Page 35 of Ancient Magic

“Should I call up and let her know you’re here?” he asked.

Skye shook her head. “She’s expecting me.”

With a nod he turned and led them across the elegant blue-and-silver lobby with fluted columns and a small fountain spewing water in the middle of the marble floor. He pulled out a keycard to open the elevator that was separate from those used by Valen’s demon staff who filled the various offices. Once inside the carriage, the guard pressed the button for the penthouse before he stepped out and allowed the doors to slide shut.

Squeezing into the back corner to avoid the two males who consumed more than their fair share of space, Skye brushed her fingers over the charms on her bracelet. She’d done what she promised. Now it was time to fight.

Unfortunately, once they reached Valen’s apartment, she would have only seconds to decide which spell to use...

Her silent plotting was disrupted when Lynx reached into the pocket of his shirt to pull out a thin plastic card and swiped it over the electronic panel next to the doors. There was a loud beep before Lynx tapped the button for the basement.

Skye pushed herself out of the corner as the elevator abruptly shuddered to a halt and then zoomed downward.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Peri is in the penthouse.”

Lynx sent her a mocking smile. “I’m not here for Peri.”

Fear crawled through Skye, along with a blast of recrimination. It hadn’t occurred to her that they might be at this building for any other reason than to stir up trouble for Valen and Peri. Which was stupid. Every Cabal member had hundreds of powerful enemies. Not to mention fellow vampires who were constantly maneuvering to gain power. It was Game of Thrones on an epic scale.

What better time to strike than when they were away from the protection of their lair?

Of course, everyone knew that Valen was a fanatic when it came to security. Not only did he have private rooms in the basement for his guests, but no one was allowed on that floor. Not Valen’s staff, not the visiting vampires’ staff. Only Valen, who had access to entire building, plus the four visiting vampires were permitted.

Kane. Gabriel. The ambassador. And Micha.

“Where did you get a key?” She spoke her confusion out loud.

Lynx winked. “I’m not just a pretty face.”

Skye shook her head. She couldn’t argue about his pretty face. He was gorgeous. But the fact that he was willing to risk the fury of four of the most powerful vampires in the world made her question his sanity.

“You must have a death wish,” she muttered.

“What I have is ambition and the courage to grab opportunity with both hands.”

With his arrogance on full display, Lynx strolled out of the elevator as the doors slid open and headed down the brightly lit hallway to the door at the end. He walked with the confidence of a man who knew exactly where he was going and without fear he was going to be challenged.

Skye watched him go, debating whether to scream or shut the elevator doors and go in search of help. The decision was made for her when Yugan wrapped an arm around her waist and clamped a hand over her mouth before dragging her down the hallway.

She didn’t bother to fight against his tight grip. The demon not only had a hundred pounds on her, but he was as strong as an ox. Her strength didn’t come from muscles. Closing her eyes, Skye whispered a quick spell. She couldn’t kill the fairy, but she could make him wish he was dead.

Releasing a burst of magic, Skye opened her eyes, expecting her captor to drop her as a crippling pain ripped through him. Instead, there was a weird popping sound in her ears as the spell fizzled and died.

Crap. Valen had some sort of dampening shield that squashed any attempt to use her magic. Her hasty plans were now worthless. Without her spells she didn’t have a chance of stopping Lynx. No wonder he hadn’t been worried about having her along.

She was shoved inside a vast bedroom that looked like something out of Versailles, with a fancy canopied bed, a carved wooden armoire and several matching chairs arranged around the Parisian carpet. It even had a chandelier dangling from the ceiling.

Lynx came to an abrupt halt in the center of the room, his confidence faltering as he glanced around.

“He has to be here,” he muttered, turning in a slow circle.

“Look out!” Yugan shouted, releasing his hold on Skye as he lunged forward to deflect the blow from the vampire who appeared from the shadows.

The fairy grunted as a fist hit him directly in the face and he flew sideways through the air, slamming into the bed with enough force to snap one of the wooden posts. The canopy drooped, and the scent of blood filled the air.

Skye barely noticed as her gaze locked on Micha. He’d obviously used his mysterious powers to disguise his presence, along with his scent that suddenly flooded through her.

She sucked in a deep breath, as if she’d been starving for that crisp, icy fragrance. And maybe I have, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. There were some creatures who believed in destined mates...

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