It was dark by the time the messenger demon arrived to tell Darkwolf that he had met Garran at the pier.
The messenger, a demon in a young man’s shell, handed Darkwolf a parchment filled with magic. Darkwolf closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Yes. The magic-infused paper would lead him directly to the door.
Triumph filled Darkwolf as he opened his own eyes. But it was Balor’s stone eye that forced much of that triumph through him.
Part of him was reluctant, because of what he would have to do with Silver. He would ensure she would not be killed, but he feared harming her.
He pocketed the parchment, which was of no use save for the transfer. He dismissed the messenger just as Elizabeth approached. She had changed out of Elizabeth’s elegant suit and wore functional jeans, a gold jersey with San Francisco 49ERS emblazoned across it, and walking shoes.
The shirt was all she’d been able to find at the last minute. The tight jeans molded her figure, and they made her ass look great.
Darkwolf walked into one of the guest bedrooms to retrieve Silver. He stopped for a moment at the doorway and watched her. She held one palm against her belly, and she looked vulnerable and tired. Very tired. It was something he had never seen in her before.
In that moment, he was Kevin Richards again, the former white witch who longed to be human again. A human who might have been able to win the spirit and the love of such a woman—his woman.
What if she could save him? Return him to the life he once knew?
The moment she sensed his presence, she straightened her spine, dropped her hand from her belly, and raised her chin. The hatred in her eyes brought him back to reality.
He belonged to Balor now, and this woman would never love him. He could keep her, always his captive, but she would never love him.
Silver looked beautiful despite her day of captivity. She had bathroom facilities within the room she had been relegated to. Her hair hung long and loose around her shoulders and she had a soft flush to her cheeks.
She had eaten all he’d placed in front of her through the powerful shield. She had appeared to force herself to eat, but she did get it all down.
He loved the fire in her gray eyes, her spirit, her beauty. Something about the unguarded moment he had just caught her in concerned him. Something beyond being held captive disturbed Silver.
Sara walked into the room and sidled up to Darkwolf as she met Silver’s gaze. Sara had once belonged to the same D’Anu Coven, before Silver was kicked out and before Sara had been seduced into the Balorite fold.
With no hesitation, Sara reached up and kissed Darkwolf, slipping her tongue into his mouth. She tasted sweet and when she rubbed him through his jeans, he wanted to take her, right in front of Silver, to show her what she was missing.
He heard a low growl behind him and knew Junga made the sound. After deliberately extending the kiss, he physically separated himself from Sara. She gave him the sensual pout that she was so good at.
Junga growled again, but he ignored her. He tweaked one of Sara’s nipples and she gave a satisfied smile. “No time now.”
Sara smirked at Junga then looked down her nose at Silver, who had a horrified expression on her face. She was clearly shocked at how easily Sara had embraced being a warlock, and her relationship with Darkwolf.
“Let’s get the witch and go,” Junga said in a harsh voice that sounded much like a command.
Darkwolf turned to Junga, ice in his eyes. It was not her place to give him orders. He wore Balor’s eye. He had the power of the god.
However, the demon queen would never quaver before him, despite the fact he was certain he could kill her through Balor’s magic. He brushed aside his irritation. He looked from Junga to Sara. “Prepare for the transfer.”
His gaze returned to Silver and the shield around her that had been multiplied by the strength of Balor. She hadn’t been able to penetrate this shield no matter how many times she’d tried. He had watched her, amused at her attempts.
The shield was well in front of the bedroom door and covered the curtained window so that she could not break through it, and she had no means of communication.
He frowned. Unlike the fraction of time she’d used her cell phone. Her guard had been down, though, and he’d been able to use his magic to retrieve it from her.
Just how much did she know and how much did she tell her friends? The D’Danann and witches had not appeared at his door, so he was certain she hadn’t been able to relay their location. No doubt he had nothing to worry about.
When Silver noticed Darkwolf, her hands immediately prepared to fight the second he removed the shield. Instead of releasing it, he wrapped the shield snug around her, like a lover, the way he wanted to wrap his arms around her.
“It’s time.” He stepped closer to her now that he had confined her to one small space with his magic.
She stretched her fingers toward the barrier then snatched her hand back. “Time for what?” She dropped her hands to her sides and clenched them into fists.
Darkwolf sighed. He truly didn’t want to do this, but he saw no choice. They would need only a little of her blood—Balor had promised this when he’d spoken to Darkwolf through the stone. He would have to take her to the door itself, now that the location of the door had been made known.
He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out a small vial, and opened it. Careful not to breathe in the contents, he pushed the open bottle through his shield and splashed it on Silver before she had a chance to react. He briefly caught the scent of poppy seeds, chamomile, and his own special ingredient.
Darkwolf let the shield drop just in time to catch Silver before she collapsed and fell into a deep sleep.