Just days ago, Brigette would have jerked her hand away. She didn’t like that touchy-feely crap. Not even when she was facing potential death.
Now she squeezed Xi’s fingers, allowing his presence to offer her comfort.
“Did Viper contact Chiron?”
“Yes.”
Brigette studied his tense profile. “But?”
“But Ulric is visiting the in-laws.”
Brigette was confused. As long as Ulric didn’t enter Dreamscape, then the bomb wouldn’t trigger. Or, at least, that was what Roban had claimed. That gave them time to locate the thing and get it out of harm’s way.
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“They are rare zephyr demons and live in some remote hole in the ground. Which means that Ulric is out of contact. There’s no way to warn him not to return.”
“I need to go to Vegas.” Brigette pushed away from the tree, prepared to take off for Nevada. That second. It didn’t matter if she had to run the entire way; she was going to do whatever necessary to protect Ulric.
“Viper is sending Lynx in Styx’s jet,” Xi hurriedly assured her, thankfully not pointing out that she’d plotted a painful death for Ulric not so long ago. “He’ll defuse the curse before the bomb can be triggered.”
Brigette chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t trust the imp.”
“He’s a rat,” Xi reminded her. “And, like all rats, he’ll do whatever it takes to stay alive. He’s already pledging loyalty to Styx and revealing the location of the curses he created. He knows the only way to keep his heart from being carved out of his chest is if he does everything in his power to stop Maryam and her rebellion.”
She reluctantly nodded. Xi was right. The imp was like most of Maryam’s collection of ruffians—out for themselves. Once the word got out that the rebellion was a bust, they’d be turning on each other like rabid curs. “What about the other rebels?”
“Styx has taken the Ravens with him to capture the demons headed toward the airport, while Viper has his clansmen surrounding the parking lot where Maryam left the vehicles. Most of the traitors should be rounded up before dawn.”
“So it’s over,” she murmured, trying to make herself believe the words.
Xi glanced back toward the pumping station. “As soon as we have Maryam and Roban locked in the dungeons.” His jaw clenched. “Or dead.”
“What are they waiting on?”
Xi shrugged. “Maybe they decided to remain safely hidden while they send out their devoted followers to risk death. They wouldn’t be the first leaders with more bravado than courage.”
It was possible. After all, Brigette had only known them a few days. But Maryam hadn’t struck her as the type of leader who would cower in the shadows. This was personal for her. She would want to witness the destruction of her enemies with her own eyes.
Plus, she was a vampire. Every leech was a control freak.
Brigette scoured her mind, trying to recall her limited conversations with the female. They’d discussed the rebellion in general terms, but Maryam hadn’t trusted Brigette enough to give step-by-step details. Only Roban had…oh.
“One way or another,” Brigette breathed.
“What?”
“That’s what Roban said when he locked me in the cell,” she told Xi. “He made it sound as if there was more than one plan.”
“It doesn’t matter.” A cold smile of anticipation curled Xi’s lips. “Once they come out of the tunnel, we’ll have them.”
He was right. As soon as they’d contacted Viper, Brigette had clearly pinpointed the exits from the tunnels. They were all being watched by the vampire’s clansmen. It was now just a waiting game.
A shame she wasn’t in the mood to wait.
“Maybe I should go down and get them,” she suggested.
Xi was shaking his head before she finished speaking. “We can’t be certain that there aren’t other nasty surprises waiting inside. She’ll come out.”
Brigette clenched her hands. She wanted to be doing something. Anything. “I’m not the most patient creature.”
Xi arched a brow. “Shocking.”
She sent him a frustrated glance. “Not all of us can be cold-blooded.”
A tingle of electric power crawled over her skin, making her shiver as Xi stepped toward her. “Is that what you think? That I’m cold-blooded?”
Tilting back her head, she studied the pale, chiseled features. In the silvery moonlight, he was just so damned…perfect. A fantasy that might disappear in a wisp of smoke.
She shivered again, longing to reach out and touch that flawless face. “Just stating a fact.”
His lips parted, revealing the tips of his razor-sharp fangs. “My temperature might not run as hot as a Were, but there’s nothing cold about my blood.” Unlike her, Xi didn’t hesitate to reach out and run his fingers over her cheek. His cool touch set off ripples of excitement that made her toes curl. “Not when I’m next to you.”
Heat stained her cheeks as her musky scent of arousal perfumed the air. Now wasn’t the time to get all hot and bothered.
Pretending she wasn’t embarrassed, she turned her head away. His dark, mesmerizing gaze made it difficult to think clearly.
“Is that a line?”
“Line?” he asked in confusion.
“A pickup line.”
Xi allowed his fingers to brush down the curve of her throat. “If you have to ask, then it’s not a very good one.”
Brigette kept her gaze locked on the pumping station. Her instinct was to make some snarky comment. Or shove him away. It was terrifying to acknowledge how deeply he was etching himself onto her heart. Onto her very soul.
“I haven’t flirted in over five hundred years,” she admitted with a rueful sigh. “I’m a little rusty.”
“Me too.”
Her gaze snapped back to his face. Was he joking? He looked serious, but it was hard to tell with Xi. He had a wry, unexpected sense of humor. But there was nothing but a fierce desire smoldering in the dark eyes.
“You weren’t trapped with an evil beast,” she finally said. It was impossible to believe that females wouldn’t have been doing everything in their power to try to attract the attention of this male. “Why would you be rusty?”
“Being a Raven to Styx is a full-time position. I’ve devoted my time and attention to securing his position as the Anasso.”