Dark Wolf

by Christine Feehan

  Pain welled up, a wave sharp and terrible, burning through his/her insides, raking and clawing at their stomach. He turned Skyler's head just in time as her human stomach rebelled, emptying the contents over and over, a wretched action he couldn't stop. Something more powerful than him consumed them. Wave after wave crashed through them, lasting long minutes that could have been hours. He lost track of time.

  Abruptly, the pain faded, and they panted together, desperate to draw air into their lungs. He felt dizzy and weak. He couldn't leave Skyler's spirit alone in the other world. She would never make it back to him. Possessing her body took a tremendous amount of energy. He was still bleeding from multiple wounds and silver burned through his own body, yet he didn't dare take the time to try to push it out. Already another wave of fire rose in Skyler's body, lifting her up and slamming her back to earth.

  The strength and intensity of the convulsion knocked the very breath from his body. His/her eyes widened in shock. He had suffered endless days and nights when the silver burned and twisted relentlessly through him, but this pain was different, a long wave that roared through them, building so fast it was next to impossible to get above it or on top of it.

  He forced Skyler's body to relax, relying on centuries of discipline. There was no blocking the pain, no way to stop the convulsions, or the way their body lifted, went rigid and slammed back to earth. As the wave subsided, she vomited again and again, a horrible retching sound that seemed to reverberate through the clearing.

  Dimitri became aware of two things. Skyler's spirit, rather than diminishing and retreating from the pain, seemed to grow a little brighter right in the center of the warmth he had surrounded. The earth sank around them, drawing them deeper into the richness of her soil almost with every wave or convulsion. Both things gave him hope that he might actually pull her back from the land of the dead.

  10

  Fenris Dalka cursed in every language he knew, streaking through the sky, furious that he hadn't been able to track his younger brother. He was Han ku pesak kaikak--Guardian of all, yet he hadn't kept his brother safe. Dimitri had saved his life on more than one occasion, had fought the rogue pack and the Sange rau valiantly, saved the lives of Lycans and Carpathians alike, and yet he'd been betrayed, held prisoner and tortured.

  Fen, we're close to him and he's still alive, Tatijana, his lifemate whispered into his mind, trying to soothe him.

  Skyler has been murdered. He will either follow her or choose the path of revenge. Should he do that, he will be lost to us for all time--lost to her. This is my fault. I should have taken far more care over the centuries with him, with just how much blood I gave him when he was wounded.

  He could smell the Lycans now. The wind brought him the overpowering scent of blood, of war. The Lycans were in pack formation, surrounding prey, most likely his brother and the two men who had aided Skyler in trying to rescue Dimitri.

  He was not alone. The four Carpathian warriors who had started out with him to find and rescue Dimitri had been abruptly called back to the Carpathian Mountains. Two others had joined him, and he hadn't been surprised. Byron Justicano and Vlad Belendrake, Josef's only family, had come the moment they were aware he was in trouble. Both had been much closer to the area, and once they knew the exact location of Josef they had set out fast to find him. Byron's lifemate, Antonietta, was blind and his sister, Eleanor, Vlad's lifemate, had never been in a battle her entire life, so neither had come, although both had apparently argued to do so.

  Fen couldn't blame them. Had Josef been his son or nephew, he would have raced into the fight as well. As they streaked across the sky, he imparted to both men as much as he could about the way a Lycan pack fought, cautioning them about their speed and ability to leap, how they favored weapons and to stay out of their range whenever possible.

  Fen, Tatijana tried to be the voice of reason, we have to actually see what's happening before we go in and start a war.

  They tortured my brother after giving us their word that he would be safe. They sentenced him to death. He called out to me when Skyler was lying in his arms, the breath gone from her body, and showed me everything that had taken place.

  Fen had considered Zev Hunter his friend. He liked and respected the elite Lycan hunter. They had fought together and were wounded together. He was angry with the Lycans, but it was Zev he felt a cold, dangerous fury at. It mattered little to him that Zev had been the one to cover for his brother or even that he'd given blood when he could see Dimitri was slowly starving. He hadn't taken him down from those terrible meat hooks made of silver. He'd allowed Dimitri to be tortured.

  The truth was, had not Skyler, Josef and Paul set out to rescue Dimitri on their own, his brother would have died. The silver would have found its way to his heart. Skyler, in his opinion, had been magnificent, worthy of being Dimitri's lifemate, no matter how young she was. Josef, for all his reputation, had earned Fen's respect. And young Paul, a human, had been courageous. None of them deserved the treatment the Lycans had shown them.

  The forest thinned, and through those trees, he saw the clearing. He had no idea how many Lycans surrounded the meadow, but they seemed to be attacking a transparent wall on all four sides, using axes. The blades simply bounced back at them. He could see where Lycans had tried to dig their way under that rippling transparency, and where a few had hacked at the top.

  Skyler created that safe haven right in the middle of Lycan territory. There was pride in Tatijana's voice. In spite of their best efforts, they haven't been able to get through.

  Fen took his time studying the transparent haven. Josef, splotches of red staining his clothes in several places, appeared to be trying to stop the flow of blood from Paul's wounds. Dimitri's body lay beside him, seemingly lifeless, but he was bleeding from several wounds. Skyler's body lay beside his, one hand outstretched toward Paul.

  As he watched, Skyler's body convulsed. His heart jumped. Tatijana, did you see that?

  She's undergoing the conversion. There was excitement in her voice.

  Can you feel her life force? She was gone. I couldn't touch her. I felt the ripple through our connection with all our people, with the prince himself. She was lost to us. Fen saw the body lift up and slam down again, and yet even witnessing it with his own eyes, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. How is this possible?

  Tatijana was Dragonseeker, Skyler her kin. She reached through their connection, eager to find the girl alive. She reached and reached, but there was only cold space, empty darkness.

  She is too far away for me to touch, she admitted reluctantly. Her body would not be undergoing the conversion if she were dead, Fen. I don't understand what's going on here, but Dimitri and Skyler have such a powerful connection, perhaps he was able to find her when no other could.

  Fen knew they didn't have a lot of time before the Lycans detected the Carpathians. They would feel energy coming at them--although not Fen's. He was of mixed blood, condemned by them, but they weren't aware of it. As far as they all knew, he was Lycan, one of them. They had no knowledge that he was Dimitri's brother, and that would get him close to Zev.

  No. No, Fen. You can't throw away your life, our lives on revenge. We don't yet know if Skyler is dead . . .

  You cannot feel her and she's your own kin. The prince cannot feel her and he is the vessel for all our people. He would know if her life force was gone. Even while he argued with her, his gaze searched relentlessly for Zev in the pack of frenzied wolves trying to tear down Skyler's safe haven and get at the four people inside to finish what they'd started.

  Skyler's body had settled again. Around Dimitri and Skyler the earth seemed to sink so that their bodies were partially in the soil. He could see that someone had pushed rich, black loam into Skyler's wounds. Even as he watched, Josef turned away from Paul and dragged himself over to Dimitri.

  Watching the boy's determination and his selfless act of courage, Fen's heart swelled with pride. Josef might be young, but he was a Carpa
thian warrior through and through. He could have gone to ground to heal his own wounds. No one would have blamed him. He was clearly severely wounded, but he had taken care of his friend and now turned to try to aid Dimitri.

  Relief poured into him. Dimitri wasn't dead or Josef wouldn't be bothering. If Dimitri hadn't gone to ground in an effort to heal himself, he must have a good reason, and the only good reason would be to try to save his lifemate's life.

  From his position, he couldn't get a good look at his brother, but Josef worked diligently. Fen saw the exact moment when the boy shed his body and went into Dimitri's.

  He's adept at healing, Tatijana said. Did you have any idea he could do that? she asked Vlad, Josef's adopted father.

  Vlad and Byron exchanged a long look. Vlad shook his head. He continually surprises us. The boy is . . . different. He follows his own path. I'm not surprised, however, to see him with Skyler or Paul. They're very close.

  Fen signaled the others to stay where they were, while he allowed the wind to take him closer. The Lycans couldn't sense his energy and they would never know he was there. He shifted into the form of vapor, sending small fingers drifting out of the trees toward the clearing. He drifted with them. He wanted to get a good look at the occupants of the safe haven and a number count on the Lycans.

  Fighting a Lycan pack was ludicrous with only three men. They would have to pick them off, one at a time. Tatijana's dragon could unleash the fires of hell on them right there in the clearing, and he contemplated whether or not that would be the best move to make, just to drive them back. He and the others could gain access to the haven and help the wounded.

  He was directly over the transparent force field. No matter how hard the Lycans hacked and chopped at the shield, not a single scratch appeared that he could see. How could it be so strong to withstand such an assault, especially when Skyler lay nearly dead--or dead?

  He dropped lower, forcing himself to be patient, to allow the wind to take him naturally. He caught Skyler's scent. Dragonseeker blood. Mage blood. She had used her own blood to build this safe place for the others. Her very essence was woven into the spell. He even smelled the scent of potent, rich soil. Daughter of the earth.

  If he could catch her scent, so could the Lycans. They would know Skyler had been the one powerful enough to create such a fortress they could not enter. She had been the one to rescue Dimitri and find a way for them all to flee, avoiding the Lycans until they were nearly to safety. They wouldn't understand the kind of power she had--and that would make her suspect in their eyes. The Sange rau was hated and feared. Skyler very well could have just put herself in the same category with that condemned abomination.

  Fen allowed himself to drift to the roof to peer down at Dimitri and Skyler. His heart nearly stuttered to a halt. He barely recognized his brother. Dimitri had always been extraordinarily handsome, tall, broad-shouldered and muscular. Blackened swirls of linked chain were now burned into the flesh of his forehead and over his entire body. He looked emaciated, his skin gray between the burned circles covering his body. His clothes, always elegant, were shredded, in tatters. Bright red splotches soaked into what was left of his shirt and trousers, and into the ground beneath him.

  Josef valiantly fought to stem the blood, but clearly his focus was on pushing silver liquid from Dimitri's body through the pores. Everywhere the silver had touched Dimitri's skin were burn marks and blisters.

  Fen found himself cursing again. He was furious that the Lycans had tortured Dimitri. Torture was so uncivilized, and yet the wolves were supposed to be far more civilized than Carpathians. They had integrated into human society and, in spite of their longevity and predatory instincts, had become quite adept at hiding their identities' from other species.

  You lived among the Lycans for this last century and even at times before that, Tatijana said. Does this seem like normal behavior to you?

  Fen had too many years as a vampire hunter, too many years existing in the endless, emotionless void not to be able to call upon self-discipline when he needed it. Tatijana's comment struck a chord with him. He had never seen Lycans armed in the way these were, or so many. They did look more of a military force than an organized pack.

  He pulled his gaze away from his brother's burned body and began to assess the Lycans surrounding the haven Skyler had constructed. At first glance, every wolf seemed to be trying to tear down the walls, but after a few moments of study, he realized there were three factions. The first--and they appeared to be the strongest and most numerous--were the aggressive, determined Lycans actively using weapons and instruments to get at the four wounded inside.

  He recognized Gunnolf and Convel in the front, driving the others to greater effort. He sent a silent snarl their way. Dimitri had virtually risked his life to save theirs and they had repaid him with betrayal and torture. They would not live out the night if Fen had anything to say about it.

  We need to get inside in order to help them, Tatijana reminded. I will shift to my dragon. Vlad and Byron will follow suit. We can drive them back from this fortress that Skyler has created and get inside. Our blood very well may be what turns the tide.

  Fen couldn't argue with her. Dimitri definitely was in starvation mode. He had no idea if Skyler was dead or hanging on by a thread, but his mixed blood and Tatijana's ancient blood would definitely help.

  Give me another minute here. I have to figure out what's going on.

  Something wasn't right. The second faction appeared to be arguing with the first, trying to stop them, separating themselves from the frenzied activities of the first group. There was a conflict, a definite division between the Lycans. He spotted Zev in the second group, clearly furious, throwing Lycans to the ground as he waded toward Gunnolf and Convel.

  The third group of Lycans seemed uncertain. They were the smallest in number, and they didn't want to join either side, confused about what they should be doing. Where was the decisive leadership always present in a pack? In all the centuries Fen had been around the Lycans, the alpha always called the shots and settled all differences--there was a clear hierarchy. Yet this enormous pack seemed fragmented, a huge schism dividing them.

  He had begun to return to the others, ready to call in the dragons to burn the hell out of the Lycans, when he heard a roar that sent chills up his spine and stopped every Lycan in their tracks. Below him, Zev rushed at Gunnolf in his Lycan form, accepting the challenge for leadership.

  Lycans fought for supremacy bare-handed. They didn't kill one another as a rule. It happened in the heat of battle, but very rarely. Gunnolf swung around to meet Zev, lunging forward, but not before Fen saw the signal he gave to Convel.

  The Lycans formed a circle around the two combatants, abandoning their efforts to enter the haven harboring the four escapees.

  Convel inched his way around behind Zev, his hand on his sword. Fen made his decision. He'd been angry with Zev, certain the Lycan had betrayed them all, yet Zev clearly was trying to stop the assault on those already wounded.

  Fen made the decision to trust him. They had fought together in battles before and Fen wasn't about to let him get cut down from behind. As far as they all knew, Fenris was Lycan.

  If you get the chance, if the distraction is enough, the three of you slip inside and help the others. I'm going to remain on the outside and do what I can to figure out what is happening. I still believe there is someone at work, someone behind this trying to start a war between Lycan and Carpathian.

  Whoever it was, if such a person existed, was very close to their goal. Fen came striding out of the forest, moving fast, a graceful flow of muscle and sinew, dressed in trousers with a belt holding an array of weapons, his boots with loops inside holding silver stakes as well as two knives, and his long coat concealing even more weapons. His long hair was pulled back severely from his face, flowing down his back, caught at the nape with a cord wrapped around the length to keep it from getting caught on anything as he fought.

  He came
up behind Convel just as the Lycan drew his sword and made his slash at Zev's unprotected back. Fen's sword seemed to come out of nowhere, parrying the blow and following it around in a semicircle, sparks showering down in the night. A collective gasp went through the Lycan ranks at such treachery. Even those Gunnolf led seemed to be shocked.

  Zev threw Gunnolf off of him, following up his advantage, leaping onto the Lycan and driving him to the ground with such enormous strength the ground shook. Zev spared one quick glance behind him to see Fen and Convel battling with swords.

  Tatijana, Vlad and Byron took advantage of the moment when all the Lycans were occupied watching the four combatants. Energy was flashing through the clearing almost as bright as the two swords clashing. The ring of metal against metal was loud in the stillness.

  Gunnolf rolled free and leapt to his feet, gasping for air. He tore his shirt away, showing a mouthful of teeth as he circled Zev. Twice he wiped the blood from his muzzle and licked it from his claw-tipped hands.

  "You disobeyed the council," Zev accused, loud enough for all Lycans to hear. "You went directly against their orders. You lied to us all, and you put the lives of the council members in jeopardy along with those of everyone here."

  Gunnolf charged, rushing Zev. At the last moment, his clawed hands returned to those of a man's, enabling him to pull a silver dagger from his belt and slice viciously across Zev's arm. Blood sprayed over the treacherous Lycan. Zev let out a string of curse words, leaping back away from the man who had followed him for so many years--a man who had been his friend. No Lycan ever drew silver on another--not unless they were rogue. Another collective gasp went up in the Lycan circle.

  Fen had his hands full keeping Convel from working his way around him in order to take a slice at Zev. He was faster and stronger than the Lycan, but he couldn't accidently give himself away as a mixed blood. He had to toe a fine line, fighting just well enough to appear nearly evenly matched.