Dimitri nodded. “He was extremely proficient hunting rogues. When he was severely wounded, or during the full moon, he stayed in the ground and some of that time I guarded his resting place until he was fit again.”
“Why is it you can be detected during the full moon and not any other time?” Mikhail asked curiously. “There has to be something there we can use against the Sange rau.”
“It’s all about energy with Lycans. When a pack hunts, they can’t have much success if prey knows they’re coming for them, so they’ve evolved to mask their energy,” Fen explained. “Unfortunately, during the week cycle of the full moon, it’s impossible. The pull is too strong on Lycans. I’m Lycan enough that the effect is the same for me. My energy feels different to the Lycans and if I’m in close proximity, they know immediately what I am.”
“That’s why you wanted Tatijana to warn MaryAnn and Manolito,” Gregori said. “You knew they wouldn’t know any of this and if they came across Lycans during a full moon, they’d immediately be targeted for death.”
“I have evolved as the Sange rau . . .”
“The Hän ku pesäk kaikak,” Tatijana and Mikhail corrected simultaneously. “Guardian of all.” They looked at one another and smiled.
“I have evolved as the Hän ku pesäk kaikak, Guardian of all,” Fen corrected, “over centuries. For warriors to choose to become a Guardian, thinking they will be able to fight the existing Sange rau, is ludicrous. It takes centuries to build the speed and understand the gifts. Not to mention, if they have no lifemate, the danger to their soul increases every passing year.”
Mikhail nodded. “I think I have enough information to come to some decisions that will guide our people as well as help me persuade the Lycan council to agree to stop the hunt for those who are Hän ku pesäk kaikak—Guardians of all, rather than Sange rau. Once I determine our course of action, I’ll call a meeting here in these sacred chambers with as many of our warriors as possible to let them know what we are up against.”
Gregori nodded, but he didn’t look happy about it.
“Word will be sent to MaryAnn and Manolito. Once I contact Zev and ask for a meeting with the Lycan council, if they agree, I’ll call in our warriors to be here for that summit.” Mikhail gave a slight bow, a gesture of respect toward Fen. “Thank you for coming today and allowing me the opportunity to learn.”
“My lifemate, Tatijana, has sworn her allegiance to her prince. My brother, Dimitri, has as well,” Fen said. “Although my blood is no longer Carpathian, my heart and my soul are. I would swear allegiance to my prince, if he would choose to accept me as I am.”
“You are and always will be Carpathian first,” Mikhail said. “I would be honored to have you among my warriors.”
The hum in the crystals began again, swelling in volume, each tuned to a perfect note. Colors swirled, the deeper hues of dark reds and purples, as if the ancestors still were a little confused as to what Fenris really was, but were in agreement with his decision to swear allegiance to the prince; after all, they did recognize he had served their people with honor for centuries.
Fen opened the vein in his wrist and held the offering out to Mikhail. “I offer my life for our people. I pledge my loyalty to them through our blood bond.”
Mikhail, Gregori cautioned.
He is one of us.
His blood isn’t. I’ll take his blood.
Mikhail’s eyes darkened even more, and Gregori stepped back reluctantly.
Mikhail took the offered wrist, accepting the blood bond with Fen. He closed the wound carefully and gave Fen a slight bow. “As vessel of our people, I accept your sacrifice.”
You could be the most stubborn man alive, Gregori hissed. There are times I’d like to lock you in a dungeon and throw away the key.
Mikhail’s laughter was soft in Gregori’s mind. My daughter would not be very happy that her husband has such thoughts.
You can’t play the Savannah card whenever you want. Seriously, Mikhail, I’m responsible for your safety and you refuse to listen to me.
Mikhail sighed. I listen. I always take what you say under careful consideration before I make my decisions, Gregori. I don’t try to make your job more difficult but I still have to go with my instincts. Fenris Dalka will be a huge asset to our people. I know he has a place in our future. The ancestors know it as well.
Fen wrapped his arm around Tatijana. He knew no one else had really noticed the instinctual move on Gregori’s part to stop Mikhail from taking his blood. He couldn’t blame Gregori. The more he was around Mikhail, the more respect he had for the man. The fate of an entire species rested on Mikhail’s shoulders. He was thoughtful, intelligent and his own man—a bodyguard like Gregori’s worst nightmare.
Fen was absolutely certain there had been an exchange between the two men, although neither Dimitri nor Tatijana seemed to notice. His awareness was extremely heightened and he’d felt a small current of energy going back and forth between the two men. He shouldn’t have felt anything. They were used to communicating telepathically and had centuries of experience. Psychic communication was effortless for them.
Fen let out his breath slowly, not wanting to alert or alarm Gregori. They were deep beneath the Earth in the most sacred of caves, surrounded by the spirits of their ancestors, all warriors who would protect Mikhail, and he was aware of a telepathic conversation between the prince and his most trusted man. That was not good. If he’d been guessing, that would have been one thing, but Fen knew, and that meant he was still evolving. He would have to tell either Gregori or the prince at some point, but not here, not where he couldn’t sufficiently protect Dimitri and Tatijana should the ancestors suddenly withdraw their acceptance.
What’s wrong? Tatijana asked. She stroked a caress through his mind.
Instantly he felt peace stealing into him. He couldn’t change what he was and she accepted him, problems and all. I’ve got you, my lady, there can be nothing wrong.
She laughed softly in his mind, filling him with that strange emotion he now thought of as joy. Have I told you this rising that I am madly in love with you and you’re clearly the most beautiful woman in the world? Because if I haven’t, it is very remiss of me.
You covered that nicely when we were feeding this evening. Remember? You picked me up and we made love? In case you’ve managed to forget that, I wrapped my legs around your waist and hooked my ankles so I wouldn’t fall and just lowered myself right over you. Nice and slow. Is it coming back to you? Her voice smoldered, as sultry as ever.
There was no forgetting any moment of making love to her. He preferred to have that experience as often as possible. It would be impossible to forget, my lady. It’s burned into my soul.
Vikirnoff waved his hand in front of Fen’s face. “Are you still with us? Mikhail takes a little blood, and you’re turning pale.”
“He doesn’t look pale to me,” Dimitri drawled. “He looks a little overheated.”
Fen sent his brother a fierce scowl, but Dimitri didn’t look at all intimidated.
“I’d really like to get back to how to fight the Sange rau. There must be a way. Dimitri successfully managed to battle with the one you call Bardolf,” Vikirnoff pointed out. “He’s Carpathian. Was he able to do that because he has some of your mixed blood, or because he used some kind of special strategy?” Curiosity and a hint of eagerness edged his tone.
“I feared turning, just as most ancient Carpathian hunters do,” Fen said, “so we practiced with war games each time we got together. Dimitri found the things that worked as well as the things that didn’t.”
“Hit and run is always the best approach,” Dimitri said. “I had a few tricks I devised, but they could be used only once, at the most twice and only if I spread them out. The Sange rau learn and adapt very quickly, so the name of the game is always to change things up.”
“Fortunately,”
Fen continued, “a vampire is a vampire is a vampire. The same with a rogue werewolf. They don’t always have the patience they should. The Sange rau definitely take longer to anger, but they’re actually more puffed up with ego than the vampire, so you can rile them enough that they make mistakes.”
“It’s definitely better for hunters to go after them in pack form,” Dimitri added. “A single hunter doesn’t have nearly the chance a group would have.”
“But to fight pack-style takes skill. Bardolf will know every pack move, while Abel less so,” Fen continued. “The thing you have to know about each Sange rau is where they came from, what they were before they mixed blood. Bardolf is comfortable as a wolf and when pressed, he goes back to what he knows best. The same holds true for Abel. Clearly in this relationship, Abel is the master and has acquired more skills because he’s been Sange rau much longer.”
“We’ll need a crash course in fighting these bad boys,” Vikirnoff stated. “Are the two of you willing to stick around and help us out?”
“That would be the idea,” Dimitri said. “That and devising a strategy for destroying both Bardolf and Abel. If they do move the pack, we’ll have to track them.”
“Don’t discount the pack. We don’t have exact numbers and many were killed during the two battles. But even if we killed thirty or forty of them, if the pack is a hundred strong, as I’m afraid it may be, they still have a large army they can throw at you,” Fen said. “They’ll come at you during the day because Abel knows that’s when they can do the most damage to you.”
“Another good reason for the two of you to stay and help us out,” Gregori said.
“They fight like a well-synchronized army. They strike fast, do as much damage as possible and kill as many as they can before they disappear. They nearly always go for the belly, ripping their adversary almost in half,” Fen told them.
“I’ve got the scars to prove it,” Dimitri said with a small self-deprecatory shrug.
Gregori smiled at him. “You’re not alone. I think half our men had their bellies ripped open, me included. They definitely made us look like amateurs.”
“I knew better than to let him get that close,” Dimitri admitted.
“Packs are dangerous fighters and very skilled,” Fen said.
“Think about the wolf packs in the forests,” Dimitri added. “The Lycans are even more of a threat than an animal pack when they come at you because their very best strategists lead the hunt.”
“But the Lycans don’t hunt humans or Carpathians,” Mikhail said quickly. “When you talk about pack hunting you’re actually talking about the rogue, werewolf packs.”
“True,” Fen agreed, “but they start out as Lycans. Most of the time individuals within a pack drop out to become rogue. The rogues form their own packs.”
Natalya, Vikirnoff’s lifemate suddenly frowned. She was Tatijana’s niece, daughter of her long dead brother, Soren, but the Dragonseeker features were there, including the changing eye and hair color. Having come to know Tatijana as he had, Fen wasn’t surprised to see Natalya fighting by her lifemate’s side or entering the cave of warriors with absolute confidence.
“What is it?” Fen asked.
“The elite hunters like Zev. Everyone’s talking about him and how skilled he is.”
“I saw him in action,” Gregori said. “He’s every bit as good as our best.”
“So I’ve been hearing,” Natalya said. “Do they ever go rogue?”
“It’s possible,” Fen said. “But I’ve never seen it happen. Our best hunters eventually succumb to the darkness and become vampires. Our species aren’t that different. We’re both born predators and we do have to submerge that part of our natures in order to keep our honor.”
“You’re part Lycan,” Natalya persisted. “Do you have to fight the inclination to allow the animal side of you to take over?”
She knows the right questions to ask. Can you imagine Zev being a Sange rau? There was pride in Tatijana’s voice.
She’d never had the chance to know her niece while she was growing up. In a way, Fen knew, she was grateful for that. She’d endured watching her father torture his own grandson and use him in horrendous experiments.
Tatijana was firmly merged with him as she had been since the moment they’d entered the cavern. She’d been so determined to protect him from the slightest insult, but it left her open to Fen reading her thoughts. She wanted a relationship with Natalya. Natalya had helped to rescue her aunts, but both Tatijana and Branislava had been so frail they’d been put in the earth almost immediately. She hadn’t had the time to get to know her relatives.
She certainly does ask the right questions, Fen agreed. She’s definitely a Dragonseeker.
“On the other hand, my friend, Vakasin, became Sange rau while we were hunting.” Fen paused, shook his head and corrected himself. “Not Sange rau, he was a Guardian of all.”
Once again Tatijana filled him with—her. Pure love. Closeness. The moment he felt sorrow for his lost comrade, she was there, sharing the emotion with him, comforting him. She was such a miracle.
Each rising, I hope to give you happiness. He didn’t know how else to put into words his feelings for her. He could only hope that she felt that overwhelming emotion he had for her each time she merged with him.
Wolf man, don’t get too romantic on me with your brother eyeing us both like he is.
You started it, he teased, but she had a point. Dimitri was sharp and he was watching both of them with a faint, knowing grin.
“We have to be far more creative and prepared for attacks during the day,” Mikhail said. He’d been quiet through most of the discussion on fighting the packs. “Sara and Falcon’s adopted children are human and they must be protected. We have only Jubal and Gary to help fight off the packs if they come while we’re at our most vulnerable, and Gary is not in a position to help us at all for some time.”
“Zev and his pack will defend them as long as the rogues are in the vicinity,” Fen said. “They’re sworn to hunt the rogues and bring them to justice.”
“Will they be more interested in actively hunting the werewolves, or protecting our children?” Gregori asked.
Mikhail shrugged. “We will protect our own children with or without them. I have much to consider before we call a full council of warriors. I want to meet with Zev as soon as possible, meet his pack and get them to take an invitation back to their council to meet with us. As soon as we have an answer, if it’s positive, I’ll call in the others.”
Mikhail turned back to the thick bloodred crystal, still pulsing with light. “I thank my ancestors for their kindness in making the journey to be with us and help guide us through these difficult times. Be well and go with honor.”
The giant columns sang for a moment, colors shifting throughout the strange aurora borealis effect, shimmering and slowly fading away.
Fen heard the dripping of water and bubbling of the hot mud, and the breathing of his companions. More, he could feel the pulse and heartbeat of the mountain itself. Below them, he felt the pull of the magma pools. There was a rhythm here he felt in his own veins. Something about the sacred cave had only added to his acute senses, heightening them even more. Was he still evolving as he’d considered earlier?
Or your connection with Mother Earth has granted you even more gifts.
Why had he ever thought Tatijana wouldn’t catch those alarmed thoughts? He took her hand, pulling it to his chest over his heart. Her explanation was delivered in her casual, matter-of-fact tone.
“My lifemate, Raven, would love to meet you, Fen. After battles and solemn ceremonies and rituals, it would be good for everyone to just relax. She thought it would be nice to bring everyone together for a celebration of sorts,” Mikhail said. “I realize you’re probably exhausted, but she rarely asks for anything so . . .”
“A celeb
ration sounds lovely,” Tatijana said instantly.
Her fingers tightened around Fen’s. He could feel her eagerness.
A celebration. A party. I can visit with Natalya and get to know her. Bronnie might even rise for this. She’s not as outgoing as I am. She’s a better warrior, but she’s shy around so many people. I’m afraid she won’t ever come out of the earth. Tatijana smiled at him. Wouldn’t it be great if there was music? Dancing? I love dancing.
“Will it be safe for everyone with two of the Sange rau so close? And a werewolf pack?” Natalya asked.
“I doubt if even Abel would be crazy enough to attack the Carpathians when all are present,” Mikhail said. “But we will certainly hold our celebration in a safe, well-defensible place and have safeguards.”
Natalya and Tatijana smiled at each other. Above their heads, Vikirnoff and Fen sent one another a quick grin.
“It’s settled then,” Mikhail said. “Next rising, we’ll have a little fun.”
14
Rain had fallen during the daylight hours, but that steady fall had only freshened the night air so that colors appeared vivid and clean. Leaves on the trees shimmered as Fen and Tatijana walked through the forest together toward the cave where the celebration was to be held. Fen found himself looking around him in a kind of wonder as if everything was new and he’d never seen it before.
Walking hand in hand with Tatijana always made him feel amazing, somebody—a family man. She would always know him like no other, and yet for him, he knew she would be a mystery he would take centuries to try to solve. How could one woman wipe out centuries of utter loneliness? How could she take away all the deaths, the friends he’d had to kill?
He walked with her slowly, savoring every step. Moss grew in chartreuse and lime curls up the tree trunks and over stones. He marveled he could distinguish the difference between the colors. The sky was so clear it appeared midnight blue, the scattered stars a wondrous collection of thousands of gems sparkling overhead. As they passed scattered bunches of flowers, Tatijana’s sandal-covered feet skirting the edges of the beds, the night flowers unfolded their petals in tribute to her.
Dark Lycan (Carpathian) Page 26