beautiful creature should be enjoyed by all.”
Don’t overreact, Nefri, she silently warned herself, the woman is only trying to provoke you.
“For now I have need of his skills.”
“Will you return him when you’re done with his”—deliberate pause—“skills?”
“No.”
“Ah.” Solaris gave an abrupt laugh. “Be careful, my sister. That one will not be easily trained.”
Trained? Santiago was a barbarian.
Not that his primitive passions didn’t have a certain appeal, she grudgingly conceded. In fact, she was beginning to think that a few hours of raw, untamed sex might just be what she needed to bring an end to her annoying fascination with the male vampire.
With a silent curse, she shoved Santiago to the back of her mind. Soon enough she would have to deal with her disturbing reaction to him. One way or another. But for now she needed to focus on the most immediate danger.
And the Matron was a danger, despite her gracious manner. One wrong answer and Nefri would go from being a guest to a prisoner.
Or a pile of ash.
Something she intended to avoid.
“Perhaps we should discuss the reason you’ve had me brought to your nest,” she suggested.
“Straight to the point?” Solaris shrugged. “Very well. I want to know why the vampires have declared war on us.”
Nefri was on instant, full alert. War? Was this a trick?
“I assure you the vampires have no desire for war with anyone, least of all the Harpies,” she cautiously addressed her companion.
Solaris allowed her power to thicken the air in the room. As if Nefri needed a reminder that she was more than a match for a vampire, even one as ancient as Nefri.
“Then why are they attempting to poison our lands?”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
With a smooth step, Solaris crossed to pour herself a glass of some milky white liquid. Nectar? Taking a sip, she turned back to study Nefri with a hard gaze.
“Peace had finally settled among my people with the death of the Dark Lord.”
“It has been a blessing for all of us,” Nefri agreed.
“A blessing as well as an opportunity for the more powerful demons to flex their muscles.” The gray eyes turned dark with the threat of a looming storm. “It wouldn’t be the first time vampires enslaved those too weak to fight back.”
Nefri wasn’t stupid enough to deny the charge. The vampires had once been little better than savages who’d wielded their superiority to use and abuse the less fortunate. Even if they were fellow vampires.
“That’s the past,” she pointed out, meeting the accusing glare with a calm composure. “The new Anasso is eager to build alliances, not to make enemies.”
“And yet he sent a vampire to the border of our lands who has been spreading his infection.”
Damn. Nefri had harbored a small measure of hope that the local demons hadn’t been aware of Gaius. Or whoever (or whatever) had caused the bloodbath in his lair.
Fooling humans was simple. Demons wouldn’t be nearly so easy.
“You’re referring to Gaius?”
“I didn’t ask his name. He was medium height with dark hair and a prominent nose. And a most”—the female shuddered—“pungent aroma.”
Nefri hesitated. The Oracles had wanted this mess cleaned up as swiftly and quietly as possible, but with every passing minute it was obvious the danger was snowballing at a terrifying rate.
This was no time for diversions or discreet lies.
She not only needed whatever information the Harpies could offer, but she had to make sure they were safe. Her duty to the Commission would never be more important than the lives of innocents.
Of course, she’d been a diplomat for centuries. A small amount of truth was often preferable to a full disclosure.
“The vampire you refer to is a traitor to his people and a servant of the Dark Lord,” she admitted. “I traveled here to make sure he faces punishment for his crimes.”
Solaris emptied her glass before setting it aside. “A convenient
Don’t overreact, Nefri, she silently warned herself, the woman is only trying to provoke you.
“For now I have need of his skills.”
“Will you return him when you’re done with his”—deliberate pause—“skills?”
“No.”
“Ah.” Solaris gave an abrupt laugh. “Be careful, my sister. That one will not be easily trained.”
Trained? Santiago was a barbarian.
Not that his primitive passions didn’t have a certain appeal, she grudgingly conceded. In fact, she was beginning to think that a few hours of raw, untamed sex might just be what she needed to bring an end to her annoying fascination with the male vampire.
With a silent curse, she shoved Santiago to the back of her mind. Soon enough she would have to deal with her disturbing reaction to him. One way or another. But for now she needed to focus on the most immediate danger.
And the Matron was a danger, despite her gracious manner. One wrong answer and Nefri would go from being a guest to a prisoner.
Or a pile of ash.
Something she intended to avoid.
“Perhaps we should discuss the reason you’ve had me brought to your nest,” she suggested.
“Straight to the point?” Solaris shrugged. “Very well. I want to know why the vampires have declared war on us.”
Nefri was on instant, full alert. War? Was this a trick?
“I assure you the vampires have no desire for war with anyone, least of all the Harpies,” she cautiously addressed her companion.
Solaris allowed her power to thicken the air in the room. As if Nefri needed a reminder that she was more than a match for a vampire, even one as ancient as Nefri.
“Then why are they attempting to poison our lands?”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
With a smooth step, Solaris crossed to pour herself a glass of some milky white liquid. Nectar? Taking a sip, she turned back to study Nefri with a hard gaze.
“Peace had finally settled among my people with the death of the Dark Lord.”
“It has been a blessing for all of us,” Nefri agreed.
“A blessing as well as an opportunity for the more powerful demons to flex their muscles.” The gray eyes turned dark with the threat of a looming storm. “It wouldn’t be the first time vampires enslaved those too weak to fight back.”
Nefri wasn’t stupid enough to deny the charge. The vampires had once been little better than savages who’d wielded their superiority to use and abuse the less fortunate. Even if they were fellow vampires.
“That’s the past,” she pointed out, meeting the accusing glare with a calm composure. “The new Anasso is eager to build alliances, not to make enemies.”
“And yet he sent a vampire to the border of our lands who has been spreading his infection.”
Damn. Nefri had harbored a small measure of hope that the local demons hadn’t been aware of Gaius. Or whoever (or whatever) had caused the bloodbath in his lair.
Fooling humans was simple. Demons wouldn’t be nearly so easy.
“You’re referring to Gaius?”
“I didn’t ask his name. He was medium height with dark hair and a prominent nose. And a most”—the female shuddered—“pungent aroma.”
Nefri hesitated. The Oracles had wanted this mess cleaned up as swiftly and quietly as possible, but with every passing minute it was obvious the danger was snowballing at a terrifying rate.
This was no time for diversions or discreet lies.
She not only needed whatever information the Harpies could offer, but she had to make sure they were safe. Her duty to the Commission would never be more important than the lives of innocents.
Of course, she’d been a diplomat for centuries. A small amount of truth was often preferable to a full disclosure.
“The vampire you refer to is a traitor to his people and a servant of the Dark Lord,” she admitted. “I traveled here to make sure he faces punishment for his crimes.”
Solaris emptied her glass before setting it aside. “A convenient
Similar Books
