Dark Lycan (Dark 24)

Mikhail's blood mingled with the long dead warriors. At once the crystals were illuminated, throwing off colors, deep emerald, rich ruby red swirling and banding throughout the room and over the walls. The display was much like the aurora borealis, many colors dancing through the chamber.

The swirling colors actually hurt Fen's eyes. He was used to gray and white and sometimes the duller colors the wolf could distinguish until Tatijana had given him back the ability to see such things, but he wasn't used to it yet. Still, the display was extraordinarily beautiful. Their native language was comforting to him and made him feel a part of his people after so many centuries of being alone.

Fen glanced at his brother. Dimitri was tall with broad shoulders and a face that could have been etched from stone. He was handsome, but aloof, a man apart. He had a lifemate he couldn't claim. She had restored his emotions and color to his world, but that made hunting vampires all the more difficult. Now he had to contend with a wolf prowling inside him, battling for supremacy. Fen hoped that the sacred chamber would ease his suffering just a little.

The columns hummed, each with a different note, a perfect pitch so that the totems with faces appeared to be chanting musically. The colors swirling over them gave the faces life and expression. Fen had been careful not to swear allegiance to the prince. It was important to make certain he didn't put Mikhail into the position of having to go to war to defend him. But . . . There was MaryAnn and Manolito. He knew Zacarias De La Cruz. Zacarias was pure hunter. He was pure Carpathian. Top of the food chain. Uncivilized. Untamed. The real thing. No one would touch his family without swift and brutal retaliation. He would be relentless, and he would never stop until he annihilated anyone or any group who targeted his family.

Fen knew Zacarias had found his lifemate, but he would bet his life that the eldest De La Cruz hadn't changed much. Fen was a hunter. He knew no other way of life. Zacarias would be the same. That meant Mikhail would have to protect the couple from the Lycans.

If Tatijana were to become like him, and eventually she would, he wanted the Carpathian people to protect her. The same with his brother. Dimitri was well on his way to being Sange rau. They had given one another blood in the past, over the last few centuries when they had hunted together, and now Dimitri was feeling the effects of his wolf.

Centuries ago his blood had been added to the column of warriors, when he had sworn his allegiance to a prince long dead. Adding his blood again would allow the warriors to weigh in on the decisions Mikhail would be making. They would know what it was like to think and feel as a Sange rau. He was not ashamed of who and what he was. He had lived as honorably as he could. He had engaged the enemies of Lycan, human and Carpathian every time he came across one.

"You do not have to swear allegiance," Mikhail said. "But if you are still hesitant because you fear you will force a war between Lycan and Carpathian, I can assure you, I will never agree to indiscriminately hunt those Lycans referred to as Sange rau. Any Carpathian who has this extraordinary and difficult gift will be referred to as Han ku pesak kaikak, or Paznicii de toate, which translates in either language to Guardians of all, and I will not give up any of them."

Mikhail's voice was compelling. Mesmerizing even. He could persuade most anyone to do anything he wanted with his voice, yet he was careful to keep his tone neutral.

Han ku pesak kaikak, Guardian of all. Mikhail Dubrinsky saw him that way, or he wouldn't have bestowed such a name on what he was. Fen couldn't believe what a difference such a small thing meant. He had been the hated Sange rau, and yet with just one small declaration, the prince had elevated him to Guardian of all.

Mikhail gave him and others like him purpose and status.

He was definitely born to lead, Tatijana whispered into his mind. Just changing the name changes the feel of who and what you are.

I can see why you gave him your allegiance.

Don't do this for me.

I wouldn't. This has to be a personal choice, and I choose to be part of his world.

Fen didn't hesitate further. It had been too many centuries where he was a man without a country. His people were Carpathian no matter what his blood had become. He loved the Lycans and respected them, but his heart was here, with his people. He wanted to be part of the Carpathian community again. He wanted to ensure that Tatijana was always accepted.

He glanced at his brother. Dimitri was a respected warrior among the Carpathian people and held in great esteem. Whatever changed inside of Dimitri, whatever the wolf brought, it would benefit the Carpathian people, not take away from them; Fen was certain of that.

Fen stepped up to the bloodred crystal. He lowered his palm slowly. Before he ever reached that sharpened tip, he felt power emanating from the large crystalline column. He knew it was a calculated risk. If his ancestors rejected him, Mikhail and certainly Gregori might reject him as well, but it was a chance he felt he had to take.

He allowed the totem of minerals to pierce his flesh and draw his blood. At once his blood mingled with the blood of those who had gone before. His soul stretched and called to the warriors who had gone before him. He felt them, so many, their presence strong, ringing him, filling him, making him feel a part of a community that dated back to ancient times. The flood of camaraderie and belonging, of acceptance, was overwhelming.

Every cell in his body responded. He became aware of everything, the smallest detail. He heard the steady drip of water, drumming like a heartbeat deep within the chamber so that his own heartbeat took up that collective rhythm. The ebb and flow of blood in his veins, in the veins of those surrounding him, matched the endless flow of the ancient's blood within the crystal. Deep below the chamber floor, hundreds of feet below the forest of giant columns, he felt the pool of magma feeding the heat throughout the labyrinth of multilevel caverns.

He heard whispers, ancient words spoken in the Carpathian language, warriors greeting him. Bur tule ekamet kuntamak. He could hear old friends, calling to him-well met brother-kin.

He whispered back in his mind, reaching for them . . .

Without warning the entire atmosphere of the chamber turned somber and sorrowful. The low humming in the chamber took on a completely different melody-a death chant-the dirge unmistakable although ancient. It was a melody reserved for a fallen warrior held in extremely high regard, a man of legend.

Fen found himself holding his breath. The ancient warriors were paying tribute to him-the highest tribute a fallen warrior could receive-but he wasn't dead. The column went from dark red to a darker, somber purple, a color of sorrow for a fallen comrade. The flickering flames on the candles lowered, throwing more shadows into the room, adding to the feeling of sadness.

It was the last reaction Fen expected-to have his ancestors mourn and give tribute to him as if he'd died in battle. He kept his features absolutely expressionless, but Tatijana had merged her mind with his and the instant his heart felt heavy, she stepped up behind him and circled her arms around him, laying her head against his back to comfort him.

The moment she pressed close to him, her arms encircling him, the mournful humming came to an abrupt, confused halt. There was a startled silence as if the ancestors didn't know what to think. The crystalline column began to pulse a deep rich red through the dark purple. The voices whispered greetings and encouragement.

Fen put both hands over Tatijana's, pressing her palms into his waist. He wasn't certain what to think. One moment the ancient warriors had been mourning as if he'd died in a great battle and the next moment they were calling to him in camaraderie again. It was very confusing.

It's your Dragonseeker blood they sense, he told his lifemate.

It mingles with yours. They should have sensed it before I came near them, Tatijana said with a little sniff of disdain.

They call to you, sister-kin. Fen still wasn't quite certain how to react. He told the simple truth. She is Tatijana-keeper of my heart and soul-han ku vigyaz sivamet es sielamet.

Murmurs of approval hummed through the chamber. It wasn't as if they rejected Fen, in fact just the opposite. The ancient warriors embraced him, but they thought him gone from the world until Tatijana had surrounded him with herself.

The display of lights given off by the stalactites above their heads changed colors, throwing lavenders and pale pinks, with bursts of soft greens and blues. All of the colors, Fen was certain, represented his Dragonseeker woman. The stalagmites, great sculpted columns with faces and eyes swirling through them, came to life again, staring openly at Fen and Tatijana.

Why are they so surprised? We're lifemates. Can't they see that?

Fen's eyes met Mikhail's. What did it all mean? Only the prince might be able to decipher the meaning of the mourning and then the change.

"Can you tell me why they thought I had passed?" Fen asked, not entirely certain he wanted to know.

It doesn't matter what they think, Tatijana insisted, circling around to stand protectively in front of him, placing herself between Fen and the short column used for communication with the ancients long since passed.

It matters, my lady, Fen said gently. We have to know the consequences of becoming Sange rau before any other Carpathian decides with the misguided notion that he will help to save his species from extinction, or just from the worst of monsters that we've faced by becoming a mixed blood.

Not Sange rau. You are Han ku pesak kaikak, Guardian of all, Tatijana disputed firmly.

Fen found his heart doing a strange, slow somersault. Even his belly felt that same peculiar roll at her fierce protective streak. I am lucky in my lifemate. He meant every word. She had changed his life and would always be at the center of it. She made him feel alive and gave him his first taste of joy and real laughter.

"The ancients greeted you warmly because they recognized your heart and soul as Carpathian, Fen," Mikhail said. "Some of them knew you and celebrated that you kept your honor throughout such a long and difficult journey."

Fen nodded. He had felt them welcome him and the camaraderie had made him feel as if he were part of a much larger circle. After having been alone for so many centuries, Fen felt connected to his ancestors. He would have given anything to feel that way before he met and claimed Tatijana. He had needed that connection, but once she had poured into his mind with so much fluid grace and light, he found he really didn't need anymore. She had given him peace.

He had come here with the idea that he needed and wanted acceptance, not only for him but for his brother and any other who shared the same mixed blood, but now that he was in the sacred cave of warriors, he felt comforted by the traditional rituals, but it was Tatijana that made him feel complete, not the warrior circle itself.

"What happened? Why would they think I had died?" he asked curiously.

"When your blood first touched the sacred stone, they felt what they expected to feel. I woke them with the invocation. But as they processed it, as your blood touched their blood, they realized it was far different and you, as a Carpathian, were no longer there. They had already judged your heart and soul and knew you were honorable and that you'd fought long and hard for our people, so they awarded you the warrior's highest honor as they mourned your death."

"They believed he was dead because his blood is different?" Dimitri asked, wanting clarification. "Or they named him dead to the Carpathian people?"

"They believed him dead," Mikhail explained. "Couldn't you feel their genuine sorrow? Your blood, Fen, must be completely different at this point from that of a Carpathian."

"Yet I can give blood to anyone just as a Carpathian can," Fen said.

"You said the transformation happens in stages. Probably had you come here in the beginning stages, there would have been enough of a resemblance to Carpathian blood that few would notice the difference," Mikhail said.

"But then they sensed Tatijana. Her Dragonseeker blood is powerful."

"Yes it is. And already, because you're lifemates, that strain must be in you as well. But I felt something else, something equally as powerful. Not your Lycan-his presence was formidable-but something very subtle and equally as dominant."

Mikhail looked from Fen to Dimitri and then back at Fen, speculation in his eyes. "Tatijana is Dragonseeker, one of our most powerful lineages. She has a strong connection to Mother Earth, but this still feels different, as if it isn't her connection but yours."

"Tatijana does have a very strong connection to Mother Earth," Fen admitted.

Mikhail shook his head, his piercing, intelligent gaze moving back to Dimitri. "Aw. I see now. Young Skyler. We do underestimate that girl. She helped to heal you. How is that possible from such a distance? Isn't she in London?"

"I believe she is," Tatijana answered for both men.

"And yet you know her and can speak to where she is," Mikhail said. "How is it that a young girl, a child really, a human at that, can cross over two thousand kilometers and reach out to heal someone near death?"

Tatijana shrugged her shoulders. "It must have something to do with her being part of the Dragonseeker lineage. You said yourself it is a powerful line."

"Have you been able to do such a thing?" Mikhail asked.

Tatijana hesitated. She shook her head. "No. Both Bronnie and I tried to reach our niece when she escaped the ice caves, but the distance was too great."

Mikhail raised an eyebrow at Gregori.

Gregori shook his head. "I've never covered that distance. I've come close, but I doubt I could sustain it long enough to heal someone."

Dimitri remained silent. His expression never changed. Fen touched his mind. His brother was crazy in love with Skyler, but he hadn't claimed her, respecting their decision to wait until she felt ready. He would not give her up, not even to the prince and his enquiries in the sacred cavern.

Dimitri had been his own man for centuries. He might be Fen's younger brother, but he had hunted the vampire on his own for centuries. He was respected and held in some circles as a legend. His relationship with Skyler was private. He rarely spoke of her. Fen had gotten more information about her from their brief healing encounter together than in all the years Dimitri had given him safe havens to rest and heal in.

Mikhail seemed to be more amused than upset that none of them were forthcoming about Dimitri's young unclaimed lifemate. He simply nodded his head. "I'm certain that young woman somehow managed to seal both Fen and Dimitri to Mother Earth, a privilege to say the least."

"Did the ancients accept Fenris as he is?" Dimitri cut to the heart of the matter.

For the first time Mikhail hesitated. He let out a soft sigh. "I can't give you the exact answer you're looking for, or that I was looking for, Dimitri. The ancients acknowledge Fen as a great warrior who has lived with honor, but his blood is no longer the blood of a Carpathian."

Dimitri didn't flinch, but Fen was close to him and felt the inner blow like a punch to his gut. Mikhail had raised questions both men needed to think about. Tatijana was already tied to Fen and she would accept their fate together as his lifemate. It was different with Skyler. She was young, a human at that. Did Dimitri have the right to sentence her to a life so unknown, surrounded by enemies at every door?

"How long does it take before a hunter has the speed you have?" Gregori asked.

Fen shook his head. "It took me nearly a year to begin to merge with my wolf. I think you'd get a better answer from Manolito De La Cruz. You said he was recently changed. You have to remember when this happened to me we didn't even realize the cause was the blood. I'd been bitten numerous times in battles with rogue packs and the Sange rau we were chasing. In those days, no one knew about genetics. I recall the wolf and then gradually merging with it."

Fen shrugged. "Over the years, when Dimitri sometimes joined with me in battle, we gave each other blood when one of us was wounded as Carpathians do. Again, that never raised a single red flag."

Vikirnoff, who had remained silent throughout the ritual of the ancients, stepped forward to offer a greeting. "I gave you blood after your battle with Abel and even after what I saw, I didn't think anything of it. Giving blood is part of our everyday lives. No one would have considered not saving a fellow Carpathian."

"Or Lycan," Fen agreed.

"The Lycans stayed away from us because they didn't understand how the process of becoming a Sange rau worked all those centuries ago," Mikhail ventured. "If this started centuries ago then what you say about ingrained prejudice has to be very true."

Fen nodded. "Each new council renewed their decree to avoid Carpathians when possible. To fight alongside them when needed and there should be no animosity toward them."

"Why did you choose to live as a Lycan and stay close to their packs rather than come home?" Vikirnoff asked.

"In the beginning I wanted as much information as possible," Fen said. "But then I realized when I allowed the Lycan to be more dominant, it wasn't as difficult to fight the temptation of darkness swallowing me."

Gregori sent him one look from slashing silver eyes. "You said it was much more difficult to resist the call of the vampire."

"Much later," Fen said. "Not in the beginning. In the beginning the wolf at first protected me from the temptation, and later while I lived in the packs as a Lycan I realized the darkness wasn't as oppressive. Over the centuries it really aided me as I hunted. I was very . . . active as a hunter."

Dimitri nodded. "He was extremely proficient hunting rogues. When he was severely wounded, or during the full moon, he stayed in the ground and some of that time I guarded his resting place until he was fit again."

"Why is it you can be detected during the full moon and not any other time?" Mikhail asked curiously. "There has to be something there we can use against the Sange rau."

"It's all about energy with Lycans. When a pack hunts, they can't have much success if prey knows they're coming for them, so they've evolved to mask their energy," Fen explained. "Unfortunately, during the week cycle of the full moon, it's impossible. The pull is too strong on Lycans. I'm Lycan enough that the effect is the same for me. My energy feels different to the Lycans and if I'm in close proximity, they know immediately what I am."

"That's why you wanted Tatijana to warn MaryAnn and Manolito," Gregori said. "You knew they wouldn't know any of this and if they came across Lycans during a full moon, they'd immediately be targeted for death."

"I have evolved as the Sange rau . . ."

"The Han ku pesak kaikak," Tatijana and Mikhail corrected simultaneously. "Guardian of all." They looked at one another and smiled.

"I have evolved as the Han ku pesak kaikak, Guardian of all," Fen corrected, "over centuries. For warriors to choose to become a Guardian, thinking they will be able to fight the existing Sange rau, is ludicrous. It takes centuries to build the speed and understand the gifts. Not to mention, if they have no lifemate, the danger to their soul increases every passing year."

Mikhail nodded. "I think I have enough information to come to some decisions that will guide our people as well as help me persuade the Lycan council to agree to stop the hunt for those who are Han ku pesak kaikak-Guardians of all, rather than Sange rau. Once I determine our course of action, I'll call a meeting here in these sacred chambers with as many of our warriors as possible to let them know what we are up against."

Gregori nodded, but he didn't look happy about it.

"Word will be sent to MaryAnn and Manolito. Once I contact Zev and ask for a meeting with the Lycan council, if they agree, I'll call in our warriors to be here for that summit." Mikhail gave a slight bow, a gesture of respect toward Fen. "Thank you for coming today and allowing me the opportunity to learn."

"My lifemate, Tatijana, has sworn her allegiance to her prince. My brother, Dimitri, has as well," Fen said. "Although my blood is no longer Carpathian, my heart and my soul are. I would swear allegiance to my prince, if he would choose to accept me as I am."

"You are and always will be Carpathian first," Mikhail said. "I would be honored to have you among my warriors."

The hum in the crystals began again, swelling in volume, each tuned to a perfect note. Colors swirled, the deeper hues of dark reds and purples, as if the ancestors still were a little confused as to what Fenris really was, but were in agreement with his decision to swear allegiance to the prince; after all, they did recognize he had served their people with honor for centuries.

Fen opened the vein in his wrist and held the offering out to Mikhail. "I offer my life for our people. I pledge my loyalty to them through our blood bond."

Mikhail, Gregori cautioned.

He is one of us.

His blood isn't. I'll take his blood.

Mikhail's eyes darkened even more, and Gregori stepped back reluctantly.

Mikhail took the offered wrist, accepting the blood bond with Fen. He closed the wound carefully and gave Fen a slight bow. "As vessel of our people, I accept your sacrifice."

You could be the most stubborn man alive, Gregori hissed. There are times I'd like to lock you in a dungeon and throw away the key.

Mikhail's laughter was soft in Gregori's mind. My daughter would not be very happy that her husband has such thoughts.

You can't play the Savannah card whenever you want. Seriously, Mikhail, I'm responsible for your safety and you refuse to listen to me.

Mikhail sighed. I listen. I always take what you say under careful consideration before I make my decisions, Gregori. I don't try to make your job more difficult but I still have to go with my instincts. Fenris Dalka will be a huge asset to our people. I know he has a place in our future. The ancestors know it as well.

Fen wrapped his arm around Tatijana. He knew no one else had really noticed the instinctual move on Gregori's part to stop Mikhail from taking his blood. He couldn't blame Gregori. The more he was around Mikhail, the more respect he had for the man. The fate of an entire species rested on Mikhail's shoulders. He was thoughtful, intelligent and his own man-a bodyguard like Gregori's worst nightmare.

Fen was absolutely certain there had been an exchange between the two men, although neither Dimitri nor Tatijana seemed to notice. His awareness was extremely heightened and he'd felt a small current of energy going back and forth between the two men. He shouldn't have felt anything. They were used to communicating telepathically and had centuries of experience. Psychic communication was effortless for them.

Fen let out his breath slowly, not wanting to alert or alarm Gregori. They were deep beneath the Earth in the most sacred of caves, surrounded by the spirits of their ancestors, all warriors who would protect Mikhail, and he was aware of a telepathic conversation between the prince and his most trusted man. That was not good. If he'd been guessing, that would have been one thing, but Fen knew, and that meant he was still evolving. He would have to tell either Gregori or the prince at some point, but not here, not where he couldn't sufficiently protect Dimitri and Tatijana should the ancestors suddenly withdraw their acceptance.

What's wrong? Tatijana asked. She stroked a caress through his mind.

Instantly he felt peace stealing into him. He couldn't change what he was and she accepted him, problems and all. I've got you, my lady, there can be nothing wrong.

She laughed softly in his mind, filling him with that strange emotion he now thought of as joy. Have I told you this rising that I am madly in love with you and you're clearly the most beautiful woman in the world? Because if I haven't, it is very remiss of me.

You covered that nicely when we were feeding this evening. Remember? You picked me up and we made love? In case you've managed to forget that, I wrapped my legs around your waist and hooked my ankles so I wouldn't fall and just lowered myself right over you. Nice and slow. Is it coming back to you? Her voice smoldered, as sultry as ever.

There was no forgetting any moment of making love to her. He preferred to have that experience as often as possible. It would be impossible to forget, my lady. It's burned into my soul.

Vikirnoff waved his hand in front of Fen's face. "Are you still with us? Mikhail takes a little blood, and you're turning pale."

"He doesn't look pale to me," Dimitri drawled. "He looks a little overheated."

Fen sent his brother a fierce scowl, but Dimitri didn't look at all intimidated.

"I'd really like to get back to how to fight the Sange rau. There must be a way. Dimitri successfully managed to battle with the one you call Bardolf," Vikirnoff pointed out. "He's Carpathian. Was he able to do that because he has some of your mixed blood, or because he used some kind of special strategy?" Curiosity and a hint of eagerness edged his tone.

"I feared turning, just as most ancient Carpathian hunters do," Fen said, "so we practiced with war games each time we got together. Dimitri found the things that worked as well as the things that didn't."

"Hit and run is always the best approach," Dimitri said. "I had a few tricks I devised, but they could be used only once, at the most twice and only if I spread them out. The Sange rau learn and adapt very quickly, so the name of the game is always to change things up."

"Fortunately," Fen continued, "a vampire is a vampire is a vampire. The same with a rogue werewolf. They don't always have the patience they should. The Sange rau definitely take longer to anger, but they're actually more puffed up with ego than the vampire, so you can rile them enough that they make mistakes."

"It's definitely better for hunters to go after them in pack form," Dimitri added. "A single hunter doesn't have nearly the chance a group would have."

"But to fight pack-style takes skill. Bardolf will know every pack move, while Abel less so," Fen continued. "The thing you have to know about each Sange rau is where they came from, what they were before they mixed blood. Bardolf is comfortable as a wolf and when pressed, he goes back to what he knows best. The same holds true for Abel. Clearly in this relationship, Abel is the master and has acquired more skills because he's been Sange rau much longer."

"We'll need a crash course in fighting these bad boys," Vikirnoff stated. "Are the two of you willing to stick around and help us out?"

"That would be the idea," Dimitri said. "That and devising a strategy for destroying both Bardolf and Abel. If they do move the pack, we'll have to track them."

"Don't discount the pack. We don't have exact numbers and many were killed during the two battles. But even if we killed thirty or forty of them, if the pack is a hundred strong, as I'm afraid it may be, they still have a large army they can throw at you," Fen said. "They'll come at you during the day because Abel knows that's when they can do the most damage to you."

"Another good reason for the two of you to stay and help us out," Gregori said.

"They fight like a well-synchronized army. They strike fast, do as much damage as possible and kill as many as they can before they disappear. They nearly always go for the belly, ripping their adversary almost in half," Fen told them.

"I've got the scars to prove it," Dimitri said with a small self-deprecatory shrug.

Gregori smiled at him. "You're not alone. I think half our men had their bellies ripped open, me included. They definitely made us look like amateurs."

"I knew better than to let him get that close," Dimitri admitted.

"Packs are dangerous fighters and very skilled," Fen said.

"Think about the wolf packs in the forests," Dimitri added. "The Lycans are even more of a threat than an animal pack when they come at you because their very best strategists lead the hunt."

"But the Lycans don't hunt humans or Carpathians," Mikhail said quickly. "When you talk about pack hunting you're actually talking about the rogue, werewolf packs."

"True," Fen agreed, "but they start out as Lycans. Most of the time individuals within a pack drop out to become rogue. The rogues form their own packs."

Natalya, Vikirnoff's lifemate suddenly frowned. She was Tatijana's niece, daughter of her long dead brother, Soren, but the Dragonseeker features were there, including the changing eye and hair color. Having come to know Tatijana as he had, Fen wasn't surprised to see Natalya fighting by her lifemate's side or entering the cave of warriors with absolute confidence.

"What is it?" Fen asked.

"The elite hunters like Zev. Everyone's talking about him and how skilled he is."

"I saw him in action," Gregori said. "He's every bit as good as our best."

"So I've been hearing," Natalya said. "Do they ever go rogue?"

"It's possible," Fen said. "But I've never seen it happen. Our best hunters eventually succumb to the darkness and become vampires. Our species aren't that different. We're both born predators and we do have to submerge that part of our natures in order to keep our honor."

"You're part Lycan," Natalya persisted. "Do you have to fight the inclination to allow the animal side of you to take over?"

She knows the right questions to ask. Can you imagine Zev being a Sange rau? There was pride in Tatijana's voice.

She'd never had the chance to know her niece while she was growing up. In a way, Fen knew, she was grateful for that. She'd endured watching her father torture his own grandson and use him in horrendous experiments.

Tatijana was firmly merged with him as she had been since the moment they'd entered the cavern. She'd been so determined to protect him from the slightest insult, but it left her open to Fen reading her thoughts. She wanted a relationship with Natalya. Natalya had helped to rescue her aunts, but both Tatijana and Branislava had been so frail they'd been put in the earth almost immediately. She hadn't had the time to get to know her relatives.

She certainly does ask the right questions, Fen agreed. She's definitely a Dragonseeker.

"On the other hand, my friend, Vakasin, became Sange rau while we were hunting." Fen paused, shook his head and corrected himself. "Not Sange rau, he was a Guardian of all."

Once again Tatijana filled him with-her. Pure love. Closeness. The moment he felt sorrow for his lost comrade, she was there, sharing the emotion with him, comforting him. She was such a miracle.

Each rising, I hope to give you happiness. He didn't know how else to put into words his feelings for her. He could only hope that she felt that overwhelming emotion he had for her each time she merged with him.

Wolf man, don't get too romantic on me with your brother eyeing us both like he is.

You started it, he teased, but she had a point. Dimitri was sharp and he was watching both of them with a faint, knowing grin.

"We have to be far more creative and prepared for attacks during the day," Mikhail said. He'd been quiet through most of the discussion on fighting the packs. "Sara and Falcon's adopted children are human and they must be protected. We have only Jubal and Gary to help fight off the packs if they come while we're at our most vulnerable, and Gary is not in a position to help us at all for some time."

"Zev and his pack will defend them as long as the rogues are in the vicinity," Fen said. "They're sworn to hunt the rogues and bring them to justice."

"Will they be more interested in actively hunting the werewolves, or protecting our children?" Gregori asked.

Mikhail shrugged. "We will protect our own children with or without them. I have much to consider before we call a full council of warriors. I want to meet with Zev as soon as possible, meet his pack and get them to take an invitation back to their council to meet with us. As soon as we have an answer, if it's positive, I'll call in the others."

Mikhail turned back to the thick bloodred crystal, still pulsing with light. "I thank my ancestors for their kindness in making the journey to be with us and help guide us through these difficult times. Be well and go with honor."

The giant columns sang for a moment, colors shifting throughout the strange aurora borealis effect, shimmering and slowly fading away.

Fen heard the dripping of water and bubbling of the hot mud, and the breathing of his companions. More, he could feel the pulse and heartbeat of the mountain itself. Below them, he felt the pull of the magma pools. There was a rhythm here he felt in his own veins. Something about the sacred cave had only added to his acute senses, heightening them even more. Was he still evolving as he'd considered earlier?

Or your connection with Mother Earth has granted you even more gifts.

Why had he ever thought Tatijana wouldn't catch those alarmed thoughts? He took her hand, pulling it to his chest over his heart. Her explanation was delivered in her casual, matter-of-fact tone.

"My lifemate, Raven, would love to meet you, Fen. After battles and solemn ceremonies and rituals, it would be good for everyone to just relax. She thought it would be nice to bring everyone together for a celebration of sorts," Mikhail said. "I realize you're probably exhausted, but she rarely asks for anything so . . ."

"A celebration sounds lovely," Tatijana said instantly.

Her fingers tightened around Fen's. He could feel her eagerness.

A celebration. A party. I can visit with Natalya and get to know her. Bronnie might even rise for this. She's not as outgoing as I am. She's a better warrior, but she's shy around so many people. I'm afraid she won't ever come out of the earth. Tatijana smiled at him. Wouldn't it be great if there was music? Dancing? I love dancing.

"Will it be safe for everyone with two of the Sange rau so close? And a werewolf pack?" Natalya asked.

"I doubt if even Abel would be crazy enough to attack the Carpathians when all are present," Mikhail said. "But we will certainly hold our celebration in a safe, well-defensible place and have safeguards."

Natalya and Tatijana smiled at each other. Above their heads, Vikirnoff and Fen sent one another a quick grin.

"It's settled then," Mikhail said. "Next rising, we'll have a little fun."