He wasn’t usually so stupid.

“What’s her interest in Anna?” he rasped.

“I don’t have a clue.” Sybil shot a surly glare in Anna’s direction. “And I don’t care.”

His fingers tightened. “Shall I make you care?”

She hissed in pain, holding up her hands in defeat. “Look, I don’t even know if Anna is the one the queen seeks.”

“Explain.”

“All I know is that the word was spread that the queen would offer her priceless emeralds to any fairy who managed to locate a human who possessed the magic of the elders in their blood. When I met Anna in the courtroom I instantly sensed some sort of power. It’s unstable, but very strong.”

Anna grimaced at the fairy. “That’s why you were always following me around?”

“Well, it wasn’t for your charming personality.”

Anna stepped forward, her fists clutched as if she were considering punching the woman in the nose. Cezar was swift to tug Sybil backward. Although he liked a catfight as well as the next vampire (who didn’t?), he was more interested in getting to the truth before he was forced to kill the fairy.

“And the spells you cast in her direction?”

Sybil gave a jerk of surprise. “How did you know about them?”

Cezar ignored her surprise and Anna’s questioning gaze. “Just answer the question.”

“They were harmless for the most part,” the fairy muttered. “I hoped to force her into using her powers so that I could be sure she was the one that I sought before I went to the trouble of kidnapping her.”

Anna made a rude noise. “Nice.”

“If your only intention was to capture Anna then why did you set the fire outside Anna’s door?” he demanded.

It took another warning squeeze before Sybil was squeaking out the answer. “I assumed that you had taken her to her room for a late night snack. I couldn’t risk having her drained before I could get her to the queen. I knew a fire was the one thing that would frighten you away.”

Anna gave a small gasp. “Do you know how many people could have been killed by that fire?”

“What do I care about humans?” Sybil demanded in baffled tones.

It was a sentiment shared by most of the demon world. Including vampires. Oh, humans were fine enough as a convenient meal or a quickie in a dark alley, but they weren’t actually considered valuable commodities. There were just so damn many of them.

Anna’s expression, however, was enough to keep his mouth shut. See, he was a lot smarter than he looked.

“God, you’re…” her words broke off as she covered her face with shaky hands. “This is ridiculous. I can’t possibly be the one you’re looking for.”

Cezar battled the instinctive need to rush to Anna and pull her into his arms. What the hell was the matter with him? He was an ancient conquistador, a warrior, a predator. Until the Oracles had taken command of his life he had killed without mercy and took what he wanted without asking.

The world had trembled at his passing.

Now he wanted nothing more than to offer comfort to a woman because she was feeling alone and frightened.

Grimly he returned his attention to the fairy who was using his distraction for an opportunity to escape. With a low growl he lowered his head until she could feel his fangs against her neck.

“Did you reveal to the queen that you had found Anna?”

She gave a tiny squeak. “I might have sent a message that said something about bringing Her Majesty a special gift.”

Cezar cursed beneath his breath. If the queen was traveling to Chicago they were in for some major trouble. She possessed a nasty temper and ancient powers she was willing to use without a care for the destruction she might cause.

He had to warn the Oracles.

But first things first.

Capable of sensing the gist of his vile Spanish curses even if she didn’t understand the actual words, Anna moved forward with a worried frown.

“Cezar?”

“I must get you to Styx.”

Her gaze shifted to the fairy trapped in his arms. “What are you going to do to Sybil?”

He grimaced. “She’ll have to come with us. She might possess information we’ll need.”

Sybil resumed her struggles. “Like hell I will.”

“You’ll come with us or I’ll kill you,” he said, his voice cold enough to assure the fairy he meant every word.

“Fine, I’ll come.”

“I thought you might.”

Chapter 4

When Cezar had told Anna that they would be staying with his vampire friend, she wasn’t sure what to expect. Where did vampires live? Crypts? Sewers? The fiery pits of hell?

Turns out that vampires live in huge, elegant estates with iron gates, hidden cameras, vampire security guards, and a freaking lawn that was bigger than most third world countries.

And no doubt worth twice as much.

If Anna hadn’t been so weary and hungry and downright crazed from the strange night, she might have balked at being led up the winding tree-lined drive to the sprawling Colonial mansion.

As it was she was just so happy at the thought of a warm bed and a roof over her head that she numbly returned the greetings of the towering Styx and his pretty mate, who met them in the marble foyer and after one glance at her wan face had her whisked up the curved staircase to a guest bedroom.

The room with its connecting bathroom was as large as her apartment in L.A., but she had no time to appreciate the lavender and ivory décor before she was soaking in a tub that could hold the Chicago Bears with room for a cheerleader or two.

When she had soaked herself into a prune, Anna at last pulled on a terry cloth robe conveniently left on the counter, and made her way to the wide bed. Her stomach growled as she perched on the edge of the mattress, but she found her feet reluctant to carry her from the welcome peace of the room.

Beyond the door was a plethora of creatures that most people believed were nothing more than myths. Vampires, werewolves, fairies…

Granted, Anna had already suspected that there were more than humans walking around. Hell, she was living proof. And over the years she had more than once considered the possibility that Cezar was a vampire.

But suspecting that Hollywood monsters might creep around in the dark was considerably different from being their houseguest.

She was still weighing the pros and cons of cowering in the bed, when the door to the room was pushed open and Styx’s mate, Darcy, peeked her head inside.

“May I come in?”

Anna instinctively smiled. Darcy didn’t look like a werewolf. Actually, she looked like an adorable urchin with her spiked blond hair and huge green eyes in a heart-shaped face. She also possessed one of those in-love-with-life-and-everyone-in-it personalities that made you melt on the spot.

Even the grim-faced Styx hadn’t been able to conceal his absolute adoration for the woman.

“Of course.”

Pushing the door wider with her foot, Darcy entered with a large tray that she set on the bed next to Anna.

“I thought you might be hungry.”

Anna sucked in a heady breath of the delicious scents filling the air. “Actually, I’m starving.”

“Good.” With a charming lack of formality, Darcy planted herself on the bed, tucking her bare feet beneath her and staring openly at her guest. Anna hid a smile, thinking the woman looked more like a teenager than a fearsome beast in her ratty jeans and T-shirt. “I brought a fresh-fruit salad and zucchini lasagna. I’m afraid I’m a vegetarian so I didn’t have any meat in the house at such short notice, but I can get whatever you want tomorrow.”

Anna blinked in surprise. “But I thought…”

“Yes?”

Ducking her head in embarrassment, Anna took a bite of the lasagna. “Nothing.”

“Please ask me whatever you want, Anna.”

Anna swallowed, inwardly wondering about the etiquette of asking about a person’s species.

“I just thought that Cezar said that Styx’s mate was a werewolf.”

“I am.”

“Oh.” Anna lifted her head to meet the amused green gaze. “But you don’t eat meat?”

Darcy wrinkled her tiny nose. “I won’t bore you with my life history, but basically I was genetically altered so that while I possess a few werewolf traits I never shift and I never feel the pangs of bloodlust.” She gave a sudden chuckle. “Well, except on those occasions when my mate needs to be put in his place.”

Ah, a woman after her own heart.

Anna smiled as she took another large bite of the pasta. “If he’s anything like Cezar I would think that he needs to be put in his place on a daily basis.”

“It does seem to be a vampire trait.”

Actually Anna was quite certain that it was a man trait.

She popped a piece of watermelon in her mouth. “This is delicious.”

“I can’t take credit.” Darcy reached out to nab a breadstick. “I lured away Viper’s housekeeper, who happens to be an artist in the kitchen. She’s helping me to open a new health-food store that offers prepared meals.”