Bound by Darkness - Alexandra Ivy [1]
As much as he hated to admit it, Salvatore fit the elegant office—with its slate-gray carpet and the museum-quality French Impressionist paintings that were hung on the paneled walls and carefully preserved behind glass cases—far better than he did.
The bastard always managed to look every inch the king with his dark hair slicked back in a tail and his muscular body clothed in a charcoal-gray suit that no doubt cost more than the gross national income of several small countries. Like Styx, however, there was no mistaking the brutal authority in Salvatore’s dark, Latin features and golden eyes.
He ruled a savage race that would quite literally rip apart and eat a weak king. It gave a whole new meaning to “Uneasy is the head that wears the crown.”
The Were paused to study the bank of high-tech monitors and surveillance equipment that would give Homeland Security wet dreams, his gaze lingering on the monitor that revealed a pair of near-identical female Weres with blond hair and green eyes seated at a table several levels below them.
“You’re certain that this place is safe?”
Styx snorted. The fact that he was mated to the Were sister of Salvatore’s mate did nothing to ease the tension between them. Not after the bastard had done his best to kidnap Darcy from Styx.
Of course, he did have a small (very small) amount of sympathy for Salvatore’s predicament. At the time his Weres were facing extinction, and in an effort to save his people he had genetically altered four Were female pups. After they were stolen the king had sworn to retrieve them. It was his bad luck that Darcy and another of the females, Regan, had both chosen to mate with vampires, although his frustrated fury had been eased when he had found a third sister, Harley, and she’d managed to bring back the ancient mating urges that had been lost to the Weres for centuries.
“Be happy that Santiago isn’t around,” he warned. Although the club that catered to the demons scattered around the Illinois countryside was technically owned by Viper, clan chief of Chicago, it was Santiago’s pride and joy. “He would take your lack of faith in his security as a personal insult. And an unhappy vampire is never good.”
“I could say the same thing about a happy vampire,” Salvatore drawled, turning to flash Styx a mocking grin.
“You were the one who asked for this meeting.”
The dog shrugged. “Harley misses her sister.”
Styx believed him. Although it had only been three weeks since Salvatore and Harley had left Chicago for St. Louis, the two sisters had become nearly inseparable since they’d been reunited. But he was also certain that he hadn’t been asked along for his sparkling personality.
“And the reunion of our mates offers the opportunity for us to speak without alerting the world to our meeting?”
Salvatore shrugged. “I prefer not to attract any pesky curiosity.”
“You have information?”
“No, only questions.”
“Shit.” Styx grimaced. “I was afraid you were going to say that. What’s your question?”
“Have your Ravens managed to track down Caine and Cassandra?”
Styx tensed at the unexpected question. It was no secret that Cassandra was the last of the missing Were sisters who’d been unexpectedly located in the caves of a demon lord. And who was now on the run with a cur who’d been magically transformed into a full-blooded Were while rescuing the female. The movement of his personal bodyguards, however, was classified information.
“What makes you think I’m looking for them?”
Salvatore arched a taunting brow. “Just because I’m beautiful it doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”
“It does, however, mean you’re a pain in the ass.”
“Jealous?”
Styx curled back his lips to reveal his massive fangs. “Increasingly hungry.”
There was a prickle of danger as the power of the two alphas swirled through the air. The frigid blast of vampire slammed against the raw heat of Were, promising a violent explosion if released.
Then, with a low growl, Salvatore was leashing his wolf, the mocking smile returning to his lips.
“I know that Darcy is anxious to