Kresley Cole - Demon from the Dark

"I brought myself, witch," he said, his voice hoarse.

Carrow was about to run to him, then she remembered the bristling sorceress she had at sword point. "I'm sorry for this, Sabine. But he's my male, and you'd do the same for Rydstrom." Carrow released her, tossing the sword away. "Truce. Or I won't help you find your sister."

Sabine whirled around, her lips thinned. "I demand a rematch with our powers."

"Are you kidding?" Carrow scoffed. "You'd annihilate me."

The only thing greater than Sabine's powers was her vanity. She smoothed her red hair, clearly mollified. At length, she said, "Truce."

With that, Carrow ran for Malkom, and he met her, opening his arms to her, clutching her tightly.

Holding his face, she rained kisses on his forehead, his cheeks, his lips. "Did you get scratched or bitten? Because I'll keep you locked up until I can find a cure—"

"I am unscathed. I traced away from them."

"How? How did you find me here?"

"I figured out how to trace and followed your memories. I told you I'd come for you. And for Ruby." He surveyed the room. "Where is the little one?"

"She's right upstairs, waiting for me to bring you back," Carrow said dryly. "You have just arrived at a meeting with my allies. Wherein I was politely asking them to return me to the island."

"You ... you called me husband. In front of all." His blue eyes darkened.

Oh, how badly this demon wanted to believe in her. "Because you are . And you always will be." She stood on her toes, cupping his face. "I was out of my mind, Malkom. Out of my ever-living mind to get back to you."

Another wave of that joy hit her. "I will not doubt you again, ara ."

"I won't give you reason to. But I warn you—I'm not letting you out of my sight from now on." When the corners of his lips curled at that, she said, "I love you." Then she showed him how much, pressing her mouth to his for a desperate, breathless kiss.

Yet then he tensed, drawing her away. Like a shot, he tossed her behind him.

A vampire had appeared. Nikolai Wroth—one of Conrad Wroth's brothers and husband to Myst the Coveted.

Without warning, Malkom attacked, gunning for Nikolai.

"Malkom, wait!" But he'd already lunged for the unsuspecting vamp, tackling him to the ground with a force and speed few had ever witnessed.

Garreth MacRieve said, "Bluidy hell, what is he?"

Rydstrom said one word: "Vemon."

"Here?" Garreth bellowed. "And near my woman!" He charged for Malkom. Rydstrom was right behind him.

"No, he's with me!" Carrow cried. "Stop!"

With his fangs and claws bared menacingly, Malkom fought them all, holding them off.

But Nikolai had only just gotten his bearings to begin whaling on Malkom. Rydstrom, a rage demon, hadn't gone fully enraged yet. When Malkom clocked Garreth in the face, the Lykae muttered a stunned "Goddamn?" then sprang back into the fray, morphing to his werewolf state.

Three different species, ganging up on her man. "Let—him—go!" No response. "He won't hurt any of you."

Malkom chose that moment to raise his brows in disbelief. Won't I? Then he slashed out with his claws. Gods, he was strong. Murmurs sounded, incredulous whispers.

Lucia the Huntress said, "Witch, do you not understand what he is?" The Valkyrie drew her bow on him. "I've faced his kind before. And barely escaped with my life."

Sabine said, "Even if I wanted to break this up, my powers are bound. Do let boys be boys."

Myst had drawn a sword, striding forward to end this.

Carrow turned to a wide-eyed Mariketa. "He's my husband, Glitch. Please help me."

"You're sure about a ... a vemon ?"

"Never been more sure."

Mari nodded. "But we have got to catch up tonight, 'kay?" With a wave of her hand, she flung the four males in opposite directions, pitching them into the walls.

Mouthing "thank you" over her shoulder, Carrow hurried to where Malkom was already on his feet for more. "Malkom, wait! I told you these are my allies."

"You ally with vampires ."

"The red-eyed one from earlier was sent to save me," she said. "You just ambushed his brother, Nikolai."

"A leech risked his life to save yours?"

"Yes. He's a staunch ally."

"And the rest?"

Carrow surveyed the other immortals, as though seeing them through his eyes. Mari and Bowen, both staring at Carrow and the vemon. Lucia and her winded husband Garreth. The bleeding Wroth brother, spoiling for another round, held back by Myst. Rydstrom, Sabine, and so many more.

Carrow shrugged. "I'd fight alongside all of them."

He exhaled. "Very well." Standing stiffly, he faced his opponents. "Then I ... apologize. I do not seek to war with my wife's allies."

Carrow knew how hard that had been for him to apologize, especially to a vampire. Luckily, the three appeared to ... not want to murder him in that instant.

Making light of his attack, she said, "Everybody here brawls all the time. You'll fit right in."

"If we're not to kill the vemon," Rydstrom said, "then you should alert us in advance."

Carrow gazed up at Malkom, grinning like a fool. "I had no idea he'd show."

"Okay, so everybody's cool?" Mari asked around. "Then can we please find out what happened on the island—while I work on your really -hard-to-get-off collar?"

"Are you okay?" Carrow asked Malkom. "Do you need to rest?"

He gave a sharp shake of his head, pulling his shoulders back.

So Carrow related everything that had occurred within the facility, from their capture and imprisonment to their escape via La Dorada.

Had Lucia and Garreth shared a worried glance at the mention of the Queen of Evil?

Once Carrow had finished, Lucia asked, "Did you see Regin?"

"She's there, and I believe she's gotten free."

Lucia sagged against Garreth. Then she said, "What do you mean, you believe ? Why weren't you two together?"

"I didn't have a lot of say about, oh, anything. My power was nil." She flicked her collar, saying, "I'm not wearing this for flair. Look, Lucia, I know you're worried. But Regin was alive." Carrow thought back. "She did want you to know that Aidan was there. She said that I was to curse him. He hurt her. Repeatedly."

"Aidan? Dear gods."

Sabine said, "And what about my sister?"

Carrow said, "A Vrekener named Thronos took her."

"What?" The house appeared to rock again. "Thronos? Then Lanthe's definitely still on that cursed island. I will turn the Vrekener's mind inside out, show him nightmares he can never recover from." She added in an absent mutter, "Just as I did his father."

Rydstrom told Sabine, " Cwena , the witch will scry for Lanthe—"

"And what about Uilleam?" Garreth demanded. Turning to Bowen, he said, "He's your cousin, too. Get your wife to scry for him first."

Lucia said, "I've been around the world looking for Regin for weeks. Mariketa should locate her first."

A chorus of other voices rang out, immortals who wanted their loved ones found.

When Mari put her hands over her ears, Carrow cab-whistled for silence. "She can't scry for everyone's exact locations. It'd take her weeks. And even you guys can't afford that kind of overtime." She turned to Mari. "But you could get a ballpark for dozens, right?"

"I could tell you who is on that island. But not precisely where."

Carrow continued, "And even if she could locate one or two, anybody who goes to retrieve them will be in danger from the moment they set foot there. The Pravus immortals all have their powers. None of the Vertas do. La Dorada might still be skulking around for all we know. Plus, the humans will surely return to take back their facility."