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Later he would have the opportunity to punish hi been so easily fooled by his ene and self-recriminations and cold-blooded plans to ensure he never repeated such a mistake That was, after all, what he did best

For noever, he was utterly consue that had no bounds

Desmond’s one miscalculation in his elaborate scheme was in the fact that Styx was newlyAnasso ould consider his situation with a detached logic That Styx would easily realize that he was outgunned, outnumbered, and outmaneuvered He would understand that theDarcy safe would be to concede to the vampire’s demands

This Styx was a rabid anier and that he would kill anything and everything that stood in his path

Feeling the power beginning to thunder through his body, Styx glanced up as Jacob returned from the house with the pen and paper clutched in his meaty hands

Unaware he was lanced down at the kneeling Styx

"Well, Styx, it appears that your ruling days are about to coan to whip and the ground shake as Styx slowly rose to his feet

"Just one" His hand lifted toward the growingly puzzled face of his opponent "Die"

Chapter Twenty

A peaceful hush bathed the elegant mansion Well, the peace bathed all but Darcy’s luxurious roo no more sleep until Styx had safely returned, Darcy had foolishly allowed herself to be lured into a game of checkers with Levet

Both of theed on the bed as Darcy studied the board with a sudden frown She was no master player, and her attention had beenfor the return of Styx than on the pieces on the board Still, she was not so poor a player, or so deeply distracted, that she couldn’t tell when she was being well and truly swindled

Lifting her head, she flashed her tiny conarled hand to his chest in e "Do not be absurd Why would I cheat when I am so obviously the superior player?"

"Superior? Ha" Darcy pointed toward the board "I was kicking your ass"

Levet gave a small sniff "I am wounded, cherie Mortally wounded"

"What you are is a lon cheat," Darcy corrected "Each tilance toward theyou move the pieces on the board"

"Pooh I have never heard such slander My honor is above reproach"

"Then how did you get kinged when you haven’t even s that sent the pieces flying off the board and across the bed in a shower of plastic color

"Checkers, fah Such a stupid game," he complained as he hopped off the bed and paced the carpet "What we need is a real challenge"

Absently collecting the checkers and returning thelance

She didn’t know oyles, but she suspected that Levet’s idea of a challenge and her own e?"

"So that deence and the talent of a well-honed athlete" Pace, pace, pace Back and forth the tiny gargoyle crossed the carpet until at last coers A rather neat trick with fingers as thick and gnarly as his "Aha, I have it"

Setting aside the checkers, Darcy scooted to the edge of the bed "I’ave a startled laugh "Good grief You’ve got to be kidding"

"What?" Levet puffed out his chest "Bowling is an ancient and noble sport The sport of kings, in fact"

"I thought that was chess"

Levet offered a superior lift of his brows "And just how ht

There were all sorts of royalty hanging out in Goth bars and cheap boardinghouses

"Let me think Ah " Darcy pretended to consider "That would be none"

Levet gave a ss "I, on the other hand, have known hundreds of kings Some of them quite inti into the realm of way too much information"

"Very droll" Levet rolled his eyes "By intiraced their castles for several centuries You would be a demon can learn when perched outside a bedrooine"

"Of course, when it came to the queens, well, let’s us just say that h" Darcy firargoyle sexcapades Not tonight Not any night "I’"

Levet planted his hands on his hips and stuck out his botto demon