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The vampire seemed oblivious to the wolves as he marched toward me with his hands balled into fists. He seemed incapable of seeing anyone except me, the target of his ire.
I brought my hands together, injecting as much mockery into the movement as physically possible.
The vampire stared at me with vague disgust. “Did you seriously just slow clap my entrance?”
I glanced at Kane. “I give it a five out of ten. You?”
“As far as entrances go, I’ve seen better at the club on karaoke night.”
“This could have been a magnificent partnership,” Magnarella seethed. “Tell me, Miss Clay, do you ruin everything you touch or is it limited to my business?” He kept his fiery gaze firmly on me as he reached the shoreline of the lake.
Kane started forward, but I grabbed his sleeve to hold him back. “This is mine to resolve.”
“I’m not going to stand here and let him lay a finger on you.”
“What about fangs?” Magnarella asked. “I only intend to bite you hard enough to snap that troublesome neck of yours. Mr. Sullivan is welcome to do whatever he wants with your corpse after that.” He smiled. “I know demons tend to develop certain kinks in hell. I’d hate to deprive him of that distinctive pleasure.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kane’s nostrils flare.
“I visited your lab. I attended your gala. And now we’re done.”
“I warned you there would be consequences should you refuse.”
Beyond him, the water rippled. Too subtle for Magnarella to notice, but then again, he probably didn’t know about the dangers of Bone Lake. Such concerns were beneath him.
“I said we’re done now.” I curled my fingers around Kane’s hand and encouraged him away from the water’s edge.
Mocking laughter rang out as Magnarella pivoted to face us. “Do you think you can simply walk away from me, and I’ll allow it?”
“I’d like to see you stop me,” I said, as three enormous heads broke the surface. The vampire didn’t have time to react. The middle head swooped down and snatched him from the lake’s edge in one swift movement. I heard the crack of bones as the kulshedra chewed and swallowed her late-night snack and receded into the water.
Kane’s jaw slackened. “Did that actually happen or is this one of your nightmare realities?”
I stared at the spot where the vampire had been standing. “It happened.”
Kane’s grip on my hand intensified. “Are we in danger?”
“Always.”
“Josie mentioned your need for a drangue…”
“A winged hero with supernatural powers.”
His mouth twitched. “Who needs a drangue when you have me?” He uncuffed his sleeves and rolled them to his elbows.
I grabbed his arm. “Stop. I don’t want you to kill her, Kane.”
“Pardon? You don’t want me to kill the vicious three-headed demon that wants to kill us?”
“Correct.”
His brow furrowed. “You are a wonderfully complex and interesting woman, Lorelei Clay.”
“Funny, it sounds like a compliment, but…”
He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “No but. It’s a compliment. Enjoy it.”
We hurried to the perimeter of the woods, out of the kulshedra’s reach. The two alphas were locked in a heated battle, oblivious to the world around them. Multiple sets of eyes glowed in the darkness behind them, a stark reminder of another imminent threat.
