Dangling him in the air Damocles watched with cold distaste as the round face turned a strange shade of puce.

"Don't annoy me, ugly troll, or I'll cut out your tongue. I wish to savor this victory without listening to your flapping lips." He gave the troll a small shake. "Do you understand?"

It took several tries before Evor managed to get the words past the crushing hold on his throat.

"I understand."

Opening his fingers Damocles allowed the troll to fall back to the floor. His smile returned.

"I knew you'd see things my way. Now let's go have some fun."

Viper would never recall the agonizing trek through the dark tunnels to the lair of the Anasso. Oh, there were vague flashes of progressively more lavish tapestries, and elegant candelabras that offered a flickering light. And overall a pervasive scent of depraved self-indulgence.

His attention, however, was consumed with a simmering panic for the woman in his arms.

He would not allow her to die.

Not if it meant killing every vampire, troll, and human in the caves.

At last following Styx into a cavern that was dominated by a vast bed and a roaring fire, Viper came to a halt to study the frail vampire that was propped among a pile of satin pillows.

Although he was prepared for a change in the once powerful leader, Viper still experienced a flare of shock at the sight of the frail, almost corpselike reality.

By the blood of the saints, he appeared more dead than alive. An unnerving sight even for a vampire.

How the hell could he still possess such powers? It seemed impossible until Viper met the hectic glitter in the sunken eyes.

The Anasso might literally be upon the verge of extinction, but he would battle to the bitter end.

Reading his thoughts with ease, the Anasso offered a smile that sent a flare of fear through Viper's heart.

"Ah, I knew you would come to me, Viper" the ancient vampire rasped.

Clutching Shay protectively to his chest Viper glared into the gaunt face.

"You made sure I would have no choice."

"So angry." The elder vampire heaved a faint sigh. "Do you have no sympathy for your master, my son? Do you possess no loyalty to one who has sacrificed all for the race of vampires?"

"I see a fading shadow of a once great vampire who has been lost to his own weaknesses."

The frail features tightened, but the Anasso kept his voice soft and persuasive. It was a voice that had once lured hundreds of vampires to battle.

"Yes. I have been weak. And a fool. Once I am healed I can promise you that I shall never again be prey to such failings. I will restore myself and all of my followers to the glory that is our due."

Viper gave a slow shake of his head. Styx and his Ravens might accept such a pledge. To him it rang with a hollow lack of conviction.

He had seen the humans trapped below.

"You have made such promises before, master."

This time the vampire didn't try to hide his anger. "Do not think to judge me, Viper. You cannot know what I have suffered to bring peace to us all," he said, his voice sending a flare of pain over Viper's skin.

Viper clenched his teem. Damn, that hurt. And with nothing more than a thought.

"We all know what you have done for us," he gritted.

The pain ripped through the air once again. "How could you possibly know? How could you possibly understand the cost?" The Anasso pointed a thin finger in Viper's direction. "There is not a night that I am not haunted by the faces of friends and loved ones that I was forced to kill because they would not accept change. Not a night that I do not hear the cries of my kin as they died beneath my hands. Can you truly hold me to blame for seeking to escape the ghosts that plague me?"

Viper had to concede that when it came to battle tactics the elder vampire was a master. A combination of subtle manipulation with the hovering threat of further pain. And all with seeming ease.

Viper might have been impressed if he hadn't been at the receiving end of that clever strategy.

"And what of the ghost of Shay's father?" he demanded. "Does he haunt you as well?"

"He was a necessary casualty."

"Just as Shay will be?"

There was not even the faintest flicker of remorse. "Yes."

Viper's arms instinctively tightened around Shay as he allowed his own power to begin to fill the air. He might not possess the strength of the elder vampire, but he was not helpless.

"What is to occur when all the Shalott blood is gone?" He deliberately allowed the scorn to fill his voice. "Who will you sacrifice then?"

The gloves were definitely off as the vampire lifted himself from the pillows, his face a stark mask of anger.

"Enough of this. Come to me now, Viper."

With a pang of regret Viper lowered Shay to the floor. As much as he desired to have her close to him, he couldn't take the risk that the Anasso might strike without warning.

"I will not surrender the woman I love." he swore, pulling the dagger from his boot. "Not for any reason."

"You dare to deny your master?"

"You halted being my master when you chose to poison your body with tainted blood. The penalty for such a sin is death."

A thick spittle formed on the lips of the Anasso as he struggled to untangle himself from the heavy covers. "Styx," he called sharply.

Viper shifted to keep a wary gaze upon the silent vampire who stepped forward with a bow.

"Master?"

"Bring me the Shalott."

Styx slowly straightened, his face a harsh mask. "The woman is to be Viper's mate. It is against our law to harm her."

Viper barely managed to disguise his shock at the bald challenge.

A shock that was echoed on the face of the Anasso.

"So I am to be betrayed on all sides." With a low hiss the elder vampire managed to struggle from the bed. Holding on to a thick bedpost he lifted a threatening hand in Viper's direction. "I will have her. Bring her to me, Viper, or watch her die on the floor."

Viper deliberately shifted to stand between Shay and the furious demon.

"She would rather die than be drained by you."

Power whipped through the air, stirring Viper's hair and blowing out the candles set about the cavern.

"Do you think I am helpless?" The Anasso moved forward with slow, but steady steps. "Do you believe you can best me, boy?"

Viper was not above a sharp flare of fear.

Not for himself.

He would readily give his life to protect Shay. But if he were to die then there would be no one to rescue her from the Anasso.

That he couldn't bear.

Drawing in as much of his power as he could hold, Viper grimly prepared for battle.

"I am willing to pit my strength against yours." he gritted.

"Even if it means your death?" the advancing vampire demanded, a thick darkness swirling about him.

"Yes."

"Fool." With a motion the Anasso sent the darkness hurtling toward Viper.

Viper held out his hands to deflect the coming blow, but even as his muscles tensed there was a blur of movement and Styx was abruptly standing before him.

"Master... no."

The darkness struck Styx and with a muffled cry the large vampire crumpled at Viper's feet.

A stunned disbelief filled the air. No one had expected the loyal servant to throw himself in the line of fire. Not after centuries of unquestioning devotion.

Something that might almost have been regret flashed over the gaunt face. Obviously the elder vampire had not gone entirely mad.

Unfortunately, he was mad enough to swiftly push aside his momentary hesitation, and was once again turning his attention to Viper.

Not about to waste the sacrifice Styx had so rashly made, Viper tossed the dagger directly at the chest of the Anasso, and smoothly reached down to retrieve the sword from his fallen friend.

The sword was in his hand even as the dagger struck true. There was a strangled gasp as the Anasso reeled back and glanced down at the blood running down the front of his robe.

Any hope, however, that he had managed to slow the ancient demon was dashed as the vampire reached up to pluck the dagger from his chest and toss it aside. His expression was disdainful as he once again called his power.

"You will howl for death before I am done with you," the vampire gritted as he lifted his hand and once again sent his power flooding across the room.

Viper did howl.

Nothing could prepare him for such shattering pain. It crawled through him with a ruthless force that had him on his knees before he realized what had occurred.

Clutching the sword in his hand Viper battled to keep the darkness at bay.

He could feel the Anasso moving ever closer.

If he only had one shot at killing the demon he intended to make it a good one.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Shay nearly cried in relief when the agonizing pain was abruptly lifted.

Holy shit. She wasn't a stranger to torture. She had been beaten, burned, chained, and even blasted with magical spells. But nothing had managed to make her body burn as if she were being roasted over the fires of hell, or clutch her heart until she feared it might be ripped from her chest.