He opened the earth above her as he woke her, singing their song softly promising to always be at her side, swearing with every breath he drew that he loved her more than life itself. He didn’t have her exert energy but brought her to him, right into his waiting arms, freshening her, dressing her, holding her close to him, caring for her in the loving way he wanted and needed to do. For her. For himself.
He took them into the woods, the place where she felt the most sense of peace and belonging with him. She cuddled into his lap, looking up at him, and though he could see far too much knowledge in her eyes, she didn’t ask him questions, and he was grateful. He opened his shirt for her. Right before she bent her head, she touched his face, sliding her fingers along his jaw so gently it turned his heart over.
She knew he was upset and she sought, as always, to comfort him. He felt her familiar soothing grace settle around him, cocooning them in her world of tranquility. She nuzzled his chest. Her tongue slid over his skin and his body reacted in spite of the gravity of the situation. Elisabeta would always bring him both serenity and an impossible erotic rush that spread through his body like a fireball when she sank her teeth into him.
Tell me what he has done. Now, while we are one.
He stroked her hair back from her forehead, looking down on her beautiful face. Her eyes were closed. Long lashes—two thick crescents, dark and beautiful fans—lay against her pale skin. She was still recovering from centuries of starvation. Her cheekbones were high and prominent, her mouth generous and her lips such a perfect bow.
We are always one. He can never separate us. I just need these few minutes for me, piŋe sarnanak, holding you close to me. You bring me joy and allow me to feel peace when sometimes I feel there is no longer harmony in the world.
She slid one hand up his chest to his shoulder and then curled her slender arm around his neck. The gesture felt intimate, causing his belly muscles to tighten in reaction. She was quiet while she fed, giving him exactly what he asked for without hesitation.
Around him, the forest creatures moved, going about their business, when they never would have had he been alone. He was a predator and they would have recognized him as one. Elisabeta masked that trait in him with her tranquility. She was extraordinary and he was humbled that she was his. Such a gift. Such a miracle.
All too soon, her tongue swept across the twin holes, closing them and healing the small openings. She lay in his arms, waiting. There wasn’t a single sign of impatience. Not in her body language, and not in her mind.
“Sergey left a message for you—us. Three bodies.” Ferro dropped his head over hers to comfort her, to comfort both of them. He said it fast, no preamble, needing to get it over with. There was no use dragging it out any further when it had to be said.
She made a single sound of such pain, such agony, not aloud, not in her throat, but in her mind, as if she didn’t dare let that sound loose in the world where Sergey might hear and rejoice.
I was so afraid he would resort to his old method of controlling me. He threatened to continue until I returned to him. She made it a statement.
It was a measure of her terror of the vampire that she didn’t speak aloud to Ferro but had crawled into his mind and stayed there, whispering to him as if Sergey would hear.
“Yes. We are going to lay a trap for him. We will allow him to believe the ancient hunters have taken the bait to follow his trail, leaving the compound with few to guard it. We hope to draw him close. Elisabeta, several within the compound have the infection back. We believe that it has been introduced in order to destroy us from within. If ancients turn vampire and/or begin fighting one another, it would not be difficult to do such a thing. Could Sergey be behind this infection?”
She sat up, her eyes meeting his. As her confidence in herself had grown, so had her clarity in the way she saw her time with Sergey. She was no longer starved and in terrible pain. She wasn’t terrorized. She could think very clearly. She took her time again, and now, very slowly, she nodded her head. Ferro could feel her struggling to remember something. Merged as he was with her, he could feel her frustration when she couldn’t grasp the fragments she needed to put the pieces together.
“You will remember. We are coming closer to figuring this out,” he assured her. If he knew what to look for he would have searched her memories himself. “You are needed again, Elisabeta. Gary and Tariq are both infected. Josef as well and some of the others. The hunters must be cleared first so we can leave. While I take you to them, would you consider a way Sergey might think he could bring down the safeguards we have woven? He must believe he can get past them, yet so many of us added to the weaves, including Julija, and she is a mage of the highest order. It makes little sense.”
He couldn’t just take his woman and go out of this country, far from a place that was painful to her. He didn’t want to bring her to the others and have her work on removing the infection from them, especially when he knew Sergey was planning on attacking and she knew it as well. He felt as if he wasn’t protecting her the way he should be, that she was being attacked on every front.
Elisabeta framed his face with both hands. “You always think of me, Ferro. It humbles me the way you do that, the way you think you should shield me from the harshness of what is happening around us. I always knew Sergey would come for me. When the Carpathians rescued me, they knew it as well. I had been his prisoner for centuries. You saw the way he controlled me, the deaths he put on my soul.”
“Never. Minan piŋe sarnanak, never on your soul. Every death is on him. Completely on him. You cannot take that on your shoulders. That is what evil wishes, to convince the innocent that what evil does is the fault of the innocent. You took no life. You would never do so. You would never conceive of taking a life. Sergey is evil and cruel and he enjoyed seeing not only you suffer, but those he tortured and killed suffer as well. Had you complied with him, do you honestly believe he would have spared them?”
She shook her head. “Even when I was very young, I could read him. That was his greatest downfall and one of my worst and greatest gifts. After he took my blood and forced me to take his, before he turned vampire, it allowed me to see into him much more clearly than he realized. Being in that cage, with only limited space and so much time, I could only do physical and mental exercises to keep myself sane. One of the best was observation. He was with me a great deal of the time, even if he wasn’t interacting with me. I knew he wouldn’t have spared any of the victims.”
There was so much sorrow in her that, again, he felt her unshed tears. He gathered her close to him. “I cannot take away the scars he left on you, Elisabeta, the ones unseen on flesh. He deliberately cut as deep into your soul as possible. But I can be your refuge. I want always to be that for you.” He bent his head to hers and brushed his lips gently across hers. “Yet I always seem to be asking such sacrifices of you.”
“It is no sacrifice to aid others. Just as you are compelled to hunt the vampire, Ferro, I am compelled to help others in need.”
“Then we must go. Time is slipping away.” Ferro didn’t want to lose one moment of their time together, but already he was aware of Sandu, Gary, Andor and Dragomir pushing at him to hurry. Sergey would be expecting the warriors to rush out to the hunt. “Slide your arms around my neck, beloved. I need to hold you close while I take you to the others. When you remove each of the burns, let us know how deep they are and if you can get any hint of when they were created or how.”
Ferro took her to the group that had gathered there in the courtyard. Tariq had brought them all together, warriors, humans and children, any found with the infection and those that would be the first line of defense against the vampire and his army.
“Good eve, Elisabeta,” Tariq greeted. “Thank you for once again coming to our aid.” He gave her a courtly bow.
Ferro was a bit surprised that the other ancients and even Josef followed his e
xample of respect and did the same. Elisabeta kept her eyes downcast but she gave a dip of her head and a small smile to the others while her fingers spasmed in his hands. She took a step back into his body, as if for protection. He knew he shouldn’t like that—he wanted her to be confident—but there was a small part of him that liked that he was the person she turned to when she had need of someone to anchor her.
“Elisabeta, it would be best if you would start with me,” Gary said. “As we scan each rising, it is best to be safe and remove the scorching from the ancients. If the idea is to turn us against one another, we can’t take chances that an ancient with fighting skills and no anchor becomes enraged.”
“We also want our fighters to look as if they are exiting in order to hunt Sergey, so we need them fit. If his spies are watching and the crows are surrounding the compound,” Tariq added, “we want them to return to the vampire and say we were planning some strategy.”
She inclined her head again and immediately moved with extreme confidence, flowing into Gary’s mind. Ferro had to move quickly to keep up with her. Sandu also joined them to protect her should there be anything built into the infection allowing it to fight back. So far, that hadn’t happened, but it didn’t mean it couldn’t.
While you went to get Elisabeta, we scanned as many as possible. None of the ancients other than Tariq and Lojos has any scorching, but it was found in several of the human security force. Charlotte has light burns as well. Maksim checked his lifemate, Blaze. She was over with Charlotte last rising, but she showed no signs at all, Gary informed them.
What did Charlotte and Tariq do last night? If both have the burns, they must have been exposed at the same time, Ferro speculated.
The two of them are writing down everything they did in order for us to compare, although at the moment, preparing for war is a far more important task, Gary said.
I think this is a huge part of the war. Ferro was certain he was correct.
Elisabeta made short work of removing the burns in Gary’s mind and immediately went to Tariq. His scoring was extremely light in comparison, certainly nothing like it had been, as if his exposure had been very brief. The slash marks weren’t even a vivid red, and they blew apart in front of her gentle breeze easily the first time she sent the steady draft toward the marks.
Ferro was surprised that when his lifemate returned to her body—a little pale, but still very strong—she didn’t go straight to the next ancient. Lojos stood beside Tariq waiting for her to remove the burns, and Ferro felt the hesitation in her mind.
What is it, sívamet? He locked his arm around her waist, holding her to his side beneath his shoulder.
He is uncertain. I do not want to intrude.
“Lojos, Elisabeta is very sensitive. She feels your hesitation. If you wish to live with the infection, there are others for her to work on. Gary knows better than I how bad it is in you and whether you can be trusted or whether you must be sent from the compound.”
Lojos shrugged. “I do not yet know if I can trust that Sergey did not somehow figure a way to use her to introduce this infection into our midst.”
Ferro took a deep breath and pushed down the strange swirling rage that wanted to erupt like a volcano. He was unused to feeling such overwhelming emotions, much less such dark ones. His lifemate had worked nearly from the moment she had risen to try to stop the spread of the infection, and yet, as an ancient, it was a fair reasoning and one he might have had himself. He worked at keeping his voice dismissive.
“We do not have time for you to make up your mind whether or not my lifemate is working with a master vampire. Tariq, I believe all the warriors necessary are free of the infection. You and Gary can decide what you wish to do with Lojos. Elisabeta can start on your security force. She will need blood soon.”
At once he felt Elisabeta’s soothing tranquility wrapping him up as if she had enfolded him in her arms.
He knew the Malinov family very well, Ferro. What they did felt very personal to him, to all three of the brothers. I can feel the sorrow beating at him. The sense of deep betrayal. He does not feel it, yet I do.
Although I understand it, I do not like that he regards you with such suspicion. You must use Tariq for entrance into the security guards, Elisabeta.
You are always calm, Ferro. Always. My steady rock.
He felt a brief flash of amusement. It might be true that he was calm and steady, but only until it came to her. He found he didn’t like anyone slighting her or implying that she was in league with her captor—even if it was something he might have done—just because it was an explanation that fit when, so far, there had been no other.
“Tariq, you will have to guide us into your human force,” Ferro said. “We will work as fast as we can here to be ready in order to protect the compound from the attack.”
I have been considering what you asked me, Ferro, about how Sergey will bring down the safeguards to enter. He cannot, and he knows that.
Ferro started to reply to her but then stopped himself. There was speculation in her voice. He felt the stillness in Gary and the other ancients tied together. Like Ferro, they knew she was on the brink of a discovery. She turned the pieces of the puzzle over and over in her mind along with her knowledge of the vampire, a master strategist.
He will open the gates from within. She said it with absolute certainty.
Tariq, not tied to the others, was already leading the way to the first of the humans infected with the burns, and Elisabeta and Ferro followed into the man’s mind. The burns were not nearly as severe as Josef’s had been, but they were moderate, with more scorching than Tariq had. It would take a little more effort on Elisabeta’s part.
How will Sergey possibly open the gates from within, piŋe sarnanak? Ferro asked, watching her work. She was so efficient at what she did now, soothing the man and removing all trace of the burn, that she didn’t have to pay that close attention.
Tariq was with them now and Ferro felt him startle, but he said nothing.
It would be easy to be wrong. Very easy. There was hesitation in her voice now.
Ferro knew she wasn’t used to giving her opinion on any subject. He sent an entreaty to the others, keeping his command on the pathway for them alone. Do not say anything. She was never allowed to voice her view. This is extremely difficult for her. Gary, make certain Tariq knows not to speak. Let her take her time. Do not be impatient with her.
If any of them spoke or showed impatience, she would instantly clam up and they wouldn’t get anything further from her. As it was, he would have to coax the information from her. Her first thought was always that she might say the wrong thing.
I am simply looking for your input, Elisabeta. You know him better than anyone. You have studied his ways. What would he do, based on what you know of him?
Elisabeta carefully removed the scorch marks from the human brain. I believe he somehow was able to introduce this infection into the compound. If that is so, it is very possible that I missed something. These burns were extremely deep in some. Light in others. It occurred to me that it is possible that a suggestion was planted into the burn, branding it into the brain, the behavior part of the brain, so that even if the brain was healed, the suggestion sank so deep, the healer, in this case me, would miss it.
Ferro felt Gary’s instant reaction to her reflections. His heart sank. Gary thought she was onto something. If that were so, it was one more thing his woman was going to blame herself for. At once, Gary’s healing spirit entered the human. He was so bright and hot that it took a few moments to adjust to his being close.
Show me where you think this suggestion could have been branded into the brain, Elisabeta, Gary demanded.
Ferro moved closer to protect her. Tariq moved closer to see. Elisabeta again sent her soothing breeze moving around them all, as her healing spirit shone against one tiny spot she was concerned wi
th.
I noticed this little speck, like a hook right here in the same place. It was so tiny and not really black at all. It looks like part of the brain, but . . . Elisabeta trailed off.
Please continue, Gary said. I’m looking at it and I see nothing that would alert me to danger of any kind.
I am most likely wrong.
Ferro felt her instant retreat. Elisabeta was uncomfortable. She didn’t want to continue to speak to the ancient healer. He could feel her begin to withdraw out of the human. She’d removed the red scorching from his brain. She was tired and needed more blood to sustain her.
Elisabeta, please, Tariq pleaded with her. I don’t know how to ask you or explain to you how important this is. I am aware this is difficult for you. You have already put so much effort into saving all of us, and I know we can’t repay you, but I’m asking you to continue to help Ferro and Gary try to figure this puzzle out.
Each time he heard Tariq reach out to someone, Ferro knew why he was the prince’s chosen leader there in the United States. He had a gift. Elisabeta was ready to run and yet he had stopped her, made her feel as if she was needed, appealing to her on the exact level that would make her respond.
Perhaps I phrased that incorrectly, Elisabeta, Gary tried again. I, too, have examined every patient you have examined, so if you missed something, I have as well. What have you noticed that is now raising some concern?
Ferro knew the other ancients tied to him felt the terrible struggle in her. She had gone back to that place of insecurity, yet she braced herself, sliding her spirit up against his in an attempt to find strength and recoup.
I am with you, sívamet, he assured.
It is silly, really. The hook is so tiny, a barb, turning toward the brain and eventually driving into it. Not at once. I have seen it in the lighter scoring with the hook upright, then in more medium stages to one side, but in those that are dark and angry, such as Josef’s, it is buried. It was the difference that caught my attention when everything else looked the same. I suppose my conclusions are simply fanciful.
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