Dark Curse (Dark 19)

As Mikhail spoke the Daratrazanoff brothers arrived. Four of them. All tall with striking looks, flowing black hair held back with leather ties. Faces cut from the same classic mold. Wide shoulders, broad chests, narrow hips, a warrior's straight posture and easy, fluid movements.

Darius, the youngest brother, every bit as battle-experienced as the eldest. Intelligent, cunning, able to do the impossible. He had the black eyes of the Carpathian race, and the grim mouth that came with too much knowledge of death. Beside him were Lucian and Gabriel, legendary twins who had hunted and battled for the Carpathian people. Gabriel flashed a smile of greeting as he clasped arms with Nicolas. Lucian and Darius remained expressionless, although their eyes held genuine warmth when they greeted their prince.

The very petite woman beneath Lucian's shoulder was his lifemate, Jaxon. Pixie face, short platinum hair, dark shrewd eyes, she had been a cop, maybe even still was, but now hunted the vampire alongside her lifemate. Nicolas disagreed violently with the modern idea that women-even trained women with the ability to fight-should ever be allowed to place themselves in danger, but Jaxon wasn't his woman. She belonged to Lucian, their most legendary warrior, and yet he allowed her to fight beside him. Perhaps it was sheer arrogance on the warrior's part, a confidence that he could protect his lifemate no matter what, but Nicolas felt she should be kept far away from the vile creature that was the undead.

Women were to be protected and cherished, not put at risk on a battlefield. A hunter couldn't be worried about protecting a lifemate when he battled the vampire. In ancient times, most lifemated pairs ceased hunting altogether rather than risking death for both. It was one of the main bones of contention between the De La Cruz and Manilov brothers and Vladimir Dubrinsky. Even then, their birthrates had been declining. None of them had believed the women should be allowed to fight when they didn't have the edge the males had. Not strength-but darkness itself.

Nicolas hid his true feelings behind a calm mask as he greeted the fourth Daratrazanoff, Gregori. Second in command to Mikhail, the man was without mercy when it came to enemies of the prince. He was a ferocious guardian, yet was known far and wide as the Carpathian's most gifted healer. Instead of the glittering obsidian eyes of his brothers, his were slashing silver, eyes that weighed and judged a man. He looked fit and healthy, not at all pale from fighting to save a human from parasites.

"Thank you for what you did this night for Lara's friend," Nicolas said. "How is he doing?"

A frown flitted across Gregori's face and was gone, a huge show of emotion for him. "I did my best to rid his body of the parasites, but how much damage they did, I cannot say. I am hoping for a full recovery, but not expecting it. His friend is staying with him and Slavica, the owner of the inn, will check on him periodically. Should he have need, she will call." Gregori looked around the cave, warmth creeping into his pale eyes. "It is long since I have come to this place-too long."

His brothers nodded their agreement.

New arrivals forestalled further conversation as Jacques Dubrinsky, the prince's brother, entered. He had midnight black hair, black eyes, a thin white scar circling his throat, another on his jaw and cheek and it was said a jagged rounded scar on his chest. Carpathians rarely scarred, which meant the wounds dealt him must have been fearsome indeed. He had been a victim of torture that had nearly driven him insane. Even now, he stayed mostly to himself.

Nicolas stepped forward to greet him, clasping arms.

"Bur tule ekamet kuntamak," Jacques said. "Well met, brother. It has been a long time since I have

seen you. How is Manolito?"

"Manolito is very well and has found his lifemate. Her name is Mary-Ann Delaney. I believe you know her. And your woman? And the child?"

"Shea is doing fine and we are having the naming ceremony in a few days. Our son grows strong."

"That is good news," Nicolas said. "The best of news for all of us."

The flutter of wings heralded two more Carpathians. Vikirnoff Von Shrieder and his lifemate, Natalya, shifted together. Nicolas clasped Vikirnoff's arms, a little taken aback that Natalya had answered the summons to the warrior's counsel. It had not occurred to him that Vikirnoff, an ancient warrior of tremendous prowess, would allow his woman to place herself in harm's way.

He glanced at her. The woman had bright red hair and eyes that changed from brilliant green to blue. She had the mark of the Dragonseeker stamped all over her, the classic looks, the brightness illuminating her skin, the bands of color in her hair. She was known to be a fighter-and also the sister of Razvan, Lara's father. He stepped away from Vikirnoff, afraid he would be unable to maintain silence on the subject of women fighting when Natalya would be such a prize to Xavier should she be captured.

Nicolas shook his head and then caught Gregori watching him with his piercing silver gaze. He knew exactly what Nicolas was thinking.

"And I agree," Gregori said, as he walked past Nicolas to position himself beside Mikhail.

"Agree with what?" Mikhail asked, turning away from where he'd been talking with Darius. "And with whom? It is not all that often you agree with anything."

"I think one of the topics we need to place under discussion is the welfare of our women and children¨C allof them-including the women who believe they have the need to fight vampires."

Mikhail bared white teeth. "O jela peje terad. Sun scorch you, Gregori, you are not getting me in trouble with my lifemate and daughter. I am not doing your dirty work for you..." He included Nicolas in his glare. "Either of you."

Gregori shrugged. "Swear all you want, it is an issue you have to face."

"Me? Oh no, you don't. I refuse to take all the heat on this. If we are getting into it, all of you are voicing your opinions loud and clear. The women would rise up like my worst nightmare."

"I am serious," Gregori insisted. "If we are going to bring in the full counsel, then we should address all issues."

Mikhail nodded his head. "I know it must be discussed, Gregori, but you and I both know the old ways are long gone. Even then we had a few women warriors."

"Not lifemates," Nicolas interjected. "Never women who could bear us children, or that when lost would take their mate with them."

Mikhail shrugged. "In the old days very few lifemates were warriors. Times are different. Our species is on the brink of extinction."

"All the more reason to protect the few women we have," Nicolas said. "Sometimes old ways are good, Mikhail. Our women did not take up arms just to show they could."

"These women did not start out as Carpathians. Our specieslooks human and when we bind a human woman to us, although she is converted by blood, she thinks like a human. Through the centuries human women have had to fight for their rights..."

"That is a weak argument," Gregori broke in. "What do we do here in this chamber? We swear our loyalty to our people. We swear to serve them, whatever the sacrifice calls for. Our lifemates have never done that. They do not understand that in order to save our species from extinction, they must sacrifice, too. We have a handful of couples, less than thirty, Mikhail. Our children do not mature for a good fifty years. Do you really believe that we can afford to lose one woman? One pair?"

"No, but I also know that we are in a war with enemies surrounding us from all sides. We cannot afford to be divided either."

"We are not divided," Gregori said. "No man wants his woman fighting."

Mikhail shook his head, a slow smile touching his mouth. "So you think we should tell our women to be quiet and let us make decisions for them? It is not the men who will be divided, it is our women. From us. Free will. Have you forgotten that small little detail? We take that away when we bind them to us, do we continue to do so after they are our lifemates? I suppose we can reduce them to little more than puppets who do our bidding at our will. But I know both Raven and Savannah would walk into the sun before submitting to such enslavement."

"O jela peje terad. Sun scorch you, Mikhail," Gregori growled. "You have become modern and liberal in your old age."

Nicolas turned away from the prince as another couple entered. Nicolae, Vikirnoff's brother, with his lifemate, Destiny, hurried in. Nicolas wanted to get a good look at the woman who had been captured by a vampire when she was just a young child. She had endured the torture of a vampires blood, riddled with cell-eating parasites, for years. Medium height, very curvy, with sculpted muscle, thick dark hair and enormous blue-green eyes, she flowed with grace and the fluid step of a trained fighter. He noted her eyes were restless, moving around the cavern, taking in every detail, noting exits and entrances, the chimney and labyrinth of tunnels.

Destiny was best friends with Manolito's lifemate, MaryAnn. She saw each person in the room, sizing them up, her gaze resting on him just a little longer. Nicolae, her lifemate, was very tuned to her, Nicolas noted with approval, placing himself between her and the men without lifemates in the room. Like most Carpathian males, Nicolae was tall and muscular with long black hair and cool dark eyes.

"You are Nicolas, brother to Manolito." Destiny greeted, moving toward him, forcing her lifemate to keep pace in order to protect her.

It was a classic mistake women made, forgetting that anyone could be a danger, even here, in this sacred place of power. Nicolas sighed and shook his head. His woman would learn her place and every security measure he could think of for her.

"How is MaryAnn?" Destiny asked.

"She is happy," Nicolas answered. "I have news to share, but want to wait until we have all gathered. I brought you a letter from MaryAnn." He slipped his hand inside his shirt.

Destiny's eyes narrowed, became cool and watchful. She shifted slightly onto the balls of her feet, turning just slightly, a subtle movement that put her in a good position to defend herself and attack if necessary. As if choreographed, her partner shifted at the same time, a few steps between them, giving plenty of room. This was a fighting team. Even Nicolas, for all his absolute opinions on the subject of women hunting vampires, could see they were in perfect sync. It still didn't make it right.

He took the letter from inside his shirt and handed it to Nicolae as a courtesy. One warrior to another. Nicolae turned the envelope over in his hand, obviously scanning it before handing it to his lifemate.

"Thank you," Destiny said to Nicolas. "I appreciate you bringing this to me personally."

At first he thought she meant to be sarcastic because he had handed the letter to her lifemate, but then he realized the couple really was in perfect harmony. She didn't seem annoyed by his protection, but rather accepted it as her due.

Another Carpathian male arrived. The first was Dominic, of the Dragonseeker clan, great-uncle of Razvan and great-great-uncle to Lara, although Carpathians rarely made a distinction. As Lara referred to the aunts she, would refer to Dominic as "uncle."

Nicolas studied his stern face. The Dragonseekers were one of the most powerful lineages in all of the Carpathian community. He was tall with broad shoulders and metallic green eyes, a legacy of his clan, eyes of seers, changing color with mood or in battle. In the last battle to save Mikhail and the Carpathian race, he had suffered severe burns across his shoulder, down one arm, up his neck to one side of his face. The scars were there if one looked closely, faint evidence of the horrific charring of his flesh. Strangely, the scars added to his aura of danger. His green gaze took in everything, then settled on Natalya for a brief moment.

Dominic strode over to Mikhail. Gregori moved to intercept, reminding Nicolas that Dominic was one of the ancients who had not sworn his allegiance to Mikhail. He had served Vlad in the old days, but had only returned recently. He had fought beside the prince, even offering his life to save him, but there had been no sworn blood oath. Jacques moved into position on the other side of his brother to insure protection. Nicolas found himself moving into fighting range just in case. No one could afford to take chances with the prince's life anymore than they could with their women.

Dominic bowed slightly. "En jutta felet es ekamet. I greet a friend and brother," he said as he clasped Mikhail's forearms.

"Veri olen piros. Blood be red, Dominic," Mikhail returned formally, the greeting literal, meaning he hoped Dominic would soon see in color.

Dominic's shoulder shrug was eloquent. He had not found his lifemate in all the centuries of his existence and he wasn't holding his breath.

Julian Savage, a tall, heavily muscled, unusually blond Carpathian with golden eyes strode in with Barack, another male at his side. "I bring regrets from my brother, Aidan," Julian greeted. "He and Alexandria have returned to the United States. He would have come had he been within hailing distance. Dayan is on the way. He is checking the skies for the taint of the undead."

Falcon came next, with two tall, unknown Carpathians at his side. One looked familiar, an ancient Nicolas was certain he had come into contact with other the years, and the other completely unknown to him. He had spent a great deal of his time in South America, away from his homeland and out of touch with the Carpathian people. Excitement surged in him at the thought of being among the great men of his time, once again standing solidly shoulder to shoulder as they had in the old days.

Dayan, guitar player for the Dark Troubadours and father of one of the few female children, arrived with Traian and his lifemate, Joie. Nicolas crossed his arms over his chest, biting back his disapproval. He saw some of the others glance at the women and shake their heads. He wasn't alone in his belief that the lifemates of the women should take charge and insist on safety before anything else.

Others arrived, some in pairs, some alone. Nicolas recognized a few of the men, but most were strangers to him. The Carpathian Mountains were no longer his home, although his homeland spoke to him, the soil rich and inviting. And he had missed this sacred place and the call of brothers to council.

The last to arrive was a tall man with a face that could have been carved in stone. He entered quietly and stood a little apart from the others. Nicolas recognized the signs of aloofness, a man who had seen countless battles and knew many were to come. A man without a lifemate, driven by the madness of the dark spreading across his soul. He was Dimitri, guardian of the wolves, and he stood straight and looked other warriors in the eye, but he stood alone.

The Carpathians gathered into a loose circle. Gregori waved his hand to light the candles placed along the curved walls of the chamber. Instantly the giant crystals burst into life, radiating muted colors. This was the one sacred place a hardened warrior could go, one who skated the edge of madness, and still feel a semblance of peace. Perhaps it was the hallucinations close proximity to the crystals combined with the intense heat produced, but once the candles were lit and the hallowed rituals begun, the hunters close to succumbing to darkness were revitalized for a short time.

Some warriors claimed the barren gray world was more difficult to endure after the brief reprieve, but Nicolas had always found the warriors' cavern a world of comfort that made sense in the craziness they lived. In long centuries that often ran together, the rituals were comforting, the old, traditional ways reassuring.

"We have much to discuss," Mikhail said. "Thank you all for coming. Nicolas has brought us news that will help us understand the mindset of our enemies."

The heat of the cave seeped under Nicolas's skin, in spite of his ability to regulate his temperature. Already he felt the crystals working on him, healing the small wounds in his body, providing clarity to his mind. Everything became sharper, much more focused, and the feeling of camaraderie deepened, so that he wanted to hear each warrior's opinion and could listen with an open mind to all views.

Mikhail moved to the center of the crystal circle, standing beside a large bloodred column of crystal minerals. Rising from the floor nearly to Mikhail's shoulder, it was one of the smallest in the room, but came to a point as sharp as a razor. He held his hand over the point of the crystal and the room grew instantly quiet, the Carpathians almost breathless in anticipation. When he spoke, he used the ancient language of his ancestors, the language still spoken by all their people.

"Blood of our fathers-blood of our brothers-we seek your wisdom, your experience and your counsel. Join with your brother-warriors and lend us your guidance through the blood bond. We pledge to our people, our unwavering loyalty, resolve in the face of adversity, swift and deadly retribution, compassion for those in need, strength and endurance through the centuries and above all, we will live

with honor. Our blood connects us."

Mikhail dropped his palm over the point of the crystal and it cut through his flesh easily. Rich, red blood immediately coated the top of the column. "Our blood mingles and calls to you. Heed our summons and join with us now."

As the blood of the prince mingled with that of the warriors who had gone before, the crystals were illuminated, throwing off lights and color like the aurora-swirling reds lit the room, emerald green banded in waves across the wall. The ever-changing spectacle pulsed with life, recognizing the prince of the Carpathian people.

A low murmur rose into a strong chant as the gathered Carpathians began their age-old ritual. "Veri isaakank-veri ekaakank. Veri olen elid. Andak veri-elidet Karpatiiakank, es wake-sarna ku meke arwa-arvo, irgalom, han ku agba, es wake kutni, ku manaak verival. Veri isaakank-veri ekaakank. Verink sokta; verink ka?a terad. Akasz enak ku ka?a es juttasz kuntatak it. Blood of our fathers-blood of our brothers. Blood is life. We offer that life to our people with a blood-sworn vow of honor, mercy, integrity and endurance. Blood of our fathers-blood of our brothers. Our blood mingles and calls to you. Heed our summons and join with us now."

Gregori stepped in front of Mikhail and dropped to one knee. "I offer my life for our people. I pledge my loyalty to them through our blood bond." He dropped his hand on the crystal point, allowed the precious gift to mingle with Mikhail's blood, with the blood of every ancestor who had gone before. Then he offered his hand to Mikhail.

"As vessel of our people, I accept your sacrifice." Mikhail solemnly answered the pledge, taking the blood offered so that he could always find Gregori wherever he might be, any time, any place. It made the hunter vulnerable. Should he choose to give up his soul and turn vampire, he could be more easily tracked. Many chose not to participate, knowing the consequences. Gregori had often urged Mikhail to make the ritual mandatory, but Mikhail believed in free will.

Gregori rose and Lucian came forward to take his place, placing his hand over the crystal, mingling blood with that of his ancestors and kneeling before the prince to swear his allegiance and give his blood to the prince as a symbol of his vulnerability.

Nicolas held his breath as Jaxon, Lucian's lifemate, followed him to the pillar. This was a warrior's most sacred ritual. Of the three female hunters, she was the least experienced. If the crystal rejected her, his argument to keep the women protected would be much stronger.

The cathedral-like chamber filled with the sound of male voices. The music of the crystals harmonized with the chant, producing a strong and haunting melody. Steam swirled as Jaxon approached the dark red column. She looked small and fragile beside the centurys-old crystal's wide circumference. Without hesitation, she dropped her palm over the sharpened point. The hum of the crystals changed subtly, but continued as strong as ever, simply adding in a softer, more feminine note. As Jaxon knelt in front of Mikhail to swear her allegiance, her skin took on a luminous glow.

Nicolas stepped up next. He had performed this ritual many times in the past, but his memories had dimmed over the centuries, leaving him unprepared for the magnitude of feelings pouring into him. The moment his blood mingled with that of his ancestors, his soul called to the soul of the warriors who had gone before-and they answered, filling him with strength, clearing his mind so that every detail was clear and vivid.

His heart beat with a different rhythm, he heard the ebb and flow of blood running through veins like the endless steady ebb and flow of the tide. He felt the energy the crystals generated for healing, for clarity. Beneath the forest of crystals, hundreds of feet below the chamber, he felt the pool of rich magma feeding the heat into the cavern. The heat and fire fed the needs of his body, heightening his hunger for his lifemate. The ancient warriors murmured to him in the language of his people.Elasz jelabam ainaak. Kulkesz arwa-arvoval, ekam. Arwa-arvo olen g?idnod, ekam . Long may you live in the light. Walk with honor, my brother. Honor guide you, my brother. The voices continued, encouraging him to walk on the path of the warrior as they had done before him.

Mikhail took his blood and he felt the instant connection to the Carpathian people, men and women alike, the unity of strength and purpose. Nicolas went back to his place in the loose circle, feeling strengthened, and much more bonded with the other Carpathians than he ever had.

One by one, the warriors and the remaining women followed suit until only one warrior remained.

Gregori looked past his prince, to the man left standing, arms folded, back to the wall, near the entrance. His silver eyes met Dominic Dragonseeker's metallic green in challenge. A hush fell in the cavern. The hum of the crystals became louder, more insistent as if calling to the last warrior.

"No man should be forced to swear allegiance, Gregori," Mikhail reprimanded softly. "Dominic, you have always served our people with your loyalty. No one, least of all me, questions your honor. It is enough that you swore a blood oath to my father."

Before Gregori could reply, Dominic shook his head, his steps measured and steady as he walked forward. "These are difficult times and one cannot tell friend from enemy. Gregori would not be worthy of his position if he did not guard you well. These years I have sought my lost sister, but I know that she is dead, long gone from this world and I cannot save her, nor would she want me to call her back from the shadow world. At last she is with her lifemate and by the moon, I hope she is at peace. It is time to once again embrace my duties to our people."

He dropped his hand over the crystal and blood swirled a deep red in the midst of so many other shades. The aurora filling the chamber changed color as well. Steam swirled and some of the giant crystals glowed a soft white light, as if the moon itself had entered the cavern and shown brightly above Dominic in appreciation. "I offer my life for our people. I pledge my loyalty to them through our blood bond." He offered his hand to Mikhail.

Mikhail took the offering, ingesting the blood. "As vessel of our people, I accept your sacrifice."

Dominic stood. "Someone must go into the camp of our enemies and find out what they plan next. Our women and children are at risk and we cannot ignore the fact that we have fewer than thirty women to rebuild our race. Our women must accept their responsibility to our people." His gaze rested on Natalya and then flicked to each of the women in the chamber. "They cannot place their precious lives in more danger just for the sake of doing so. I am volunteering to go to the camp of the enemy and gather information."

Mikhail shook his head. "They know who is with them through a blood bond. The parasites they inject into their systems call to one another. We found that out from Destiny."

"Gregori has the blood and I can ingest it."

Destiny gasped, one slim hand circling her throat. "You cannot. It eats at you every waking moment."

"You have no protection," Gregori added. "You have walked a darkened path for too many centuries and the parasites would eventually push you beyond your endurance. With no lifemate to guide you back, it would be suicide-more than that, you would mostly likely succumb to the call of the undead."

"That is why I want you, your brothers, Nicolas and Dimitri to take my blood. I believe, with the Dragonseeker heritage, I have more of a chance to last longer, perhaps even a year, before I succumb. If I cannot walk into the sun, then there will be six of our most experienced hunters able to track me."

Mikhail shook his head. "We cannot afford the loss of your bloodline, Dominic."

"You have Natalya and Colby. Possibly young Skyler. And now this new young woman, Lara, who is lifemate to Nicolas. The Dragonseeker line will continue. I have not found my lifemate in all these centuries and I have grown weary. Allow me to give this last service to our people. I will do my best to walk with honor and go into the sun before it is necessary to hunt me, but if not, the preparations will already have been made. I will allow these hunters access to my memories so they are fully aware of how I function as a fighter. Hopefully that will give them an edge."

The protest swept through the chamber. The crystals hummed louder and gave off a multitude of colors. Mikhail rested his hand on the bloodred column. He drew in a deep breath and let it out.

"Perhaps we should shelve this discussion until we have heard what Nicolas has to say."

"Forgive me, Mikhail, but you cannot allow me to hear anything Nicolas or anyone else has to say. If I go, I cannot know your plans. I cannot hear one word of strategy. We are in a war and the very existence of our species is at stake. The choices here will be difficult." His gaze sought out and rested on the three women-Natalya, Jaxon and Destiny. "Difficult for all of us. We have to make sacrifices and know what is the best use of every resource we have available to us. The choices are not easy, nor will they be popular, but they have to be made. I am expendable. I have the blood that will fight against the call of darkness the longest. My lineage was not given the burden of other bloodlines." His gaze flicked briefly to Nicolas and gave him a warriors slight bow of respect.

Nicolas shook his head, his throat suddenly clogged. Dominic was a living legend, much like Lucian and Gabriel. He knew-and understood-the curse of darkness on the De La Cruz brothers. They struggled to maintain honor and always had in the face of that creeping stain. Now, when he must stand before the council admitting he and his brothers had a hand in plotting the conspiracy to bring the downfall of the Carpathian people, Dominic was acknowledging the terrible burden the De La Cruz brothers had endured over the centuries.

"No one is expendable," Gregori said. "Not a single warrior, certainly not one of your expertise and wisdom."

Nicolas remained silent as each warrior gave his or her opinion. In the sacred chamber, with their blood mingling with their ancestors, the steam purifying them and the crystals focusing and clarifying their minds, all were heard with great respect. But he knew Dominic was going to ingest the blood and sadly, he agreed it was the right thing to do, the only thing when their entire species was poised on the brink of extinction.

Dominic was right. The Carpathians needed to know what Xavier and his coalition of vampires and jaguar-men were up to. They needed a spy in the camp. The Malinov brothers would never be able to resist letting a Carpathian as powerful as Dominic join their ranks, and certainly Xavier would consider it

a huge coup. The turning of Rhiannon's brother would be a victory for him.

His eyes met Mikhail's. The naked sorrow there was reflected in his own gaze. Mikhail knew as well. Dominic would listen to the gathered warriors, but in the end, nothing would change his mind. Someone had to go and Dominic was the logical choice.

For one moment, the lines in the prince's face were etched deep. His mouth was set and he looked older, tired, weary of the burden resting on his shoulders.

The chamber grew quiet. Mikhail straightened to his full height, his black eyes glowing a deep red. His face changed completely, so that he looked majestic, every inch the leader of the warriors gathered to make momentous decisions. Steam swirled and several crystals softened color until it appeared the moon shone deep beneath the earth, spotlighting their leader. The aurora colors swirled with life, streaks of bloodred moving through an ocean of color.

"You honor our people with your bravery, Dominic," he said. His low voice carried throughout the cavern. "It shall be. The Carpathian people will never forget your sacrifice."

Dominic stared down at his closed fist, then one by one opened his fingers. One nail lengthened and he drew a thin line across his wrist, holding his arm out to Gregori. Gregori remained still, his face an expressionless mask. Mikhail lifted his hand-an order, a decree. First Gregori, and then Lucian, Gabriel and Darius came forward and took the blood sealing Dominic to them. Dimitri stepped forward and then it was Nicolas's turn. He took his place beside the warrior he considered one of the greatest of all time.

The prince, in the name of good for the Carpathian people, was sending Dominic to an existence far worse than any Carpathian could conceive. The De La Cruz lineage had been cursed with darkness, but they had also been gifted with enduring strength and honor. In the centuries past, no Dragonseeker had ever succumbed to the whispers that grew louder as one lived longer without hope, without emotion. This then, was the last of a great line of warriors, sent to spy in the enemy camp with the poisonous blood of the vampire eating him from the inside out.

Nicolas met Dominies gaze, steady and true, refusing to look away from greatness. He couldn't save him, but he could send him away with honor, and give him the respect due him. Dominic gave him his blood and then clasped his arms in the way of the warriors.

"Arwa-arvod mane me kodak. May your honor hold back the dark," Nicolas said softly. "Fight fiercely."

"Kulkesz arwaval. Go with glory," Gregori said. "Jonesz arwa arvoval. Return with honor."

Mikhail stepped close. "Jonesz arwa arvoval. Return with honor." He clasped Dominic's arms hard and they stood toe to toe.

"It is the right thing," Dominic assured in a low voice as he gripped his prince's forearms. "The only thing. Give me a couple of weeks and have someone start the rumor of my turning. Make sure it is subtle. It would be news, the first Dragonseeker to succumb to the darkness. People would talk, but the news cannot come from anywhere near you. Talk will get to them and the Malinov brothers will seek me out in an effort to recruit me."

Gregori pulled the precious vial of blood from a small box and handed it to Dominic, who pulled the stopper out and drank without hesitation. The silence in the room was complete. Even the crystals ceased

humming. No one moved or spoke until Dominic gave them a slight bow and took his leave-alone.

Destiny choked and turned her head away, burying her face against her lifemate. "It is like a razor is ripping through your insides," she murmured, the memories vivid and sharp.

Nicolae put his arms around her and held her to him, speaking softly, his tone low, but comforting.

Something soft inside of Nicolas rose to the surface as he watched the two. Nicolae's body posture was not simply protective, but loving. And when she turned her face up toward his, he could see the love shining back. He didn't have that. He didn't even have Lara's respect, let alone love. Nicolae had a treasure, a gift, something so precious-a lifemate was beyond comprehension-but with being so gifted, he should never be foolish enough to risk her.

Mikhail faced his warriors. "We have much to discuss before this night's end. Nicolas has brought us news of our enemies and their plans. He will speak this night. A young woman has arrived in our village and she is Nicolas's lifemate. He has made his claim and bound them together although the ritual is not complete." His gaze rested on Natalya. "We believe his lifemate, Lara, is the daughter of Razvan."

Natalya let out a single, small sound. Her twin brother had been lost to her for many years. She had believed she killed him in a recent battle, but he had returned, possessing an elderly woman's body to attack Shea and her unborn child.

"There is reason to believe that Razvan has been used for experiments, that possibly he was a prisoner for some time before he succumbed," Nicolas added.

"I want to talk to her," Natalya said.

Nicolas shook his head. "We have not completed the ritual. She does not trust us and has bad memories of her father. I do not want her distressed. She needs time."

Natalya's eyes went from deep green to ice blue. "She would want to talk to me."

Nicolas shrugged his shoulders, a casual ripple of muscle that put Vikirnoff just a little in front of his lifemate. "It matters little to me at this point. She does not know about you and I am not going to tell her until we have sorted out our lives. I have a very tenuous hold on her at the moment, only through our soul bond, and I will not risk it."

Natalya opened her mouth to protest, but Mikhail suddenly whirled around, his entire demeanor changing, his expression stricken as he stared for one heartbeat at Gregori, and then his brother. Without a word, his body shimmered and he leapt into the air, shifting as he did so.

Gregori's face went pale. "We will discuss the things we have gathered to talk about as soon as possible. Hopefully we can reconvene this meeting on the next rising. I must go with Mikhail to Raven now." He was gone nearly as fast as the prince.

Lucian and Gabriel stepped forward, facing the other warriors. "Go with honor. We will meet when the prince summons us."

Nicolas didn't wait for Natalya or Vikirnoff to corner him, he simply shifted into the body of an owl immediately and took flight for home-and Lara.