“I would be more sympathetic if my own mate wasn’t back in St. Louis,” Styx muttered.
Darcy’s sister had recently given birth to a litter of pureblood Weres and Styx had discovered himself living the life of a bachelor as the females fussed and cooed over the babies.
He tried to be patient, but it wasn’t his greatest talent.
Oh hell, who was he kidding? It was at the bottom of the list of his talents.
Viper grimaced. “I’ve discovered that no mere male can compete with the allure of newborn babes. Even Shay insists on traveling to see them when there isn’t a waiting line outside Salvatore’s lair.”
“Yes.” Styx’s annoyance with Darcy’s absence eased at the thought of Salvatore, the King of Weres, being tormented by endless guests forcing their way into his lair. The arrogant hound was at the edge of snapping. “Poor bastard.”
Viper abruptly chuckled. “Once again I detect a distinct lack of genuine sympathy.”
“True.” Styx smiled. Truce or not, it gave him genuine pleasure to think of the arrogant bastard ripping out his hair. “The dog deserves the aggravation.”
“So why did you require that I come over tonight?” Viper demanded. “Just the pleasure of my sparkling personality?”
Styx’s brief amusement disappeared. “Salvatore isn’t the only one with unwanted houseguests.”
“I thought Sariel was out searching for his daughter?” Viper said, referring to the King of Chatri who claimed that his daughter had been kidnapped by Cyn, the clan chief of Ireland.
Styx snorted. How the hell did this happen?
One day he’d been celebrating the survival of yet another end-of-the-world-disaster, and the next his house was filled with fairies.
Fairies, for God’s sake.
It was enough to make any vampire consider burning the place to the ground.
“He is, but he has left Prince Magnus, his soon-to-be son-in-law, here.”
His tone left no doubt of his opinion of the prince.
Viper scowled. “Why?”
“He claims that he wants Magnus to be here in case Fallon appears while he’s gone.”
“You don’t believe him?”
“Of course not.” As if Styx would trust the word of any fey. Let alone the King of Fey. “Sariel is convinced that Cyn kidnapped his daughter and that I’m helping them remain hidden. He planted that annoying twit in my house to spy on me.”
Viper looked hopeful. “Did you want me to kill him?”
“Hell, no.” Styx shoved himself away from the desk, his power filling the room with an icy chill. “If anyone is going to kill the prissy pain in the ass it’s going to be me. Unfortunately I’m not prepared to start a war with the fairies, no matter how tempting.”
“Ah.” Viper flashed a smile. “Then you invited me to chain you to the dungeon wall so you don’t do anything stupid?” He offered a mocking bow. “My pleasure, Your Majesty.”
“You can shove that ‘Your Majesty’ up your ass,” Styx growled.
His people knew just how badly he hated any symbol of authority. Well, except for his big-assed sword that could cut through an ogre with one swipe.
The one sure way to grate on his nerves was to call him by some stupid title.
Viper’s smile widened. “Fine. What do you need from me then?”
“Nectar.”
“Nectar?” The clan chief waited for the punch line. When Styx merely studied him with growing impatience, he gave a shake of his head. “What kind of nectar?”
“How the hell should I know?” Styx made a sound of disgust. “The stupid prince keeps bleating about some nectar that is essential to his survival.”
“He’ll die without it?” Viper shrugged. “Problem solved.”
Styx shook his head. After a week of enduring Magnus’s moans and groans, he was ready to stake himself.
“Not if I have to listen to him complaining until he finally croaks.” Styx shuddered. “I just want to shut him up.”
Viper moved to stand near the windows that offered a stunning view of the moon-drenched rose garden.
“Understandable. No one likes a whiny fey. But I’m not sure why you called me.” He turned back to send Styx a puzzled frown. “I don’t have any nectar.”
“You have clubs that cater to the fey.”
“And?”
Styx swallowed a growl of annoyance. Viper was obviously in no mood to be helpful. No doubt it had something to do with being taken away from his beautiful mate.
“And at least one of them must have some damned nectar,” Styx snarled.
Viper pulled his phone from his pocket, accepting that Styx wasn’t going to allow him to leave until he had what he wanted.
“I suppose I could check around.”
“Yeah, you do that.”
With a grimace, the silver-haired vampire began contacting his various managers that ran his chain of demon bars. Styx didn’t doubt at least one of them would have what he needed.
Viper’s clubs were notorious for satisfying the desires of his guests. No matter how outrageous those desires might be.
“Got it,” he at last muttered, glancing at Styx. “Tonya has a fresh batch.”
Thank the gods.