There was no warning.
At least none that Sally could detect.
It was simply as if an invisible doorway opened and an entwined trio of vampires tumbled into the room.
“Too late,” she croaked.
Santiago had endured torture on an epic scale.
In the Gladiator pits mere survival meant enduring pain that would kill a lesser demon.
But even prepared, he couldn’t prevent his grunt of agony as Nefri’s fangs sank into his throat and her claws dug deep grooves into his back.
Cristo.
He’d known she was lethal, but even without using her innate powers she was a formidable enemy. He would have only minutes before she tired of her game and ended him.
Time enough?
He was about to find out.
Keeping a death grip on the rapidly dying Gaius, as well as maintaining his hold on Nefri, he braced himself for their abrupt return to the warehouse.
He would never, ever get used to traveling through space like a damned Jinn.
His feet had barely hit the floor when he sensed Styx rushing forward.
“Santiago.”
“Wait.” He dropped Gaius so he could hold out a warning hand. “She’s being controlled by the spirit.”
“Good,” the Anasso growled. “I’ve been waiting for the bastard.”
On cue Nefri ripped her fangs from his throat, whirling to face the towering vampire.
“So. At last I meet the great Anasso,” Nefri mocked, her power beginning to fill the air. “The King of All Vampires.”
Styx moved backward, drawing Nefri away. Santiago sank to the floor, the blood dripping from his wounds as his flesh slowly knit back together.
“An empty title,” Styx said, his voice taunting. “Almost as empty as that of god.”
An eerie laugh fell from Nefri’s lips. “Shall I demonstrate how wrong you are?”
Styx braced himself for the coming attack. “Roke, don’t let her get past the door,” he commanded. “And Santiago . . .”
“I’ll guard the windows.”
Santiago began to rise to his feet when Gaius grabbed his hand.
“My son . . . wait.”
Santiago hid a grimace, knowing his former sire had only minutes left. “What do you want?”
Shaking from the effort, he grabbed the medallion and with the last of his strength, he broke the chain that held it around his neck. “Here.”
Santiago flinched from the medallion that had been tainted by the Dark Lord. The small piece of metal had caused untold misery. “Keep it,” he growled.
“No . . .” Gaius grimaced, his rotting face a gruesome mockery of the handsome, vital vampire he’d been just weeks ago. “You must destroy it.”
He was right.
Even if the Dark Lord was dead and they managed to destroy the spirit that was their latest threat, the medallion symbolized evil.
It couldn’t be allowed to remain in the world.
Santiago reluctantly took the medallion. “I’ll make sure it’s destroyed.”
“Thank you. I—”
“Don’t,” Santiago interrupted. He would never be able to fully forgive this man for his betrayals. Not when he’d nearly destroyed the world with his selfish needs. But a part of him now at least understood what would drive a man to such extremes. “I will remember my sire as the man who took me into his lair and gave me a home,” he said in a low voice. “The man who taught me the meaning of family.”
“Son . . . my son . . .” A shattered moan of relief hissed past Gaius’s lips before the light died from his eyes and he was allowed to escape the slow, painful decay.
Rising to his feet as Gaius turned to ash, Santiago slipped the medallion into his pocket, determined to honor his sire’s last request.
Then he turned just in time to witness Nefri sending a blast of power toward Styx.
The very air sizzled before the power smacked into Styx with enough force to send him flying into the far wall. The entire building shook from the impact, broken plaster cascading down on their heads.
“You truly can’t think you can beat me,” Nefri said in genuine incredulity. “I created you.”
Styx pulled himself from the rubble, dusting the clinging bits of cement from his leather pants. “What makes you think I need to beat you?”
“Why else would Santiago so cleverly force me back here?” With a sharp thrust of her hand, Nefri’s power again sent Styx crashing into the wall.
Santiago cursed, knowing that the violent collision with the wall had to be cracking bones and puncturing inner organs. The Anasso, however, refused to betray the slightest hint of vulnerability as he surged upright, allowing his own powers to knock Nefri backward.
“Because we have a gift for you,” Styx drawled. “We’ve removed the protective spells around the book.”
“No.” Nefri hissed, her body growing rigid as the spirit belatedly realized the danger. “I won’t be trapped. Not again.”
Styx smiled. “Not your choice.”
“Fool.”