Dark Carousel (Dark 26)

"Can you help Emeline?" Amelia asked. "Liv is so worried about her. She goes to see her every day, and every day she comes home saying it's worse. I feel better talking to you." Her gaze shifted to the ground. "Touching you is like holding on to an anchor. I don't know why I'm so clingy; I'm not like that naturally. You just feel so real to me. The things you say give me hope."

"I'll try to help her, Amelia," Charlotte said. "I want to help her. I don't know Blaze, but she's family to Emeline and she hasn't been able to do anything for her, so I don't know that I'll be able to, either, but I promise, honey, I'm going to try."

They stood together, holding each other, Amelia's hand on the orange dragon, both watching the younger children playing on the rock statues that were far more than they looked. Charlotte had an overwhelming sense of sadness. These were her children. Her family now. They were locked behind the high fences like prisoners, unable to go anywhere or have friends. Their families had been ripped apart. Tariq put them to sleep during the day, and they had an older couple watching over them in case Vadim sent humans or puppets after the children during the daylight hours when he couldn't protect them. It was a beautiful prison, but it was still a prison. She had to help Tariq find a way to get them out.

We will, Tariq whispered softly in her mind.

Charlotte was completely tuned to him. Aware of him with every cell in her body. Her mind wanted to stay in his. She needed the continual touch between them, both physical and mental. Fortunately, he seemed to need it as well. She loved that they could touch each other's mind and know the other was alive and well. She needed that reassurance as well.

What are you doing?

Sending Danny to you so I can deal with the intruders. They've set up a couple of places to spy on us. I intend to have a talk with them.

Be safe, she cautioned, unable to help herself. We can't do without you.

She felt the brush of his fingers along her jaw, the touch of his lips against hers. The sensation was faint, but it was there and it was enough to reassure her.

Danny strode toward her. He was a gangly young man, mostly legs and arms, but with the promise of a strong physique. He frowned a little when he observed Amelia clinging to Charlotte, her face stained with tears. "Something wrong?" he asked as he neared them.

Danny was fifteen, nearly sixteen, and he was extremely protective of his sisters. Already she could see Tariq in him. The way he walked and carried himself. Expressions. Hand gestures. The boy had serious hero worship going on. It was going to take a little more for him to accept Charlotte into their lives. He'd lived on the streets long enough to learn not to trust easily.

He reached out, snagged Amelia's arm and pulled her awkwardly to him. "What's wrong?" His voice was a replica of Tariq's. A demand. A command.

Amelia shrugged. "I needed to talk to someone, Danny. Charlotte let me. She just listened, that's all. No biggie. What were you and Tariq talking about that was so important he took you off alone? I hate that. Like it's man business and I'm not supposed to know what's going on."

Danny grinned down at his sister. "It is man business, girlie. Heap big man business." The grin faded, and he looked far older than his teen years. "In this case we were discussing what it takes for a conversion. He's worried about Liv. He has no choice with her. She can't live half in our world and half in his. It has to be soon. She isn't eating or drinking enough. And he worries that she'll . . ."

Amelia gripped his arm. "I know. I know. What did he say it was like?"

Danny hesitated. "A lot of pain. He doesn't want that for Bella or Lourdes or Liv. He can't stop it, though. If they're converted, and Liv has to be, then they'll experience a lot of pain."

"Danny, if she's converted, then all of us are. That was our agreement," Amelia said. "All of us. We stick together no matter what." She looked up at Charlotte. "He's converting you. Are you going to have him do the same for Lourdes?"

She didn't know. The thought of Lourdes in pain was more than she could bear. Lourdes was three, the same age as Bella. Even Tariq was worried about converting the children. All she could do was tell the truth. "I plan to go through it first. Then I'll have a better idea of whether Lourdes can handle it. Tariq is also consulting with a couple of expert healers or doctors. I'm not altogether certain what they are, but he wants to have all the information before any decision is made."

"If Liv has to go through it, we all do," Amelia said stubbornly. "All of us. If you're going to marry Tariq and be our mother, then you can't leave Lourdes behind any more than we could leave Bella."

Charlotte glanced at Danny, seeing the knowledge in his eyes. Tariq hadn't pulled any punches, and he knew exactly how difficult it would be for a child. She shook her head slightly. What was the use of arguing with Amelia right then? She needed normal, just as they all did.

"Danny, check out the cool dragons Lojos, Tomas and Mataias made last night," she said, changing the subject, hoping he'd get the hint. "We were in the tunnels and a few of the vampires and some of their army tried to trap us inside, and the three of them made these dragons out of stone. It was the coolest thing I ever saw. The dragons actually flew. Amelia tells me she can hear the orange one whispering to her. Clearly the other girls can hear their dragons as well. I think the brown one is yours."

"Put your hand on him, Danny," Amelia encouraged.

Danny obediently stepped away from his sister and laid his hand on the brown dragon's neck. Instantly, his face lit up. The worry left him. The lines etched deep softened. Once again he appeared a teenage boy without a care. All because of three Carpathian hunters who couldn't see in color and didn't feel emotion. Still, they took the time to try to find a way to help heal children.

14

Tariq strode straight up to the heavy, ornate gate, yanked it open and went outside. He didn't hesitate as he walked down the road that led away from his estate. The two properties on either side of his also belonged to Tariq. Maksim's property bordered his, but this road led straight to the compound. One had to use a different entrance to get to Maksim's home. Tariq had ensured privacy and yet now, three humans spied on him, his woman and his children. That was totally unacceptable to him.

If these men were in any way connected to Vadim, like the other human male psychics, then they were dead men. He planned to kill them fast and dispose of their bodies. It wouldn't be that difficult. He'd been making people disappear for centuries.

He didn't hesitate or pretend he didn't know where they were hiding. He walked straight up to the blind they'd painstakingly set up across from his front entrance and stood, hands on his hips, glaring at them.

"Can I do something for you? And you might identify yourselves and which magazines you're working for." It was always better to act as if the paparazzi hounded him, which, technically, they often did. It was the best excuse of all to confront anyone spying on him.

The three men exchanged uneasy looks, and then their obvious leader stepped forward. Tariq had marked him in the club as the one to watch. Daniel Forester, tall, but not quite as tall as Tariq, and that meant he had to look up at the Carpathian. He was probably considered handsome by human standards, but his face was flushed with annoyance at being caught out.

"Daniel Forester. I don't work for a magazine." He turned to indicate the two men flanking him. "This is Vince Tidwell and Bruce Van Hues."

That much was the truth. "That tells me exactly nothing. I have family and friends and I keep my private life private. I don't like anyone spying on me . . . or them."

"We're worried about a couple of friends of ours. They were in your club a couple of nights ago and they seem to have disappeared. They were seen getting in a car with you."

Tariq remained silent. He simply stared at them. Forester wasn't telling the truth now; rather, he was mixing lies with truth. They had powerful binoculars and they'd caught glimpses of Genevieve and Charlotte with the children on the playground.

Tariq quirked an eyebrow at them and folded

his arms across his chest, waiting in silence. He didn't need to touch their minds. They didn't suspect him of being a vampire. They were chasing after Charlotte and Genevieve.

Daniel tried to hold his eyes but eventually had to look away. Tariq was a predator and he could hold a stare, fully focused, without blinking for hours. He could be absolutely still for hours when necessary. Daniel Forester was an amateur in comparison. In truth, Tariq felt a little childish playing the human male games when they had no chance of winning, but over the centuries, he'd learned the customs, and the stare down was one of them.

"Fine, we're not exactly friends," Daniel admitted, "but we were looking out for two women. Genevieve Marten, originally from Paris, and Charlotte Vintage from here. I don't know how to explain what's going on, but believe me, they're in trouble."

That, at least, was sincere. And the absolute truth. Genevieve and Charlotte were in more trouble than either woman realized. As was Emeline. And now Amelia. He hadn't thought Vadim had looked at Amelia, but after what the teen had revealed to Charlotte, it was clear the vampire was interested in her as well. Inwardly he sighed. The number of women needing protection was growing fast. He had to find a way to keep all of them safe from Malinov's master plan.

He'd sent word to the Carpathian Mountains, to the prince, letting him know what Vadim and his brother were plotting. More, he'd sent for available hunters, a healer, and with each hunter came more safeguards woven around the property, below and above it as well, in order to keep his family safe. He knew Josef was coming, a younger Carpathian male, still a child by their standards, but he was good with technology--something all Carpathians needed to catch up on.

His people were gathering, but it would take time to get his defense in a solid position, enough so he could go on the offense--actively go after Vadim and eradicate each and every one of his soldiers. They needed to find out more about the human male psychics Vadim recruited and why they couldn't be detected as vampire puppets. The men in the memories Charlotte had accessed didn't seem entirely under Vadim's control, but acted independently of him.

"Charlotte Vintage is my fiancee," he announced, using the human term rather than the Carpathian. "She is very safe. My property is guarded and has a full security system as you can see." He waved his hand toward the high fence. "Genevieve, her friend, is also staying with me. She is safe as well."

Daniel shook his head and took a step closer. "No, that's the thing. Neither of them is safe. They've been . . . targeted. I can't explain to you what that means, but I'm telling you that you can't possibly keep them safe. The men after them are ruthless. Powerful. They can get to anyone, and they'll take them. We've been following them since Paris, and someone is always watching them. Even now, someone is watching. The moment they leave your property, or maybe even before, these men will be after them."

It was an impassioned speech. Daniel Forester was afraid for Charlotte and Genevieve. There was no disguising the tremor in his voice. The genuine fear.

"I am well aware of the danger to them. We ran into these men the other night in the club's parking garage. Fortunately, I had several of my security team with me and they decided to try for the women another night."

Daniel raked agitated fingers through his hair. "You still don't understand how dangerous these men are. I don't know why they want specific women, but they kill to get them. They're vicious and cunning. They won't stop. You can't stop them."

Tariq studied the man's face. Psychic energy poured off of him. In his own way, Daniel Forester held power. This was the kind of man Vadim would have chosen to recruit for his human army. He decided to take a chance. "I've seen the way these men murder. Tearing out throats. Draining their victims of blood. You believe the ones after Charlotte and Genevieve are vampires, don't you?"

There was a small silence. Daniel glanced at his two friends, his face flushing dark as he tried to figure out whether Tariq was making fun of him.

"Vampire?" He echoed the word, stalling for time.

Tariq nodded. "That's the point you were skirting around. You believe the men after Charlotte and Genevieve are vampires."

Daniel's chin went up. His shoulders straightened. A muscle jerked in his jaw. "They are vampires. You can think I'm crazy, but I've seen what they do. You can't just stop them with a security fence." There was a sneer in his voice.

Daniel expected Tariq to make fun of him, but he was standing his ground. Tariq gave him points for that. "If you believe them to be vampires, then surely you must have considered that along with them, there are hunters of vampires." He spoke softly, planting the thought carefully with just the gentlest of pushes.

Tariq was well aware of "the society"--a group of humans hunting vampires. These men and women didn't or couldn't differentiate between Carpathians and vampires. They killed anyone they thought was a danger to them or to society. Often those killed were human beings, not another species. Sometimes, when on a killing spree, they managed to kill or harm Carpathians.

Daniel frowned and rubbed his temples, as if even that gentle push bothered him. "I never thought about it one way or the other. I belong to a group--and it's large, with cells in every single country around the world--that hunts vampires. Are you referring to the hunters that belong to the society?"

Tariq shook his head. "The hunters would have to be nearly immortal, just as a vampire is. They would have to follow their prey from one century to the next looking for the undead. If that was the case, those hunters, like you, belonging to the society wouldn't know the difference and would attack and kill the very men who have dedicated their lives to hunting vampires."

Daniel stared at him for a long time. He cleared his throat. "Are you saying you know there are other hunters out there?"

Tariq didn't answer the question. Instead he skirted the issue. "I'm saying that if there is one, there must be the other, and if you belong to the society, you should know that particular group, while started for a good purpose, does not discriminate before it chooses to make a kill. It has a bad reputation."

Daniel blinked several times, trying to digest what Tariq was telling him. Tariq didn't wait to see if his little chat did any good. "I can keep Charlotte and Genevieve safer than you can. You're risking your lives trying to go up against Fridrick and his playmates. They have a small army and Fridrick is by no means the worst of them. Stay out of this."

"They've killed. Brutally killed. They won't stop until someone steps in. The law can't get them. No one would believe us if we told them what Fridrick is."

"I'm saying walk away and be glad you have your lives. You don't want to be on their radar. They have spies, and they're watching my property. If I knew you were here, then they know as well. Get out of the city and stay low for a while. Fridrick won't follow you, because he wants Charlotte and Genevieve."

For some insane reason, Tariq felt a kinship with Daniel Forester. The man sincerely believed in his cause and his cause was no different from Tariq's.

"I can't just walk away when I know that thing is targeting two innocent women." Daniel looked around and then lowered his voice. "I think they've infiltrated our ranks as well. Some of the commands coming out of headquarters don't make any sense."

Tariq paused in the act of turning away from them. He'd intended to read their purpose and then leave them to their fate, but Forester and his friends were trying to save Charlotte's life and that earned them a warning or two.

"They have," he confirmed. "You can't trust anyone at this point. And you can't kill a vampire in the way of the movies. The heart has to be removed and incinerated. If you're staking them and not following through, they can come back again and again."

"How do you know that?" Daniel asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.

Tariq shrugged. "I like research. I spend a lot of time up at night because of the club. If I can't sleep during the day, I research anything that interests me. Legends and myths interest me." If they could lie, so could he, and his mixture of tru

th and fiction carried conviction. His tone was pitched perfectly for anyone hearing him to believe everything he said without a "push" to get them to listen.

"Wait," Daniel called as Tariq turned away from them and began to walk back toward the compound.

Tariq shook his head. "I'm trying to help you out, Forester. It's on you if you don't choose to listen, but Fridrick's spies will report back to him that you're here. He'll want to know why. He'll kill you the moment he realizes you can't help him acquire the women. And if he captures you and tries to use you as bait by torturing you, that won't save you, either, because Charlotte and Genevieve will never know about it. I'll see to that."

Tariq would hate it. He'd seen the torture vampires inflicted on their victims. The more fear-based adrenaline in the blood, the higher the rush the vampire got. Tariq would hate to see that happen to Forester and his friends, but he couldn't save everyone, and Charlotte, Genevieve and his children were the most important to him.

The muscle in Daniel's jaw jerked again. "I wouldn't want them to know," he agreed. "I would do the same, not let either of the women know what was happening in order to save them. But we made a pact." He swept his hand back toward the two other men. They stepped up to his side, looking every bit as determined as Daniel. "We're not going to allow those monsters to get either of those women if we can help it."

Tariq paused in the act of walking away from them. For a moment he closed his eyes. So many other human males over the centuries had been worth his respect--and they'd died hard. He didn't want to see these men go that same way. "If you really want to help me guard them, then you have to realize that either any knowledge you gain of hunters of the vampire must be removed from you or safeguards have to be put in place."

Daniel started to say something, but Tariq held up his hand. "You need to think about what that could mean. Go away from here. If you still insist that you really want to hunt vampires and destroy them, come to my club tomorrow night. We'll work something out, but your answer will be a permanent one. There will be no going back either way. Now go, before Fridrick's spies report that you were more than paparazzi trying to get a photograph of my fiancee."