"The door—"

"We can't allow ourselves to be trapped."

'Then we try to make a run for it?"

"I believe stealth will serve us better at this point."

Her eyes widened. She was thinking that he had lost his mind.

And she might be right.

'You intend to sneak past them?"

"Yes."

"Great."

"Trust me."

She gave a growl low in her throat "One of these days."

'This way." He tightened his grip on her fingers and led her from the room. In silence they moved toward the very back of the basement. Reaching the wall, Dante bent down to remove the grate that hid his secret passageway.

No vampire worth his salt was without a secret passageway.

Beside him Abby gave a faint gasp. "A tunnel?"

"It will lead you beyond the gates," he explained, holding her gaze. "Go two blocks north and wait on the corner behind the large oak. Can you remember that?"

It took a moment for his words to sink in. "No, Dante. I will not leave you."

"If I don't lay a false trail, then they will be upon us before we can reach safety. Besides, I must know which direction the Shalott took when she left the grounds."

She reached out to grip his arm. Dante flinched as he felt the heat from her fingers brand through his shirt.

The Phoenix would react to her emotions until she learned to control her powers.

"You can't—"

Gently he removed her hand, lifting the fingers to his lips. "Don't fear, lover. I'm far too swift for them to harm me."

He didn't feel the need to explain that he intended to confront the aggravating wizard and put an end to his interference. Full disclosure was for lawyers, not vampires.

Not that most people seemed to think there was much difference between the two.

One bloodsucker was much like the other.

"What if they have some magical trap?"

He cocked a brow. "I'm not completely helpless. This was once my home. I have a few traps of my own."

"Dante."

He pressed a kiss to her palm and stepped back. 'There will be no argument."

She frowned at his stern tone. "You're far too fond of giving commands, vampire."

"And you're far too fond of ignoring them, Chalice." He held her gaze a long moment. "You must do this for me."

"I don't like it."

'Yeah, I got that." He bent beside the entrance to the tunnel and watched as she grudgingly crouched and stepped into the darkness. He pressed the cell phone he pulled from his pocket into her hand. "Don't leave the tunnel if you sense someone is near. Speed-dial Viper and he will come."

Her eyes glittered with frustration. "Don't you dare let anything happen to you or—"

"You'll stake me someplace unpleasant?" he finished for her.

'Yes."

He brushed her lips in a lingering kiss. "I will take the greatest care."

Chapter 18

Rafael chanted a simple spell as he moved through the shattered house. It was frustrating to depend upon magic that the rankest amateur could perform. Magic he hadn't used since he was a fledgling acolyte. But after the disaster of losing the Chalice when she was within his grasp, he was not foolish enough to dare calling upon the dark lord's powers.

He hadn't lived so many years by being stupid.

The Prince possessed a nasty habit of punishing those who disappointed him. There was no need to draw attention to himself.

Reaching the upstairs hallway, he paused and spread his hands. Giving a command, he studied the swirls of color that briefly appeared in the darkness.

'They have been here," he said in satisfaction to the three disciples who stood behind him in respectful silence. Or perhaps it was terrified silence. Since the death of Amil, a tense wariness had gripped the faithful. Which suited Rafael to perfection. He far preferred to be feared than respected. Fear only fed his power. He watched as the colors began to fade. "A vampire, a human and… ah, the witches' whelp."

"The witches have the Chalice?" a thin voice demanded from behind him.

A cold smile curved his lips as he turned toward his waiting servants. "No. She is still near. I can feel her power. Search the house. And remember, I wish the Chalice alive."

The oldest of the disciples stepped forward. "What of the vampire?"

"Kill him."

The three melted into the darkness even as a dark, terrifying laugh echoed through the hallway.

"Easy to say; much less easy to accomplish."

Rafael stiffened before he forced himself to pretend a nonchalance he was far from feeling. He could not afford to allow the vampire to realize he was without his powers. Not if he was to survive.

"Well, well," he drawled, placing his back against the wall. The animal wouldn't be allowed to sneak up from behind. "If it isn't the faithful hound. Have your mistresses grown so arrogant that they believe one pitiful vampire can defeat me? Or are they simply that desperate?"

"Neither," the disembodied voice floated through the air. "I merely have grown weary of your tedious pursuit."

"Then fortunately for you it's about to come to an end. It's time to be done with you once and for all, vampire."

Dante was prepared as the wizard thrust out his hand and sent a bolt of fire in his direction. With his inhuman speed, such parlor tricks were a wasted effort.

Something the wizard was bound to know.

Dante remained wary as he glided closer. He was not about to be lured into some unseen trap.

"Tell me, how is Amil?" he baited, reaching out with his senses to search for hidden dangers.

A smile touched the thin lips. "He found the duties of being a servant rather too much to handle. He decided becoming a sacrifice for the Prince was more to Ms taste."

"How very noble of him."

A sneer touched the pasty features. "He was a sniffling, spineless worm who should have been strangled at birth. Still, he served his purpose."

There was another bolt of energy that slammed into the wall and charred the wood. Annoyingly Dante could sense nothing more to warn him of the wizard's intention.

He would not commit himself until he was certain there were no nasty surprises.

"The Prince always did demand his share of bloody fodder to keep him satisfied. Still, it must be difficult to find willing victims in this day and age."

The wizard shrugged. "The Prince has never demanded a sacrifice be willing."

"A charming deity."

"A powerful deity."

Dante laughed with mocking amusement. He wanted the wizard distracted and off guard. Perfectly ripe to make a mistake.

His last mistake.

"So powerful he has been condemned to banishment by a handful of human witches."

The man growled deep in his throat. "He was failed by his worshippers, who had been lured to complacency. I will ensure it doesn't happen again."

Dante was drifting ever closer. Once Dante had his fangs sunk deep in his throat, the wizard would be helpless. He would need his vocal cords to mumble his spells.

"And you believe he will reward you richly?"

A near-fanatical pride tightened the narrow face. "I shall rule at his side."

This time Dante's laughter was genuine. "You're even more a fool than Amil. The Prince rules alone, and those who worship him are no more than bugs beneath his notice."

"How would you know, vampire? You worship nothing. Believe in nothing."

I'm at leastwise enough not to barter my soul to a being who is certain to offer no more than betrayal."

The wizard reached into his pocket to pull out a small crystal. Dante hesitated. Why would he use a magical toy when he possessed the medallion of the dark lord?

A blue flame shot in his direction. It slammed into the floor, and the mansion groaned as if a breath from tumbling to the ground.

Dante easily shifted out of danger, his mind racing.

Although he couldn't detect magic, he could still feel the power that swirled about the wizard. There was a pulsing energy that could destroy the entire block, and yet he refused to reach for it.

Why?

It took a long moment before Dante at last realized the truth. Of course. With a low chuckle, he dismissed the shadows he had wrapped about himself.

The wizard didn't call upon the dark lord because he was terrified his god might be waiting to serve up a bit of revenge for having disappointed him.

It was perfect.

He stepped forward, his arms folded negligently over his chest. Watching his approach, the wizard licked his thin lips.

"I suppose you're attempting to keep me occupied so the woman can escape?" he blustered. "A worthless effort. My servants will soon have her in their grasp."

Dante merely smiled. "Having some acquaintance with your servants, I can't say that I'm overly concerned."

Without warning, he launched himself at the gaunt form. He wanted to be done with this. Abby was alone, and while he was fully confident in her ability to deal with her human enemies, there were still demons capable of detecting the presence of the Phoenix.