered and they were abruptly tossed out. He didn’t have the ability to sense magic, but he did know that the explosion that’d rocked past them was bound to cause a disruption.
“Stay still,” he commanded, holding tight to the struggling Chaaya, as he released his powers.
The female stiffened as a smothering darkness cloaked the area around them. Not just shadows, but a blinding night that not even demon sight could penetrate. It would keep them from being seen by potential enemies, as well as protect him in case they happened to be dumped on a sunny beach.
“What did you do?” Chaaya asked.
“Wrapped us in my powers.”
“Nice trick.” There was no mistaking the hint of surprise in her voice. As if she never dreamed that he might be useful.
He smiled wryly. He’d devoted centuries to hiding his innate skills, not only because he didn’t want to be used as a weapon, but to maintain his independence. It wasn’t until Chaaya came to Vegas that his image of a solid, boringly predictable male started to chafe at him.
Why?
A question he didn’t intend to answer.
“I have my moments,” he said dryly.
“If you say so.” She shifted impatiently in his arms. “Do you have any idea where we are?”
Pretending he didn’t feel a pang of hurt at her eagerness to get away from him, Basq allowed his senses to spread outward.
He caught the familiar scent of Were and granite. Brigette and Levet. The smell had already faded to mere wisps that would soon disappear entirely, which meant they were no longer in the area. Beyond that there was nothing but pine trees and the distant stench of smoke.
Shades of Darkness Page 5
