Guardians Of Eternity: Darkness Eternal Part 15

He wasn't going to play puppet for the d.a.m.ned Jinn.

He'd throw himself into the nearby fires first.

Prepared for battle, Uriel frowned as the Jinn ignored his presence and instead concentrated on the female vamp who struggled in his grasp.

"Did you truly believe you could abuse my offspring and not pay the consequences?" he roared.

Marika futilely clawed at the Jinn's arm, her nails unable to penetrate the shimmering silver coat he wore that matched his trousers.

"You're dead," she wailed, the stench of her desperate fear filling the air.

A malicious smile curved the Jinn's lips. "My physical connection to your world was severed, which is the only reason I did not destroy you the moment you threatened Laylah. But now . . ." The lavender eyes glowed with antic.i.p.ation. "Now you are in a domain where I can easily travel."

"No, please." Marika went limp in his ruthless grasp. "This is a mistake. It was Sergei who wanted to hurt Laylah. All I've done is try to protect her."

"You are correct, it was a mistake," the Jinn readily agreed. "One you shall learn to regret for the rest of eternity."

"Kata. Help me," Marika pleaded. "Tell him that I'm innocent."

Uriel muttered his opinion of females who had more courage than sense as Kata was suddenly standing at his side, her hand clutching his arm in an effort to keep herself upright.

"Innocent?" she hissed in disbelief.

"I'm your sister."

"You're an abomination and I hope you spend the rest of your very long life screaming in endless agony," Kata hissed.

The Jinn glanced toward Kata, an oddly wistful expression softening the venomous beauty of his face.

"Your wish is my command, my lady," he murmured.

With disgusting ease the Jinn tossed Marika upward, a wave of his slender hand freezing her in midair. The b.i.t.c.h appeared more startled than alarmed at first. Then, murmuring a soft word, the Jinn released his power and the distant lightning was suddenly altering its course to strike her slender body with sickening force.

Over and over the lightning bolts slammed into her and Marika's shrieks filled the air, along with the horrifying scent of burning flesh.

Scooping Kata off her feet, Uriel turned her away from the hideous sight and darted down the pathway. He didn't think for a minute they could escape the Jinn, but Kata had endured enough without witnessing Marika's brutal torture.

Whatever she'd done to Kata, she had once been her sister.

He'd managed to go far enough to mute the vampire's screams when the pathway before him abruptly crumbled into nothingness. Skidding to a halt, Uriel carefully set Kata on her feet before turning to confront the approaching Jinn.

"That's close enough," he warned, his sword eager to draw some Jinn blood.

Perhaps sensing his suicidal thoughts, Kata placed a restraining hand on his arm.

"Uriel," she pleaded softly.

The Jinn's attentions shifted in her direction, his expression once again softening.

"Kata." His voice was low, hypnotizing as his hand stretched out to lightly touch her cheek. "As beautiful as ever."

Grabbing Kata by the waist, Uriel pulled her away from the beautiful demon, his primal mating instincts overcoming any hope of sanity.

He would kill anything that tried to take away his mate.

"Don't. Touch. Her."

Big surprise, the Jinn simply laughed.

"Did you not learn your lesson on the last occasion our paths crossed?"

Without warning Kata stepped between the bristling males. "Please."

The Jinn gave an obedient nod of his head, obviously devoted to the beautiful gypsy.

"Regretfully, I don't intend him harm." He flicked a disdainful glance in Uriel's direction. "He has served his purpose."

Uriel frowned. "My purpose?"

"The most powerful of Jinns are given the talent for premonition. I knew that Kata would need a protector and that it could not be me." His lips curled into a sneer. "You were chosen."

"That's why you bound me?"

"It was the only means to give you the power you needed to keep Kata safe."

"And?" Uriel prompted, unwilling to believe that the Jinn could be so selfless. Not when he vividly recalled the creatures words of warning during their last encounter.

You shall be athe instrument of his revenge . . .'

The lavender eyes warmed with an evil amus.e.m.e.nt. "And I needed you to live long enough to lure Marika into my lair."

Uriel shook his head in disgust.

He'd been so determined never to become the Jinn's puppet, and yet, he'd been dancing to his tune all along.

Far less conflicted by the Jinn's machinations, Kata stepped forward to lightly touch his cheek.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Uriel growled deep in his throat, but Kata was swiftly moving back to his side, leaning against him as he placed a possessive arm around her shoulders.

"Now what happens?" he demanded.

"Now you return Kata to the world where she belongs." The Jinn lifted his hand and Uriel felt a wrenching pain as his connection to the demon was severed. "Treat her well."

All the fury and frustration and ruthless dread that had plagued him for the past two hundred years was forgotten as Uriel gathered Kata in his arms.

He didn't care why he'd been chosen to be Kata's savior. Or what had happened between the two of them in the past.

The future was all that mattered.

"I intend to devote my life to her happiness."

"If you fail . . ." The lavender eyes glowed with an unmistakable warning. "I will be waiting."

Seemingly convinced that his commands would be obeyed, the Jinn waved his hand and the air next to Uriel was split open.

Uriel didn't allow himself to question whether this was yet another trap. What did it matter? It couldn't be any worse than where they were.

As they stepped through the gateway, the sound of Marika's screams were still ringing in his ears.

It took nearly a week before Kata was fully recovered from her adventures through the underworld.

After falling through the gateway, they'd discovered themselves face first in the center of Stonehenge.

Thankfully there hadn't been any pits of fire or monstrous worms or demented zombie vampires lurking nearby, and with a mutual breath of relief, Uriel had taken them directly to Victor's lair near London.

Since then she'd been cosseted and fussed over as if she were a princess rather than a common gypsy.

Victor had arrived with news that her daughter Laylah was safely in the hands of her vampire mate. Victor's beautiful fey mate, Juliet, had visited with the rare herbs to keep her from aging.

And even Yannah had made an unexpected visit, smugly expecting Kata's grat.i.tude for having led her straight into the Jinn's lair, claiming it was the only means to break the bond between her and Marika. Once satisfied that Kata was sufficiently impressed, she'd claimed she was off to America to offer her a.s.sistance to the Child of Chaos.

Whatever that meant.

And then there was Uriel . . .

No man could have been more attentive, more devoted to making certain she was fully recovered.

With a smile, Kata snuggled closer to the delicious vampire as he led her back to his private lair, deep beneath the elegant estate.

Tonight he had surprised her with all the trappings of a traditional gypsy wedding.

There had been a magnificent feast followed by festive dancing. He'd offered a bride price to be given to a human charity that a.s.sisted with abandoned children, and given her a necklace made of golden coins. Then they'd stood together before a dozen guests and proclaimed they were man and wife.

It had been everything she'd dreamed of as a young, dewy-eyed girl, but now she was ready to be alone with her man.

More than ready, she acknowledged as a sensual heat swirled through the pit of her stomach.

Impatiently waiting for Uriel to open the heavy steel door that was protected by a dozen different locks, alarms, spells, and hexes, Kata at last stepped into the large bedroom, only to give a startled gasp.

Despite the elegance of the mansion, Uriel's own lair was surprisingly modest with more attention paid to comfort than fashion.

This evening, however, the quilt covering the heavy oak bed was decorated with hundreds of rose petals and the matching furniture draped with the vibrant silk scarves that Kata adored.

"Dear G.o.ddess," she breathed.

Uriel wrapped her in his arms. "Do you approve?"

She tilted back her head to meet his velvet brown gaze. "Very much, husband."

"Mate," he whispered softly.

"Not yet."

He groaned, his fangs flashing in the firelight. "You're ready?"

With a wicked smile, Kata shrugged off the spaghetti straps of her blue gown, allowing the satin fabric to slither down her body and pool at her feet. Her smile widened as he ran a hungry gaze down her naked curves.

"Completely and utterly."

"Kata."

With a speed that made her head spin, Kata found herself lying flat on the bed, surrounded by the earthy scent of roses and covered by Uriel's hard, naked body. She hadn't even noticed him removing his formal satin robe.

Laughing in delight, she looped her arms around his neck.

"I love a man of action."

"And I love you."

Holding her gaze, Uriel raised his arm and scored the inner skin of his wrist with his fangs. Then, with a solemn motion he pressed his bleeding wound to her mouth.

Kata closed her lips over the wound, greedily drinking the gift of his blood.

Her reaction was instant.

And wondrous.

Heat, pleasure, and overall an astonishing awareness of Uriel surged through her with giddy intensity.

Oh . . . G.o.ddess.

Moaning she allowed the golden warmth to fill her, his love for her a tangible force that healed the wounds of the past four hundred years.

"Now, Uriel," she breathed.

Uriel gently removed his wrist, covering her mouth with a kiss of raw urgency.

Kata was quick to respond, wrapping her legs around his waist as he entered her with one slow thrust. At the same time, he sank his fangs into the tender curve of her neck, the momentary pain quickly replaced by an erotic bliss that made her nails dig into the broad width of his back and her hips lift to meet his frantic pace.

She cried out as pleasure exploded through her, followed swiftly by the sensation of Uriel's own shuddering climax that echoed deep inside her.

Uriel pulled back to regard her with a startled glance, obviously as stunned as she'd been by the sheer intimacy of their bond.

"My mate," he murmured, the guarded wariness that was so much a part of him at last shattered as their hearts and souls were melded together.

They were one.