Christine Feehan 5 CARPATHIAN NOVELS

by Christine Feehan

  It was complicated. She didn’t know if it was watching him push the poisonous blood through his pores after taking it from Paul, or watching him give his brother blood, but she was very conflicted. She certainly wasn’t going to make a commitment to a life of living underground and sucking blood from living human beings—the very idea made her shudder—but she couldn’t leave him so starkly alone any more than she could stop herself from thinking of Rafael.

  “You stayed here talking to me because you knew I would never make it through the night without him, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s your answer, Nicolas. Maybe I feel the need to protect you for him, just the way you feel it for me.”

  They were silent a moment. Then he spoke again. “I have a vampire to catch.”

  “How can you find him?”

  “Now that I know who he is, he will be easier to track. I know his ways. It has been hundreds of years, but he had certain patterns, all of us do, and he will keep to some of his.”

  “Rafael wants you to wait.” She had sensed Rafael’s concern and it hadn’t just been because he was afraid Nicolas would make another kill and be that much closer to succumbing to the insidious whisper for power.

  “I cannot take a chance that he will strike against you. He will be locked in the ground during the daylight hours, longer than I will be, but he can use his human puppets to try to kill you.”

  “You mean Paul.”

  “I am guessing he has more than one. This vampire is ancient and cunning. He is a skilled fighter and knows all the tricks. A master vampire has no pride to guard, unlike a fledgling or even a slightly experienced vampire. He is willing to run away, to sacrifice pawns so that he might live, and he is called master because he reigns supreme in battle and the magic of our kind.”

  “Why would he want to live such a terrible existence?”

  “The pain and terror he derives from the suffering of others, from killing, gives him a rush. A high. Like a human drug. It is addicting. He lives for that one moment.”

  “How do you kill a vampire?” She was trying to stall him. It was getting close to dawn. Surprisingly she wasn’t tired. She had plenty of time, before the sun became too high, to do the morning chores.

  “You don’t.” His voice was very stern.

  “Your women never fight the vampire?”

  “In any species there are always exceptions, but our women hold the light to our darkness. They will fight to defend their lives and the lives of our people, but they do not hunt. We have too few women and our hunters are solitary. If we divide our attention to keep a woman safe, it is an additional risk to ourselves.”

  “I could feel Rafael’s resolve. He was willing to die to keep me alive, to keep Paul alive. He knew if he fought the vampire he might be defeated.”

  “Kirja is a very powerful fighter. He had a reputation for hunting. He has grown in strength since that time. His blood was different and I would very much like to know why. Something is not right here, Colby.”

  “I still want to know how to kill one. I’d feel better if I knew it could be done.”

  “Not with a rifle. Juan and Julio could have slowed it down by shooting it in the heart, but it would not kill it. The heart has to be completely removed and incinerated or it will find its way back to its evil host. The body is then incinerated so there is no hope of regeneration. The blood of a vampire burns like acid, Colby, and they can command with their voices just as Rafael and I can. Leave them alone.”

  “Did Rafael use his voice to seduce me?” She looked him straight in the eyes, needing an honest answer.

  “I do not know what Rafael chose to do to bind you to him, but if I had a lifemate, Colby, I would use my voice, my gaze, and everything else at my disposal to make her mine. I would not take any chances. My woman will do as she is supposed to do.”

  “I hope your woman is an Amazon,” she muttered under her breath. She could see she had kept him as long as she was able to. He walked out into the cool of the night and she followed him. “I already feel the need to touch him again,” she confessed, rubbing her hands over her arms. “Is it going to be like this all the time?”

  She hated weakness in herself, and grieving over Rafael as if he were dead just because he wasn’t touching her mind was a terrible weakness.

  “Yes. I will help during the nights, but stay close to Julio and Juan during the day. They will help you as much as possible. Remember everything I said to you. You must survive.”

  “I don’t plan on anything else,” she assured him.

  Colby watched in wonder as Nicolas simply dissolved. At first his human form shimmered, became transparent so that she could see right through him. Tiny droplets of mist formed and he was nothing but vapor, streaking through the air away from her toward the hills. She blinked several times, trying to make her mind accept what she’d just seen.

  The moment Nicolas was gone, she let out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t realized how tense she was. She needed to be alone, to be with the familiar chores that might make her feel normal again, even if just for a few moments.

  She went to the makeshift stable, surprised at all the work the Chevez brothers had accomplished while she slept that afternoon. Sean Everett must have sent both materials and additional men over to get a shelter up so quickly. She sighed again, this time for her pride. It seemed to be going right out the window. She didn’t even know what was happening on her ranch anymore.

  Colby spent the next couple of hours attending to the horses and treating burns. Most of the burns were nearly healed, and the horses already seemed stable again, a remarkable achievement when they’d been so traumatized. She became aware then that she heard a slight noise, the door to the kitchen open and close. She caught a glimpse of the dog running up the slope and took a deep breath. The day was already starting. Juan and Julio would be up soon, in spite of their need for sleep. And in a few hours she would be going to bed and leaving Paul and Ginny in their hands.

  She rubbed her hand over her eyes. Rafael had no right to bring her partially into his world when she had such responsibilities. She was trapped between the two worlds now, with no clear way out of either one and no idea what to do about it.

  She forked hay to the horses and filled the water basins with fresh water. The shelter constructed to keep the horses out of the heat was solid and, as the sun came up, it protected her skin as well. All the while she thought of Rafael. Her body ached for him and her mind refused to think of anything or anyone else. Colby had no chance to solve problems when all she could think of was wanting to touch Rafael, to see him, to know he was alive and well. She was disgusted with herself, but it didn’t stop the tears tracking down her face or the terrible grief welling up unexpectedly and often shaking her to her very core. She worked steadily, trying to use normal chores to make her feel normal again. It was the only thing she could think to do. She was just finishing and about to go to the hay field when she heard the kitchen door again. This time Paul’s steady footsteps could be heard walking across the yard toward her.

  Colby shook off the sudden dread. She needed a few hours alone without worrying about whether or not her brother was suddenly going to turn into a monster in front of her eyes. She didn’t want to watch him every minute. She turned to greet him with a determined smile, grateful for her acute hearing.

  “You’ve been crying,” he said immediately.

  “Feeling sorry for myself, nothing bad,” she explained. “What about you? You should still be in bed. Can’t you sleep? You aren’t hurting, are you?” Colby pushed back her hair. Paul looked fine, but it made her nervous to know that the vampire could still use him. It was difficult to forget the memory of his young face twisted with hatred as he threw her into the herd of stampeding cattle. What did you say to a boy who’d been bitten by a vampire and tried to kill his own sister? How did you comfort him? She was out of her depth.

  “I’m fine, I just had too many nightmares. I
don’t want to sleep, even though I’m exhausted.” He handed her a piece of paper. “Ginny already went out for a walk this morning. She took King with her. She said she’d water the garden and make breakfast when she gets back. It’s hard to think about things as mundane as breakfast and chores.”

  “I saw King taking off and thought she’d just let him out and had gone back to bed. She likes to pick berries for breakfast, but I don’t like her going off too far with all this going on.”

  “I could go after her,” Paul offered. “I don’t like it either.”

  Colby didn’t want Paul out of her sight. “We’ll just let her have a short walk and if she isn’t back in a half hour, we’ll casually walk after her so she doesn’t think anything is wrong.”

  “What about the vampire?” he asked uneasily.

  “He can’t be up this time of day; the early morning light is too much for him. We should all be safe.” And Paul was with her, so he couldn’t be used unknowingly. The sun was barely out but her skin felt it. She rubbed her arms. There was an awkwardness between them that had never existed before.

  Paul patted several of the horses as they moved restlessly. “I helped put this shelter up yesterday with Sean’s men and Juan and Julio.” There was pride in his voice.

  “It’s wonderful.” She didn’t mention money. Paul needed to feel good about something.

  “How are the horses doing?”

  “They seem to be recovering fast. I like to see Juan and Julio working with them, whispering in their ears the way Dad used to do.” Colby exchanged a smile with her brother. “I love watching them do that.”

  “Me too,” he admitted. “Did they go back to the Everett ranch to get some sleep?”

  “No, they’re both in the house. I put Juan in Dad’s room and Julio in the guest room.” She smiled at him.

  “I can’t believe the horses are so much better already. How do they do that?”

  “I think it was Rafael,” Colby said. “Every time he’s visited with them, they’re improved. I think he uses some kind of healing technique on them.”

  An awkward silence fell over them. Paul pressed his hand to his throat. “I can still feel him, Colby.”

  “I know, Paul. I’m trying to figure out what we’re dealing with here. We can’t exactly go to Ben and tell him there’s a vampire on the loose—he’d lock us both in a mental ward.”

  Paul shrugged, attempting a smile. “He’s been wanting to do that for years. It wouldn’t be anything new.”

  Colby turned her head, movement catching her eye along the slope just above their ranch. Her eyes were already burning and it was early morning. The sun wasn’t even high, yet she could feel the light poised to stab at her. She squinted, shading her eyes. “What is that, Paul? An animal dragging itself?”

  Paul swung around, his eyes tracking the slope. Immediately he stiffened. “That’s King, Colby. He’s hurt.” He took off running, streaking across the yard toward the injured dog.

  13

  The dog crawled toward them, dragging its body along the ground. When King saw them approaching, he flopped into the dirt and whined, his dark eyes looking at them with trust.

  Paul knelt beside him and ran gentle hands through his fur. “He doesn’t have any wounds that I can find.”

  A chill went down Colby’s spine. She leaned closer to stare into the dog’s eyes. “He’s drugged, Paul.”

  There was a small silence. Paul shook his head adamantly. “It wasn’t me. I swear. I woke up remembering everything this morning, Colby. I don’t remember the things Nicolas showed me I did when he was removing the vampire blood, but I knew I lost little parts of time. I haven’t this time. I didn’t drug the dog. I didn’t.”

  Colby put a hand on his shoulder. “That’s not even important right now, Paul. What’s important is that King was with Ginny. Take King into the house and leave him on her bed and wake up both of your uncles. Tell them to saddle a couple of horses and follow us, then get out here fast. I won’t wait long.”

  Paul scooped up the dog and raced for the house. Colby pushed down fear. Ginny was probably picking berries near the pond. Ignoring her heightened senses and the alarm skittering down her spine, Colby tore at the tack, hastily bridling the mare. Without bothering with a saddle she flung herself on its back and rode up to the house. Paul was already waiting for her. Juan stood behind him, his shirt unbuttoned and concern stamped on his face.

  “What is wrong? Where’s the child?”

  “I’m going to go looking for her now.” Colby reached her arm down and Paul took it, swinging up behind her. “The dog’s been drugged and I’m really worried. Get Julio and bring a couple of rifles. I can use all the help I can get.” Not wanting to wait any longer, she dug her heels into the horse’s sides, whirling it around and urging it into a dead run toward the spring.

  As they topped the rise, Colby slowed the horse while she scanned the area. There was no sign of life. It was quiet, too quiet. Colby’s heart slammed against her ribs. Fear choked her. Not Ginny. Colby would not allow any harm to come to Ginny. If anything happened to her, Colby didn’t know what she would do. Fighting back a sob, she reined in, practically shoving Paul off the horse. “You look for a sign. If you see anything, anyone, you shout but stay to cover. Understand, Paul? Stay covered. If anything happens to me, go to the sheriff. Go to Ben. Don’t trust anyone else.”

  “But—Colby?” White-faced, he stared up at her. “I couldn’t have done this. I couldn’t have hurt her, could I?”

  “You didn’t do this,” she said. “You’re in as much danger as Ginny. Be careful, Paul, and don’t trust anyone. I wish to hell I knew what was going on.”

  “What if something awful has happened to her? I don’t think . . .” He trailed off. He couldn’t face a vampire again. Not for Colby. Not for Ginny. Not for anything.

  “Do what I say.” She kicked at the mare again, riding across the meadow to the far hillside, where she began casting about for a sign.

  Meu amor, why are you so afraid? Your terror awakens me from even the deepest of sleeps. Rafael’s voice was a soothing caress in her mind. She nearly went to pieces the moment he touched her mind with his. She actually felt his hand brush her face and realized she was crying.

  It’s Ginny. The dog was drugged and she went alone for a walk. It should have been safe. The vampire is locked in the ground, isn’t he? She needed the reassurance.

  He is in the ground but he can use puppets. Where is Paul? He asked it carefully, knowing how she would react.

  It wasn’t Paul. If it had been Paul I wouldn’t be so worried—I know he’d fight against it. But I can feel that something is wrong, Rafael.

  I will come to you.

  No! Colby’s gaze was riveted to the ground, looking for signs. You’re badly wounded and I can’t take care of anyone else right now. Stay where you are and let me find her.

  I’m coming to you and the little one. His tone was implacable.

  Paul checked the spring first. If Ginny had come this far she would have been thirsty. The first thing they always did when they were out walking was go to the spring for a drink. There was no print of Ginny’s small boot in the wet ground, but his heart nearly stopped when he saw the clear outline of a man’s boot. A good two sizes larger than his own foot, Paul knew neither Colby nor he had made that track. It might be from one of his uncles, but they wore a distinctive boot with a different tread and neither had such a big foot. Alarmed, he scanned the ground for anything that would give him a clue as to which way the man had gone.

  A few minutes of scouting around and he found a faint trail. Not much, a partial track, a twisted leaf, a snapped twig; once he found a cigarette butt. Suddenly he dropped to his knees beside the imprints in the dirt, a low cry of alarm escaping. His hand reached of its own accord to touch the small boot print. It was definitely Ginny’s track; he would recognize it anywhere. The larger boot had covered hers. For just a minute indecision warred in him—he wanted to ye
ll for Colby, but feared whoever had taken Ginny would hear him and hurt her. The tracks were fresh. He began to follow the tracks, staying low, keeping to cover, careful not to disturb the dirt and send dust into the air. He hoped his uncles or Colby would come after him soon.

  Rafael burst from the ground. He gave a guttural cry as shafts of sunlight raked across his skin like knives. He shapes-shifted immediately to protect his sensitive eyes and body from the burning sun. The wrenching of muscles and bones reopened his wounds so that droplets of blood sprayed across the sky and settled on the ground. He chose the form of vapor so he wouldn’t have to continue to protect his eyes. Holding the form in his weakened state was precarious and left him with little energy to provide cloud cover. Nicolas had found rich soil deep in the mountains, but far from the ranch, and had put Rafael to ground there, in the hopes that the rich minerals would heal him faster. It had been a perfect healing ground, but it meant traveling a distance with his body already drained of strength. Using his tremendous iron will, Rafael pushed aside the clawing pain and streaked across the sky toward Colby, leaving behind a trail of red mist.

  Colby dismounted, dropping the reins so the mare wouldn’t move far while she studied the ground with a puzzled gaze. There was something wrong but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Squatting down, she ran her hand over the dry earth as if that would give her a clue. She made herself take several deep, calming breaths. Hysteria would not help at this point. She had to believe Ginny was off playing somewhere completely oblivious to their concern. She quartered the ground carefully, frowning as she discovered a clean break in a tiny twig of a small bush. She touched it with her fingertip. Ginny’s height. She would have brushed it running by. But where were the tracks? A bruised leaf a few feet away convinced her Ginny had come this way. She shook her head. This was crazy, there should have been more. Where was the trail? It was too elusive, as if Ginny had flown, and only touched down lightly in obscure spots, like a small wraith. She shuddered, clamping down on her imagination and the terror that threatened to consume her any moment.