Azh didn’t hesitate. Vampires had a profound bond with the earth. Probably because they had spent eons in caves and tunnels during their endless war with the dragons. Saxton would sense the instability in the rock before Azh.
Tightening his hold on Wynn, he swept her up and over his shoulder as he raced toward the door. He ignored the fist that landed in the middle of his back along with her angry protests.
He admired her independence, but he wasn’t going to risk having the castle fall on her head because she was too stubborn to admit he was faster and stronger.
Saxton was a black blur as he raced up the stairs and led them toward the side door that opened into the formal gardens. Even then he continued to race through the neatly trimmed hedges, leaping over the wide moat to land lightly on the stone wall that skirted the castle grounds.
They turned back just in time to see the turrets crumble into heaps of shattered rock, followed by the large central keep that collapsed with enough force to send clouds of dirt billowing into the air.
Waiting until the dust cleared so he could make sure there was no sign of the corruption, Azh at last lowered the struggling Wynn to her feet. She glared at him as she straightened her coat and shoved the hair from her face, but she didn’t bother to chastise him. They both knew he would do it again if he thought she was in danger.
“I’ll send my warriors in search of the...” Saxton allowed his words to trail away with a low hiss. “Whatever the hell was in the dungeon.”
“The corruption,” Azh said, his gaze skimming the countryside for any hint of danger.
“Corruption?” Saxton demanded, his voice edged with disdain.
“You prefer that we call it the green slimy magic?”
“I’m going to sound like an idiot.”
Azh turned his head to stare at the leech with raised brows. “And?”
Saxton shook his head, clearly realizing it was a stupid argument. “I want to stay in the area and question the locals. They might have heard rumors about Pheral meeting with strange demons.” He tilted back his head to glance toward the sky that was beginning to glow with the promise of dawn. “Plus, I need to find a place to spend the day.”
“Warn them not to get near enough for the magic to touch them,” Azh insisted. “Just keep it in sight so we can try to track it.”
Saxton nodded toward the road behind them where a stretch limo was waiting. “You can use my car to return to my lair in London to rest.”
Azh started to nod his agreement, only to have Wynn take command of the situation. “I need to return to London, but I don’t have time to rest.”
He scowled, easily able to sense her fatigue. “Wynn.”
“I’m fine. I’ll rest later. I promise.”
“What do you need in London?”
Her features hardened with a grim determination. “Axton and his clan.”
“Axton.” The vampire studied Wynn with a sudden frown. “I haven’t seen or heard anything from Axton since his business exploded. I assume he’s dead. Or at the very least he’s left the Gyre.”
Wynn stubbornly shook her head. “I know Axton. He wouldn’t leave London even if the hounds of hell were chasing him.”
Saxton narrowed his dark eyes. “You’re familiar with the goblin?”
“We’ve met,” Wynn admitted vaguely.
Saxton stilled, recognition spreading over his too-handsome features. “Wait. I remember that scent.”
The leech started to step forward, but Azh was swiftly reaching out to place a warning hand in the center of the male’s chest.
“Stay there.”
Saxton’s attention never wavered from Wynn. “You’re the thief who’s been terrorizing London for years.”
Wynn shrugged. “Hardly terrorizing. I stole a few baubles here and there.”
“A few.” Saxton sent an impatient glare toward Azh. “Stop growling at me. If I wanted to hurt her I would have done something a long time ago,” he snapped, forcing Azh to realize that he was indeed growling. Or rather, his beast was rumbling with annoyance. Right now, it was just grumbles. If the leech did anything to threaten Wynn, it would get a whole lot worse. With blatant disregard that he was poking the sleeping dragon, Saxton leaned toward Wynn, as if testing her scent. “What are you?”
