“Can you tell us what it looks like, Lorraine?” Gary asked.
“I didn’t see it. I only felt it.”
“I understand that,” the healer persisted. “But you had to have felt its size and shape. Call up the memory just as you did when we were trying to find what the crow planted in you.”
Lorraine didn’t argue. She always seemed ready to comply when it was a matter of urgency. She didn’t ask questions or insist on answers they didn’t have, she simply nodded and looked into her mind, trying to find the exact moment she was aware of the creature living in her skin.
Andor stayed very still in her mind, waiting to see the memory, hoping to help with the details. Pain crashed through him—through her, only because they both replayed the event in their minds, deliberately calling up exactly how it felt along with the memory.
She took the pain on a quick inhale, drawing air into her burning lungs. Breathing through the constant convulsions, the twisting of her organs as the blowtorch inside continued to reconstruct her body. There was that moment of peace as Andor sent her to sleep. She was nearly there, drifting away from the pain, so thankful it was over.
The moment her back settled into the soil, she felt the other thing and knew it was evil. It was squishy and yet firm, a long skinny creature. The tiny feet felt like a hundred of them, razor sharp, stepping on her, dragging the stinger over her skin. It hurt, but in a different way from the conversion. This hurt her soul. It held a kind of agony all its own.
“I knew immediately Sergey’s crow had planted it.”
No one, least of all Andor, pointed out the master vampire had been inside the crow. They’d all missed that. He had so many spies, it was impossible to pinpoint a single crow and know it was the head of the vampire army. Now, all of them had studied the crow and would be able to pick it out of any flock, but he doubted if Sergey would use the same trick again. He was too clever for such an obvious mistake.
“It slit open my skin and clawed its way to the surface. The moment the healing soil touched it, it wiggled and slashed as if very excited. I tried to hold it back. It was silly to think that by tightening every muscle in my body, I could keep it from entering the soil, but I did, just in case I could contain it. I couldn’t.” There was regret and guilt in her voice.
Andor immediately caught her chin and lifted her face toward his. “This is not your fault. Nothing about this mess is your fault. Every one of us failed to consider the crow’s talons. To be fair, that laceration in your skull was deep.”
“He’s so smart,” she whispered. “Scary smart.”
“We know what we’re looking for,” Gary said. “Thank you, Lorraine. It’s small, about, what do you think? Two, three inches long?”
“Longer. Almost like a small snake. More like six or seven inches, but very, very thin, like a pencil, maybe,” Lorraine explained.
Andor remained quiet. Gary had a way of enticing a person to give him more information without realizing he was coaxing more details out of them.
Gary nodded. “But with legs, like a centipede.”
Lorraine frowned. “Yes.” There as a bit of reluctance in her voice. “I did feel the feet, as if there were a lot of them, but that wasn’t necessarily how it moved. It moved more like a snake might, wiggling but . . .” She trailed off.
Gary was silent a moment. Andor breathed shallowly, watching Lorraine’s face. It cleared suddenly.
“Sideways, the thing moved sideways, like a sidewinder would move. I could feel the brush of its feet. They were sharp, like a tack might be, but their purpose wasn’t to walk. It was more like the creature used them to stop his momentum, turn or rake.”
“That’s perfect, Lorraine. You’ve given us a good picture of the creature. We’re going to be searching, but this is a huge area for something that small to be hiding in.”
“Don’t forget it has a stinger. I felt that as well. It didn’t sting me, but I remember I was waiting for it to do so.”
“It is too bad it didn’t tell you where underground it was going,” Petru said.
She shrugged. “You just have to figure out its main goal. What its purpose is. Once you know that, you know where it is.”
Main goal. Main purpose. Andor turned those words over and over in his head. “What does Sergey desire the most?” He murmured the words out loud.
“Power,” Tariq said. “He wants to rule the planet. I believe every Malinov had that goal.”
“Wealth,” Tomas said. “My brothers and I have often commented on how the Malinov brothers would rather go to the trouble of stealing than work for their gain. They steal lives, they steal money. They steal anything that would benefit them.”
“Children,” Dragomir guessed. “More than anything, the plan was to get psychic women and force them to have their children so they could have replacements in case of their demise.”
“No.” Andor shook his head. “We’re talking specifically Sergey, not Vadim or any of the others, dead though they are.”
“We hope they’re dead,” Gary said.
Every ancient looked to the healer. “What do you mean?” Mataias asked. “Of course they’re dead.”
“Not necessarily completely. Suppose they were talked into giving a sliver of themselves to their youngest brother. The brother no one thought had any kind of intelligence when it came to battle strategy. Or any kind of courage. Suppose he cultivated that image from the time he was very young, and the others, individually, were asked for aid. They might help their youngest brother out. Each would do so without the other knowing. If they placed a sliver of themselves in his mind, he would have all of that amazing intelligence as well as the slivers of Xavier. That would make Sergey the most powerful vampire, not only alive, but for all time.”
Tariq shook his head but didn’t say anything. The others looked a little stunned, or like him, Andor suspected, shell-shocked. It was not only possible, it would explain a lot of things.
“He planned this all along,” Andor said. “The entire thing, the underground city, the gathering of the armies, the slow takeover.”
“He wouldn’t have to take over,” Gary said. “That might have happened out of necessity. Vadim might have been catching on to the true genius in the family. Sergey couldn’t afford to have his brother know his plans. As long as he was considered the least of the threats, no one would be sent after him.”
“So, we’re back to the original question,” Andor said. “What does he want most? He took Elisabeta before he ever turned vampire. He kept her from his brothers. He kept the knowledge of her from them. There was no trace of her in all those centuries, which means he had prepared places for her. He didn’t take her on a whim, it was completely planned out, every single step. I think Elisabeta is what he desires most.”
“Is she his lifemate?” Siv speculated.
Andor shrugged. “We have no way of knowing that. We can only try to keep her from him. She is light. He is darkness. She is good. He is wholly evil. I think that creature was sent by him to find her. He needs to know where she lies.”
“This is pretty far thinking,” Lojos said. “Vampires don’t usually have this kind of fixation on a woman. Even if she was his lifemate, she couldn’t help him.”
“No, but she can give him the things he lacks. Color. Even emotion. It makes sense when we know Sergey has held up so much better than the others,” Gary said. “His body hasn’t rotted the way his brothers’ all did.”
Andor had to agree. “Sergey knew Lorraine was my lifemate and human. He also knew I would protect her. He made certain to make us all think that acquiring her was his goal, but he wanted her brought here, to this compound, because when I converted her, she would be put in the healing soil, where Elisabeta was already lying in a deep sleep.”
“Do you really think a vampire is capable of that kind of planning? To use a wounded ancie
nt and his potential lifemate to bring a weapon or beacon right into the Carpathian stronghold?” Lojos asked. “This turns everything we know about vampires on its head.”
“I believe it absolutely,” Andor said. “And the more time we take discussing it, the more time it has to find her.”
The ancients looked at one another. “How do we best use this information, providing it is correct?” Petru asked.
“We open the earth around her,” Tariq said. “Search it first and then isolate it if the creature isn’t found.”
He floated above the healing soil and began cutting out a wide cube toward the left of the center. The cube moved up into the air, and was set squarely on the cement pad away from the wide expanse of healing soil.
“Who else is in the ground?” Andor asked, setting Lorraine carefully on the cement pad a short distance from the cube.
“Ferro. Liv normally sleeps here as well, but she awakens before the rest of us do. She enjoys playing with her siblings,” Tariq answered.
“It will be impossible to tell where Ferro went to ground,” Benedek stated. “Even within the monastery, we never knew where he slept. He is always careful.”
“We should consider waking him,” Tariq said as he paced around the room.
Before he could say another word, or the others could respond, the soil on the right side, above where Andor was certain Elisabeta slept, spouted up like a geyser. Great columns of fine dirt sprayed into the air. Ferro shot up and then turned and dove across the cement barrier, back into the deep soil in the healing grounds.
“The creature. I saw it just for a moment,” Andor said, and followed Ferro’s example. He chose a place just ahead of where he thought the hideous little organism, half reptile, half anthropod, wholly evil, might be.
Behind him, the other ancients fanned out, each choosing a side of the ring, forming a large circle where they hoped to corral Sergey’s servant. Andor began to quarter the area he had chosen to protect. Each of the ancients sent Ferro their coordinates. He was the active pursuer. No one knew exactly what shape he was in, but it didn’t matter. The creature had disturbed his sleep, and he was already hunting it.
Make certain each quarter of the soil you take to search, you leave behind the sacred spell so he cannot enter it. He is small to hide in this vast complex, Ferro cautioned.
Did you know you were sleeping so close to Elisabeta? Andor asked curiously. Ferro sometimes knew things others did not. He could have had a premonition that Sergey would try to strike at her.
I did so on purpose.
Andor took that as confirmation that Ferro had some kind of precognition that Elisabeta would be targeted by the master vampire. He moved through the earth, sifting it carefully, hoping if he did find the creature, if he couldn’t catch it, he could push it back toward Ferro.
We knew he would eventually make a try for Elisabeta. Tariq joined in the conversation. We thought he would have to wait until she was once more awake.
He calls to her, Ferro said. His foul voice permeates the healing ground. I think the creature is sending out signals in the hopes of waking her.
Maybe so, Gary said, but from what Lorraine described, the vile thing is more than a homing device and wake-up alarm. It has a stinger and can use its feet to slash at an enemy. I would imagine there is a poisonous substance on each of those feet or the end of its stinger.
I felt the lash of that stinger, Ferro agreed. It injected some concoction into me, or tried to, the moment I felt its body come up against mine. I knew it was something foul Sergey sent to try to get to Elisabeta. I moved fast, but unfortunately, the creature is like lightning and I was still partially paralyzed. My wounds were . . . grave.
Do you believe he wants to kill her? That he would rather she be dead than leave her to us? Tariq asked.
It is always possible, but I do not think so, Ferro said.
Andor had to agree with him. Sergey had had too much time to kill Elisabeta. When she’d been found in the cage, he could have chosen that moment to end her life, but he hadn’t. He had allowed the Carpathians to save her. Perhaps, at the time, he didn’t believe they would be able to free her from the cage. Her prison had disappeared and became part of the background, but with the aid of a young mage, they had found the correct spell to bring the cage back into the open and eventually they were able to free her.
Ferro, perhaps it would be wise to leave the hunt to others and allow Gary to heal your wounds properly, Tariq ventured.
Andor thought it was significant that Tariq was careful with Ferro. It showed the man was a good leader, very aware of everyone around him. Even by those who didn’t know him, Ferro needed respect given. It was his due and he wore that just as easily as he wore his skin.
Perhaps when I have found and destroyed this evil creature so there is no threat to our women and children, Ferro replied.
Andor wasn’t surprised by his response. Ferro would never consider himself or his well-being before the safety of others. He was tied to Gary and could feel the others’ concern, although Gary couldn’t feel it, nor could Sandu or Ferro. He understood better what Lorraine had tried to tell him. It wasn’t that they didn’t have emotions, no matter how old they were, there was a disconnect, which meant they couldn’t feel them.
Andor knew better than to try to dissuade Ferro from his decision. They all just had to do their part. He sifted through the dirt—and there was a lot of it.
Why is Ferro so sad? Lorraine’s voice caressed him, brushed him with the velvet of her voice, the silkiness of her growing love for him.
I do not detect sadness.
He hides it from even himself. You feel exactly what he feels, which is nothing, but go deeper, Andor. He is very sad. A great sorrow. I don’t like it. Do you think he plans to sit out in the sun?
He couldn’t imagine Ferro doing such a thing. As I said before, he plans to return to the monastery.
Andor couldn’t see Lorraine, but he knew exactly what expression would be on her face. He wanted to hold her. There is no stopping Ferro once he has made up his mind, csecsemõ.
How will he find his lifemate?
He no longer believes it is possible.
Of course, it is possible. You found me. Or I found you. Whatever. We found each other. If he secrets himself away, he will die of pure boredom.
Some of us have learned to meditate.
Meditation is for the birds. Seriously, Andor, I tried it multiple times and it doesn’t work. I found myself so bored I wanted to fall asleep. I may have.
It takes discipline.
I think monks lied about meditation and its benefits in order to keep the ones who liked to talk from chattering too much and driving the others crazy. I’m going to talk to him.
Andor had to admit to himself that for some reason, his brethren accepted Lorraine when they barely trusted anyone else. There were very few allowed into their circle. She had an influence on the other ancients. They certainly respected her. It was possible she might persuade Ferro to stay when no other could. On the other hand, if he knew he was too close to that edge of danger, of turning, then it would be far better for him to leave.
Don’t think that. Not even for a moment.
Sívamet, you have no way to understand how bad the torment can be. Ferro does not believe even should he find a lifemate that she would be able to live with him.
Do you know how utterly ridiculous it is to think that?
We are from ancient times when things were far different.
Yes, you are. Andor, you are from those times and we found each other. I’m modern. Dragomir is from ancient times, and Emeline is modern. You told me that lifemates complete their other half. That whatever one needs the other provides. How exactly can you or Ferro think that he would have outlived his lifemate’s needs?
His woman was intelligent. And right. H
e couldn’t stop himself, he shared her thoughts with Ferro. What do you think?
I think your woman is making you soft. Hunt for that hideous bug. Drive it toward me.
Still, for all of Ferro’s seeming rejection of Lorraine’s theory, Andor felt as if the ancient listened. At least it was out there, and maybe he would give the hunt for his lifemate as much attention as he was the reptilian creature Sergey had sent their way.
O jelä peje terád, Sandu’s voice snapped, on the common Carpathian path. That thing tried to sting me. I kicked it accidentally.
Sandu’s position was just to the right of Andor. He moved very slowly in that direction, feeling with his senses, not his eyes. A faint displacement of soil came from the right as if something very small slithered toward him. He went very still. It came closer and closer.
Sandu, make some noise. Petru, you, too. Just a little as if you’re trying to be sneaky.
I was sneaky, but that didn’t turn out to be such a good thing when I found it.
Andor suppressed the need to laugh. He was listening intently, feeling for the thing now. He’d been determined on driving it toward Ferro so the other Carpathian could capture or kill it, but now, he devised a plan to grab the thing. He was aware of the razor feet and stinging tail. He needed something besides his hands to scoop it up.
Sergey’s spy dug through the soil, coming right at him. In his mind, he created a thinly meshed screen that could snap down as the creature entered a small cage. When he was certain it was only inches from the long, thin cage, he froze.
Ferro, now, come toward me fast.
Ferro reacted instantly, pushing hard through the soil. Andor heard the creature hit the end of the cage and he slammed the mesh down to lock it in place. Got it. Coming to the surface. Lorraine, you stay far back. Andor burst through the dirt, the cage swinging from his hand.
The sound the reptile made was horrendous—a high-pitched shriek that could only be a warning to its maker that it hadn’t accomplished its mission. Andor silenced it immediately with a wave of his hand. It stared at him with malevolent eyes. Pulling back its lips to show wicked, needlelike teeth, it hissed at him. The sound was muffled, impossible to hear other than a scant foot from the cage.
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