It wasn't until they reached her house that she understood why. In her driveway, waiting for them, was a black Aston Martin Vanquish.
That was a car she'd never seen in her neck of the woods before.
"What in the world is Viper doing here?" she asked.
Alexion frowned. Viper was a Dark-Hunter assigned to Memphis, Tennessee-two hours from Tupelo. "That's a good question."
As Danger pulled in and parked beside the Aston Martin, a tall, handsome black-haired man got out of the car. Even though they were banned from sunlight, Viper still had an olive complexion that looked nicely bronzed-something he'd inherited from his mother's Moorish background.
One of the original Thirteen of Glory who had gone with Pizarro to the Inca city of Tumbez, he'd come to America almost five hundred years ago in search of gold and fame. The Incas had written of Viper and his party, "These men were so bold that they did not fear dangerous things... the strangers traveled across the sea in large wooden houses."
To this day, Viper feared nothing.
Danger couldn't imagine what had brought him so far from home. She'd only met him once in person, but had spoken with him online and over the phone a few times.
Like most Dark-Hunters, the Spaniard was dressed all in black. He had on a pair of pleated black slacks and a skin-tight T-shirt. His hair was short and stylishly trimmed. As he waited for them to leave the car, he pulled his sunglasses off and tossed them into his seat.
"Hola, Viper," she said in greeting as they left the car. "Como esta?"
He didn't answer her. Instead, he headed straight for Alexion. Without a word, he buried his fist into Alexion's stomach, then backhanded him.
"Stop!" Danger snapped as she ran to them.
Alexion straightened with a look on his face that threatened Viper's life. For an instant, she half expected him to kill the Spaniard.
Luckily, his restraint held.
But when Viper moved to hit Alexion again, he was thrown back by nothing at all. Xirena came out from under Alexion's sleeve in her shadow form as if ready to kill.
"No, Xirena," Alexion said forcefully. "It's all right."
The demon glared at Viper, who crossed himself. "What are you?" he asked, his tone threatening.
"She's a demon," Danger explained. "And what the hell are you doing? Why did you attack him?"
Viper turned on her with a glare. "He killed Euphemia tonight."
Danger covered her mouth at the mention of the Greek slave woman who was stationed in Memphis with Viper. Euphemia was a beautiful blond woman who'd been viciously funny and smart.
"Efie's dead?" Alexion asked. "When?"
Viper's hate-filled gaze narrowed on him. "Don't play stupid with me. Stryker has told me all about you." He turned on her with a curled lip. "And you're helping him."
"Yes, I'm helping him because he's not killing anyone. Stryker is."
But Viper wasn't listening. He tried again to reach Alexion, but Xirena went after him with a hiss.
"Xirena, return to me."
The demon now hissed at Alexion. She looked less than pleased before she returned to shadow form and drifted back beneath his clothes.
Danger cocked her brow. That was an interesting talent.
"You know I didn't kill her," Alexion said in a calm voice to Viper. "You're upset and you want to blame someone, I respect that. But you know Danger would never be a part of hurting another Dark-Hunter."
She saw the anguish in Viper's eyes. The grief. He'd known Euphemia a long time and this was obviously killing him emotionally. "They cut her head off."
Danger pulled him into her arms to offer him comfort. "I'm so sorry, Viper. I am."
His arms were tense around her as his grief reached out to her and brought tears to her eyes. "How could they do that to her?"
Danger didn't understand it. She never had. "I don't know."
Alexion moved to stand within striking distance. "Do you really believe we're responsible, Viper? Honestly?"
She could see the indecision on his face as he pulled away. He cut a venomous look at her. "Danger, tell me the truth. Did you have anything to do with this?"
She knew he knew the answer to that. But she could understand and respect his need for confirmation. No doubt he felt betrayed enough. "When did Efie die?"
"Three hours ago."
Danger reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her receipt for the restaurant and the movie stubs. "As you can see, we were here in town the whole time. There's no way we could have been in Memphis."
He looked at the tickets and nodded. "Then Stryker is lying to us. Why?"
"He's a Daimon," she said simply. "He wants us all dead."
Viper shook his head. "I've known Kyros for centuries. I trusted him."
"Kyros isn't thinking straight right now," Danger said. "But we have all got to get our heads on straight or we'll lose them."
He nodded. "I didn't believe them when they started their crap. Ash has been too helpful to me over the years. I don't often misjudge someone."
"And you didn't," Alexion said.
Tears brightened Viper's eyes as a muscle worked in his lean jaw. "Efie didn't deserve what she got. Man, it's a waste of a good woman." His agonized gaze came back to hers. "I want the ones who are responsible. I want to feel their blood on my hands."
"We'll get them," Danger assured him.
Viper looked at Alexion. "I'm sorry I attacked you."
Alexion shrugged it off. "It's understandable, given the circumstances, and forgiven."
Danger offered him a smile. That was part of why she loved him so. He understood people in a way few did.
Viper took a deep breath as he looked Alexion over. "I only have one question. If you're not Ash's destroyer, why are you here?"
Alexion's answer was dry and sarcastic. "To make friends and influence people."
Viper frowned as Danger laughed.
"The influencing people is true," Alexion said stoically. "But I really don't care about friends. What I do care about are the Dark-Hunters. Kyros and Stryker are right about-"
Danger cleared her throat, interrupting him as she recognized from previous Dark-Hunter encounters where this particular speech was heading: disaster.
Alexion might understand people's emotions and actions, but he didn't know how to talk to them. "Did we not have a discussion about the 'or else' bit?" she asked him.
He gave her a peeved stare. "Okay, then what do you suggest I say?"
She patted him playfully on the stomach. "Watch and learn." She turned toward Viper. "How long have you known Ash?"
"Like you, since the night I was made a Dark-Hunter."
She nodded. "Right, and what did Ash tell you the night you met him?"
Viper fell silent for a minute as if he were reliving the event in his head. "Basically, he said that he was there to show me how to survive."
"Right. And if he meant that then why would he send someone out to kill you now?"
She saw the truth in Viper's eyes as he realized it. "He wouldn't."
"No, he wouldn't." She touched his arm sympathetically. "Don't feel bad. I forgot that part myself, but that is the spiel Ash gives every Dark-Hunter when he first meets them. Then he spends the next few weeks teaching us how to fight and how to live. More than that, we get all the money we can spend, great homes, and servants. If we were just his expendable pawns, in his army, why take such good care of us?"
Viper laughed darkly at that. "You're right. I gave my loyalty, blood, and sweat to the Spanish armada and they didn't give a damn what I ate or where I slept. And my pay stunk."
She nodded.
"The only Dark-Hunters I have ever killed were the ones who preyed on humans," Alexion said emphatically. "That is the only thing Acheron will not stand for. And it's the reason I'm sent in. If you're willing to leave the humans alone and let bygones be bygones, so is Acheron. You can go home in peace. But if you think that he's lying to you and that you can do whatever you want to the humans without fear of retribution, then you go home in pieces."
Danger saw Viper's eyes flash at the threat. She half expected him to attack Alexion again.
To her relief, he didn't.
After a few tense seconds, Viper stepped back. "Kyros is calling together the Dark-Hunters in the area the night after tomorrow. He says he has something to show us about Acheron that will prove his guilt above everything else..." He looked at Alexion. "I won't be there."
Danger smiled. "Good man."
"I try most nights." Viper inclined his head to them. "I better go. We're now short one DH in Memphis, and Danger is draining the shit out of my powers. Not to mention, the last thing I need is to breeze the dawn."