Hold Their Peace (Vampire Assassin League) by Jackie Ivie Page A

have my ass.”
    “You don’t have much of an ass, Nigel. Why would I want it?”
    Wow. The voice that answered rattled every unsecured item in the geek room. Darcy’s eyes went wide. So did her mouth.
    “Sir. I can explain. It’s not my fault. She started it.”
    “No time. Darcy. You listening?”
    It took a moment to realize he’d addressed her, another to get her voice to work. Man. She’d never heard such a voice. He was rattling the chandelier above her. “Yes,” she managed to answer.
    “My name is Akron. We can do introductions later. I have your friend, Lizbeth. Of immediate concern is your own safety. And that of Thanos. Is he with you?”
    “Uh...not exactly,” she answered.
    “Find him. You’re about to be hit by a covert team of killers. Hunters are either much smarter than I gave them credit, or I have an infiltrator in my midst. I’m hoping it’s the former.”
    “Covert...team. Of...?” Her voice just kept dribbling words. And then it gave out completely.
    “Don’t just sit there, get—!”
    He didn’t finish. The computer wasn’t the only thing that went black this time. Everything did. And a moment later, even the humming stopped.

CHAPTER TEN
    Thanos launched upward, adhering to the rock, instantly aware, alert, and then – was it possible? Was he feeling...fear? By the gods! How could he have been so stupid? His gut had been warning him. Instinct had saved him numerous times on countless battlefields in his remote past. And he’d shoved the unease aside...why? Because he’d found Darcy. His mate. And she was perfect. Tall. Lean. Curvaceous enough to scramble any battlefield into chaos. He’d known better than to let her roam these halls outside his protection! And she didn’t even have her sword. He did.
    That same sword shook for an instant before Thanos stopped it. He’d never felt such debilitating weakness. Was this...fear? Him? Thanos of Macedon? No. Not him. He’d been the head smithy of Alexander the Great. Honed all sorts of blades and wielded them with all kinds of courage. He’d been there, cutting a swath through Persian soldiers that got him labeled more than once a scourge from Hades.
    So. If this was fear, he was conquering it. Now. Fear did things. It weakened and confused when he needed strength, wits, and abilities. It might be nothing. This particular generator had failed before. Years ago. It had been his fault. He’d ignored the slight gap in its humming noise. So, he’d fixed it, maintained it, and... by the gods! Who cared when and why? He had to locate Darcy. That was the most important. But where could she have wandered? Thanos shifted against the rock. He didn’t loosen his grip on either the rock or her sword. And that’s when he caught a slight whiff of something unpleasant. Burnt. Rotten.
    And that smell meant Hunters.
    The bastards had somehow found his home. He didn’t question it. He knew. What he didn’t know was how many, or how well prepared they were. Therefore, he had to assign them every benefit. They might know the layout of his cave system. They could’ve studied it. That might be how they’d entered without his knowledge. Conversely, they might have gained access because he’d been focused so entirely on his mate he’d missed the security breach.
    Darcy!
    His newly awakened heart slapped into his ribs. His eyes misted. His mind went into a flashing sequence of images, one after the other. His mate. Her beauty. Her spunk. Her frame. Unclothed. Against his. Holding to him. Making him whole for the first time. Ever. He’d just found love. He couldn’t lose it!
    Thanos had to consciously force down an emotion so close to panic, he’d die before admitting to it. He couldn’t afford panic. Not now. Not ever. Panic was another killer in any battle, right beside fear. Thanos gripped the handle of her sword until it warped slightly, and finally had the blackness conquered. The shuddering calmed. His mind settled. His eyes