The Vampire's Bride

“—only because the gods might place us on the same team,” a woman was snapping. “Otherwise I would slit your throat here and now.”

“Try it and see what happens.” There was fury in Zane’s voice. But also…No, surely not. Surely not confusion. Zane usually revealed only two emotions: desire to kill and desire to maim. There was no uncertainty in his black-and-white world.

“As if you could hurt me,” the female said. “You have only to look at your cage to see what happens when you attempt something so foolish.”

“You will pay for this, woman.”

The woman in question laughed, a sound of true glee. “Poor baby. All muscle and no brain.”

Layel burst through a thicket and stopped abruptly, taking in the scene. Zane was trapped inside a makeshift cage, hanging from a tree. The second Amazon woman—Nola, he recalled—balanced on a branch, facing him and grinning.

When she sensed Layel’s arrival, she lost her smile and whipped to face him. Her lips parted, and her hands fisted at her sides in preparation for battle. “Come to try and kill me, too?”

Though he concentrated on the female, Layel kept Zane in his peripheral vision. The warrior’s cheeks were bright red, stained with mortification. He’d been defeated by a woman. Layel would have laughed if not for the fact that Delilah had knocked him on his ass earlier.

“Well?” Nola prompted.

A moment later, Delilah appeared at Layel’s side. He stiffened as her rain-kissed scent once more assailed him, as her body heat wafted to him. Could he never escape them?

This close to her again, he remembered the worst part of his encounter with her. She had desired him, had hungered for his kiss. Her nipples had begged for his touch. And he’d almost given her both. Teeth cutting into his cheeks, he stepped away from her, not even trying to hide the action. He hated that he was forced to act so cowardly, hated the weakness she caused in him. But he simply could not be near her.

She aimed a furious glare at him just as a moonbeam hit her directly, revealing dirt smudges all over her body. Sadly, they did not lessen her appeal. “So. You thought to kill me and your friend thought to kill mine,” she said.

“Do not pretend surprise.”

Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits, the top and bottom of her lashes fusing together. “Surprise? Ha! I’m merely thanking the gods you are both incompetent.”

He had failed at so many things these last few years, her words struck all the way to the bone. He’d failed to destroy all of the dragons. He’d failed to numb himself to the pain of Susan’s death. He’d failed to render the death-blow to Delilah, a woman who threatened the memory of his one and only love.