Natalya slipped her arm around his neck, as he shifted shape. «Not too many people. I can handle it.» As they took to the night sky, with her clinging to his giant bird back, she hoped it was true. Colors dazzled her eyes. Everything, including her emotions seemed so much more acute. She was far more aware than she'd ever been, to the point where she actually had to experiment with turning down the volume in her ears to avoid hearing snippets of conversations as they flew over the village.
The healing cave was beautiful, made of crystals and flowing water. Heat and humidity blended together so at first Natalya found it heard to breathe. Ice-cold water flowed from one wall, dropping several feet into a hot mineral spring so that the steam was thick and white, floating above the shimmering water like clouds.
Gabrielle lay in the center, the earth already open to welcome her, the soil nearly black with richness. She looked pale, so still and white, Natalya's heart went out to her and she was ashamed of her earlier jealousy. She touched the other woman gently, determined to help Vikirnoff do whatever it took to save her.
Sara and Raven greeted Natalya with a hug and very welcoming smiles. The men greeted Vikirnoff by gripping his forearms in the way of the ancient warriors. Both Mikhail and Falcon bowed from the waist at Natalya with old-world courtesy. A third man stepped from the shadows, startling her so that she drew her sword before she realized he, too, was Carpathian.
«I did not mean to frighten you.» If there was amusement on his face, it didn't show. The centuries spent in Brazil had given him a slightly different look. Aloof, aristocratic. Very handsome like his kin, but dressed in a completely different style, looking more like a wealthy rancher. «I am Manolito De La Cruz, at your service.»
Natalya lifted her chin. «You didn't frighten me.» She met the black eyes without flinching.
Mikhail turned away with a faint smile. «Manolito brought us news of a small group of Jaguar men committing atrocities against their women. His family believes they may be in league with the vampires. He also carried back the news of another Morrison laboratory and a very lethal poison they've developed to use against us.»
Natalya turned to Vikirnoff, her eyes wide with apprehension. He moved closer to her, but didn't touch her, recognizing her need to feel strong. «Did you bring back a sample of the poison?»
Manolito shook his head. «I have the images sent from my brother. I have given them to the prince. Riordan broke down the compound and sent it to me to deliver to the Mikhail.»
Mikhail knelt beside Gabrielle's still body and gestured for everyone else to take their places in a loose circle. «We must complete this before we lose her. Vikirnoff has guarded her spirit carefully for days, but he tells me she fades more with each rising.»
Vikirnoff positioned himself at Gabrielle's head, his hands resting on either side of her. Natalya knelt beside him and merged her mind firmly with his. At once she touched Gabrielle's spirit. It was light and fragile, staying only because Vikirnoff kept her with them, refusing to allow her passing. He murmured to her softly, encouraging her as the others began the ancient healing chant and Mikhail bent to take her blood for the third exchange.
Merged so deep, Natalya felt Gabrielle wincing away, trying to be brave, but doubts and fears rose up in spite of Vikirnoff's comforting voice. Tears welled up in Natalya's eyes as she realized Vikirnoff had been soothing and comforting Gabrielle each time she was awake. I should have been helping you. I should have been there for you.
She was his partner and this keeping of Gabrielle's spirit hadn't been easy for him. He didn't have the connection to Gabrielle the others had, yet he had guarded her soul and refused to let her die. Natalya was determined to rectify her mistakes. She bent close to Gabrielle, brushing her own spirit against the other woman's.
You must cling to life. Natalya told Gabrielle. There are so many who fight for you. So many who love you. Do you have any idea how very precious that is? These people give of themselves freely to you. They offer life with them. Do you want to leave only out of fear? Fear can be overcome.
The answer was a small fluttering in Natalya's mind. In her heart and soul. Gary. A single name. A single cry of anguish.
He would want you to choose life. With life there is always a way. Take my hand. Take the blood your prince offers you and choose life.
I have heard the conversion is painful and I cannot bear more pain. It seems to have become my life. I don't have Gary or my sister here with me. I'm so afraid.
I will be with you. Vikirnoff will be with you, Natalya said.
As will I, Raven murmured it softly, connecting through the prince.
I am here, Sara added, connecting through Falcon.
We have all suffered the conversion and come through to the other side. We will be with you every moment.
Gabrielle opened her mouth and accepted the life-giving offering of the prince.
Chapter 19
The Dubrinsky home was beautiful, with high ceilings, a stone fireplace and wood floors. Most of the rooms had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Natalya was surprised the house had a huge, well-stocked kitchen.
Raven grinned at her. «We always maintain the illusion of being human.»
Vikirnoff was close, so close Natalya could feel his breath on the nape of her neck. They had fed together, finding a farmer and his grown son before joining the others at the Dubrinsky home. Vikirnoff had snarled over her luring the son to her and ever since he'd been hovering. Natalya threw a quick, repressing glance over her shoulder at him, but he didn't seem to notice the hint.
Raven laughed. «They're all like that. I think it comes of being ancient. They were born so long ago they can't quite make it out of the caves.»
«What do you know of this poison Manolito has told us about,» Mikhail asked Natalya. «Have you seen it before?»
There was instant silence. The men had been talking together in the corner, but suddenly they were all focused on her. She stood her ground, her fingers running back and forth over the hilt of her knife.
Mikhail wrapped his arm around Raven and pulled her back into the shelter of his body, nuzzling her hair as he did so. It was a brief, affectionate gesture, one Natalya found somewhat endearing. A man couldn't be all bad if he loved his lifemate. She glanced at Vikirnoff. He trusted the prince far more than she did. «I would need to see the compound.»
Mikhail easily put the images and information into Natalya's mind. He did it fast, with no preliminaries, no gentle asking. He obviously had a path to her mind despite the barriers and that made her feel very vulnerable and extremely uneasy.
He is able to do so through me. Vikirnoff reassured her.
Natalya took her time examining the structure of the poison, ignoring the conversations flowing around her.
Ordinarily, Natalya wasn't nervous in social situations. She never had anything to lose, but she knew how tied to these people Vikirnoff really was. He hadn't spent time with them in centuries, but he thought of them, fought for them, identified with them whether he realized it or not. She didn't want to embarrass him by saying or doing the wrong thing. She knew she had a smart mouth and curbing it in the face of so much testosterone was going to be difficult.
At once Vikirnoff flooded her mind with warmth and silent laughter. I will enjoy watching the share.
Ha. Ha. Ha. I'm so glad you like fireworks. She flashed a small grin at him.
I'm extremely fond of fireworks.
«I recognize parts of this poison, but it isn't all mine. They've mixed some of my earlier experiments.»
Mikhail nodded. «Gary Jansen developed a poison against us some time ago and parts of his poison are mixed with the newer chemicals.»
«The vampires are definitely in league against us,» Falcon said. «They have been planning for some time.»
«Xavier is involved,» Vikirnoff announced, reaching for Natalya's hand. «He is alive and conspiring with the Malinov brothers.»
As Vikirnoff was speaking, another man entered the
house. He was tall with broad shoulders, thick black hair and startling green eyes. «That Xavier lives, does not surprise me in the least.» His gaze swept past Vikirnoff and found Natalya. He went utterly still. For a moment it seemed as if he had ceased to breathe. «You are the exact image of Rhiannon.»
His penetrating gaze seemed to see straight through her to every dark deed she'd ever committed. «Rhiannon was my grandmother,» Natalya said.
«Was?»
Ordinarily the demand in his voice would have irritated her, and Vikirnoff was already moving to put himself between her and the stranger, though for her protection or the stranger's she wasn't certain. Something in the man's face saddened her. The man, whoever he was, bore an uncanny resemblance to her father. «Xavier killed Rhiannon long ago,» she explained.
«She is dead?» Though no expression crossed the man's face, she was certain the news struck him hard. «You are certain?»
«I'm capable of accessing the memories in objects, particularly if violence is associated with the object. Xavier used his favorite ceremonial knife to kill her. I saw it happen
through the knife and Vikirnoff witnessed it as well.» The man closed his eyes as if in pain. «I'm sorry,» she added. «Did you know her?»
«Forgive me, little sister. I should have introduced myself. I am Rhiannon's brother, Dominic. I have long sought my beloved sister in the hopes of finding her alive. It is good she lives through you.» Dominic clasped Vikirnoff's arms. «Eka, kont. I had hoped one day to see you again.»
«You are wounded.»
Dominic shrugged. «I had a run-in with Maxim Malinov and we had ourselves quite a little battle.»
He was the dragon in the sky the other day, wasn't he? Natalya asked Vikirnoff, excited. What did he call you?
Yes. He has always been a superb warrior. He called me brother and warrior. Coming from Dominic, it is a great honor.
«It is why I was late this rising. I meant to attend the healing, but fear my wounds needed a few extra hours in the soil to ensure I was fit to aid our people should the need arise.» All the while he spoke, his gaze continued to flicker over Natalya. «I would see the memories of the murder of my sister with my own eyes, Vikirnoff.»
Vikirnoff readily complied and Natalya looked away, out the window, refusing to brush their minds while they exchanged information. She could not bear to relive the past again.
«I have long used the disappearance of my sister as my reason for remaining on this earth. I thought once I knew what happened to her I would seek the dawn, but I must know about her children.»
«My father is dead,» Natalya spoke up. «Xavier murdered him. I don't know what happened to my aunts. They were triplets, two girls and a boy. My father thought his sisters had to be dead. He rarely spoke of them.» Natalya pressed a hand over the suddenly burning birthmark and looked anxiously at her lifemate. «Vikirnoff? They are coming.»
«Who is coming?» Falcon asked, rising from where he'd been sitting with Sara.
«Vampires,» Dominic answered, his palm covering his side over the same birthmark. «The dragon is burning. They are already here.»
Mikhail thrust Raven behind him, looking out his window. «I do not feel their presence.»
«Nor do I,» Falcon agreed. He was at the opposite window.
«I feel them only through Natalya,» Vikirnoff said. «This is what has been happening everywhere and must have something to do with whatever they are putting in their blood.»
The first explosion rocked the house, sending a shower of wood and debris down on them. An orange-red ball drove through the roof, the top story, past them and down to the basement below, spreading flames everywhere it touched. Instantly several more fireballs hit the house from every direction. Explosion after explosion shook not only the house, but the ground. Flames shot up the walls and danced across the ceiling. Faces appeared in the rolling waves of fire, laughing and taunting. The ceiling collapsed in large, burning chunks.
Vikirnoff drove Natalya to the floor, covering her body with his own as he threw up a hasty shield, trapping oxygen inside. Mikhail and Raven and Falcon and Sara huddled together, while Manolito and Dominic raised similar barriers. The breath slammed out of Natalya's lungs, leaving her gasping and fighting the weight of Vikirnoff's larger frame. She pushed at him, trying desperately to get at her weapons.
«Mikhail is creating a vacuum, sucking all the air from around us to put out the fire. Be still.» Vikirnoff gripped her shoulders, holding her down with the casual strength of his species.
«Freakin' idiot, next time warn me. I might have slit your throat thinking you were the enemy,» Natalya snapped. Her heart was pounding. The world was in flames around her. The fire roared so loud it hurt her ears and the faces writhing in the conflagration stretched their lips wide with wild shrieks of laughter. The tigress didn't want to be held down. Every survival instinct was roused, desperate to fight for freedom; Natalya focused on lying still beneath Vikirnoff to keep from running.
There was a whooshing sound that rocked the house as Mikhail removed the oxygen and immediately the flames vanished, leaving a blackened shell with most of the roof gone. The eerie silence clawed at Natalya's nerves. Before they could move, the orange-red fireballs began pounding what was left of the structure again and the flames leapt to life. Several bombs rained down on them from directly overhead, tearing gaps in the floor, exposing the chambers beneath in the basement.
We have to get out of the house. Get to the underground chamber and go through the ground to safety.
Natalya recognized Mikhail's voice. He was calm, but there was an underlying urgency. At once their shelter disappeared and Vikirnoff's weight lifted from her body. She sprang to her feet and raced toward the nearest hole in the floor. Walls of flames raged around them, the heat so intense she could barely breathe.
No! We cannot go that way. Vikirnoff gripped Natalya's arm before she could jump, dragging her back against him, pressing her face into his chest to help alleviate her burning lungs. That way is closed to us, Mikhail. They await us with traps in the ground.
You are certain? Mikhail asked.
Vikirnoff nodded. Trust me.
Natalya touched Vikirnoff's mind and realized he was using her connection to Razvan. He had turned the tables on her brother, reaching out on her telepathic path to her twin, unraveling the familiar safeguards and searching his mind for information.
I should have thought of that. And maybe she had. Maybe she just couldn't accept what Razvan had become. I'm sorry.
Vikirnoff hissed something at her between clenched teeth, the images he was receiving from Razvan evidently infuriating him. We'll have to shift. I will hold the image of mist uppermost in your mind and we will shift together as soon as it is safe to move.
Natalya nodded. She was furious at being trapped like a rat in a cage. It took two heartbeats to realize it was Vikirnoff's fury she was feeling more than her own.
Get down. When I extinguish the flames after all of you escape quickly, and remember, they will know we are coming. Mikhail accepted that they had no choice but to use the common path of communication in the midst of the roaring flames and black smoke.
Natalya went to the floor, not waiting for Vikirnoff to drag her down. This time smoke mixed with oxygen within the hastily erected shield, but the air was still breathable. Vikirnoff settled on top of her and the tigress growled in protest, but remained still.
She was more prepared this time for the ground trembling and the force of the air being removed from the building. Again there was the same eerie silence. The Carpathians threw off the shields and began to shimmer into mist. Vikirnoff's fingers curled tightly around hers as he pushed the image of vapor into her mind.
Stop! The order came from Vikirnoff again as he delved even deeper into Razvan's brain, reading the battle plan. They have devised a method to keep us from restructuring. Xavier and Razvan have constructed a net to entrap us. If we shift, we will be caught in that form, unable to change.
It is what they expect of us.
Are there any flaws in it? Mikhail didn't waste time with argument or bother to hide the conversations from the vampires. They wouldn't know yet where the Carpathians were getting their information. Let us all see what they have done.
It is much more than that, Natalya confirmed. If we try to use much of our magick it will backfire on us. I think we have only the weather left to us. He could not prevent that.
Dominic backed her up. She is right. Do not try to shift or use magick of any kind other than the lightning or the wind and rain. They think to force us to use the old ways to fight. And they hear us. Feel their triumph?
Natalya reached for Vikirnoff on their private telepathic path. Razvan and Xavier cannot spread the shield too thin. If we get to the forest we will be able to shift. Find a way to get that message to them all.
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