There was a brief hesitation as she debated between returning to the bedroom to change into something halfway decent and the burning need to be with Cezar.
The burning need won out as she left the conservatory and made her way to the door that led to the tunnels. The half-dozen vampires and demons that were spread throughout the house had seen a hell of a lot more than bare legs over the past few centuries.
Relieved to discover the hidden door already opened, Anna made her way down the steep staircase, her pace slowing as she was forced to stumble blindly through the pitch black that shrouded the tunnels. Someday she intended to convince the demon world that not everyone possessed the vision of a freaking owl.
Would a night-light kill them?
It was the sound of faint grunts and the unmistakable clang of steel swords being struck together that led her down one of the larger tunnels. She might have been worried if it weren’t for the complete lack of fear she sensed from Cezar.
Bitter sadness, anger, a frustrated need to vent the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, but no fear.
Biting her lip against the raw pain she could feel pulsing through him, Anna hurried toward the open door that thankfully had a soft glow of light spilling through it. Stepping through the opening, Anna halted at the sight of Cezar and Styx flowing across the bare floor, their swords moving so swiftly she could barely follow the motions.
For a moment she watched the lethal dance with breathless fascination. Good God, she’d never seen anything quite so beautiful. Despite Styx’s size advantage, Cezar possessed a superior speed that allowed him to avoid the savage swing of the massive blade, sliding past the blows and delivering a few of his own.
They were master predators, she silently accepted. Deadly, exquisite creatures who ruled the night.
With a shake of her head she took a step forward. As much as she was enjoying the show, she didn’t want Cezar to suddenly realize that she was near and lose his concentration. It was obvious that it took his full attention to keep Styx from doing serious damage.
“Is this a private battle or can anyone join in?” she demanded softly.
As one the vampires halted their swinging swords and whirled to face her. Styx merely narrowed his gaze, but with a low growl Cezar launched himself across the floor and pulled her into his arms.
“Anna.” He crushed her against his chest for several long moments before pulling back to run trembling hands over her rumpled, half-naked body. “Dios. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“I’m fine.” When it was clear that her words hadn’t penetrated the fear clouding his mind, Anna reached up to frame his face with her hands. “Cezar, listen to me. I’m fine.”
“I thought…” With a shudder he buried his face in the curve of her neck.
Anna allowed her gaze to lift to meet Styx’s steady regard, surprised by the softening of his stark bronzed features.
“Is there anything you need, Anna?”
She smiled as she wrapped her arms around Cezar and allowed his sandalwood scent to explode through her senses.
“Not now.”
“Then I will be upstairs with Viper.” With a formal bow of his head the vampire moved toward the door, halting for a moment to lay a light hand on Cezar’s shoulder. “Fate is in your hands, amigo. You have only to grasp it.”
Waiting until Styx was gone, Anna shifted her hand to run her fingers through his tangled hair.
“Should I ask?” she teased.
Nuzzling several desperate kisses along the line of her throat, Cezar reluctantly pulled back to study her flushed features with a wary gaze.
“Anna, do the Oracles know you’re here?” he demanded.
She leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose. “Not only do they know, but it was Siljar who was kind enough to use her powers to return me.” She grimaced. “Not my favorite mode of transportation, but at least it’s fast.”
The dark brows snapped together at the mention of the powerful demon. “Did they tell you why they summoned you?”
“Unfortunately.” She arched a chiding brow. “You could have at least warned me that I was supposed to join the damn Commission. I don’t like surprises. Or at least, not that sort of surprise.”
His beautiful features tightened. “It was forbidden.”
“Typical.” She rolled her eyes. “You know, they might be all-powerful but they’re way too fond of playing cloak-and-dagger games. Not everything has to be some mysterious secret. And don’t get me started on their manners. I intend to make some changes now that I’m an Oracle.”
Cezar stilled, his dark eyes smoldering with a fierce, aching regret. “You’ve already taken your place on the Commission?”
Her breath caught as his grief slammed into her with the force of a speeding truck. Dear God. She knew that he would be upset by her promotion to the Commission, but this wrenching sadness nearly sent her to her knees.
“Officially I’m a member, but unofficially my duties won’t begin for a while,” she told him softly.
He shuddered with longing as she stroked her fingers through his hair.
“How long is a while?” he rasped, his eyes darkening with something other than pain.
“Oh…a century or so.”
He hissed in sharp surprise. “What?”
“Well, I’m very young, you know.”
“Anna, you’re making me crazy,” he growled. “Will you just tell me what happened?”
Not about to torment a dangerous vampire when he was so obviously suffering, Anna swiftly related her encounter with the Oracles, skimming over the attempts to browbeat her and emphasizing their grudging agreement that they wouldn’t interfere in her mating with Cezar.
Not that she needed to bother.
Cezar had spent two centuries bound to the ruthless Commission. Which explained his horrified expression by the time she was done.
“Dios.” She was once again hauled against his chest, his arms so tight she had to struggle to breathe. “Only you would dare to barter with the Commission. Do you know what they could have done to you?”
Anna smiled as she snuggled her face against his shoulder. This was it. What she’d waited her entire life to feel.
“Nothing that would be any worse than being forced to give you up,” she said, so softly only a vampire could hear her words. “They could threaten and bluster all they wanted, but there was no way in hell that I was giving in. We’re in this together or they can find a new Oracle.”
“Querida.” Turning his head, Cezar pressed his lips to the sensitive hollow behind her ear.
Anna allowed a low moan of pleasure to escape her parted lips. Her fingers tightened in the lush black hair in silent encouragement.
“Of course, I haven’t asked you yet how you feel about being stuck with an Oracle,” she said, struggling to concentrate on their unfinished conversation. A task that would be considerably easier if he wasn’t kissing a delicious path down the line of her jaw. “You could walk away and never have to deal with the Commission again. That’s got to be tempting after the way they treated you over the past few centuries.”
Pressing a rough, hungry kiss to her lips, Cezar pulled back to regard her with a burning gaze.
“I would live in the pits of hell if that was the only way I could be with you, Anna Randal. You are mine.”
She gave a tug on his hair. “Not exactly. At least not yet. You still have to make an honest woman of me.”
“Anna…”
She slapped her hand over his mouth. She knew that tone. It meant he was going to say something she didn’t like.
“No. If you tell me there’s still some mysterious destiny I’ve yet to fulfill I’ll pick up that sword you dropped and stick it through your heart.”
She felt his lips curve into a smile as he spoke against her palm. “That won’t kill me, you know.”
Dropping her hand she gave him the evil eye. “Maybe not, but it’ll hurt like a bitch.”
“There’s that.” His amusement faded as he ran a tender hand up the curve of her back. “I just want you to be certain, querida. There’s no going back once the ceremony is completed.”
Anna lifted herself to her toes, pressing her lips to his with all the love that flowed through her heart.
“Conde Cezar, there was no going back from the moment I followed you through that London townhouse and was hauled into the bedroom by a wickedly beautiful vampire,” she whispered against his lips.
A groan was wrenched from his throat. “Wickedly beautiful?”
“Absolutely.”
With one smooth motion Cezar had swept her off her feet and cradled her against his chest as he headed for the door. A sinful smile touched his lips as he held her gaze with a dark intensity.
“I like the wicked part.”
Anna looped her arms around his neck, her heart racing with the excitement this man would always inspire.
“I’m kind of fond of it myself.”
Epilogue
Two months later
The exclusive nightclub near Lake Michigan was filled to the rafters with a combination of vampires, demons, and at least one goddess enjoying a performance by the rare dew fairies, who fluttered on delicate wings in a complicated dance.
