Page 28 (1/2)

"Shit" she breathed, her heart lodged painfully in her throat "What the hell are you doing here? I told you "

Her panicked words were cut off as he placed a slender finger against her lips "Shh Don’t worry, angel, everything is fine," he ers shifted to cup her chin and he lowered his head to peer deep into her wide eyes

"Styx?" she breathed as the strangest sense of peace began to flow through her She could see nothing but his black eyes, hear nothing but his soft, persuasive voice

"You are very tired, Darcy," he soothed "Youfroet the pictures"

Her lashes were fluttering doard even as she battled against the dark coet, Darcy," he breathed "Now sleep"

She did

Viper gave a shake of his head as he studied the sreed, lifting his head to watch Styx as he paced the small office of Viper’s don club "And Darcy knows nothing of the wo" Styx forced hiantly scrolled Louis XIV desk that perfectly ods, he had paced more in the past week than he had in a millennium And it was all because of Darcy Smith "She wasdisturbed by the pictures Especially after Levet was foolish enough to admit he had discovered the in Styx’s voice, Viper slowly rose to his feet and studied hi curiosity

"Disturbed? What do youdeeply asleep in her bed stabbed through him

He hadn’t harmed her In fact, he had quite certainly saved her froing into Salvatore’s devious plot

All he had done wasand re of the past twenty-four hours She would be safe in his care, where she belonged

So why did he feel as if he had soht more to his life than dull duty and endless responsibility?

Viper gave a lift of his brows "Styx?"

Styx gave a restless shrug, his fingers absently tugging at the amulet about his neck

"Like all humans, she has a tendency to leap to conclusions without the least amount of evidence She is quite convinced this woman is a blood relation to her Perhaps even her ical conclusion The reseods, was he the only one with any sense left?

"We know nothing yet This may simply be a clever ploy by Salvatore to lure Darcy into his lair"

"Hardly clever," Viper said

Styx stilled "What do you mean?"

"You said that Levet discovered the pictures hidden in a safe?"

"Yes"

"Surely if the Were intended to use the pictures to lure Darcy into his lair he would have brought them with him when he first approached her in the bar" Viper pointed out softly "Or at the very least when he ed to slip past your defenses towith them locked in a safe"

Styx wasn’t stupid He had considered the strange notion that Salvatore hadn’t tried to use the photos before now

He had at last concluded that the reasons changed nothing

At least not as far as Darcy was concerned

"Who can say what is in the reed, his eyes narrowing "How is Darcy?"

Styx sharply turned to regard the pastel watercolor that graced the wall

"She is well"

There was a short pause and Styx dared to hope his icy tone would put an end to the unwelco short of a wooden stake would put off Viper once he had his fangs sunk in

"You said that she was disturbed by the pictures," he pressed

He flinched as he remembered the vulnerable hope that had shimmered in her eyes

"More than disturbed She was determined to rush to the olves lair and de Shay has taught reat need for fa them a sense of comfort and security"

Family?

What did Darcy need with a family? Especially one that could not be bothered to care for her when she most needed them

Besides, she now had him and his Ravens to provide her comfort and security

"It also seeht clai, even herself, over a foolish picture"

"It’s not so foolish to her"