Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, where Nicu and Siv had been. Eventually, she caught glimpses of them moving through the trees as the darker gray began to turn a lighter color and thin out. The translucent forms solidified rather quickly, much faster than when they had slowly disappeared into the mist. Neither man turned to see if she and Sandu were behind them, so she knew they were aware of their presence.

Sandu’s thumb slid over her inner wrist, right over her pulse. You did very well. I had no time to warn you what it would be like inside the mass.

What is it?

It is a ward few know of. Not even insects can penetrate it. Air, earth, water or fire, none of the elements can get through it.

Excitement burst through her. Do you know how to create such a thing?

Inside her mind, he nodded. Those in the monastery shared knowledge. The Dragonseeker was one of the few given some of our secrets. He arrived at our gates with tremendous wounds, and we took him in to heal him. Since it was well known that no Dragonseeker had ever turned, we imparted knowledge to him not given to too many other hunters. His sister, Rhiannon, was taken, her lifemate killed, and Dominic refused to give up looking for her. He is a very tenacious hunter.

Adalasia looked around the forest. They were still very close to the river, but now moving away from it, going to the interior. Overhead, the tree branches were thicker and connected with one another, forming an arboreal highway. There was an occasional whisper of movement, no more than the passing of something along the leaves, as if a slight breeze had stirred the canopy.

Those parasites you detest so much, Dominic ingested in order to make it appear as if a Dragonseeker had finally turned vampire. There was a plot underway to kill the De La Cruz brothers and then to murder the prince. He infiltrated the ranks of the vampires to get information and destroy them. Enduring the parasites was agony every second, but he did so in order to ensure that the Carpathian people got the necessary information and the master vampires were destroyed.

Adalasia couldn’t help but look at the wide shoulders of the Dragon-seeker with new respect as he led the way through the forest, that dark gray mat still under their feet as they made their way to his home. She hoped she could have done what he had in order to save the world, but the thought of taking even one of those horrid, vile, wiggling parasites into her mouth was so appalling, she could barely keep from vomiting.

How did he survive?

Solange. She fought at his side. Their story is legendary, told to Carpathian children now. Solange is very quiet and uncomfortable in the presence of others, which is one of the reasons they reside here. Dominic is comfortable anywhere. Solange needs the forest, and he needs her.

The sound of a great body of water had grown louder until it was roaring. Adalasia managed to turn the volume down on her own. Water poured down from above a series of gray boulders. The blue-and-white water spilled in a long fall into an unexpected turquoise pool surrounded by more rocks and large ferns. Trees with orchids winding their way up the trunks and wrapping around lower branches surrounded the pool, standing upright like soldiers guarding a treasure. The sight was breathtaking, even with the dark mist rolling along the ground and moving above the private lagoon.

Dominic didn’t give them too long of a time to admire the beauty of the place. He waved his hand and the fall of water parted. They could see the narrow path shimmering into sight from their side of the forest floor. It was designed so only one person at a time could walk along it and enter the grotto behind the falls. Whatever was there was impossible to see. Adalasia tightened her fingers in Sandu’s.

This is a really cool place to live if you’re going to have a home in the rain forest, Sandu.

It is.

For the first time, she felt his reluctance. The four brethren traveling with them echoed his concerns. The shadow of a cat, for a brief moment, shone on the wall of rock behind the water, the fall shimmering right through the shadow, casting iridescent colors on the gray boulders. Adalasia blinked, and the silhouette was gone, leaving her wondering if it had been an illusion. Dominic walked, without pausing, along that narrow trail, and then he, too, disappeared into the dark, cavernous opening.

Nicu, drop back, Sandu commanded. We may need you to bring an army of animals to aid us in battle.

Nicu stepped to the side, and Siv continued forward as if Sandu had not spoken. Adalasia could feel all the brethren connected to him in her mind. Petru moved up to stride behind Siv, covering his back but giving him room to fight should there be need.