As Shadows Fade (The Gardella Vampire Hunters 5)

Nothing in this room that could harm an undead-no windows to allow sunlight in, no swords to behead a vampire.

What the hell had Pesaro been thinking to bring them in here, unarmed?

“Your vampires are threatened as well as my people. They’ve been attacked by the demons, and run from their hideaways. That isn’t news to you,” Pesaro had continued.

“No, of course not. ” Lilith sat upright and for the first time dropped the sultry expression that she’d adopted the moment she saw Max.

“Surely you don’t plan to step aside and watch them continue to slip from the portal into your domain here on earth. ”

“It amuses Lucifer to watch us battle among ourselves,” Lilith said. Pale, bluish lips, which had once been full and sensual and likely a luscious red, twisted. “I’ve dispatched armies, but they’ve not been as successful as I hoped. ”

“So here you sit, hiding in your lair?” Max said, a note of challenge in his voice. “I expected more from someone with your power. From you. ”

“But, my dear Maximilian… don’t you see? I’ve barely lifted a finger, save sending a few of my most worthless minions-and here you are. You and your companions. Saviors, one and all. For mortal and undead alike. ” Her eyes narrowed in delight. “And you cannot think that I’d decline your offer for assistance. ”

Sebastian looked sharply at his companion. Hell. She’d been expecting them.

Instead of appearing taken aback, Pesaro lifted his chin, looking down at the vampire queen with an air of arrogance. “That’s precisely why I’ve come. ”

“And here I thought it was because you missed me, my dear, mortal Maximilian. ” Lilith rose smoothly, sending a renewed swell of roses wafting through the air. Sebastian thought he might choke.

In an instant, she’d moved in front of Pesaro, her silky forest green skirts dragging across the floor in a short train. The vampire queen stood as tall as Max, taller than Sebastian himself. She reached for Pesaro, the sleeve of her gown sliding back to reveal the pale, blue-veined flesh of an impossibly thin arm. Looking at the unfortunate man, trying to capture him with her enthralling gaze, she curled her skeletal hand around the back of his neck, fingers sifting through the dark hair that brushed his collar.

How could he abide those hands on him? Had she enthralled him so easily with her gaze?

Sebastian watched sharply, his heart pounding harder, and exchanged a glance with Michalas. They had agreed-or, rather, been informed-that Max would handle Lilith. But now…

Pesaro continued to stand still, without even the hitch of a breath, despite the brush of bone-white flesh against his much darker skin. Sebastian watched in horrified fascination as her hand trailed down around the collar of his open shirt and along the length of his arm to grasp his wrist. She touched him as if he was her possession, as if she knew every ridge of every muscle in his body, every hair on his head.

It wasn’t until this moment, watching the sordid pantomime in front of him, that Sebastian fully understood the sacrifice Pesaro had made in coming here.

And in leaving Victoria behind. Safe.

Damn. Grudging respect for Max Pesaro was not one of Sebastian’s favorite emotions.

He could see that Lilith had her long fingers closed around Max’s wrist, and then her fangs came out as she reached for his jaw with her other hand, pressing her body intimately up against his.

“You cannot know how pleased I am that you’ve returned to me,” Lilith said, reaching up to touch Max’s cheek with a sharp nail.

That was when he moved. Suddenly, sharply, efficiently.

One moment Lilith had him in her grasp, seemingly overpowered, ready to sink her fangs into his corded neck… and the next, Max had her caught neatly by the wrists. He bared his teeth in a humorless smile and then shoved her away from him. “I think not. ”

Sebastian braced himself for a furious onslaught from Lilith and the four vampires he’d spotted, lurking deep in the shadows and behind the draped wall hangings.

But to his surprise, Lilith caught her balance, remaining on her feet, and instead of fury blackening her face, he saw delight. Pure, unadulterated delight… followed by a bit of confusion.

“You’ve returned,” she said in wonder. “You’ve returned as a Venator, my dear Maximilian. ” She smiled, and the bald lust in her expression made Sebastian’s belly tighten unpleasantly. “I thought it was impossible, but… here you are. ”

“Obviously your taint in my blood could not withstand divine will,” Pesaro replied.

Lilith pursed her lips into a little moue that Sebastian might have found intriguing if it weren’t on her. “I shan’t complain, Maximilian. To have you back in such magnificent form… I must admit, I was a bit bored with the mere man you’d become. ”

“Anything to destroy your hold on me. ”

“That is what makes you endlessly fascinating to me, my pet. In all my centuries of nonliving, it’s you who’ve intrigued me to no end. ”

“Now that we’ve established your… er… fascination, if I might be so bold as to use the word… perhaps we might get on to business,” Pesaro said. “We’ve come because we need the two Rings of Jubai. As you know, the Midiverse Portal has cracked or somehow been breached, and the only way to close it is with Tached’s Orb. ”