Chapter 13

The large antebellum house looked like it'd been plucked off a movie set. The central building was painted white with black shutters and had a wide porch with fluted columns. There were two wide wings with balconies that overlooked the carefully tended grounds and a shingled roof with brick chimneys that Skye would bet her last dime had never been used. Vampires and fire were neve r a good combo.

Stepping through the double doors, Skye halted in the center of the vast foyer. The impression of walking across a movie set was only intensified, she silently acknowledged, taking in the black-and-white tiled floor and the sweeping staircases that led upstairs. Overhead a crystal chandelier bathed the room in a soft white glow that reflected off the polished wood paneling.

Micha halted next to her, his expression tense, as if he were bracing himself for an attack.

"Is so mething wrong?"

"No," she assured him, her gaze lingering on the marble statue set in a shallow alcove. She suspected it was an original Greek sculpture. "I t's beautiful."

"But?"

She held up her hands, trying to explain her reaction to the boringly perfect house without being rude. "It doesn't seem li ke your style."

"I hired someone to design and decorate it." He shrugged. "I use the public area when I'm forced to deal with human authorities, and there are offices on the upper floors for my staff as well as cottages spread around the area for the servants who stay here full-time. Most of my employees live in New Orleans or Atlanta or Mobile to oversee my businesses."

Skye smiled wryly. That made much more sense than Micha surrounding himself with this cheesy elegance. Of course, in her defense, she wasn't accustomed to spending time with anyone who owned multiple homes, office buildings, clubs, casinos, restaurants, and who knew what else?

"So where do you li ve?" she asked.

"In the basement."

"Seriously?" She stared into his painfully beautiful face, wondering if that was some sort of joke. First of all, basements in Louisiana were a disaster waiting to happen. Eventually any hole was going to fill with swamp water. And second, this male might not fit the stiff perfection of the house, but she couldn't imagine him crouched in a dark, moldy basement.

He nodded toward one of the wide opening s. "Follow me."

Micha turned to stroll across the tiled floor, ignoring the female goblin who'd appeared on the upper landing and was glancing over the carved railing. Skye assumed the woman was one of Micha's numerous assistants, but while she appeared mildly surprised that her employer had made a sudden appearance when he was supposed to be in New York City, she didn't say a word. No doubt she was trained to stay in the background unless her services were required.

Skye's lips twitched. She would have been pounding down the stairs demanding to know what the hell was going on and who was the strange woman and how long they were going to stay. Along with a hundred o ther questions.

Which was why she worked in a coffee shop where her insatiable curiosit y was an asset.

Stepping into the dimly lit kitchen, she had a vague impression of French-style white cabinets and lots of stainless steel appliances before Micha led her into a pantry. More confused than ever, she reluctantly stepped into the cramped space and watched as the back shelves swung open. Ah. A hidden passage. Just li ke the Batcave.

Micha bent down to avoid knocking his head on the low doorframe and was swallowed by the thick shadows. Skye followed behind, her steps a lot more cautious. She could see better than most humans in the dark, but she didn't have the vision of a demo n or a vampire.

She was inching down what felt like a dirt ramp when Micha reached back to grasp her hand, as if belatedly realizing she couldn't see through the gloom. The cool touch of his fingers not only guided her through the darkness, but it also offered a strange assurance that nothing bad could happen to her. A silent promise tha t she was safe.

Skye swallowed a sigh, trying to concentrate on the sensation that they were headed down to the center of the earth instead of shivers of pleasure at his touch. What was the point of dwelling on her intense awareness of Micha? It wasn't like she had an overabundance of gorgeous, sexy, powerful males in her life. What woman wouldn't want to strip him naked and lick him from head to toe? And lots of pla ces in between.

It was much more unnerving to realize that every moment she spent in his company, he was stealing another chunk of her heart...

The treacherous thought was just forming when Micha hit a switch and a soft glow spread through the cavern that stretched in front of her. Skye's lips parted as she released a soft gasp of shock.

The vast opening was carved stone with a flat bedrock floor and a coved ceiling that towered above them, but there was nothing natural about the space. It was all too smooth and polished, without a hint of mildew or decay. She closed her eyes, attempting to pinpoint the spell. It had to be powerful to create such a vast space and maintain it against the pressures of Mother Nature. The re was nothing.

She opened her eyes to discover Micha watching her with an unner ving intensity.

"How's this possible?"

His eyes glowed like molten gold as he stepped toward her. "My powers are intertwine d with nature."

"You?" She blinked, genuinely shocked. "You created these caverns?"

"Yes." A slow smile curved his lips, revealing the tips of his fangs. Yum.

No, no, no. Not yum. She silently chided herself. She was alone with a dangerous predator. She shouldn't be wondering if the rumors were true that those fangs could cause an orgasm with one bite. And if the bigger the fangs, the more pleasure they could give a partner. And if he'd ever fed from a woman's inner thigh... A flush stai ned her cheeks.

"Skye?"

Micha's voice shattered her X-rated thoughts and Skye cleared the lump from her throat. Was it warm in the cavern? Or w as it just her?

"What if something happens to you?" She blurted out the first question that her fuzzy brain co uld latch onto.

The gold in his eyes shimmered, easily catching the scent of her desire on the air. Thankfully, he allowed her to pretend that she wasn't hot and increas ingly bothered.

"I hired several local mages and spent a fortune to create the perfect atmosphere for my collections, as well as providing lights throughout my lair. I purchased an additional layer of magic to protect the irreplaceable items." He waved a hand toward the tall glass cabinets that lined the lengt h of one wall.

It took a minute but at last Skye could make out the shimmering forcefield that surrounded them. She didn't doubt that the magic would cause a painful response if anyone was stupid enough to touch them.

He turned to point toward the heavy steel vault that took up a portion of the opposite wall. "And the ones that are too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands are triggered to self-destruct if I'm destroyed or if someone tries to steal them." He paused, his jaw tightening as if he was struck with an unpleasant thought. "Although, I spent a fortune on manpower, not to mention using a large amount of my own powers, to protect a hexed sword that was basically useless. I'm not as confident in my ability to distinguish genuine artifacts from illusions as I used to be."

She grimaced. She didn't blame him for his annoyance. Before today, she would have assumed it would be suicidal to at tack the Cabal.

A bad time for assumpti ons, obviously.

Turning toward the other side of the cavern, Skye strolled toward the sturdy shelves that displayed a variety of gem-encrusted weapons and marble busts of various human royalty and military leaders. Micha had no doubt met them all during his long life, but to her they were figures out of history.

She'd reached the middle of the cavern when she came to an abrupt halt. She'd caught an unexpected scent. Lilies? The sweet aroma drifted past her at the same time she felt a brush of electricity prickle over her cheek. An invisible touch that made the hair on her nape rise.

"Do you live here alone?" she asked, glancing ove r her shoulder.

Micha arched a brow as he sauntered to stand next to her. "I don't have a lover, if that's what you're asking."

Yes .

She shook her head even as satisfaction flared through her. She truly hadn't been asking the question, but she wasn't sad to be reassured he didn't have a roommate. Especially a roommate who shared his bed.

"I wasn't," she insisted, reaching up to touch her cheek. It still tingled. "I just sense..."

"What?"

"A presence."

The finely chiseled features appeared more intrigued than worried by her revelation.

"This lair appears to be a barren cavern, but it's at the very heart of the Gyre. The power puls es in the air."

She cautiously lowered the barriers she'd built over the past twenty years. They not only protected her from the emotions of others, but they muted the magic that flowed through the world. A necessary precaution considering not all powers were benign. She didn't want to get hit by a blast of evil before she could p rotect herself.

A second later she gasped. It was one thing to be braced for the power that thundered beneath her feet, but nothing could prepare her for the magic that rolled over her lik e a tidal wave.

It wasn't the same as most Gyres. It didn't have the raw power of Valen's territory. Or the delicate enchantment of the European Gyres. And it most certainly wasn't the lingering echo of a dragon lair.

This was...arcane magic. Ancient powers that had formed the world out of dust and starlight.

"Older," she wh ispered in awe.

"Ol der than what?"

"It's old er than magic."

Micha's brows lowered, his gaze sweeping across the cavern as if searching for a hidden enemy.

"Is it dangerous?"

Skye considered the question. The brush against her cheek hadn't been painful, but it hadn't been comforting, either. More of a desire to be noticed.

"It doesn't feel threatening," she assured him, then frowned as the air thickened, as if the spirit was sending a warning. "Not to us ," she amended.

Micha slowly nodded, his brief unease replaced with a rueful acceptance. "This is Louisiana. It would be a shame if my lair w asn't haunted."

"True."

Micha waved a hand toward the opening between the bookcases. "I'll show you to your rooms."

She nodded in agreement, not sure what to expect as they moved through a wide tunnel that branched off in every direction, giving the sense of a vast spiderweb running beneath the bayous. The caverns were stark, but they didn't feel inhospitable. It was more a feeling of an empty space waitin g to be filled.

Pushing open the wooden door at the end of the tunnel, Micha waved for Skye to enter. As she stepped over the threshold, a soft light spilled from an overhead globe connected to a magical spell that ran through the caverns. Micha hadn't exaggerated when he said he'd spent a fortune on mages. The glow revealed a surprisingly cozy room with a large four-poster bed and a polished wood armoire that was left open to reveal the satin robes hanging inside. There was also an opening on the far side that offered a glimpse of a bathroom complete with a walk-in shower. Skye released a sigh of pleasure. Exactly w hat she needed.

"You can rest here while I—"

"I'm not tired," she cut off his words, then ruined her claim with a wide yawn. She held up her hand as he started to protest. "Really, I'm fine," she insisted, well aware there would be no way she could sleep. No matter how tired she might be. "A shower, maybe something to eat, and I'll be ready to figure out what magic was protectin g the crystal."

The golden gaze swept over her stubborn expression before Micha offered a grudging nod.

"I'll have fresh clothes and dinner delivered while you shower," he promised. "My staff has access to the finest restaurants in New Orleans. They can have whatever you desire in less than an hour. What are y ou hungry for?"

Skye pressed her hand against her stomach as it rumbled, licking her lips in anticipation. There was nothing better than Cajun cuisine.

"Everything."

Micha made a strangled sound at her response. Or maybe it was the whole lip-licking thing. He stepped closer, his icy power wrapping around her. Skye shivered. Not from cold. Oddly, the closer he stood, the hotter her blood ran. No, it wasn't odd, she silently conceded, tilting back her head as he loomed over her. He was so devastatingly beautiful. The sculpted features with a bold nose and sharply carved cheekbones and sensuous lips. His dark skin as smooth as satin and his eyes shimmering with a vibra nt golden glow.

A lush, magnificent god that stirred her dee pest fantasies.

He reached out to stroke his fingers through her curls . "Everything?"

"Yes," she agreed with out hesitation.

"All you have to do is ask and I'll make su re it's yours."

She moved forward, arching against his hard body. "That's a bold promise."

Micha hissed in pleasure, wrapping her tight in his arms as his gaze skimmed over her upturned face.

"You make me bold, Skye Claremont," he said, his voice harsh with hunger. "Until I caught sight of you in Valen's lair, all I wanted was to hide i n the shadows."

"Why?"

His hands slid up the curve of her spine, his touch igniting sparks of delight that tingled in all t he right spots.

"I've never been plagued with the restless ambitions of my brothers," he admitted, his hands continuing to explore her willing body. "I don't need to conquer and rule to satisfy my ego. All I truly wanted was peace and the opportunity to savor my vas t collections."

Skye could sympathize. She loved spending time with Maya and Peri and the customers who came into the Witch's Brew, but there was a cost to being surrounded by people. She was forced to constantly keep up her shields, even when she was alone in her rooms. Being alone with Micha in these caverns was the first time she'd ever been able to truly relax.

"So why are you a member of the Cab al?" she asked.

His jaw tightened even as his fingers traced the curve of her shoulders and down her arms. The touch was as light as a feather, but it continued to spark a desire in Skye that was threatening to rage out of control.

"Those in power always fear that someone is plotting to steal it away from them," he murmured, his nostrils flaring as he caught the unmistakable scent of her need. "And my talents are quite unique. It made me a threat whether I wanted to be or not."

She held his smoldering gaze, not remotely surprised the Cabal would be eager to control this male. The vampires ruled the world by maintaining a unified alliance. Any rogue would threaten their image of invincibility.

"I would guess your talents aren't only more unique, but they're stronger than most vampires," she said dryly, unable to imagine how much power it must have taken to carve the cavern out of pure bedrock. "Not even Valen could cre ate this lair."

He shrugged. "Just as you're unique." His hands slid up to cup her face in his palms, his gaze lowering to her mouth. "We have a great deal in common." His brows arched as she abruptly laughed at his claim. "Wh at's so funny?"

"The thought that we have anything in common," she retorted. "Your unique talents gave you a seat on the Vampire Cabal and a fabulous lair filled with treasures. Mine gave me years of imprisonment by a horde of demons and a kidnapping by yet another demon who is determined to start a war," she reminded him. "That doesn't include the vision of watching t he world burn."

He flinched, as if her words caused him physical pain. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of the bastards who hel d you captive."

She reached up to press her fingers against his lips. "I'm not trying to get sympathy. My life hasn't been that bad; in fact, the past few years have been wonderful," she said. And it was true. Since moving into the Witch's Brew, she'd discovered that it was possible to wake each morning with a sense of anticipation that it was going to be a great day. And to know that she would always have her friends at her side. It was a gift that she never took for granted. "But I'm not sure we have m uch in common."

His fingers circled her wrist, pressing his lips to the center of her palm before he allowed his fangs to lengthen, scraping them down sensitive flesh to rest against the vein of h er inner wrist.

"Then I'll have to convince you."

Skye's heart thumped against her ribs, her stomach quivering with a fevered yearning. She wanted to be convinced. Over and o ver and over...

"How would you do that?" Her voice was a rough rasp, her breath coming out i n jagged pants.

He'd done nothing more than touch her with the tips of his fangs and she was on fire. What would happen if he actually bit her? Spontane ous combustion?

It was a re al possibility.

"I could start with this." He grazed his fangs up her forearm before lifting his head. His expression was stark with hunger. The same hunger that pulsed inside her. "Or maybe yo u prefer this?"

He bent down to claim her mouth with a blatant need. Skye grasped his shoulders as her back curved beneath the pressure of his kiss, but she didn't protest. In fact, she met him kiss for ravenous kiss. She hated being treated like a china doll, especially when she was i n a man's arms.

Micha muttered something in an ancient language, his hands cupping her backside to haul her tight against his thickening erection. Skye had a moment to savor the sheer size of his arousal before she was distracted as his tongue dipped be tween her lips.

She moaned in pleasure, the urge to tug him toward the nearby bed thundering through her. She wanted his powerful hands ripping off her dress and spreading her legs before his heavy body was pressing her into the mattress and his fangs were sinking deep i nto her throat.

As if able to read her mind, Micha turned his head to glide his fangs down the cur ve of her neck.

"You taste of destiny," he murmured in a thick voice.

Destiny...

The word whispered in the back of her mind, setting off tiny bells of alarm. Skye stiffened, the unwelcome memory of flames and doom intruding into the dreamy sense of bliss.

Dammit.

Why couldn't her visions be of buttercups and puppies? Or bathing in chocolate? Or spending endless centuries devouring the male who was nuzzling the pulse at the curve of her throat?

Heaving a heavy sigh, Skye pressed her hands against his broad chest. "Speaking of destiny," she re luctantly said.

Slowly Micha lifted his head, frustration boiling deep in his eyes. "Are you reminding me that we're wasting time?"

Skye smoothed her hands over his hard muscles. "It doesn' t feel wasted."

An insatiable craving throbbed in the air between them, but Micha forced his arms to lower as h e stepped back.

"No, but you're right," he agreed. "We need to concentrate on stopping Lynx." His gaze continued to smolder with desi re. "But soon."

An aching regret tugged at her heart. What if they couldn't halt the coming flames? What if she never discovered the intense pleasure of having this male movin g inside her...

No, she couldn't t hink like that.

She had to believe they were going to turn fate and save the world.

"Soon," she whispered.

His fangs remained fully extended, but regaining his composure, Micha pointed t oward the door.

"My library is the second doo r on the left."

"I'll find you." He turned to leave, but Skye impulsively reached out to grasp hi s arm. "Micha."

He glanced back, his brows arched. "Yes?"

"You still didn't explain why y ou live alone."

A slow, devastating smile curved his lips. "I h adn't met you."

The breath was knocked from Skye's lungs as he turned and smugly sauntered away.

I hadn't met you .

Such simple words, but they had the potential to change Skye's life forever. Always assuming they'd survive long enough to discover if they had a future together, she wryly re minded herself.

Grabbing one of the robes, Skye headed into the bathroom and closed the door. Then, stripping off her dress that was torn and filthy, she tossed it in the trash and stepped into the shower. It was an hour before she forced herself to switch off the hot water and dry off. Not only had the pounding water eased her aching muscles, but it was the first decent shower she'd had in years. As much as she loved the Witch's Brew, it wasn't blessed with water pressure.

Leaving her damp curls to bounce freely down to her shoulders, she returned to the bedroom to discover a pair of jeans and a fuzzy yellow sweater folded neatly on the bed along with a tray that was filled with gumbo, dirty rice, shrimp scampi, and a platt er of beignets.

Her mouth watered at the scent of garlic and butter and rich spices. Micha must have sent the helicopter to pick up the food to have it there so quickly. Not about to let his generosity go to waste, she perched on the edge of the bed and ate her way through enough food to feed a football player. She didn't have Peri and Maya's ability to absorb the magic that leaked from the auras of demons. She needed a more ordinary b urst of energy.

With an effort, she managed not to lick the plates, although she did stick her fingers into her mouth to clean off the powdered sugar from the beignets. It would be a sin to wipe away that ooey goodness. Then, dressing in the jeans and sweater, she went in s earch of Micha.

Not that it was much of a search. She could have closed her eyes and easily looped her way through the complicated tunnel system. His power pulsated through the air like the steady beat of a drum.

Strolling the short distance down the corridor, she stepped into his private library and came to an abrupt halt. Her mouth fell open as she allowed her gaze to roam over the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that consumed three of the walls. They towered high enough that it would take a ladder to reach the top and were lit by spotlights hidden in the be drock overhead.

She turned in a slow circle, thoroughly enchanted. There had to be thousands of leather-bound books. Many of them so old the bindings would no doubt have crumbled to dust if the climate in the cavern wasn't carefully controlled. Like a museum for knowledge. And on the far wall a glass case displayed ancient maps. Many of them revealing a world that was barel y recognizable.

A deep sigh escaped her parted lips and without warning a cool wash of power spilled th rough the room.

"Is ev erything okay?"

Skye glanced over her shoulder as Micha entered the room behind her wearing a black cashmere sweater that clung to his broad chest and a pair of silk slacks. His hair was damp as if he'd just stepped out of the shower, and his eyes glowed li ke molten gold.

She blinked, and then blinked again.

Oh no. She most definite ly wasn't okay.

Every time she caught sight of this male, his beauty set off an explosion of awareness. And that didn't even include the thunderous impact of his power that made the earth tremble be neath her feet.

Still, now wasn't the time to share her struggle to concentrate on anything but the awareness scraping her nerves raw. Once the passion between them was ignited, she had no doubt it was going to burn out of control.

They had other fires to fight first.

"I'm drowning in envy," she instead murmured, waving her hand toward the nearby shelves. "When you said you had a library, I had no idea it would be this."

"These are the books that I share with interested researc hers," he said.

Skye blinked in shock. "There's more?"

Micha nodded toward the opening on the far side of the library. " Through there."

Skye eagerly crossed the floor to enter the inner chamber, instantly feeling the thick layers of protection that had been laid over the cupboards that l ined the walls.

"Inside the cabinets are the scrolls and manuscripts that are too rare or too fragile to be handled by anyone but an expert, as well as the more dangerous artifacts I've collected," he told her, not bothering to give a tour as he headed toward an opening on the other side of the space. "And through there—"

"Magic," she whispered, lured through the open doorway like a bee to honey.

It was a smaller space than the other rooms, with a low ceiling and an atmosphere thick enough to choke her. Maya had a vault beneath the Witch's Brew where they kept the spell books and artifacts that were too powerful to leave lying around. And it felt just like this when she entered it.

A buzzing in the air that prickled over her skin. Like electricity. Or standing in a thunderstorm.

"Yes, magic," Micha murmured and Skye glanced back to discover his gaze locked on her with unner ving intensity.

She sent him a rueful smile. "I'm starting to understand why you never wanted to leave here."

"Maybe I didn't realize what I was missing," he admitted, strolling to stand directly i n front of her.

She studied his elegant features, wanting nothing more than to step forward and wrap her arms around his hard body. When she was this close to him it didn't feel as if anything ba d could happen.

Unfortunately, her vision had been a warning that she c ouldn't ignore.

"There are some wonderful things. And some not so wonderful things," she said. "But I would miss it i f it was gone."

He stroked his finger over a bouncy curl. "It's not goi ng to be gone."

She smiled wryly. "More bold promises."

His hand cupped her cheek. "Eventually I intend to make t hem come true."

"A visio n?" she teased.

"A hope." His fingers tightened, as if he was battling the urge to kiss her. Then, with a small shake of his head, he dropped his hand and stepped back. "I'll start my search in the main library. If you need me, just give a shout."

She watched him leave with a pang. Just because her brain understood they couldn't be distracted until the threat had been eliminated didn't mean that her body had gotten the memo. It sulked like a petulant child d enied a cookie.

And w hat a cookie...

With a click of her tongue, she shoved away the erotic image of nibbling Micha from head to toe and forced herself to focus on her surroundings. Closest to her were glass cabinets filled with a variety of items. As she moved toward them she could see that each of them glowed with power. Some were hexed, others held curses, and a few were bespelled with traps intended to harm whoever was foolish enough t o pick them up.

She moved to the next cabinet. Inside were a dozen vessels. A few were ceramic, others were glass, and some were molded out of pewter. She assumed that each of them held a potion, but she wasn't going to check. At least not on this visit.

She had high hopes she was going to be invited back for a more thorough inspection of the collection.

Reaching the shelves at the back, she hesitated. There were nearly a hundred leather-bound books that appeared to be arranged by age, from oldest to newest, and honestly she didn't know where to start.

Probably because she didn't have a clue what sort of magic had been protecting the sword. It wasn't fey, or goblin, or mage. Unless the hex was so old that it'd transformed into something completely new and different. Peri had discovered the dangers of ancient magic entombed too long in the depth s of the earth.

And there was something different about the magic that smoldered in this Gyre. It might have altered the original spell.

With impeccable timing, the smell of lilacs swirled through the air, and one of the books from the top shelf toppled forward to land on the floor. Skye released a small squeak as she instinctively danced back. She loved books, but these were filled with magic. There was a real possibility that they contained spells, curses, hexes, and other nasty surprises. There was also a real possibility that the mysterious spirit was trying to drive her away.

There was a blast of icy air before Micha rushed into the room. Obviously he'd heard her tiny squeak. A reminder that this male possessed super-duper senses. It would be impossible to hide anything from him. Including her habit of singing off-key in the shower and eating copious amounts of chocolate when sh e was stressed.

His smoldering gaze swept around the room, his fangs fully exposed. "Wha t's happening?"

The words had barely left his lips when the book flipped open and a ball of mist rose to h over in midair.

"Either this is the start of a horror show, or the book was triggered with a spell," she muttered, touching the charms on her bracelet as she prepared to try to contain the magic the spirit had unleashed.

Micha hissed, his power thumping through the room. "Are we in danger?"

Skye's fear eased to curiosity as the mist expanded until it was taller than her and twice as wide. It didn't feel threatening. There was nothing tangible about the fog as it began to thin and fade. In fact, it was remar kably familiar.

"I don't think so," she finally decided. "This feels like a vision..." She struggled to pinpoint exactly what was happening as an image slowly formed in the center of the mist. It was like a doorway had been opened and they were peering inside. "But different," she l amely finished.

"Is it the future?"

She shook her head, studying the cavern that was being revealed. For a second, Skye thought it might be Micha's lair, but then she noticed the mosaic tiled floor and fluted columns that held up a ceiling embedded with precious gems. In the very center of the floor was a heavy white pedestal that appeared to be carved from white marble thre aded with gold.

"It's the past," she finally concluded. Skye couldn't explain the sense of age that pressed against her, but she was absolutely certain that she was glimpsing a place from the far distant pa st. "A memory."

He sent her a confused glance. "Whose memory?"

"I'm not sure, but it was deliberately captured and stored in the book," she explained. "I've heard of the spell, but I've never seen one or known a mage capable of creating one."

A minute passed and then another and another as they stared at the image that h ung in the air.

"Intriguing, but I'm not sure it's going to help us." Micha abruptly bro ke the silence.

As if his words had prompted the spell to reveal its secrets, a shadow flickered at the edge of the cavern and a tall, slender woman wearing a fur cape that brushed the mosaic floor appeared. Her red hair was curled in an elaborate braid that looked like a crown and held hints of fire in the soft lighting. Odd. Even more odd, her face glowed with a metallic bronzed sheen.

But it was the fire that surrounded her that captured Skye's attention. Not the aura of a demon. It blasted around her like solar flares around the sun. A fiery, ruthless power.

"Dragon," Micha mut tered in shock.

"Really?" No wonder the magic felt old. Although she'd been surrounded by demons most of her life, she hadn't spent much time or effort studying their history. Her secluded childhood meant she had a lot of catching up to do to learn how to be a mage. She didn't have time for anything else. But she did have a vague idea that the latest dragon hibernation had started around thirteen thousand years ago, prompting the beginning of the last ice age, but honestly, it could have been even longer ago. "Are you sure?"

"I have no memory of the beasts in my current form, but I've done enough research to recognize one."

Skye nodded. "That explains her outrageous aura. If she was standing in the room I would be blinded. And she's not even in her natural form."

"There are writings that claim that earthquakes shook the ground when they walked and a flap of their wings could cause typho ons," he added.

A sudden realization smacked into Skye like a freight train. The spell might be revealing the past, but it was connected to her vision. She was abso lutely certain.

"And breathe flames that could dest roy the world?"

Micha stiffened at her soft words. "It's possible." Then he shook his head. "But only if they were wakened."

A shiver inched down Skye' s spine. "Yes."

A shadow flickered in the image and the dragon turned as she was joined by a male. He wasn't much taller than the female, but he was twice as wide with heavy muscles that rippled beneath a leather tunic that left his arms bare and ended at the leather boots laced up to his knees. His skin was a rich brown and his head was shaved to reveal an intricate tattoo that swirled from his brow to his nape. The fact that he had no aura revealed he was either a human or a vampire, then he came into sharp focus and Skye didn't have to guess what species he belonged to.

His fangs could rival a saber-t oothed tiger's.

"Tatis," Micha said, a hint of wondermen t in his voice.

"You know him?"

"Only through the stories that were passed down. He was killed during the la st demon wars."

The name didn't mean anything to Skye. "I assume he was famous for a reason?"

"He negotiated the treaty that ended the reign of the dragons. Which means the female must be Zanna, Que en of Dragons."

Skye arched her brows, watching as the dragon and vampire stood in the center of the cavern, their lips moving as if they were having a heated exchange. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the flares of fire that danced around the dragon and the layers of ice that coated the rock floor warned they weren't exchanging ple asant chitchat.

"I'd heard there was some sort of treaty, but I thought that was a myth, " she admitted.

He sent her a baffled glance. "The dragons?"

"No, that a vampire managed to convince them to go into hibernation." She shrugged. "I figured it was time for the dragons to sleep, like a bear during winter, and a vampire decided to take credit for their disappearance."

His lips twitched even as he shook his head at her audacity. "Not an unreasonable hypothesis, I suppose, but according to vampire lore, it was a joint decision to prevent our mutu al extinction."

"Yo u were at war?"

He hesitated, his expression smoothing to unreadable lines. Her lack of education wasn't the only reason she wasn't overly familiar with demon or vampire history. They were notoriously secretive. Vampires rarely shared anything about the inner workings of the Cabal or how they'd gained power over the Gyres.

And they most certainly never discussed how they were resurrected after they died. Skye didn't even know how a new body was chosen or where they went while they were in betwe en human forms.

Then with an effort he answered her question. "The war wasn't organized, but there was a constant battle for who would control the variou s territories."

"Wh o was winning?"

"For countless eons, dragons controlled the world," he conceded. "There weren't many of them, but dragon fire is the one certain way to dest roy a vampire."

Skye widened her eyes. "Fore ver destroyed?"

"Yes. There was a time in the long-distant past when there were thousands of my brothers roam ing the world."

Yikes. Thousands of vampires? That was...horrifying. She shuddered, happy she hadn't been around when there were an overabundance of vampires roaming around and dragons were belchin g fire at them.

"If dragons could destroy the vampires, then why would they agre e to a treaty?"

"The vampires discovered that dragon scales could be pierced by iron. Once they created weapons that could slay the beasts at a distance, my brothers went on a killing spree." Micha grimaced, as if troubled by the savagery of his people. "Eventually the dragons were forced to accept they had no choice but to negotiate with the vampires and find a way to exist without exterminating one another." He nodded toward the male and female still arguing in the mist. "They eventually concluded if they couldn't live in peace, they would have to take turns shar ing the world."

"Were the de mons involved?"

"At the time, most of them were enslaved by either the vampires or the dragons. At least until the dragons went into hibernation. From the artwork and scrolls that managed to survive from that time period, it seemed there was a lot of chaos. Not surprising. There would have been a major power vacuum before the vampires managed to gain control. Plus, for many goblins and fairies it was the first time in their existence that they'd been free. Eventually they started forming their own hordes." His lips twisted into a wry smile. "It was inevitable it would lead to the fi rst demon war."

There was a movement from inside the mist and Skye returned her attention to the silent tableau that was unfolding. Tatis and Zanna stared at each other with a tangible loathing, but they both manag ed a stiff bow.

"They must have come to some sort of agreemen t," Micha said.

"Zanna doesn't look happy," Skye retorted, watching the flames dance around the dragon's slender body as if she was struggling to restrain them.

"There's someone else coming," Micha murmured as there was more movement, and a tall male with long reddish-gold hair and blue eyes so dark that Skye initially thought they were black strolled to stand between the two powerful creatures. He was wearing a long, silvery robe threaded with gold that shimmered as he walked. His hood was up, but she could make out the delicate lines of his profile.

Skye studied him in confusion. She felt as if she'd met him bef ore. But where?

"A demon?" she aske d in confusion.

Micha shook his head. "Back then there was no mistaking a goblin or fairy," he reminded her. "Most goblins stood over seven feet tall and fairies still had wings. Plus, th ere's no aura."

Lifting a hand, the unknown creature pushed back his hood, and Skye could make out an arrogant expression and a famil iar half smile.

"Oh. He looks a little like Lynx," she said, although that didn't fully satisfy her sense of recognition.

"That must be his relative. The original Lynx."

"And the reason this spell was triggered."

"You think someone wanted us to see this particular mem ory?" he asked.

She nodded. It was the only thing that made sense, unless it'd been the most amazing coincidence in the history of the world. Her thoughts had been focused on the crystal and the mysterious spell that had protected the temple. The spirit must have activated the magic to rev eal the memory.

"I do."

His golden gaze swept over her face, as if searching for a secret. "There's something bothering you."

She clicked her tongue in frustration. "I feel as if I can almost recognize the male. Not just because he looks a little like Lynx, but..." She shook her head. "I can't think of who it is."

The male they assumed was Lynx reached into a hidden pocket of his robe and pulled out a scroll. Then, with a flamboyant motion, he unrolled the document and spread it on the pedestal, revealing the glyphs etched on the parchment. Minutes passed before the vampire and dragon nodded in grudging agreement and Lynx covered the scroll with his hand. Seconds later the middle of the pedestal seemed to melt into a puddle and the scroll sank out of view. Skye arched her brows. She didn't know what sort of magic the creature possessed, but it was powerful. Had his great-times-ten-grandson inherited the same magic? Skye grimaced at the thought.

Trying to shuffle through the spotty history she'd learned of magic users in an attempt to identify the male, Skye nearly missed the conclusion of the treaty. It wasn't until the vampire lifted his hand to press his thumb against the lethal point of his fang that she realized that the dragon was already shaking blood on the pedestal where the scroll had disappeared. Sparks exploded and Skye imagined she could hear the sizzle as the blood hit the marble. A puff of smoke was starting to rise, only to instantly freeze as the vampire's blood hit the marble in the exact spot. The two splatters of blood darkened and spread across the pedestal, bubbling as if it was brewing into some sort of toxi c amalgamation.

And maybe it was. Even as she watched, a mist formed above the blackish liquid. It thickened, pulsing with a crimson glow. It continued to pulse and thicken, shrinking to t he size of a...

Skye sucked in a sharp breath. "That's the crystal that Lynx took from the swor d," she rasped.

In the vision, the original Lynx grasped the crystal and slid the large gem i nto his pocket.

Only it wasn't a gem, she reminded herself. It was the mixed blood between a dragon and a vampire that had hardened into a shiny rock. So what did that mean?

"Did you see that?" Micha abruptly demanded, his gaze locked on the fading image as the dragon and vampire marched out of view, both clearly unhappy with the situation.

"See wh at?" she asked.

"Can you repl ay the vision?"

Skye considered his request. "I'm not sure," she finally confessed, " but I can try."

Closing her eyes, Skye concentrated on the lingering scent of lilacs. The spirit seemed to be the bridge that connected her to the magical memory. Nothing happened and she opened her eyes to tell him that it was impossible, when the fog abruptly returned with the image of th e empty cavern.

Skye remained silent as the scene played out, her attention locked on the strange demon who was obviously the negotiator between the vampires and dragons. If he wasn't a demon, th en what was he?

"There." Micha broke the silence, pointing toward Zanna as she halted next to Lynx and leaned forward. She placed her fingers on his neck as she whispered in his ear, then pulling away, she scraped her nails over his flesh. "S he marked him."

Skye leaned forward as if it would help her to see the faint lines of magic that formed an intricate pattern before sinking in to Lynx's skin.

"It looks like some sort of binding sp ell," she said.

"What does a bin ding spell do?"

"Lots of things." She shrugged. "It can be used in a love potion or a curse or something as simple as luring customers back to the shop to enjoy my yummy lemon and blu eberry scones."

"Could it force someon e to obey you?"

"Like a comp ulsion spell?"

He nodded and Skye tried to imagine the amount of magic it would take.

"I suppose it's possible, but it would be an extremely short-term compulsion, and it would swiftly drain the magi c of any mage."

"What a bout a dragon?"

"I honestly have no idea," she admitted. "Do you think that Lynx was somehow forced to place the crystal in that sword and send his ancestor to retrieve it thousands o f years later?"

His lips twisted as the vision once again faded. "Put like that, it sounds like a ridi culous theory."

"We're grasping at straws. All we have are ridiculous theories," she reminded him. "Still, the memory spell did reveal why I didn't recognize the magic that surrounded the hexed sword. I'm not sure what species the original Lynx was, but I suspect it's something I've never encountered before. And we know now that the crystal is n't a compass."

Micha turned toward her, silently considering her words. "Maybe not a compass in the traditional sense, but there's a chance it might lead the owner to the location of the treaty, " he suggested.

She slowly nodded. The crystal was formed out of the mixed blood of the vampire and the dragon, intended to seal their treaty. It made sense it would lead the owner bac k to that spot.

What didn't make sense was why Lynx had gone to such an effort to get his hand s on the thing.

"Why would anyone want to go there?" She spoke her confusion out loud. "Unless the magical sword that Lynx claims he's looking for is hidden in the same location?"

"There's only one wa y to find out."

She blinked. Was he suggesting that they travel to the location of the treaty? "You kno w where it is?"

He stepped toward her. Close enough his icy power brushed over her like a soft caress.

"I have a general idea of where it is hidden. Plus, there's several books that have hints to help us pinpoint the precise spot."

She tilted back her head to meet his gol den gaze. "Us?"

He threaded his fingers through her damp curls before he angled his head down to touch her lips in an achin gly sweet kiss.

"We're partners, aren't we?" he asked aga inst her mouth.

She trembled in pleasure, ready, willing, and eager to join this male's team. "I suppose w e'll find out."

* * * *

Valen was reviewing the security footage for the thousandth time, futilely hoping he would notice something he'd overlooked, when the door to the office was shoved open. Surging to his feet, he gathered his power like a thundercloud. He'd warned his staff he wasn't to be interrupted. Not by anyone.

But even as he prepared to strike the intruder, he was forced to leash his temper as Gabriel entered the room. The male's expression was wary as he glanced around, and he was wearing black silk pants with a charcoal sweater and suede jacket, as if he was prepa ring to go out.

"All alone?" he asked Valen.

"For the moment." Valen stepped around the desk, his jaw clenched at the memory of his latest clash with Kane. If the ambassador hadn't been in the room it most certainly would have ended in bloodshe d. "Thank God."

"Is Peri sleeping?" Ga briel demanded.

"Yes. I finally convinced her to lie down an hour ago. She's terrified for her friend, but she's so tired she can't keep her eyes open. The stress is going to make her ill."

"Kane?" G abriel pressed.

The books rattled on the nearby shelves as Valen struggled to keep his temper. "The bastard followed the ambassador down to the guest suites. He's still complaining that Maya and Peri should be imprisoned until we discover what happ ened to Micha."

With a nod, Gabriel moved to stand directly in front of Valen, his voice barely a bove a whisper.

"Fortunately for us, Maya isn' t locked away."

"Why do you say that?"

Gabriel hesitated, glancing around as if he was worried they were being watched. And it was possible, Valen acknowledged with a stab of frustration. Until he discovered who'd given the fairy the keycard to get to the guest rooms, he had to assume there was a traitor in the building. One that might have planted hidden cameras.

Motioning the male to remain silent, Valen led him across the room to press his fingers against the bookshelf. It swung inward and they stepped into his private office. Only Peri was allowed in there. It was the one place he could work without interruption. Which meant no servants or random guests would have access to this location to hide a bugging device.

Valen waited for the door to close behind them before he led Gabriel past the glass cases displaying his collection of Ottoman artifacts and Roman daggers on one wall and the high-tech monitors that displayed images of his various clubs, spread from Boston to Washington, DC, on the opposite wall. It wasn't until he reached the massive desk angled to take in the stunning view of the park through the floor-to-ceiling window that he halted and turned to face his companion.

"What did you discover?"

"Maya sent me some interesting photos." Gabriel pulled his phone from the pocket of his pants. He touched the screen before he turned it so Valen could see the image he'd pulled up.

A growl rumbled in Valen's throat as he easily recognized the long-haired demon with a weasel face.

"Hexx. He runs a pawnshop in the Bronx."

"Maya sent a text that claimed this is the demon who provided the disguise amulets that the ki dnappers used."

"Dammit." Valen snapped his fangs together. "I suspected he was dealing in the black market, but he's never stepped over the line far enough for me to interfere. Obviou sly a mistake."

Gabriel didn't try to make him feel better. Instead he turned the phone to pull up another image.

"She also said that she saw this demon." He turned the phone so Valen could make out the large goblin with a shaved head and bright red aura. "He was at the same spot a couple days ago. He was meeting with a demon named Gunther and his local horde. She didn't know why, beyond the fact that he'd hired them for some my sterious task."

Valen studied the image. "He looks familiar, but I ca n't place him."

"Maybe t his will help."

Gabriel brushed his fingers over the screen, pulling up yet another image. This one was obviously from a newspaper article and blurry, as if it had been taken at a long distance through a zoom lens, but it was clear enough to reveal Kane in formal attire as he entered the Kremlin. And two steps behind was a goblin with a shaved head wearing a mi litary uniform.

"Igor Triton. Kane's top lieutenant," Valen hissed, belatedly realizing he'd seen the male during his occasional visits to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg over three hundred years ago. "When did she se nd the photos?"

"Fiftee n minutes ago."

"Where?"

Gabriel slid the phone back into his pocket. "Green House Theater in Upper Manhattan. I hav e the address."

Valen headed toward the door. "We need to get to that theater."

Valen moved in a blur of motion before Gabriel abruptly blocked his path. "You should stay here. I'll go."

"No." Valen clenched his fists. He hated to leave Peri alone, but right now it was vital to discover who was behind the kidnapping and where they'd taken Micha and Skye. The sooner the better. "Kane threatened my mate. I'll do th e questioning."

Gabriel wisely stepped aside as Valen plowed forward, heading out of the office and across the outer salon to the elevator. His assistant, Renee, appeared before she hastily ducked out of sight as she easily sensed his emotions that rolled through the penthouse like a tide of doom.

Fury. Frustration. And grim determination to bring a brutal end to the threat ag ainst his mate.

They reached the lobby, but before Valen could decide the quickest way to get to the theater, Gabriel pushed open the glass door and nodded toward the black SUV parked ne xt to the curb.

"This is mine."

In silence they climbed into the waiting vehicle and settled into the plush leather seats. The driver waited for Gabriel's tap on the back of the seat before he pulled away from the building and began weaving his way through the nearly empty streets. They managed to reach the theater at a speed that would have been impossible if it wasn't so late. Or so early, depending on whether you were a night or a day creature.

Valen was definitely in the night creature category and his senses were already warning him that he had to be safely tucked in his lair in less than two hours.

The knowledge added an extra edge to his impatience, but Valen forced himself to point toward an alley a couple of blocks from the theater. He wasn't going to do Peri any good if he rushed into a trap. Or worse, spooked the ene my into flight.

"Stop here," he commanded, his voice harsh. "I don't want to give him the opportun ity to escape."

Gabriel nodded as the driver glanced into the rearview mirror. A second later they were stopped in the alley and climbing out of the SUV to silently glide throu gh the shadows.

"He might already be gone," Gabriel warned as they cautiously circled the aging theater, making sure there were no hidden demons waiting to ambush them.

"If he was here I can track him," Valen assured his companion. He wasn't being arrogant. Locating and following both demons and vampires was one of his specialized talents. "As long as he doesn't have magical help disappearing ," he conceded.

If the demon was dabbling in black-market items, there was always the possibility he possessed a spell to cover his trail. The thought shattered his fierce determination to use his brain, not his unbeating heart, to confront the enemy. Heading to the side of the building, he kicked the rusty door off its hinges and stepped inside.

Valen moved through the darkness, searching for any hint of demons. "I caught the scent of Hexx on the front sidewalk, but he never entered the building," he fin ally concluded.

"Wait. I smell demon," Gabriel warned, moving across the wide foyer to push open the doors to the auditorium.

Valen was instantly hit with a potent stench. "Demon blood," he growled, aware of Gabriel pulling a dagger from a hidden sheath beneath his jacket even as his gaze moved to the body dangling by its feet from the chandelier overhead. The wide torso had been gutted, spilling blood and guts over the rotting seats. The grisly sight was magnified by the realization that the demon was mi ssing his head.

Already knowing what he was about to see, Valen braced himself as he glanced toward the stage. He'd spent a lot of years surrounded by feral barbarian warriors and ruthless Roman legions. The depths of depravity during times of war were bottomless. It didn't matter if it was humans or demo ns or vampires.

Evil was just benea th the surface.

As he expected, he discovered the head of the demon planted in the center of the stage, face grinning at him with a g houlish horror.

"Shit," he muttered as he recognized Kane's fa ithful servant.

Igor Triton.

Gabriel stepped next to him, the dagger still clutched in his hand. "W e're too late."