Chapter 10

A thick silence spread through the cavern as Lynx strolled away, presumably preparing for the next stage in his plan for demon domination. A shiver inched down Skye's spine as Micha stood next to her, watching the male disappear, an eerie stillness set tling over him.

This was a vampire in his natural state.

She could see Micha. She could reach out and touch him. But she couldn't sense him. It was as if he'd retreated to a place she c ouldn't follow.

Icy, remot e, impregnable.

Why that bothered her was a question she probably didn't want to answer.

Time for a distraction. Moving a step closer to Micha, she studied the piece of metal that circled his throat. Micha hadn't mentioned the collar, but it was obviously a deterrent of some kind that Lynx had placed on him. A means to control a vampire who could rip apart the fairy with t errifying ease.

"I'm not sure if my magic can open the lock on your collar, but I can try," she m urmured softly.

"No." Micha took a sharp step back, his expression impo ssible to read.

"You don't trust me." Skye flinched, hurt by his rejection. Of course, she couldn't deny that he had reason, she silently reminded herself. "Fine. Tell me about the Tempest and why Lynx would go to so much trouble to get hi s hands on it."

The silence stretched, and Skye accepted he wasn't going to answer. Then he slowly turn ed to face her.

"The demons have an ancient story that they hand down from one generation to another." He shrugged. "There's a few different versions, but at the heart of each one is a blade that can supposedly tap into the powe r of the Gyre."

"Don't demons already do that?" Skye asked, genuinely confused. "I thought that was why they swore allegiance with the Cabal. To live in the vampir es' territory."

"The magic of the Gyre allows them to touch the power of their ancestors, but its limited. They're no longer the giant goblins who bash their way through the world, or the elusive fey who can enchant creatures with a brush of their fingers."

He spoke of times long forgotten by most species. Before humans had crawled out of their caves and mages had ignited the wild magic.

"Does the sword give them back their powers?"

He shrugged. "From what I could discover, the sword was supposedly forged in the flames of a dragon to preserve the original demon magic in its purest form. It doesn't give them back their primitive powers, but the demons believe it can end the life of a vampire."

Skye remained confused. "There are other weapons to k ill a vampire."

"This one doesn't just destroy our host but the spirit that lives inside us," he insisted. "The u ltimate death."

"Seriously?" Skye had never heard of anything that could prevent a vampire from resurrecting. Not even magic. "A dangerous weapon. No wonder you keep i t locked away."

His expression remained aloof, but something flickered in the stunni ng golden eyes.

"I'm not worried about the sword being stolen. It's been stuck in the rock for thousands and thousands of years despite the hordes of desperate demons trying to pull it out," h e informed her.

Ah. He was annoye d. Interesting.

"So why do y ou protect it?"

He shrugged. "I have no way of knowing if the blade works or not, but the hex is very real. I wasn't exaggerating when I said that the ground was littered with the bodies of demons who were lured to the sword by tales of glory. Not even my own staff was immune. The only way to halt the carnage was to create a protective barrier to keep ou t trespassers."

Skye tried to imagine a hex that was not only powerful enough to kill hundreds of demons but capable of lasting for so many years. Honestly, the mere thought boggled her mind. She'd never heard of any spell with that sort of potency. Not unless it was being replenished by somethi ng. Or someone.

"Who hexed i t?" she probed.

"The story I read said it was a mage named Zara. It was claimed that thousands of years ago she was in love with a powerful demon who used the sword to unite the clans. Her lover managed to destroy several vampires before he was betrayed by one of his top warriors and literally stabbed in the back with a cursed dagger. As he lay dying, Zara used her powers to bind the sword to the stone so no other demon could use it. Then, romantically, she joined him in death."

Skye wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't sound very romantic."

His brows arched, as if she'd managed to surprise him. "Agreed," h e finally said.

Feeling oddly vulnerable as his searching gaze swept over her face and down her wrinkled, dust-coated dress, Skye turned to pace across the cell. She'd never cared about her appearance. She had, after all, spent a large chunk of her life enslaved by the demons. And now, she just wanted to be comfortable. It was strange to accept that she didn't want Micha to see her looking like she'd been wrestling wit h a rabid bear.

Weird and annoying. She had more important thin gs on her mind.

Like the flames from her vision that were threatening to des troy the world.

Yep. That was more important than a lot of stuff.

Reluctantly Skye forced herself to recall as much of the vision as she could. Had there been a sword? Or an object that might represent a weapon? Yes. There had been something... Not a physical sword, but a core of power at the cent er of the fire.

It was possible the mysterious Tempes t was involved.

She whirled around, discovering that Micha was still watching her with that unwave ring intensity.

"There's something different about Lynx," she warned, needing him to understand that the fairy was more than just another overly ambitious demon on a s uicide mission.

"He's an arrogant ass." Micha pointed o ut the obvious.

"That's every demon." She deliberately paused. "And vampire."

His lips twitched, then pressed together. "Wha t's different?"

"His aura."

"Because he ha s royal blood?"

"It's more than that. I can see silver streaked w ith the green."

"Silver?"

"Like lightning." Skye lifted her hands. She didn't have the words to explain the jagged shards that flared throu gh Lynx's aura.

"Why c an't I see it?"

Micha sounded more curious than disbelieving and Skye felt a knot in the center of her belly loosen. The glorious male might not fully trust her, and he most certainly would never forgive her, but he was willing to listen. That was better tha n she expected.

"I think it has something to do with my gift."

"Like a premonition?"

She shook her head. "It's more a sense that he's hiding something beneath the surface. I don't think anyone has seen the true Lynx. Not even h is companions."

He considered her words. "I've never heard anyone mention silv er in an aura."

"Me either." She grimaced. "B ut it's there."

" Anything else?"

She started to shake her head, only to hesitate. "Yes, there's something weirdly familiar about Lynx," she admitted. "I keep thinking he must be related to one of the demons who held me captive, but I can't p lace the face."

Micha's lips parted, but before he could continue his questioning, the sound of returning footsteps cut through the air. A moment later, Lynx reappeared, along with Yugan. Both fairies had changed into casual jeans and long-sleeved T-shirts. Yugan had also added an assault rifle t o his ensemble.

"Ready or not, it's time to go," the fairy drawled, motioning toward Yugan to unlock the do or to the cell.

Without warning, Micha moved to stand in front of her. "T he seer stays."

She stepped to the side in time to see Lynx shrug. "Fine with me. I'll have her released once I get my hands on the sword."

Skye scowled in annoyance. First off, she didn't believe a word that came out of Lynx's lying mouth. There was no way he was releasing her. Not unless she was a corpse. Second, she didn't need a vampire to decide if she was st aying or going.

Even i f he was yummy.

"I'm coming with you," she announced, the words bouncing off the distant walls of the cavern. It might have come out a little more emphatic than she'd intended.

"No." Micha and Lynx said the word at the same time.

She rolled her eyes. The two males couldn't be more opposite, but in some ways they were painf ully identical.

Stubborn. Arrogant. And convinced they wer e always right.

She had no choice but to share a portio n of her fears.

"I come with you or th e world burns."

She'd softened her voice, but the words still managed to echo through the cavern. As if she'd struck a gong of doom.

Micha whirled to face her, his aloof composure replaced with concern. "Is that a guess or a warning?"

"A promise."

Lynx clicked his tongue, a mocking smile curving his lips. He was pretending that her warning didn't trouble him, but he couldn't disguise the silver that was suddenly flaring th rough his aura.

"Come or don't come. It doesn't matter to me." He motioned toward his servant to lead them out of the cell. Waiting until Skye was walking past him, Lynx leaned toward her. "If you do anything to interfere with my plans, I'll kill you," he murmured, reaching out to stroke a finger down her cheek. "Which would be a shame. I plan on spending some time together once I hav e what I need."

Skye ignored the sudden drop of temperature as Micha growled a low warning. She could take care of this o bnoxious fairy.

"There's no we." She knocked his hand aw ay. "Not ever."

His smile widened. "A seer can't predict her own future. I might surprise you."

"I don't need my magic to know how I'll feel about you in the future."

"Mm." He sucked in a deep breath, as if savoring her s cent. "Spunky."

Skye shivered. Not from fear. The air had gone from frigid to painfully cold and there was a prickle of violence that warned Micha was on his last nerve. She didn't know why Lynx was deliberately provoki ng the vampire.

"Are you going to stand here boring me?" she demanded. "Or do you actually want to get your stupid sword?"

Lynx pressed a hand to the center of his chest, as if she'd hurt his heart. "A direct hit." He smiled. "Although, I very much doubt you're bored. Still, it's time for us to go." As if flipping a switch, the smile disappeared and Lynx reached into the pocket of his jeans to pull out a small device. He held it toward Micha. "Nothing stupid, leech. Yugan, keep an ey e on the seer."

Taking the lead, Lynx crossed the cavern and went into a wide tunnel that burrowed through the depths of the mountain. The construction felt relatively new, and there was a jagged lack of polish, as if it'd been dug with speed ra ther than care.

Was this a new stronghold? Had Lynx recently relocated? Or maybe the revolution wasn't as old as he was try ing to pretend.

Skye shrugged away the suspicion, concentrating on the small hum of power beneath her feet. It wasn't the magic of a Gyre, but this spot had a trace of lingering enchantment. She assumed that was the reason Lynx had chosen the mountain to c reate his lair.

Eventually the tunnel angled upward and they stepped out of a cave onto an empty field that stret ched for acres.

Night had settled in and there was a stiff breeze that cut through the thin material of Skye's dress. If she'd known she was going to be kidnapped, she would have worn something more suitable.

There was a soft tread of footsteps and suddenly Micha was standing next to her. He didn't touch her, but he was close enough that he was able to use his unique talents to wrap her in an invisible cloak of warmth. A dangerous pleasure swirled through her along with th e welcome heat.

A silly woman might think that Micha was bothered by he r discomfort...

Belatedly noticing Lynx studying them with blatant curiosity, Skye sent him an i mpatient glare.

"Are we going to wait here for the sw ord to appear?"

Lynx snapped his fingers, thankfully distracted. On cue, a blinding light flooded the field. "I might not have the casual luxury of a leech, but my horde has acquired enough wealth to provide a few modern-day conveniences, including a pr ivate airport."

Skye blinked, struggling to see through the blinding brightness. Eventually she managed to make out the shapes of several demons clustered around a sleek private jet parked at the beginning of a long runway. In the distance she could see the outline of a metal hangar that gleamed in the industrial-gr ade spotlights.

Wow.

Too stunned to speak, Skye watched in silence as a uniformed goblin approached them and perfor med a deep bow.

"Master, we're ready to take off when you gi ve the signal."

"Master?" Micha drawled, his voice thic k with disdain.

"Better than Your Excellency," Lynx countered.

" If you say so."

With a deliberate motion, Lynx stepped next to Skye and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight ly to his side.

"This tempting creature, however, can call me whatever her little heart desires."

Skye started to struggle, only to freeze when the smell of death spiked the air. Not the death of a rotting corpse. This was a cold, steel-edged promise of a swift end to existence. Lynx dropped his arm and stepped back, but a pleased smile touched his lips. He'd gotten the response he wanted. He glanced at the w aiting servant.

"We 'll board now."

The servant nodded and turned to scurry toward the plane to pull down the stairs. Lynx followed behind at a slower pace with Skye behind him and Micha bringing up the rear. Yugan had disappeared, but she assumed he was like a bad penny, showing up when he wa s least wanted.

In silence they walked to the runway, climbing the narrow steps and entering the cabin. Predictably, the interior was sleek and modern with a table in the center of the small space with a U-shaped couch surrounding it.

The door closed and the engines revved as they moved to take their seats on the couch. Skye swallowed a sigh as she was sandwiched between the two males. Lynx on one side, who was manspreading as if trying to consume more than his fair share of space, and Micha as cold and rigid as a marble statue on the other side.

Great. She didn't know where they were headed, but it promised to be an uncomf ortable flight.

There was a small jerk before the jet was rolling down the runway, picking up speed before they hurtled upward with enough force to press Skye into the soft cushions. She hastily grabbed her seat belt and wrapped it ar ound her waist.

Once strapped in, she turned her head to study Lynx's profile. He was staring out the porthole across the cabin, his expression brooding. Not as brooding as Micha's on the other s ide. But close.

"How long have you been following me around?" she asked, needing to shatter the tense silence.

Lynx shrugged . "A few days."

She gave a dramatic shu dder. "Creepy."

"Practical," he corrected. "Your father was confident you would do whatever was necessary to protect him, but I'm a demon who always has a backup plan. Usually more than one."

His boast reminded her of a far more important question. "How did you get the key to the lower floor of Valen's lair?"

His jaw tightened, but he answered with a well-rehearsed ease. "Not all his staff are as loyal as he assumes."

Skye snorted. "Valen isn't careless. Even Peri says that he's a pain in the ass when it comes to protecting his lair. He would never hand out keys to his staf f willy-nilly."

Lynx arched a taunting brow. "Willy-nilly?"

She ignored him. "The only ones who would have access to keys would be his guests. So who g ave it to you?"

"Valen is arrogant. Like all leeches, he doesn't believe anyone could outsmart his security. It makes it much easier to do whatever the hell I want without g etting caught."

He was being deliberately provoking. A sure sign he didn't want to answer her questions. All the more reason to keep p ressure on him.

"Did the traitor also tell you which room Micha was using?" she demanded. "You went directly to his door despite the fact it was at the back of the building."

"You're a seer. You of all people should understand the past is meaningless. Only the future matters." He abruptly shoved himself to his feet, his expression hard with warning. "Beha ve yourselves."

In two long steps he disappeared into a room at the back of the cabin. A bedroom? Or maybe an office. A second later a doo r snapped shut.

Skye pursed her lips, considering the exchange. She hadn't pried out the name of a coconspirator, but she was convinced that they were currently staying at Valen's lair. Either one of the visiting Cabal or a servant who he trusted witho ut reservation.

That should narrow down the list of suspects. If only she could get word to Peri...

Her thoughts were disrupted as her lips parted in a wide yawn. She was too exhausted to think clearly. After a couple of days of constant tension and restless nights, she could barely keep her eyes open. If she was going to find a way to prevent the world being burned to the ground, she needed to replenis h her strength.

Snuggling into the soft cushions, she cast a quick glance toward the vampire seated next to her. He was once again in his statue form, no doubt contemplating the various forms of revenge he intended to enact on Lynx and his pals. Including her.

With a sigh of regret, Skye allowed the weariness to swallow her. Micha was a worry for another time and place.

Two hours later she woke as the jet made a sharp descent and hit the runway at a speed that made the aircraft shudder in protest. Skye was jerked awake, but thankfully she wasn't tossed from her seat. Not because her seat belt protected her. That had mysteriously disappeared while she was asleep. But because she was wrapped tightly i n Micha's arms.

A heat touched her cheeks as she tilted back her head to meet his unreadable gaze. She wanted to believe that he'd pulled her close to protect her. Or even because he was overcome with the desire to feel her pressed against him. Unfortunately, she had a memory of her vivid dreams that'd included unhooking her seat belt so she could cuddle against the sexy vampire. Her only comfort was that she hadn't actually tried to strip off his clothes. At least she hoped not.

Pulling out of his arms, Skye shoved her riotous curls away from her face and futilely attempted to smooth the wrinkles from her dress. A lost cause, of course, but it gave her something to do as Lynx reappeared to shove open the door of the cabin and lead them onto yet another sec luded airfield.

She had a brief glimpse of a narrow runway hidden by tall rows of cypress trees before she was bundled into a van that pulled next to the jet. Micha crawled in behind her and they were driven a short distance before they were unloaded and forced onto an airboat waiting at the edge of a swampy canal.

There were two other boats waiting in the thick weeds, loaded with a variety of demons, including Yugan still weari ng his big gun.

They all had grim expressions that matched Micha's bleak mood, and the air was so thick it was hard to breathe. To be fair, she was almost certain they were in the bayous of south Louisiana. The air was always hard to breathe. But the sullen atmosphe re didn't help.

Wrapping her arms around her waist, Skye concentrated on blocking out the varied emotions that battered at her. Fear, greed, anticipation, and a barely leashed hunge r for violence.

These males were ready for battle. And she wasn't sure they cared w ho they killed.

The humid wind tugged at her curls as they skimmed and skipped their way out of the canal and into the open water of the gulf, headed directly for a nearby island. The area was shrouded in a darkness so intense that it was obvious no one lived there. Skye felt a stab of relief. She didn't doubt that Micha was simply biding his time until he decided it was time to end his captivity. And when that happened, things were going t o get very bad.

Probably best to keep the humans out of the l ooming carnage.

The boats navigated onto a crescent-shaped beach and Skye climbed out. Beneath her feet was hard-packed sand covered with driftwood and rotting vegetation. Ahead of her was a line of thick trees draped in Spanish moss that gave the impression of an impene trable barrier.

She glanced toward Micha, who was standing a few feet away. A dozen demons were spread around them, but none were brave enough to get close to the vampire, leaving him standing alone in a poo l of moonlight.

"Where are we?" she asked him.

"My private island," Micha said, his gaze locked on Lynx, who was strolling toward them. "I keep it protected for the l ocal wildlife."

Lynx clicked his tongue as he halted next to Micha. "Lies. It's a baited trap created to punish any demon who wants to challe nge the Cabal."

Micha looked bored. "Are you alway s so dramatic?"

"It's part of my charm." Lynx winked at Skye. "Isn't it, sweetness?"

Sweetness? Gag.

"It's part of something," Skye muttered.

Lynx's mocking expression faded, leaving behind the ruthless determination etched on the overly han dsome features.

"Lead us to the temple, " he commanded.

Micha folded his arms over his chest. " Lead yourself."

Yugan aimed his gun at the stubborn vampire. It wouldn't kill Micha, but it co uld weaken him.

"No, Yugan." Lynx held up his hand. "I have a better way to encourage our companion' s cooperation."

Micha parted his lips to expose his lethal fangs. As if anyone might have forgot ten about them.

"Doubtful."

Without warning, Lynx lunged toward Skye, wrapping his hand around her throat as he pressed his chest ag ainst her back.

"Hey," Skye protested, exaggerating her annoyance as she reached up to try to pry his fingers loose. At the same time, she breathed a soft chant, releasing one of the curses stored on her charm bracelet.

She felt the magic sink into his skin as he tightened his grip, threatening to snap her neck.

"I don't want to hurt her, but I will ," Lynx warned.

"Nice," Skye chided, dropping her hand. She wanted the fairy to think she'd c onceded defeat.

Micha's response was a little more dramatic. With a low hiss, he pointed toward the nearby trees, a thunderous pressure filling the air and bending the foliage until it revealed a narrow pathway.

"You want to prove you're some magical leader and not another idiot with a death wish, knock yourself ou t," he growled.

Skye felt Lynx's muscles clench. He hadn't expected Micha to give in so quickly. Now he obviously su spected a trap.

"You go first, " he commanded.

Micha sent the fairy a mocking glance as he headed toward the pat hway. "Coward."

Releasing his hold on Skye's throat, Lynx poked her in the center of the back, obviously wanting her to go ahead of him. Skye snorted. He reall y was a coward.

Not that her nerves weren't affected by the darkness that slithered over her as she stepped onto the pathway winding through the trees. This wasn't natural. The shadows were alive with magic. As if it was a living creature that hungered for blood. Or maybe flesh.

Skye reached out with her senses, absorbing the power that pulsed in the air. It came from the Gyre, but it wasn't like the one in New York City. This one was deep and primitive and wild. It was as if someone had tapped into the most ancient well of magic and allowed it to spill acr oss the island.

Had it been Micha?

Lost in her musings, Skye barely noticed the vines that glided next to the path, occasionally striking out as if trying to capture the intruders and drag them into the tangled undergrowth. They didn't appear to have any interest in her. Either because Micha was in control of them, or more likely, they assumed she was a creature like them. Create d out of magic.

Behind her, however, Lynx was forced to dart and dodge the vegetation that lashed out, muttering a string of expletives in a language that Skye didn't recognize. The fairy was more unnerved than he w anted to admit.

Slowly they neared the center of the island and Skye shivered as she was bathed in a pulsing enchantment. The lush power called to her like a siren's song, beckoning her to sink into green depths and forget the world. It was tempting. Too tempting. If she hadn't been a mage, she would never have sensed the venomous undertones if imbi bed too freely.

Malice d ipped in honey.

Behind her a scream abruptly pierced the heavy silence. Skye didn't have to look back to know that one of the demons had fallen victim to the vines. By the time they reached the clearing, three more demon s had screamed.

Unfortunately, Lynx wasn't one of them. He remained inches behind her as Micha crossed the soggy ground to lay his hand against the rusty door set in a square building made of cinder blocks.

It looked like a bomb shelter, not a setting for a mystical sword.

Curious, Skye readily followed Micha through the opening, her breath catching in her throat.

The outer shell was constructed with a spell that disguised the lavish beauty of the true temple. Once inside, her wide gaze skimmed over the pure black marble floor. The walls were covered with rich tapestries stitched with silver thread, and overhead the ceiling was painted a dark blue and splattered wit h silver stars.

There was a light, ethereal quality to the space that should have been a relief after the oppressive atmosphere they'd just left, but Skye wasn't fooled. The barriers that protected the island were woven out of nature. This was something different. It was almost metallic, but not human techno logy. It was...

S he didn't know.

She'd never sensed an ything like it.

Instinctively she halted near the door as Lynx swept past her with an avid anticipation. Behind him, Yugan forced his feet forward, looking as if he'd bitten into a lemon. They were headed toward the center of the space where a large sword was stuck into th e marble floor.

Skye narrowed her gaze, finally able to pinpoint the source of her unease.

The weapon looked like something out of a fable. It was big with a shiny blade. At least what she could see of the blade was shiny. The rest was hidden by the marble. The only thing unusual was the large chunk of red glass that was inlaid in the pommel and the weird aura that surrounded it.

It wasn't the aura of a demon. It was more like the blurred shadow around a mirage. As if it was an illusion, no t a real sword.

Skye inched to the side, moving until she was standing next to the grim -faced vampire.

"What is this place?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She didn't want to attract the attention of Lynx, who was slowly circ ling the sword.

Micha glanced toward her, his expression impossible to read. "This was the temple created by the mage. It's a monument to the de mon she loved."

Skye scrunched her nose. It wasn't that she'd forgotten the details of the ill-fated love story, but she was suddenly certain that there were a few important d etails missing.

"You're sure ?" she pressed.

"That's the legend the demons have passed through the generations." He turned until he was fac ing her. "Why?"

"I don't know what hexed the sword or built this temple, but it wasn't a mage."

Micha flicked a glance toward Lynx, who was slowly reaching toward the sword, his express ion triumphant.

"At last," the fairy breathed.

"Wait, Master!" Yugan abruptly pleaded, rushing toward Lynx. "Don't touch it. This could be a trick. Allow me to try first."

"Stop," Lynx snarled, halting his servant before he could interfere. "This is my duty. You wait outside."

Yugan's face twisted with genui ne fear. "But—"

"Now."

The warrior battled against his urge to protect his master and the compulsion to obey his command. At last his desire to please Lynx overcame his need to shield him from danger. He whirled around, stomping out of the temple.

"Arrogant ass," Skye muttered.

Lynx sent her an amused glance, his tension vanishing as he allowed his fingers to curl around the hilt of the sword. He clearly wasn't worried about the hex.

"You're right, see r," he drawled.

"About what?"

"I heard your whispered disbelief that the poor mage and her tragic lover created this temple." The fairy cast a disdainful glance toward the tapestries. "The cheesy story is nothing more than a romantic fantasy conjured by demons to h ide the truth."

An icy chill inched down Skye's spine. Not a premonition. Not even a reaction to Micha's burst of anger that was dropping the temperatur e. It was fear.

"The truth of what?"

"Of this place. And this..." With a dramatic jerk, Lynx pulled the sword out of the marble.

Only he didn't pull it out. The blade remained stuck as the hilt popped off, still clutched in Lynx's fingers.

"You broke it," Skye muttere d in confusion.

Next to her, Micha made a sound of disgust. "It's a fake."

"Of course it's a fake." Lynx laughed as he strolled toward them. "Despite overwhelming vampire opinion, demons aren't stupid." He paused, as if considering his words. "Well, let's say not all of us. There is a real sword called the Tempest. And it does everything that has been promised. Not only allowing demons to tap into the magic that still flows in our veins, but killing leeches. Permanently." He shrugged. "Unfortunately, it's a fickle weapon and it will only respond to the hand of a demon it considers worthy of being a king."

Skye pointed toward the middle of the room. "Then what 's that sword?"

"A diversion. The Tempest was famous ten thousand years ago. Every demon in the world knew of its magic and secretly lusted to carry it." Lynx smiled, as if relishing being at the center of attention. "But there was only one true master of the sword." He paused, adding drama to his story. "Lynx."

"You?"

Lynx shook his head. "It's a family name."

Skye rolled her eyes. "Predictable."

The fairy ignored her, continuing with his monologue. "The story is also true when it claims that the original Lynx was betrayed by his most trusted warrior. The bastard stuck a cursed dagger in his back. My grandfather used his dying breath to wrap it in a powerful magic that would keep it hidden until his true heir could retrieve it." He tapped the center of h is chest. "Me."

"Then who created this place?" Skye demanded.

"Lynx. He always knew there was a chance he would be deceived, so he planted the story about the lovers and built this temple." He looked excessively pleased with himself. "He paid a mage to hex it and keep his secret safe. Until I could get m y hands on it."

"Then wh y are we here?"

"The location of the sword remains hidden by the magic." Lynx held up the hilt, using his fingers to wiggle the decorative crystal out of the pommel. "I need the compass to locate it."

"A c hunk of glass?"

"Not to me. Watch."

Lynx tossed aside the hilt and balanced the smooth crystal on the palm of his open hand. For a moment nothing happened and Skye quickly whispered the words to a magical snare. If she could trap him before he could call for his waiting servants, they could bring this to an end. But even as the magic tingled through her, the fairy's aura began to pulse, the silver streaks zigzagging through the green until it was a lmost blinding.

As the silver surrounded Lynx's fingers, a glow abruptly appeared in the depths of the red crystal, as if a fire had been stroked to life b y Lynx's touch.

"Micha," Skye breat hed in warning.

She didn't know what was happening, but she knew it wasn't good.

With a low roar, Micha reached up to rip off the wire around his neck. Skye felt an irrational stab of annoyance. Aggravating leech. He could have let her know he'd managed to disable the device. Instead he made her think he'd rather have his head blown off than le t her help him.

Lynx's eyes widened, clearly blindsided by the realization that Micha was off the leash, quite literally, but he didn't panic. Not even when Micha launched himself forward. Pulling a metal object from his pocket, he tossed it in Skye's direction. She frowned as the thing rolled across the marble floor, halting as it hit the t oe of her shoe.

"Choose, vampire," Lynx warned as he raced past Skye, heading t oward the door.

On the point of running after him, Skye's air was knocked from her lungs as a freight train smashed into her back, slamming her to the ground. A second later she realized that it wasn't a freight train that pinned her to the marble, but a very heavy vampire. Trying to process what the hell was going on, her thoughts were shattered when a large explosion roc ked the temple.

Shards of marble blasted through the air like miniature daggers, slicing and stabbing into Micha as he covered her with his large form. If he hadn't been on top of her, Skye knew that she would be in serious danger.

Unfortunately, he couldn't protect her from everything. The vibrations from the explosion were still shaking the ground when the roof abruptly collapsed and a cinder block smacked her on the ba ck of the head.

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Skye was knock ed unconscious.