"That's different."
Tariq threw back his head and laughed. "Go feed, my friend and brother. Emeline will be fine. She has been in our world. Blaze is her best friend and sister. They talk. Blaze is a warrior, Emeline is not. Blaze is suited to Maksim. Emeline is suited to you. My Charlotte is perfect for me. That is how it works. You will do your best to make her happy, and she will do her best to make you happy. Go, Dragomir, before you talk yourself into running for the monastery. I can assure you, most modern women, if you act like you don't want them, will shrug their shoulders and take their hurt in the opposite direction."
"I would not run from her. If I returned to the monastery, she would go with me."
Tariq laughed again. "Go start our little charade. Feed and then destroy the lair and hopefully any vampire you find in it. I will check on the children, isolate each of them from the others and make certain Amelia cannot escape the gilded cage we put her in."
Dragomir took to the sky with Tariq's laughter echoing through his mind. Sandu and Andor flew on either side of him. Ferro, Afanasiv and Nicu flanked him. He wanted the others there, Petru, Benedik and Isia. He sent out a call to the others in the brotherhood, hoping they would come. He wanted them to see that he had a lifemate and they were right to search for theirs.
10
Dragomir fed well, knowing he was heading for a fight. The lair that had been found was a good distance from the compound, in the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. There were more than one hundred miles of hiking trails. Camping sites and picnic areas made it a smorgasbord for vampires. Up in the highest peak, a crack appeared in a large jutting boulder. It was barely a half of an inch wide, but ran about five feet long in a jagged pattern almost to the very foot of the boulder.
He stood facing it, the other ancients spreading out, feeling the air, the ground, listening and scanning. There was a compulsion embedded in the rock face that warned people away from the area. Anyone feeling it would just turn and leave. That had alerted Andor to the fact that the lair had to be close.
Anywhere one went in a forested area, there was the continual drone of insects. Here, it was eerily silent. There was a feeling of impending violence, of an unseen watcher. The ground shifted subtly under his feet, a built-in snare just in case the compulsion to leave didn't work. He crouched low to run his hand along the soil.
There is something here. A trap beneath our feet. It feels like the ones used a few centuries ago by the Astors. Fridrick and Georg. They had a few kin that ran with them as well. When the Malinovs turned, they also chose to give up their souls. Do any of you recall the others in this family and the traps they preferred to use?
The brotherhood had long ago formed their own telepathic paths. They didn't need to use the more common Carpathian path--the one any vampire would hear. The sun hadn't set, so any vampire inside the lair would be still bedding down and setting more safeguards.
They liked to use the local habitat so everything always looked natural, Afanasiv answered. There were at least three others. Cousins, I think. My memory is dim.
Karl, Leon and Raban. They all went from the Carpathian Mountains to Germany. They took German names to fit in, better to terrorize the people there, Ferro added to the bank of information.
Dragomir ran his hand, palm down, with exquisite gentleness along the top of the soil. There was no grass. He found a small, withered bush just to the right of the boulder. The plant had shrunken away from the foul, unnatural being that had trampled the dirt near it. He felt something, a small electric shock almost, leaping toward his palm. None of the other ancients had boots on the ground. Only Dragomir had allowed his feet to touch the soil.
They used insects. Swarms of them, stinging and biting. They enhanced the beetles or whatever it was they found in the earth, giving them poisonous venom and nasty stings, Nicu added. They have scorpions here. He could use them. Enhance them.
That would be like any of the Astors. They liked drama, Dragomir said. Be ready, let's see what he has. He stood, walked first left and then right, paced back and forth, so that the vibrations would disturb the insects and trigger the trap.
Behind you. The warning came from Sandu.
Dragomir took to the air, turning to see the ground erupting with hundreds of scorpions. They rose to the surface, climbing on one another, covering the soil so it looked like a living, moving carpet. Tails raised high, stingers in position for a strike, they were agitated, looking for prey. None of the ancients moved. They knew that the trap had to have been triggered multiple times by wildlife in the area. The vampire would expect his allies to feed. He wouldn't be suspicious because something had disturbed his first line of defense. Still, one might expect him to check since the sun hadn't yet risen.
Dragomir and the other ancients shimmered into transparency and then disappeared, becoming nothing but molecules in the night air. They waited, aware of the minutes ticking away. Dragomir was certain there would be no going back to the compound before the sun rose. That meant he had to rely on Tariq to keep Emeline safe from Amelia. While he waited, he replayed everything the Carpathian had said to him. Tariq might love Amelia, but he wasn't blinded. The sliver of evil Vadim planted in her would take her over. It wouldn't be Amelia trying to harm the others, it would be Vadim. Tariq wouldn't give in to sentiment, not even for his lifemate.
A steady stream of yellow vapor slipped out of the crack in the boulder, just as a small mule deer stepped close to the swarm of scorpions. They rushed at it. The deer shrieked as one stabbed it with its stinger. Others tried to run up its legs. The deer whirled around and ran a few feet only to drop. At once the other scorpions were all over it. The yellow vapor retreated into the crack, clearly satisfied.
Dragomir moved back into position at the boulder, while the others spread out, all in the air, keeping their boots from touching the surface and adding to the frenzy taking place just a few feet away.
Anyone remember the safeguards the Astors relied on? Even if they've changed them, they will use the base form. They were always on the lazy side, Dragomir said.
You remember, Sandu said. You're testing us, like you always do, being an ass.
Someone has to keep you sharp.
I believe I kept you sharp in the training area.
Sandu was correct, he had taught all of them many lessons with various weapons, over and over. He was incredibly fast. Not as fast as Nicu, who moved like lightning in a fight. It was almost impossible to see him because he moved so fast he was a blur, but Sandu could anticipate almost every move an opponent would make.
Dragomir was grateful he had the ability to find humor in everything again. He'd forgotten humor and how much it could change one's mood. Sandu was telling them all the strict truth. A fact. But the play on words made it humorous without the ancient meaning it that way.
I sent for the others. Benedik, Petru and Isia, Sandu added. I had forgotten what it was to chase the vampire, and a war is shaping up here.
I did as well, Andor admitted.
The others nodded and Dragomir had to smile. He had also sent for the others in the brotherhood. It scares me that we all think alike.
We've been together too long, Ferro pointed out with a small shrug.
Dragomir got back to the task at hand. They always used the first safeguard, Alycrome taught us. Alycrome had been the high mage for many years before Xavier, his son, had taken over. Alycrome had insisted they follow their instincts and develop safeguards of their own, but many had problems completing that task. Weaving strands was easy enough; making them complicated, so difficult that others couldn't unravel them, was something else again.
Dragomir and the other ancients lifted their hands into the air and began a reverse of the oldest safeguard known to their people. It had been a simple one, not at all complex like the ones used in the centuries following. Sure enough, as their hands and fingers played out the symbols, the air around them once more shimmered and the barrier was revealed. It lay heavy around the boulder, a wide ne
t blanketing the rock, preventing anyone from entering.
The next layer looks simple enough, Ferro said. That's just a retaliation spell. It's barely finished.
Dragomir looked at the weave moving in and out of the first strand, the foundation of the spell. It was sloppy work. Someone had thrown it up hastily. These vampires hadn't been chased by hunters in a long while and they were feeling safe. Secure. Vadim had given them that false sense of security.
Classic seven weave, Ferro volunteered. Not well done and nothing original.
Ferro was right. It was ridiculous that the vampire had even bothered to safeguard the area. Dragomir took the next two strands down. The ancients surrounding him scanned the air continually, looking for hidden traps. That was always the worry. The vampire had made it easy to draw a hunter in.
He glanced uneasily at Sandu, who shook his head. I think he's really that careless. I don't feel or see anything out of place.
Dragomir took the next two strands down. One remained. It floated in the air, looking like a string of knots.
Rosary, the ancients identified simultaneously. The weave had been taken from the prayer beads in the thirteenth century. Now it was called a rosary weave by those practicing to remove the safeguard.
Dragomir began to undo each knot slowly. Waiting. Watching. He just couldn't believe that the safeguards set were so careless. When we go in, fan out. He could be anywhere. He was uneasy, but he figured it probably had to do with the way his skin prickled in alarm, telling him the sun was close to rising.
Do you get a sense of who constructed the safeguard? Andor asked. You ran across them from time to time before they turned, Dragomir.
Dragomir hadn't liked them. But then, he'd lost emotion earlier than some of the others and by the time the Astors and Malinovs arrived, he was already an experienced hunter.
I think Leon. It feels like his signature.
Yellow vapor suits him, Sandu said. Whiny little brat. Always causing trouble and running from the consequences. When I heard he and his brothers turned, I wasn't surprised. I never ran across them after that. Figured they avoided me.
Everyone avoids you, Dragomir pointed out. They avoid all of us.
With reason, Afanasiv said.
No one spoke again as Dragomir took out the rest of the knots. Once the safeguards were down, he wasted no time in streaming through the crack. The others followed him. The crack opened into a narrow corridor. The sides of the small cavern were lined with cracks running up from floor to ceiling. The ceiling wasn't high. Had he been in his normal form, he wouldn't have been able to stand up straight.
The corridor narrowed again until a slight man or woman could have moved sideways through it. Three times there were narrow alcoves, just rounded spaces carved out of the rock by water that had long ago disappeared. Dirt had fallen from the sloping walls to the floor.
Sandu materialized in the small space, bent over, crouching low to examine the floor and run his hand up the side of the wall. Go. I'll make certain this one is clear.
Ferro took the second space, which was much smaller than the first one. His wide shoulders scraped on either side of the walls, but, like Sandu, he took his time exploring.
Nicu waved the others on and stayed behind to scrutinize the walls and floor of the third alcove. It looked as if someone had tried to form a grotto in the boulder. This was deeper and smoother, but there was also suspect dirt lying in crumbles all over the ground. It was easy to see where it had rolled off the sides as if something had disturbed it recently.
Dragomir kept going through that narrow corridor. Behind him, Afanasiv and Andor followed. Afanasiv stopped abruptly and materialized, his large frame taking up a good portion of the hallway. He was forced to bend over, and his shoulders didn't fit, so he also had to turn sideways as he crouched down to examine the floor. There was a large fracture zigzagging down the center of the passageway. All around it was dirt and debris. A few rocks. Nothing lay in the crack itself. No dirt at all. Dirt should have been caught in the fissure, but there was none. Afanasiv ran his finger down the fracture until he got to a tiny piece of rock that looked as if it had fallen in the crack, but the crack had formed around it.
I've got something, he said.
Dragomir stopped moving forward. He materialized beside him. The two barely fit in the narrow space.
Andor streamed past them. I'll check out the rest of this passageway and come back.
Dragomir concentrated on the fissure in the floor. It had been there for centuries. No vampire had constructed it, but they could easily have taken advantage of it. Even though they were in darkness, with a mountain on top of them, a barrier between him and the sun, he still felt the burn as the sun began its first journey.
Let's get this done. You ready?
In answer, Afanasiv waved his hand to open the crack. It widened a mere half inch. As it did, the entire boulder above and around them creaked and groaned. Dirt ran down the sides of the cavern to land on the floor. Dragomir was already streaming through the crack, Afanasiv behind him. They were used to traveling in complete darkness. They were used to tons of earth overhead. More, hunting vampires was what they were most comfortable doing.
Below them was space, lots of space. The boulder hid a cave beneath with no outside entrance. The cool air hit their bodies, feeling good after the heat of the narrow corridor. Dragomir knew instantly they weren't alone. Vampires had a stench to them. They were undead, their bodies often decomposing before they could figure out how--or bother--to overcome that little stumbling block.
The stench indicated the lair was used often--or by multiple vampires. The latter would be highly unusual, but then, he didn't discount the idea simply because in the past it hadn't been done. Vampires were vain and selfish. They wanted glory. They didn't want to share their victims. On the other hand, their biggest drive was to stay alive. Vadim had somehow connected with that drive and he'd built himself an unusual army. These vampires used modern technology, and they worked together. They had an acknowledged leader.
We're not alone, he warned. One, possibly more.
The attack came out of the darkness, a fireball that lit the world around him, exposing the cave to his vision. He instantly mapped it, committing every curve, every rock, the ceiling, floor and surrounding walls to memory even while he dodged the fireball and dropped straight down toward the vampire rising out of the ground.
It was Leon, and he wasn't alone in the chamber. Leon called out, and three spouts of fresh dirt rose into the air like giant plumes. In the dwindling light of the fireball, Dragomir recognized two of the three. One called himself Ravenous. He must have turned quite recently because he was disheveled and shaky as he came out of the ground. The second one he recognized was named Eugen, and he also must have turned recently. Both had been a few centuries younger, but they'd been impressive hunters.
Leon must be the master vampire, or at least moving in that direction. He gave the information to Afanasiv even as he drove straight at Leon. Leon squawked and hurtled a spinning spear of fire at him, dodging to the left and disappearing behind a large rock.
He wishes he was a master vampire, Afanasiv said. Collecting pawns doesn't make you good in battle. Leon and his brothers perfected the art of running away.
Dragomir had to agree with the ancient. Truthfully, though, he'd been out of the game for a while. His recent battles were the only experience he'd had since he'd entered the monastery. Yes, they'd kept up their practices, and they'd shared battle strategy and what they knew of various Carpathians and vampires, but he hadn't had actual practice in a while.
He pursued Leon, expecting an attack, but Leon circled around toward Ravenous and Eugen. Do you know the third one? He had some information on the other two and he imparted it immediately to Afanasiv. He shared the lesser vampires' weak sides, which weapons they favored, which battles they'd fought in, everything he could remember. Dragomir couldn't remember his past, growing up as a child, but he rem
embered battles. Wars. Weapons. He pushed what he had into the ancient's mind. It took no more than a couple of seconds to arm Afanasiv with everything he knew about the vampires.
The third one is called Kaiser. He was a hanger-on with the Astors. I'm surprised you don't remember him. He's a tricky devil. Well versed in warfare. My guess, he's been with the Astors, running interference for them for centuries. Watch him. He's probably the most experienced and the deadliest.
The spear had been thrown with such force it embedded into the wall of rock, throwing light through the chamber. Kaiser's lips were drawn back in a savage grimace as he saw who he faced. If he chose to stay and fight, he would be fighting two ancients with fierce reputations, with little help. If he ran, he would be chancing burning alive as the sun rose. He didn't have any good options.
Kaiser raised his hand and waved it toward the spear. It dropped to the ground and as it did so, the flame was extinguished, plunging the cavern into darkness again. Dragomir had no trouble seeing in the dark as a rule, but there seemed to be a thick veil covering the space, one difficult to penetrate without light. He waved his hand and light burst throughout the cave. Kaiser was nowhere in sight.
Leon flattened himself against the ceiling near the opening. When he realized Dragomir could see him, he screamed to his three pawns to attack while he crawled along the ceiling to the crack. Dragomir smacked his hands together loudly and the fissure closed with a clap of thunder, sealing itself, preventing Leon's escape.
Afanasiv dropped down fast, driving his fist into Ravenous's chest, fingers reaching through bone and sinew, talons scraping away flesh to get at the heart. He tore it from the vampire's chest and flung it to the floor of the chamber. Ravenous abandoned tearing and biting at the ancient to dive after the falling heart. Afanasiv waited until the vampire's outstretched fingers nearly connected before sending the fiery spear rolling right through the withered, blackened organ. The flames were white-hot, bright orange red, spilling glaring light across Ravenous's face. His lips were pulled back in a soundless grimace of sheer strain as he desperately tried to force his long, bony fingers into that fire to retrieve his heart.
Dark Legacy Page 19