Immortals After Dark 09 - Pleasure of a Dark Prince

she’d slumbered in his arms.
    With no nightmares….
    “There’s been news,” Lucia said, beginning to pace. “I just talked to Annika.” Also not one of Garreth’s favorite Valkyrie. “She told me Regin’s not the only one missing.”
    “What do you mean? I thought some berserker had her.” Garreth and Lucia had planned to head out for New Orleans, interrogate Nïx for leads, and find the berserker. Then Garreth would teach the male how ill-advised his actions had been.
    “All morning news has been flying in from every corner of the Lore,” Lucia said. “Creatures from across all factions have been taken. Which means it’s not Aidan the Fierce who’d abducted her.”
    “Who else got grabbed, then?”
    “Who hasn’t? So far there’ve been confirmed reports of a siren, one of the fey, an arch fury—”
    “Arch? You doona mean…”
    “Yes, the ones with wings. They don’t often rise from their nests, but when they do…” She gave a mock shudder. “A witch called Carrow Graie, also known as Carrow the Incarcerated, was taken around the same time as Regin. Carrow’s best friend to Mariketa the Awaited—and Mari is
displeased
. The entire House of Witches is up in arms, yet they can’t locate Carrow or Regin through scrying.”
    “So it’s some contingent taking out the Valkyrie and their allies?” Which now meant the Lykae as well. Over the past year, Lachlain had made sure that all Loreans understood his clan was a steadfast ally to the Valkyrie—whether the Valkyrie wanted them to be ornot. All the Lykae were in full support of this, especially since their queen and princess were from that faction.
    Lucia shook her head. “That’s just it.
We
were accused of taking out players from the other side. A couple of Sorceri, some fire demons, a centaur viceroy, even one of the Invidia are all missing, too.”
    The Invidia were female embodiments of discord, purely evil. The centaurs and fire demons had warred against the Valkyrie in Accessions past. The Sorceri were unknown entities who could slide either way on the evil scale.
    Lucia added, “There are rumors that even Lothaire has gone missing.”
    “Now, that vampire could’ve been tagged by La Dorada, looking for payback—and a thumb,” he pointed out. “Does Nïx have any ideas?”
    “She hasn’t been lucid. Annika told me she’d screamed like a banshee right after I spoke with her last. She’s been muttering gibberish for days.”
    “Doona worry. We’ll unravel all this,” Garreth said. “And we’ll find your sister.”
    She bit her bottom lip. “We’ve just finished one mission, and now we have to go searching again.” She crossed to the balcony that overlooked the gardens.
    Garreth followed—he would always follow her, as any wolf would his mate. He joined her at the marble railing, savoring the scene. A light Highland fog was rolling in, carrying the tang of the nearby sea.
    “You were right all along, Scot. I
am
high-maintenance.” She sounded remorseful, which wouldn’t do.
    “Aye, but you’re high-output as well.” He gave her arse a possessive squeeze.
    “Werewolf!” she cried, but her lips had briefly curled.
    He took her in his arms. “The truth is that I’d rather march into hell with you than bask in heaven without you.” He curled his forefinger under her chin. “And lass, going to help Regin will be a little like hell for me.”
    She knuckle-punched his arm. “You didn’t just say that!”
    “I’m kidding,” he said, then added in all seriousness, “It happens that I owe Regin one. You said you wanted to live out your immortality with her next door? Well, as much as it grieves me to say this, we will no’ rest until the glowing one’s our neighbor on some seashore.”
And until you’re my wife….
    Her dark eyes widened. “You promise?”
    “Aye, but that does no’ mean I canna tease.”
    She gazed away. “Still, I’m taking you from this. Look at this place.” She waved over the misty grounds. “Deep down, you’ve got to be disappointed that my life is so complicated. I bet you wish things with me were easier.”
    He clutched her to him, hugging her tight to his chest before he finally eased his grip. If only she knew the depth of his feelings for her. But then, she’d given him her eternity, so he planned to show her. “Lousha, you’re my lass. And I’m lovin’ you dearly.” When she gazed up at him with her silvery eyes glinting, he cupped her nape and brought her