When Darkness Comes

"Obviously you managed to escape. No harm done."



Sasha gave a low growl. "I was there for three weeks. I had to eat rats."



"I hear they're very nutritious." Dante grunted as the fingers tightened on his throat. "Dammit, Sasha, I wouldn't have locked you in that bloody cellar if you hadn't tried to stake me."



"You know I would never have done it. I was only playing."



"Playing?"



"You used to like our little games. Remember how you enjoyed being chained to the—"



"Chains are one thing, Sasha, but a stake is quite another," Dante hastily interrupted. "I didn't particularly care to stick around and discover where you intended to put it. Call me crazy."



Sasha gave a loud sniff. "It was still rude."



"You have my deepest apologies," Dante muttered. "As well as my solemn promise never to lock you in a cellar again."



There was a long pause before Sasha's features softened to a seductive pout, and she lowered Dante to the floor.



"I suppose I could be convinced to forgive you."



'You are nothing less than a saint."



Allowing the hand that had been choking Dante to smooth its way down his chest, the vampire leaned forward until she was pressed intimately against him.



"Now, do we kiss and make up?"



Abby discovered her fists clenching as the woman rubbed against Dante like a cat in heat. She wasn't sure if she wanted to smack Dante or Sasha the Slut. But she most certainly wanted to smack someone.



"Actually, I'm in rather a hurry. I need to speak with Viper."



The pout became more pronounced. "Always running off. And always with some worthless human," she accused, her cat eyes shifting toward the silent Abby. "Or is this dinner?"



With a smooth motion, Dante was moving to Abby's side, his expression stark with warning.



"She's not on the menu."



"Predictable." Sasfaa's voice was pure venom. 'You really should spend more time with your own kind, Dante. These creatures make you weak."



"I'll keep that in mind."



With an angry sniff, Sasha turned to stalk away, her ivory curves perfectly visible beneath the thin gauze.



Alone with Dante, Abby shot him a disgruntled frown. "Charming."



"Sasha's a bit… emotional," he ruefully conceded.



"More than a bit if she tried to kill you."



He shrugged. "Every relationship has its share of danger. You admitted that yourself."



"Not death by wooden stake," she muttered, still battling the lingering sense of resentment at the thought of Dante being intimate with the beautiful vampire. "The woman was clearly demented."



A raven brow arched as Dante allowed his gaze to sweep over her stiff features.



"As I recall, you've threatened to stake me more than once."



'Yes, but that was different."



"How?"



"Because it was."



"Ah." Dante's lips twitched with a flare of wicked amusement. "I think I know what has you in such a twit. You're jealous."



She slapped her hands on her hips. Well, duh. Of course she was jealous. Sasha might be dead, but she was still disgustingly beautiful and drenched with the smoldering passion that made men drool.



More importantly, she had managed to ensnare Dante with her seductive skills. Or perhaps it was the chains, a nasty voice whispered in the back of her mind.



In any event, she had possessed what Abby had lusted after for months.



Of course she was damn well jealous.



Not that she was about to admit as much. She did have her pride. For whatever that was worth.



"Get over yourself, Dante. My only concern is knowing how many other ex-girlfriends might leap out of the woodwork. Things are bad enough without vindictive women stalking you."



He reached up to trace her lips with the tip of his finger, "You're a terrible liar, lover."



She instinctively stepped from the distracting touch. "Didn't we come here to find Viper?"



"Someday soon, Abby, we're going to have a long conversation. It should be quite interesting," he said softly. "Until then, you're right, we should be finding Viper and getting the hell out of here."



Despite a rather childish desire to linger and enjoy the sight of Abby's unmistakable fit of jealousy, Dante firmly took her arm to lead her toward the back of the room. Not only was this no place for an innocent, but he also possessed more than one disgruntled former lover, not to mention the numerous demons who harbored the annoying opinion that he owed them money.



The sooner he could get the keys to Viper's car, the better.



Stepping into a shadowed alcove, Dante paused to glance into the long hallway beyond. He was thankful that most of the doors were closed and that none of the perverse pleasures that Viper offered his customers could be readily detected. He was even more thankful to discover Viper leaning casually against the wall.



At least he wouldn't have to drag Abby through the lowest dregs of debauchery.



"There he is," he murmured, turning to place his hands on Abby's shoulders. "Wait right here. I'll only be a minute."



Her eyes widened as she glanced uneasily over her shoulder. "What if one of your friends gets hungry?"



"I will kill them," he promised with stark sincerity. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."



Her gaze returned to meet his determined expression before she gave a slow nod. "Okay, but hurry."



"I will." Brushing his lips over her forehead, Dante turned and made his way toward his friend. Stopping at Viper's side, he waited until the vampire turned to regard him with a lift of his brow. "Viper, a moment please."



Flicking a glance toward the waiting Abby, Viper pushed away from the wall and folded his arms over his chest.



"I wish you would make up your mind, Dante. First you insist that your beauty be protected from my wicked clientele, and now you parade her about like a tempting fruit. Unless you desire a riot, I would suggest you take her out of here."



"Things have changed," Dante retorted, swiftly revealing the latest attack upon Abby in clipped tones.



A growing frown marred Viper's brow as he listened in silence. When Dante at last finished, he breathed out a furious curse. "Who would dare loosen such a creature?"



"A reckless fool."



"A human, no doubt," Viper gritted, never one to hide his disdain for mortals.



Dante shrugged. For the moment he didn't have the luxury of time to ponder who might be behind the attack.



"Perhaps. At the moment my only concern is keeping Abby safe."



Viper narrowed his gaze. "A worthy task; however, I hope that you have a miracle or two tucked up your sleeve, Dante. At the moment your companion is the Holy Grail for every creature in the underworld."



A miracle? Dante smiled wryly. The closest to a miracle he had was the fact that Abby was still alive and he hadn't yet ended up on the wrong end of a stake.



"No miracles, but I do have a plan," he reluctantly confessed.



"One that includes disappearing for the next few centuries, I hope."



"I'm taking her to the witches."



A sharp, disbelieving silence descended before Viper was abruptly grasping Dante's arm and pulling him into the darkest shadows of the hallway.



"Have you completely lost your mind?" his friend growled with a smoldering fury. "The last time you encountered those bitches they leashed you like a dog. This time they might very well kill you."



Dante shoved his hands into his pockets. Hellfire, he wasn't an idiot. Or at least not a complete idiot. He was fully aware that if it suited the witches, he could be back in shackles, if not worse.



"I have no choice," he said stiffly.



"Why?"



"They are the only ones who can remove the Phoenix from Abby."



Viper appeared far from impressed by his perfectly reasonable explanation. Instead he stared at Dante as if he were considering a straitjacket.



"Now I know you're mad," he seethed. "Why would you allow yourself to be bound to another? This woman at least cares for you."



Dante grimly closed his mind to temptation. He wasn't by nature noble. Or self-sacrificing. He took what he desired and to hell with morals.



But somehow the rules had changed. Abby had seen to that.



"It isn't her burden."



"It's not yours either," Viper countered with lethal softness. "Not by choice."



Slowly Dante turned his head to the slender form hovering anxiously by the door. His lips twisted in a wry smile.



"It is now."



"You will risk everything for this woman?"



"Everything," Dante admitted in low tones.



There was a short silence before Viper heaved a resigned sigh. "Madness. What can I do to help?"



Dante turned back with a determined expression. 'Tor now all I need are your keys."



Chapter 8



Hours later, Dante continued his hunt through the silent fringes of the city. At his side, Abby sat in rare silence as she reluctantly swallowed the herbs he had insisted she drink.