Gregori looked past his prince, to the man left standing, arms folded, back to the wall, near the entrance. His silver eyes met Dominic Dragonseeker's metallic green in challenge. A hush fell in the cavern. The hum of the crystals became louder, more insistent as if calling to the last warrior.
«No man should be forced to swear allegiance, Gregori,» Mikhail reprimanded softly. «Dominic, you have always served our people with your loyalty. No one, least of all me, questions your honor. It is enough that you swore a blood oath to my father.»
Before Gregori could reply, Dominic shook his head, his steps measured and steady as he walked forward. «These are difficult times and one cannot tell friend from enemy. Gregori would not be worthy of his position if he did not guard you well. These years I have sought my lost sister, but I know that she is dead, long gone from this world and I cannot save her, nor would she want me to call her back from the shadow world. At last she is with her lifemate and by the moon, I hope she is at peace. It is time to once again embrace my duties to our people.»
He dropped his hand over the crystal and blood swirled a deep red in the midst of so many other shades. The aurora filling the chamber changed color as well. Steam swirled and some of the giant crystals glowed a soft white light, as if the moon itself had entered the cavern and shown brightly above Dominic in appreciation. «I offer my life for our people. I pledge my loyalty to them through our blood bond.» He offered his hand to Mikhail.
Mikhail took the offering, ingesting the blood. «As vessel of our people, I accept your sacrifice.»
Dominic stood. «Someone must go into the camp of our enemies and find out what they plan next. Our women and children are at risk and we cannot ignore the fact that we have fewer than thirty women to rebuild our race. Our women must accept their responsibility to our people.» His gaze rested on Natalya and then flicked to each of the women in the chamber. «They cannot place their precious lives in more danger just for the sake of doing so. I am volunteering to go to the camp of the enemy and gather information.»
Mikhail shook his head. «They know who is with them through a blood bond. The parasites they inject into their systems call to one another. We found that out from Destiny.»
«Gregori has the blood and I can ingest it.»
Destiny gasped, one slim hand circling her throat. «You cannot. It eats at you every waking moment.»
«You have no protection,» Gregori added. «You have walked a darkened path for too many centuries and the parasites would eventually push you beyond your endurance. With no lifemate to guide you back, it would be suicide-more than that, you would mostly likely succumb to the call of the undead.»
«That is why I want you, your brothers, Nicolas and Dimitri to take my blood. I believe, with the Dragonseeker heritage, I have more of a chance to last longer, perhaps even a year, before I succumb. If I cannot walk into the sun, then there will be six of our most experienced hunters able to track me.»
Mikhail shook his head. «We cannot afford the loss of your bloodline, Dominic.»
«You have Natalya and Colby. Possibly young Skyler. And now this new young woman, Lara, who is lifemate to Nicolas. The Dragonseeker line will continue. I have not found my lifemate in all these centuries and I have grown weary. Allow me to give this last service to our people. I will do my best to walk with honor and go into the sun before it is necessary to hunt me, but if not, the preparations will already have been made. I will allow these hunters access to my memories so they are fully aware of how I function as a fighter. Hopefully that will give them an edge.»
The protest swept through the chamber. The crystals hummed louder and gave off a multitude of colors. Mikhail rested his hand on the bloodred column. He drew in a deep breath and let it out.
«Perhaps we should shelve this discussion until we have heard what Nicolas has to say.»
«Forgive me, Mikhail, but you cannot allow me to hear anything Nicolas or anyone else has to say. If I go, I cannot know your plans. I cannot hear one word of strategy. We are in a war and the very existence of our species is at stake. The choices here will be difficult.» His gaze sought out and rested on the three women-Natalya, Jaxon and Destiny. «Difficult for all of us. We have to make sacrifices and know what is the best use of every resource we have available to us. The choices are not easy, nor will they be popular, but they have to be made. I am expendable. I have the blood that will fight against the call of darkness the longest. My lineage was not given the burden of other bloodlines.» His gaze flicked briefly to Nicolas and gave him a warriors slight bow of respect.
Nicolas shook his head, his throat suddenly clogged. Dominic was a living legend, much like Lucian and Gabriel. He knew-and understood-the curse of darkness on the De La Cruz brothers. They struggled to maintain honor and always had in the face of that creeping stain. Now, when he must stand before the council admitting he and his brothers had a hand in plotting the conspiracy to bring the downfall of the Carpathian people, Dominic was acknowledging the terrible burden the De La Cruz brothers had endured over the centuries.
«No one is expendable,» Gregori said. «Not a single warrior, certainly not one of your expertise and wisdom.»
Nicolas remained silent as each warrior gave his or her opinion. In the sacred chamber, with their blood mingling with their ancestors, the steam purifying them and the crystals focusing and clarifying their minds, all were heard with great respect. But he knew Dominic was going to ingest the blood and sadly, he agreed it was the right thing to do, the only thing when their entire species was poised on the brink of extinction.
Dominic was right. The Carpathians needed to know what Xavier and his coalition of vampires and jaguar-men were up to. They needed a spy in the camp. The Malinov brothers would never be able to resist letting a Carpathian as powerful as Dominic join their ranks, and certainly Xavier would consider it
a huge coup. The turning of Rhiannon's brother would be a victory for him.
His eyes met Mikhail's. The naked sorrow there was reflected in his own gaze. Mikhail knew as well. Dominic would listen to the gathered warriors, but in the end, nothing would change his mind. Someone had to go and Dominic was the logical choice.
For one moment, the lines in the prince's face were etched deep. His mouth was set and he looked older, tired, weary of the burden resting on his shoulders.
The chamber grew quiet. Mikhail straightened to his full height, his black eyes glowing a deep red. His face changed completely, so that he looked majestic, every inch the leader of the warriors gathered to make momentous decisions. Steam swirled and several crystals softened color until it appeared the moon shone deep beneath the earth, spotlighting their leader. The aurora colors swirled with life, streaks of bloodred moving through an ocean of color.
«You honor our people with your bravery, Dominic,» he said. His low voice carried throughout the cavern. «It shall be. The Carpathian people will never forget your sacrifice.»
Dominic stared down at his closed fist, then one by one opened his fingers. One nail lengthened and he drew a thin line across his wrist, holding his arm out to Gregori. Gregori remained still, his face an expressionless mask. Mikhail lifted his hand-an order, a decree. First Gregori, and then Lucian, Gabriel and Darius came forward and took the blood sealing Dominic to them. Dimitri stepped forward and then it was Nicolas's turn. He took his place beside the warrior he considered one of the greatest of all time.
The prince, in the name of good for the Carpathian people, was sending Dominic to an existence far worse than any Carpathian could conceive. The De La Cruz lineage had been cursed with darkness, but they had also been gifted with enduring strength and honor. In the centuries past, no Dragonseeker had ever succumbed to the whispers that grew louder as one lived longer without hope, without emotion. This then, was the last of a great line of warriors, sent to spy in the enemy camp with the poisonous blood of the vampire eating him from the inside out.
Nicolas met Dominies gaze, steady and true, refusing t
o look away from greatness. He couldn't save him, but he could send him away with honor, and give him the respect due him. Dominic gave him his blood and then clasped his arms in the way of the warriors.
«Arwa-arvod mane me kodak. May your honor hold back the dark,» Nicolas said softly. «Fight fiercely.»
«Kulkesz arwaval. Go with glory,» Gregori said. «Jonesz arwa arvoval. Return with honor.»
Mikhail stepped close. «Jonesz arwa arvoval. Return with honor.» He clasped Dominic's arms hard and they stood toe to toe.
«It is the right thing,» Dominic assured in a low voice as he gripped his prince's forearms. «The only thing. Give me a couple of weeks and have someone start the rumor of my turning. Make sure it is subtle. It would be news, the first Dragonseeker to succumb to the darkness. People would talk, but the news cannot come from anywhere near you. Talk will get to them and the Malinov brothers will seek me out in an effort to recruit me.»
Gregori pulled the precious vial of blood from a small box and handed it to Dominic, who pulled the stopper out and drank without hesitation. The silence in the room was complete. Even the crystals ceased
humming. No one moved or spoke until Dominic gave them a slight bow and took his leave-alone.
Destiny choked and turned her head away, burying her face against her lifemate. «It is like a razor is ripping through your insides,» she murmured, the memories vivid and sharp.
Nicolae put his arms around her and held her to him, speaking softly, his tone low, but comforting.
Something soft inside of Nicolas rose to the surface as he watched the two. Nicolae's body posture was not simply protective, but loving. And when she turned her face up toward his, he could see the love shining back. He didn't have that. He didn't even have Lara's respect, let alone love. Nicolae had a treasure, a gift, something so precious-a lifemate was beyond comprehension-but with being so gifted, he should never be foolish enough to risk her.
Mikhail faced his warriors. «We have much to discuss before this night's end. Nicolas has brought us news of our enemies and their plans. He will speak this night. A young woman has arrived in our village and she is Nicolas's lifemate. He has made his claim and bound them together although the ritual is not complete.» His gaze rested on Natalya. «We believe his lifemate, Lara, is the daughter of Razvan.»
Natalya let out a single, small sound. Her twin brother had been lost to her for many years. She had believed she killed him in a recent battle, but he had returned, possessing an elderly woman's body to attack Shea and her unborn child.
«There is reason to believe that Razvan has been used for experiments, that possibly he was a prisoner for some time before he succumbed,» Nicolas added.
«I want to talk to her,» Natalya said.
Nicolas shook his head. «We have not completed the ritual. She does not trust us and has bad memories of her father. I do not want her distressed. She needs time.»
Natalya's eyes went from deep green to ice blue. «She would want to talk to me.»
Nicolas shrugged his shoulders, a casual ripple of muscle that put Vikirnoff just a little in front of his lifemate. «It matters little to me at this point. She does not know about you and I am not going to tell her until we have sorted out our lives. I have a very tenuous hold on her at the moment, only through our soul bond, and I will not risk it.»
Natalya opened her mouth to protest, but Mikhail suddenly whirled around, his entire demeanor changing, his expression stricken as he stared for one heartbeat at Gregori, and then his brother. Without a word, his body shimmered and he leapt into the air, shifting as he did so.
Gregori's face went pale. «We will discuss the things we have gathered to talk about as soon as possible. Hopefully we can reconvene this meeting on the next rising. I must go with Mikhail to Raven now.» He was gone nearly as fast as the prince.
Lucian and Gabriel stepped forward, facing the other warriors. «Go with honor. We will meet when the prince summons us.»
Nicolas didn't wait for Natalya or Vikirnoff to corner him, he simply shifted into the body of an owl immediately and took flight for home-and Lara.
Chapter 6
Lara opened her eyes, savoring the heat and soothing bubbles in the mineral pool against her body. She had drifted off to sleep in the warmth. The water lapped at her skin, the sensation like tongues rasping at her breasts and throat. She blushed. She didn't have sexual thoughts or fantasies. She wasn't made that way, yet all she could think about was the width of Nicolas's shoulders, the black silk of his hair and how it felt against her skin. His breath was warm, drawing her like a magnet. She felt… unsettled… uneasy… restless. Her body felt tight and unfamiliar.
If this was what he did to her, he could stay away. On the heels of that thought came instant protest. Despite the soothing sound of water falling into the pool, or the heat enveloping her body, her mind emphatically rejected the thought of never seeing him again, reaching for him-rushing to him. He had been gone so long and an unfamiliar part of her, that was growing stronger by the moment, longed for his presence.
She took a deep breath needing…Nicolas . She sought the connection before she could stop herself.
I am here.
The relief of his touch was immediate. She didn't want to need the reassurance of the touch of his mind.If this is what you do to me, I don't want any part of it. She had learned to be alone. Never be different. Blend. Try not to stand out. Andnever need anyone.
It is the pull between lifemates, Lara. It is natural. When your aunts told the story did they not tell you about the needs burning between a bonded pair?
She couldn't help but laugh softly, mostly with relief at hearing the steady sound of his voice.They probably thought I was a little young for that sort of revelation .
You have a point. But consider that Carpathians are nearly immortal. If we did not have such a need for one another., life might get boring.
She found herself with a genuine smile. She doubted life would be boring with someone like Nicolas, although she had no idea, now that he'd tied them together, how they were going to manage. But it wasn't her problem, she reminded herself, it was his. He had uttered the words of the binding ritual.
The love story between Carpathian lifemates that her aunts had told her had been her only information on how relationships worked. Back then, it had been a fairy tale, now she thought maybe she was in the middle of a nightmare.
What do you know of your mother?
When Nicolas asked the question, Lara reached for the answer, but there was only a blank empty space in her mind.I don't remember her .
He moved inside of her. Lara felt his presence, sharing her mind, not just her immediate thoughts. Wincing, she threw up a shield.I'm uncomfortable with you doing that .
Why?
There was curiosity in his tone, but no remorse. No acquiescence. Certainly no reassurance that he wouldn't do it again. A small frisson of fear skated down her spine. What did she really know of this man? And why was she accepting him so easily?
I have alarmed you.
A little. I don't trust so easily.
He sent her a small rush of warmth.That is a good thing. I would not want you to .
Lara swept back her long wet hair and ducked under the water again, coming up to wade across to the flat rocks where she could sit. The cave was beautiful with gems and crystals sparkling in the flickering lights. Water lapped at the rocks in a gentle rocking motion, the sound almost a lullaby. She realized she felt a measure of peace for the first time in her life.Tell me about yourself . She crossed her arms under her breasts and tilted her head back to watch the light show the candles gave off.
I have four brothers. I have spent much of my life in the Amazon rainforest. You would like it there. It is beautiful and wild. I cannot wait to return and see it in vivid color. Nor can I wait to look upon my brothers and feel, for the first time, in my heart, not just in my head, the love I have for them.
She could feel the love he had f
or his family. She caught glimpses of four very intimidating men, handsome, with that same dangerous edge that Nicolas had.Four brothers? Did you grow up with them? There was no way to disguise the wistful note in her voice.
She had been out in the world long enough to know what a family was supposed to be and she longed for one of her own. Maybe that was why she was so susceptible to Nicolas. She ached with loneliness. She had always needed the cool interior of the caves to hide the fact that she couldn't really take too much sunlight so she had little contact with others. If she had to work in the morning hours or late afternoon, she could manage with long sleeves and sunblocks, but she rarely set to work until evening. She told her colleagues she had an allergy to the sun. During the afternoon, she could barely manage to function, so she found that caving was a perfect solution to all of her problems-and deep in a cave, she didn't have to watch others interact with their families.
Growing up with my brothers was always interesting. We all believed we were smarter, faster and had to prove it to one another. We did some crazy things.
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