Embrace the Darkness Read online

  “Shut your mouth and open the curtain,” a voice growled.

  “You are impatient?” Evor demanded, his tone edged with anger. He didn’t like his well-practiced act interrupted.

  “I don’t have all night. Get on with it.”

  “Ah, a premature… bidder, a pity. Let us hope for your sake that it is not an affliction that taints your performance in other areas,” Evor sneered, pausing to allow the roar of coarse laughter to fade. “Now where was I? Oh, yes. My prize. My most beloved slave. Demons and ghouls, allow me to introduce you to Lady Shay… the last Shalott to walk our world.”

  With a dramatic motion the curtain disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Shay exposed to the near two dozen men and demons.

  Deliberately she lowered her gaze as she heard the gasps echo through the room. It was humiliating enough to smell their rabid hunger. She didn’t need to see it written on their faces.

  “Is this a trick?” a dark voice demanded in disbelief. Hardly surprising. As far as Shay knew she truly was the last Shalott remaining in the world.

  “No trick, no illusion.”

  “As if I’d take your word for it, troll. I want proof.”

  “Proof? Very well.” There was a moment’s pause as Evor searched the crowd. “You there, come forward,” he commanded.

  Shay tensed as she felt the cold chill that warned her it was a vampire approaching. Her blood was more precious than gold to the undead. An aphrodisiac that they would kill to procure.

  With her attention focused on the tall, gaunt vampire, Shay barely noticed when Evor grabbed her arm and used a knife to slice through the skin of her forearm. Hissing softly the vamp leaned downward to lick the welling blood. His entire body shivered as he lifted his head to regard her with stark hunger.

  “There is human blood, but she is genuine Shalott,” he rasped.

  With a smooth motion Evor had placed his pudgy form between the vamp and Shay, shooing the predator away with a wave of his hand. Reluctantly the undead creature left the stage, no doubt sensing the impending riot if he gave in to his impulse to sink his teeth into her and drain her dry.

  Evor waited until the stage was cleared before moving to stand behind his podium. He grasped his gavel and lifted it over his head. Ridiculous twit.

  “Satisfied? Good.” Evor smacked the gavel onto the podium. “The bidding starts at fifty thousand dollars. Remember, gentlemen, cash only.”

  “Fifty-five thousand.”

  “Sixty thousand.”

  “Sixty-one thousand “

  Shay’s gaze once again dropped to her feet as the voices called out their bids. Soon enough she would be forced to confront her new master. She didn’t want to watch as they wrangled over her like a pack of dogs slavering over a juicy bone.

  “One hundred thousand dollars.” A shrill voice shouted from the back of the room.

  A sly smile touched Evor’s thin lips. “A most generous bid, my good sir. Anyone else? No? Going once… Going twice…”

  “Five hundred thousand.”

  A sharp silence filled the room. Without even realizing what she was doing Shay lifted her head to stare into the crowd jamming the auction floor.

  There was something about that silky dark voice. Something… familiar.

  “Step forward,” Evor demanded, his eyes shimmering red, “Step forward and offer your name.”

  There was a stir as the crowd parted. From the back shadows a tall, elegant form glided forward.

  A hushed whisper spread through the room as the muted light revealed the hauntingly beautiful face and satin curtain of silver hair that fell down his back.

  It took only a glance to realize he was a vampire.

  No human could so closely resemble an angel that had fallen from heaven. And fallen recently. Or move with such liquid grace. Or cause the demons to back away in wary fear.

  Shay’s breath caught in her throat. Not at his stunning beauty, or powerful presence, or even the flamboyant velvet cloak that shrouded his slender form.

  It was the fact that she knew this vampire.

  He had been at her side when they had battled the coven of witches weeks ago. And, more importantly, he had been at her side when she had saved his life.

  And now he was here bidding on her like she was no more than a piece of property.

  Damn his rotten soul to hell.

  —

  Viper had been in the world for centuries. He had witnessed the rise and fall of empires. He had seduced the most beautiful women in the world. He had taken the blood of kings, czars, and Pharaohs.

  He had even changed the course of history at times.

  Now he was sated, jaded, and magnificently bored.

  He no longer struggled to broaden his power base. He didn’t involve himself in battles with demons or humans. He didn’t form alliances or interfere in politics.

  His only concern was ensuring the safety of his clan and keeping his business profitable enough to allow him the luxurious lifestyle he had grown accustomed to.

  But somehow the Shalott demon had managed the impossible.

  She had managed to linger in his thoughts long after she had disappeared.

  For weeks she had haunted his memories and even invaded his dreams. She was like a thorn that had lodged beneath his skin and refused to be removed.

  A realization that he wasn’t sure pleased or annoyed him as he had scoured the streets of Chicago in search of the woman.

  Glancing at his latest acquisition, he didn’t have to wonder if Shay was pleased or annoyed. Even in the muted light it was obvious her glorious golden eyes were flashing with fury.

  Clearly she failed to fully appreciate the honor he was bestowing upon her.

  His lips twitched with amusement as he was returning his attention to the troll standing behind the podium.

  “You may call me Viper,” he informed the lesser demon with cold dislike.

  The red eyes briefly widened. It was a name that inspired fear throughout Chicago. “Of course. Forgive me for not recognizing you, sir. You… ah…” He swallowed heavily. “You have the cash upon you?”

  With a motion too swift for most eyes, Viper had reached beneath his cloak and tossed a large packet onto the stairs leading to the stage.

  “I do.”

  With a flourish, Evor banged the gavel on the podium. “Sold.”

  There was a low hiss from the Shalott, but before Viper could give her the proper attention, there was the sound of low cursing and a small, wiry human was pushing his way through the crowd.

  “Wait. The bidding is not yet closed,” the stranger charged.

  Viper narrowed his gaze. He might have laughed at the absurdity of the scrawny man attempting to bully his way through towering demons, but he didn’t miss the scent of sour desperation that clouded about him, or the blackness that darkened his soul.

  This was a man who had been touched by evil.

  The troll, Evor, frowned as he regarded the man, clearly unimpressed by the cheap, baggy suit and secondhand shoes. “You wish to continue?”

  “Yes.”

  “You have the cash upon you?”

  The man swiped a hand over the sweat clinging to his bald head. “Not upon me, but I can easily have it to you—”

  “Cash and carry only,” Evor growled, his gavel once again hitting the podium.

  “No. I will get you the money.”

  “The bidding is over.”

  “Wait. You must wait I—”

  “Get out before I have you thrown out.”

  “No.” Without warning the man was racing up the stairs with a knife in his hand. “The demon is mine.”

  As quick as the man was, Viper had already moved to place himself between the stranger and his Shalott. The man gave a low growl before turning and stalking toward the troll. Easier prey than a determined vampire. But then again, most things were.

  “Now, now. There is no need to become unreasonable.” Evor hastily gestured toward the hu
lking bodyguards at the edge of the stage. “You knew the rules when you came.”

  With lumbering motions the mountain trolls moved forward, their hulking size and skin as thick as tree bark making them nearly impossible to kill.

  Viper folded his arms over his chest. His attention remained on the demented human, but he couldn’t deny that he was disturbingly aware of the Shalott behind him.

  It was in the sweet scent of her blood. The warmth of her skin. And the shimmering energy that swirled about her.

  His entire body reacted to her proximity. It was as if he had stepped close to a smoldering fire that offered a promise of heat he had long forgotten.

  Unfortunately his attention was forced to remain on the seeming madman waving the knife in a threatening motion. There was something decidedly strange in the human’s determination. A stark panic that was out of place.

  He would be an idiot to underestimate the danger of the sudden standoff.

  “Stay back,” the small man squeaked.

  The trolls continued forward until Viper lifted a slender hand. “I would not come close to the knife. It is hexed.”

  “Hexed?” Evot’s face hardened with fury. “Magical artifacts are forbidden. The punishment is death.”

  “You think a pathetic troll and his goons can frighten me?” The intruder lifted his knife to point it directly at Evor’s face. “I came here for the Shalott and I’m not leaving without her. I’ll kill you all if I have to.”

  “You may try,” Viper drawled.

  The man spun about to confront him. “I have no fight with you, vampire.”

  “You are attempting to steal my demon “

  “I’ll pay you. Whatever you want.”

  “Whatever?” Viper flicked a brow upward. “A generous, if rather foolhardy bargain.”

  “What is your price?”

  Viper pretended to consider a moment. “Nothing you could offer.”

  That sour desperation thickened in the air. “How do you know? My employer is very rich… very powerful.”

  Ah. Now they were getting somewhere.

  “Employer. So you are merely an envoy?”

  The man nodded, his eyes burning like coals in their sunken sockets. “Yes “

  “And your employer will no doubt be quite disappointed to learn you have failed in your task to gain the Shalott?”

  The pale skin became a sickly gray. Viper suspected that the sense of darkness he could detect was directly related to the mysterious employer.

  “He will kill me.”

  “Then you are in quite a quandary, my friend, because I have no intention of allowing you to leave the room with my prize.”

  “What do you care?”

  Viper’s smile was cold. “Surely you must know that Shalott blood is an aphrodisiac for vampires? It is a most rare treat that has been denied us for too long.”

  “You intend to drain her?”

  “That is none of your concern. She is mine. Bought and paid for.”

  He heard a strangled curse from behind him, along with the rattle of chains. His beauty was clearly unhappy with his response and anxious to prove her displeasure by ripping him limb from limb.

  A tiny flicker of excitement raced through him.

  Blood of the saints, but he liked his women dangerous.

  Chapter Two

  Shay cursed the shackles that held her bound to the pole.

  She cursed Evor, the greedy, remorseless son of a bitch.

  She cursed the strange human who smelted of that foul evil she had sensed before.

  And most of all she cursed Viper for treating her as no more than an expensive party treat.

  Unfortunately the worthless cursing was all she could do as the clearly crazed human waved about his knife.

  “She’s mine. I must have her.”

  The vampire never flinched. In fact, he stood so still that he appeared more dead than alive. Only the cold power surging through the air warned there was something stirring beneath the beautiful facade.

  “You intend to battle me with no more than a hexed knife?” he demanded.

  The man swallowed. “I cannot defeat a vampire.”

  “Ah, you are not quite so stupid as you look.”

  The tiny eyes darted about and Shay felt everyone tense. The man was desperate enough to try battling his way through a vampire. When he moved, however, it was not toward Viper but instead toward the gawking Evor. With astonishing skill he had his arm around the troll’s neck and the knife pressed into the flabby skin of his throat

  “I will kill him. As long as he holds the Shalott’s curse she will die as well.” His gaze remained trained on Viper, no doubt aware he was far more dangerous than any other demon in the room. “She will do you no good if she dies before you can drain her.”

  Shay sucked in a sharp breath. She wasn’t afraid to die. But, by God, if she were going to her grave she didn’t want it to be while she was shackled to a pole and helpless to fight back.

  Viper didn’t move but his power was filling the room like an icy wave. The air stirred the silver strands of his hair and billowed the velvet cape.

  “You will not kill her,” he said in tones that made a shiver run down Shay’s spine. “I do not believe your employer would be pleased if she is brought to him as a corpse.”

  The man gave a wild laugh. “If she ends up in the hands of another, I’m worse than dead. She might as well go with me.”

  “So does your employer desire her, or fear her?” Viper murmured, smoothly moving forward. “Who is he? A demon? A sorcerer?”

  “Stop or I will kill her.”

  “No.” Viper continued his flowing snide. “You will drop the knife and walk away.”

  “You can’t glamour me with your eyes. I’m immune to mystical crap.”

  “Fine, then I will have to kill you.”

  “You can’t—” The words of warning were still upon the man’s lips when Viper had him by the throat and tossed him into a nearby wall.

  For such a small man he managed to make a hell of a racket when he hit the paneling and slid to the floor. Astonishingly, however, he was back on his feet and reaching beneath his baggy coat in the blink of an eye. Clearly he was more than a mere human. No doubt a wizard with enough magical talent to offer some protection.

  Lifting his hand, he clutched what looked to be a small rock. Shay frowned. She had lived with the witches long enough to know the crystal held a powerful spell.

  “Viper.”

  She called out the warning without knowing why. What did it matter who won the battle? Was being nightly drained by a pack of vampires preferable to whatever the unknown monster might have in store for her?

  In the end it didn’t matter.

  Even before his name had rumbled from her lips, Viper was leaping to the side and allowing the blast of black magic to strike the far wall. Flames crawled over the paneling and with cries of panic the wealthy guests began scrambling for the nearest door. Magical fire was the one thing that was as deadly to demons as to humans.

  “Get the fire extinguishers, you fools.” Evor cried, flapping his pudgy hands with growing panic. “I’m going to lose everything.”

  The mountain trolls reluctantly lumbered to battle the flames, but Shay’s attention remained glued to the duel between the vampire and the increasingly desperate man.

  Viper was on his feet, his black cloak flowing about him as he stalked in a half circle about the man.

  “The spell that protects you will not keep me from ripping out your throat,” he said in silky tones. “Are you that anxious to die?”

  “Better my throat ripped out than what my master would do.” the man rasped as he lifted the crystal and released the power toward the vampire.

  Once again Viper smoothly moved aside to allow the blast to hit the podium. It burst into flames and Evor squawked in horror.

  “Over here. Bring the extinguisher over here,” the troll cried.

  There was another b
last and Shay fell flat on the floor, only her quick reflexes keeping her from being toast.

  A low growl filled the air and Shay lifted her head to watch as Viper launched himself toward the terrified man. The hairs on the back of her neck stirred at the sight of his features honed to a stark, deadly mask and his fangs lengthened to kill.

  He was no longer the beautiful angel but a lethal instrument of death.

  The man screamed as Vipers teeth sank into his neck. The scream became a gurgle as the blood trickled down the man’s throat and dripped onto the ivory carpeting. He was a heartbeat from death, but with futile desperation the man lifted the knife to stab the vampire in the back. Over and over the blade bit into Viper’s flesh.

  Shay winced. Although the knife couldn’t kill a vampire it still had to hurt like a bitch.

  There was another ghastly gurgle and Shay deliberately turned her head. A part of her was grateful not to be handed over to the looming evil that still tainted the air, but she preferred not to watch the vampire enjoy his midnight snack.

  Especially when she might very well be breakfast.

  There was a thump as the man was allowed to drop to the ground then the faint swish of fine velvet.

  “I would suggest that you take better care of who you invite to your little auctions, Evor,” the vampire drawled. “Black wizards are never good for business.”

  “Yes… yes, certainly.” Dry washing his hands the troll glanced about the room. The flames had been put out, but there was no salvaging the podium or the paneling on the far wall. Or the ivory carpeting that was now stained with blood. The elegant ambiance had taken a definite blow. “I offer my most sincere apologies. I cannot imagine how he managed to get through my security.”

  “The question is not how. It is obvious he had help from a very powerful master. The question is who the master might be, and why he was so determined to get his hands upon the Shalott.”

  “Ah… well, I don’t suppose it matters now.” Evor gave a nervous shrug.