At the moment he was as snarky as hell.

Halting at the edge of the bluffs he turned to cast a baleful glare at the woman who was flinging her arms and contorting her face until he thought her eyes might pop out.

He had thought nothing could be worse than her flapping tongue. Her ridiculous attempt at charades had proved him wrong.

"Oh, stop that. You're going to put an eye out," he snarled, his wings flapping in annoyance. "Sacrebleu, you can speak."

Nearly quivering with rage she stomped her foot. "That was a horrid thing to do. You are an evil, evil gargoyle."

He narrowed his gaze. "Don't forget, I still have two wishes left," he warned. He waited until the sulky pout returned to her face. "What is your name?"

"Bella."

Levet rolled his eyes. There wasn't a sprite born that didn't have the name that somehow meant beautiful.

"Stunningly original."

A hint of confusion touched her face. "Not really. My six sisters are all named Bella."

"And your mother?"

"Bella."

"Of course."

Batting her lashes the sprite regarded him with wide eyes. "Do you not like the name Bella?"

"Mon dieu, never mind."

Turning on his heel Levet moved to enter the narrow opening.

Astonishingly, the headache-inducing sprite wasn't tramping on his tail or pestering his wings in her haste to keep up with him. In fact, a glance over his shoulder revealed she had dug in her heels and planted her hands on her hips.

The typical pose for a woman about to be ridiculously stubborn.

"We're not going in there, are we?" she demanded.

"Do you fear vampires?"

"Certainly not, but I don't like imps." She wrinkled her pretty nose. "Nasty, smelly creatures."

"Imps?" Levet demanded.

"Yes. There is one who lives here."

A frown touched Level's brow. Surprises were never a good thing.

"What would vampires be doing with an imp?"

"He steals humans."

Well, that cleared up precisely nothing.

"A vampire clan hardly needs the help of an imp if they wanted a few humans for a snack."

"Only one vampire drinks of the humans, and only very special humans "

"Special? What do you mean special?"

With a huff of impatience, Bella turned to march toward a patch of trees that clung tenaciously to the rocky ground. She pointed to the ground as Levet moved to join her.

"The humans who come to stick those needles in themselves "

Levet took a hasty step back. He wasn't an expert on humans, but he knew enough to recognize the hypodermic needles scattered over the ground, and to know they were used for some sort of odd drug.

"Damn."

"Can we go someplace and kiss now?" Bella demanded, her hands reaching out to lightly touch his horns. "I'm much more fun than those stupid vampires. I'll play with your wings."

"Not now..." Levet's growling words trailed to a soft sigh as her clever fingers stroked down his neck and feathered over his wings. "Oh."

"I'm very good."

She was. His wings quivered beneath the soft exploration. Few realized just how sensitive a gargoyle's wings could be.

His eyes began to flutter shut before he was grimly thrusting aside the seductive pleasure.

Shay might very well be in danger.

He didn't have time for such distractions.

Dammit all.

"Non, non. I want you to tell me of your powers."

That familiar pout returned as she continued to toy with his wings. "I'm attempting to show them to you."

"Your magical powers." Levet impatiently batted her hands away. "Precisely what sort of wishes can you grant?"

She heaved a weary sigh. "Anything you desire. Wealth, beauty, love."

An idea began to form in Levet's mind. "Actually, I was thinking of something a bit more exotic."

Her expression filled with suspicion at his words. Perhaps she was a bit brighter than he thought.

"Exotic?"

"I can't just sit here waiting like Godot, hoping that Shay can survive until the cavalry arrives. I have to do something now, and you're going to help me."

Chapter Twenty-Four

Somehow the hidden caves managed to be even more miserable than even Viper had feared.

Brackish water oozed down the walls, puddles dotted the stone floor, and the heavy scent of death and decay hung in the air.

Viper's every instinct prickled with warning.

He was a fool to allow Shay to remain in this place. Any moment Styx would discover them and the Anasso would drain her without a flicker of remorse. He should toss her over his shoulder and run away as fast and as far as possible.

Unfortunately, he couldn't deny that it would be even more foolish to flee before discovering if Evor was being held by the Ravens.

If they did have him in their grasp... not all the running in the world would keep Shay safe.

Devil's freaking balls.

Staying on the scent of the troll Viper paused as they neared a large cave. He could sense the mortals that huddled in the darkness. He could smell their decaying desperation.

For a moment he hesitated, revolted at the thought of forcing Shay to bear witness to such misery. His hesitation, however, merely gave the stubborn Shalott the opportunity to sweep past him, her own heightened sense of smell leading her directly to the disgusting cave.

"Humans," she muttered, her body stiffening as she glanced into the shadows to truly see the emaciated bodies huddled together on the damp floor. "Christ, why don't they run?"

Viper grimaced before pointing toward the floor littered with; needles. "Look closer, pet."

"Drugs." She turned to frown at him in confusion. "They're drug addicts?"

"Yes."

"But... what are they doing here?"

His fangs lengthened as the unwelcome truth slammed into him. Even when he had suspected why the Anasso needed Shay's blood he hadn't wanted to believe it. A part of him had still clung to a hope that their leader wouldn't haven fallen so low.

His gaze flickered over the half-dozen mortals that smelled of rotting death. That lingering hope was gone.

The Anasso was beyond redemption.

He would see him dead before allowing him to remain in power.

"They are destroying a once great vampire," he admitted, his tone weary. Betrayal hung heavy in his heart. "This is why you are being hunted, Shay. Our... leader has become addicted just as these humans are addicted, and their blood is killing him."

"Killing him?" The shock on her face might have been amusing if the situation hadn't been so dire. "I didn't even know it was possible."

"We haven't been overly anxious to reveal such weaknesses to others," he said dryly. "It's one of those need-to-know-basis things."

She dismissed his flippant words. "So, if you drink of humans who take drugs you become addicted yourself?"

"It is a dangerous possibility," he conceded. "One that rarely occurs since it is one of our few crimes punishable by death."

"But, if the vampire is destined to die anyway, why kill him?" she demanded.

"Because they go mad before death. Only last century a vampire managed to ravage and slaughter an entire village in China before killing three of the vampires sent to capture him. Now they are slain the moment they are discovered."

She studied his somber expression before giving a slow shake of her head. "Obviously not all are slain."

Viper flinched at the accusation. "No."

Wrapping her arms about her waist she gave a visible shudder. "I still don't understand what this has to do with me. My blood isn't contaminated with that filth."

"Just the opposite."

"I don't understand."

"It possesses a cure." He clutched his hands at his side. He wanted his fingers around someone's throat. Preferably that of the Anasso. "You said it yourself, pet. Your blood can heal anything but death. Just as your father, you are to be sacrificed."

She paled as she realized the true extent of the danger that surrounded her.

She alone could save the existence of a legendary leader.

What vampire wouldn't drown the world in blood to offer her up as a sacrifice?

Her lips parted but before she could speak a familiar tingle raced over Viper's skin and with a smooth motion he had pushed her behind him and turned to face the approaching vampire.

"He's right, of course," Styx murmured, his cold expression revealing nothing of his emotions. "Your blood is quite priceless."

"I thought I smelled your stench," Viper growled.

"There's no need to be offensive, Viper," Styx softly chided.

Without warning Shay was pushing her way past Viper, her face flushed with fury.

"No need ... why you slimy, treacherous, sorry piece of crap..."

"Shay, no," Viper shouted.

Grasping her about the waist he managed to keep her from attacking the dangerous vampire.