Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

“They’re so beautiful,” Aria exclaimed. “It’s strange, but I can almost feel them moving under my fingers.” She stroked her finger over the surface of one of the cards, the smile fading from her face. “My burning question is whether these incidents that keep happening will stop before we lose everything and my husband gets hurt or killed.”

Adalasia’s smile faded as well. Her eyes met Sandu’s. She has great psychic talent, whether she is aware of it or not. She believes in the tarot cards. She is aware I have some talent, or at least that the cards can tell her something. She glanced down at the cards and then back up at him. I don’t want to do this if I’m going to see her husband or her dead, Sandu.

We are going to take care of the problem, ewal emninumam. Her husband will live and so will she. Have no fear in giving her a reading, Sandu assured her.

He felt Adalasia take a deep breath. She flashed her million-dollar smile and had Aria turn over the cards one by one. The smile widened.

“I see a very bright future for you and children coming very soon to fill your life with love and laughter.” She looked up from the cards. “Grandchildren?”

Aria nodded. “My daughter and her husband have been considering purchasing the property next to ours. Her husband has wanted to get out of the city for a long time. He grew up here and has a good education, but he misses the farm life.”

“I believe he will purchase the property quite soon, and those children will be running back and forth.” There was joy in Adalasia’s voice.

“And my husband?” Aria held her breath, looking over the cards.

“These incidents that are happening will stop immediately.” This time Adalasia’s voice hitched the tiniest bit, and her gaze flicked to Sandu and the four guardians before coming back to rest on the cards and Aria. She managed another smile, this one not quite so bright or real. “Your husband and you will live a long life together free from these types of attacks.”

Aria clearly had more psychic gifts than they gave her credit for. She sat back in her chair and studied their faces, each of them, very carefully. She made the sign of the cross. “You came here to stop them, didn’t you?” She whispered the revelation as if she feared to be overheard, even with the silver crosses at each of the entrances. “We are under attack, and you are here to stop them if it is at all possible.” Tears filled her eyes. “It is very dangerous work that you do. And thankless.”

“Aria.”

Adalasia said her name gently when Sandu shifted toward the woman, prepared to erase her memories, if it was even possible. He didn’t know. Some people with strong psychic abilities were difficult to control unless he took their blood.

“No, it’s true. I never thought to meet one of you. My mother told me about you. Her mother told her. She said if there was ever trouble of this sort, the kind Amato and I have on our farm now, someone would come. There was a story told in our family handed down, really whispered. We don’t tell others.” She put a shaking hand to her hair. “I don’t know that I even believed it to be true until the mutilations started, and then I prayed that it was.”

Let her continue, Sandu advised.

Yes, Adalasia agreed. She needs to talk to someone. She’s been holding all of this in.

That wasn’t the same reason Sandu wanted Aria to continue, but he would take whatever he could get.

“The moment I saw the men, I knew. It was the way you carried yourselves. I just knew.” Aria ended on a whisper. “I will never tell a living soul other than Amato, and he will never tell anyone. We have been sealed together and we remain as one. This thing you do for us and everyone else will only be told within the family as a folklore tale if you approve. If not, not one word will ever be spoken.”

There was honesty in her voice, and Sandu believed her. He was in her mind, as were the guardians. They could see her truth there, as well. Unfortunately, her husband, Amato, wasn’t present, but they could easily enough scan his mind as well.

Before Adalasia could answer, Sandu did. “There would have to be safeguards put in place if memories were left behind with you and your husband of our existence and our presence here. You would be tied to us until you pass to the next life, and we would know should you ever betray us. The penalty for betrayal is death.”

He allowed her to see the flames flickering low in his black eyes even as he swept his arm around Adalasia to help reassure Aria he wasn’t a demon or vampire. “I can erase your memory of us, and there is no need to tie you to us. All will be as it was, without knowledge we were here, and you will just know that the incidents stopped abruptly.”