It was unnerving.
And maddening.
And…a whole host of other things that made her temper snap and snarl.
“What took you so long?” she hissed.
He tossed a heavy leather bag over his shoulder, indifferent to her foul mood.
“We have to go.”
Without waiting for her agreement, Jagr grasped her arm and steered her back to the street and headed east. The wolf in Regan growled in protest at being manhandled, but she ignored her instinct to bite.
Not only was she smart enough to know she would need the aggravating vampire to fight off any attackers until she regained her strength, but there was a dark (frighteningly seductive) fear that he would bite back.
They had barely managed to reach the end of the block when there was the sound of flapping wings, and the tiny gargoyle landed directly in front of them. Regan halted, surprised to realize she was pleased to see the strange little beast. He was…endearing in his own way.
“Hey, did you think to trench me?” he demanded, his wings obviously ruffled.
“Trench me?” Regan demanded in confusion.
“I believe he means ‘ditch me,’” Jagr translated, stabbing Levet with a cold stare. “You deceive yourself, gargoyle, if you think that you can play with me as you do with Styx or Viper. I don’t fear any punishment the Anasso could inflict if I decided to put an end to you.”
Far from wilting beneath the frigid warning, Levet puffed out his chest, managing to appear almost dignified as he met Jagr’s terrifying gaze.
“You need my help, whether you like it or not, vampire. Perhaps you will recall I was the one who frightened off those attacking curs.” He cleared his throat as Jagr regarded him with that unnerving silence. “I can lead you to a cave. I can protect Regan. I have magic…”
“Enough.” Jagr’s clipped voice brought the litany of talents to an abrupt end. “I’m going to regret this.”
“Regret what?” Regan demanded warily.
Jagr never allowed his gaze to stray from Levet. “Wait here with Regan. I’ll be back.”
The gargoyle saluted. “Yes, sir, Mr. Terminator, sir.”
“Levet,” Jagr breathed.
“Oui?”
“Taunt me again and I’ll rip off those wings and shove them down your throat.”
“You have hostility issues, you know that, vampire?”
“Just keep her safe.” And with that, Jagr turned and melted into the shadows.
Regan leaned against the brick front of a local antique shop, too weary to be angered at Jagr’s mysterious disappearance, or even at being passed off like a used car. Once she had the opportunity to gather her strength, she would rid herself of her intrusive guardians. Until then…
Well, she’d endured worse.
Worse in an epic way.
Her heavy lids drifted downward as she relaxed against the wall, trusting her keen sense of smell to warn of any approaching danger. Five minutes passed, and then another five. At last Levet, who clearly possessed the attention span of a gnat, could stand the silence no longer.
“Sooo…you’re Darcy’s sister,” he murmured. “The resemblance is remarkable.”
Regan lifted her heavy lids, ignoring the biting anger that flared through her heart at the mention of her sister. Family issues? Nah. Not her.
“I thought gargoyles were bigger?” she said, more to change the subject than to be insulting.
Levet’s tail twitched. “I might be vertically challenged, but I assure you that I’m a highly respected warrior among the vampires. Indeed, I’m something of a Knight in Shining Armor. I can’t count the number of damsels I’ve rescued from imminent death and dismemberment, which, of course, is why I was sent to rescue you.”
A reluctant smile touched her lips. He looked more like a lawn ornament than a Knight in Shining Armor.
“Why would you help the vampires?”
“It’s a way to pass the time until I land my dream position.”
“Dream position?”
“Well, I’ve given up on the whole Vanna thing since Darcy pointed out that I’m not quite tall enough to reach the letters of the puzzle, so I’ve decided to take over Deal Or No Deal. Now that would be a sweet gig.”
Regan choked back a laugh. Culligan had been a television junkie, rarely turning off the thing when he was in the RV. Not that Regan complained. It at least offered her a glimpse of the world beyond her silver cage.
“Does Howie Mandel know he’s about to become unemployed?” she demanded, shaking off the savage memories.
“I thought I would keep it on the down-low for now. No need for him to go all Britney Spears before I’ve actually been offered the job.”
This time Regan couldn’t stop her chuckle. “Very thoughtful.”
“That’s me, a heart of gold. It’s both a blessing…” Dramatic pause. “And a curse.”
“Yes, I can imagine.”
A silence descended, broken only by the song of crickets and distant frogs. It was a comfortable silence. So comfortable that Regan was astonished to discover she didn’t mind the gargoyle’s company. In fact…
No. She swiftly squashed the treacherous thoughts. She didn’t want or need a companion. Not Levet, who could make her laugh, and certainly not Jagr, who could piss her off one moment, and the next, wreak sensual havoc with a single bite.
Against her will, Regan found her gaze searching through the darkness, her senses seeking some sign of the MIA vampire. She told herself she didn’t give a damn if Jagr had run off and gotten himself killed. One less vampire in the world couldn’t be a bad thing. Her only concern was…was…finding a place to sleep before the humans began filling the streets.
Yeah.
That was it.
Absolutely.
“You can trust him, you know.”
Levet’s lilting voice interrupted her dark broodings. She turned to find him regarding her with knowing gray eyes.
“What?”
“Jagr.” His tiny face twisted in a grimace. “I might not like the coldhearted bastard, but he’s a lethal warrior and he has made a pledge to return you safely to Chicago. He will give his own life before he will let you be hurt.”
Her fur (metaphorically speaking) was instantly ruffled. “I didn’t ask for anyone’s help.”
Levet snorted. “As if that ever stopped the pushy bastards.”
“You mean Darcy?”
“Sacrebleu, no.” The gargoyle was shocked by the mere suggestion. “I was speaking of the vampires. Darcy possesses the most gentle, most beautiful soul I have ever encountered. There’s no one who doesn’t love her.”
Regan ignored the pang of envy that struck her heart.
“Gentle soul? How the hell did we come from the same womb?”
Levet shrugged. “Life has given you a hardened shell, but your soul is just as pure. Which is no doubt what has Mr. Cold as Ice so on edge. And of course, the fact that you’re hot as hell does not hurt.”
Regan choked at the ridiculous claims. “You are…”
“Oui?”
“Very peculiar.”
The demon flapped his wings. “Well, that’s a fine thing to say to the demon who helped save your life.”
Regan shrugged. “I’m peculiar myself. It’s not all bad.”
“Yeah, well you’d never call Brad Pitt or McDreamy peculiar.”
“Tom Cruise.”
Levet considered, then nodded. “Valid point.”
“Weren’t you going to lead us to some caves, gargoyle?” an icy male voice demanded, the only warning that Jagr had silently appeared from the shadows.
The gargoyle squeaked, clapping a hand to his chest. “Holy mother of God, you nearly gave me a heart attack, and not in a good way.”
Jagr’s eyes narrowed. “The caves.”
“And I thought Styx was a grump.” With a flick of his tail, Levet turned and waddled down the street in an obvious snit. “This way.”
Regan hurried to follow Levet. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with the grim-faced vampire.
Well, that wasn’t exactly true.
The last thing she wanted was for him to sense the rapid pounding of her heart and the flare of awareness that stained her stupid cheeks with a blush.
What was wrong with her?
Okay, she’d reacted to his bite. And (as much as it griped her to admit it) to his kiss.
Jagr was a vampire. Everyone knew they used sex to lure their prey. And that even the most powerful of demons were susceptible. The only shocker would have been if she didn’t respond.
So why was she acting like a freaking preteen with a crush on her teacher?
Pathetic.
Sensing Jagr move to walk by her side, Regan gave herself a mental shake and squared her shoulders. Time to start acting like a mature pureblood.
Whatever the hell that meant.
“Where did you go?” she demanded.
His cool glance slashed in her direction. “I disposed of the bodies.”
“Oh.”