Dark Legacy (Dark 27)

Her gaze shifted to him. She studied him for a long time and then she looked back to Dragomir and nodded.

Relief flooded through him. "Did you work out the spell to reverse whatever is keeping her here?"

He could tell by her face she wanted to protect Elisabeta from all of them. She didn't trust them, and he didn't blame her. She didn't know them. She might think they were part of Sergey's plot to get the information out of her.

Her gaze went to the terrible wound that had coated his neck and shoulder with blood. She frowned and looked back at Sandu.

"She wants me to heal you," Sandu said. "I'm not the healer. I'm a peje hunter."

"Stop complaining. You didn't have to stick your arm in acid up to your elbow," Dragomir said.

Where are you? he asked Petru and Isia. We need to regroup.

We need to wipe this pipeline out for good. Vadim is using the sea to escape. He's created his own city down here complete with a fresh smorgasbord, Petru answered. We need to call everyone in and destroy this. Now. Tonight.

Come back to the underground city. I'm calling the third team back as well. We'll include Tariq and come up with a plan. In the meantime, I've got two women here that need healing. One needs to go directly into the healing grounds. I think we have solved the mystery of the disappearance of Elisabeta Trigovise.

There was silence. Elisabeta had been legendary in the Carpathian world because she could restore emotions to those warriors at the very end of their ability to continue. She hadn't exactly restored them, so much as lightened their burdens for the time in her presence. She'd smiled and the world had seemed filled with joy.

Dragomir hadn't seen her smile, but he felt her peace. That enduring serenity. There was calm in her that spread through the room the moment it was needed. She was clearly conserving strength, and she needed blood. Her hunger had beat at him, but so gently he barely registered it until she was gone, made to be part of the walls of the chamber.

Elisabeta? The name was whispered for all the brotherhood to hear. That magical girl. All of them who had ever crossed paths with her would never forget her. She'd been considered an angel, her gift nothing short of miraculous. The child had grown into a beautiful young woman, still as angelic and as selflessly giving as she'd been as a child.

More than one warrior had crossed oceans to get back to her, to just be in her presence. If they had found Elisabeta, they had found a treasure unsurpassed.

Did Vadim have her? Benedik made the demand.

I do not believe Vadim knew of her existence. Sergey had her. He has had her for some time and has hidden her from his brother. He is much more dangerous than we ever gave him credit for. In fact, I believe he is our true enemy. Vadim thinks he is in charge, but Sergey has quietly built an army, and he's learned much from the splinter of the high mage.

I thought Vadim has a splinter of the high mage as well, Ferro said.

Just because he has it, doesn't mean he uses it, Dragomir pointed out.

Power burst into the small confines of the chamber. Gary Daratrazanoff strode in, his long hair flowing behind him. The muscles beneath his thin shirt rippled in an impressive display of sheer strength. His gaze fell first on the mage, jumped to the injuries on Dragomir and then slowly slid over the wall where the empty cage sat.

"I feel her presence," he said softly. "She is very powerful and a boon to any man such as I. Before we try to bring her back, I will do what I can for the mage and you, Dragomir. I grow weary of you and your injuries."

Sandu nudged him. "I told you to learn to be a little faster."

Dragomir sent a very rude gesture Sandu's way.

19

Dragomir held council in the much larger chamber while Gary worked on healing the young female mage. Tariq had joined them, and all agreed the city inside the pipeline had to be destroyed. The humans Vadim had taken there for sustenance were mostly vegetables, incapable of recovery. He left them just enough sanity to feel fear. The undead needed the rush of their victims' fear. It was the drug every vampire craved.

The task was distasteful, but they had no choice. They spent some time working out the details and then Dragomir returned to the smaller chamber where Gary had worked on the mage and the ancients had supplied him with blood.

"I was able to repair the damage, but she shouldn't speak for a couple of weeks. If she does, she will cause permanent damage to her vocal cords." Gary directed his attention to Julija. "I cannot emphasize that enough. You can write down what you need to say, or better yet, someone should take your blood and exchange with yours so you can speak telepathically."

Julija shook her head adamantly. She glared at the healer.

He shrugged. "It is your choice. If you wish to help Elisabeta, that is the only way. I may have some input, but without your guidance of where to look for answers, I can be of no real help here and should go with the others to take down Vadim's city."

Frustration had Julija's brows drawing together. She drew a question mark in the air and pointed to him.

"Dragomir told me you didn't see the entire holding spell that is locking Elisabeta here to this underground city. I have the ability to access very ancient memories. It is possible one of my ancestors saw something or heard something that will help you."

She pointed to Gary and tilted her neck slightly, although her hands were trembling. She locked them together tightly in her lap.

Gary shook his head. "I will not connect you to me. Dragomir has a lifemate. It is safe for him to connect himself to you, but if I ever turned, you would be in danger. It is impossible for him to turn as long as Emeline lives."

Julija sat for what seemed an eternity. Dragomir was aware of time slipping by. The others had already left to attack the city under the sea, and he was a warrior and should be joining them. Tariq had returned to the compound to ready the healing grounds for Elisabeta if they were successful. If they weren't, Gary was prepared to stay in the underground city to guard her, finding a place to sleep and then working out a plan with the Carpathian woman. She had to have seen the spell. Even if it was complicated, between Gary, Dragomir and Julija, they had a chance of figuring it out.

"We can't be here too long. Sergey is not going to give up his prize so easily," Dragomir told the reluctant girl. "He will launch an assault the moment he hears of the attack on Vadim's sea city. Most of our hunters have gone there, leaving us vulnerable as well as the compound."

Julija's mouth firmed. She pointed to her neck. Dragomir didn't give her time to change h

er mind. He was careful, respectful and distanced her from what was happening without taking her mind. Even distancing her was difficult. She had a very strong shield. Her consent allowed him to do so. He pointed to his wrist after carefully closing the pinpricks. She took a deep breath, nodded and cleared her throat as if she might speak.

"Don't," Gary said. "You will ruin everything. Do you want him to distance you more?"

She nodded.

"You have to allow him into your mind. Make a conscious choice. He is being careful with you, not taking what you are not willing to give. We both realize you are doing this to help your friend, not to aid you in healing, although, I assure you, his blood will do both."

Julija looked to Dragomir and nodded. He pushed further into her mind and when she opened for him, he took away her ability to register what was happening until it was done. Dragomir closed the laceration he'd torn in his wrist and looked at her.

Are you all right? He included Gary in their conversation. Not dizzy, or light-headed?

Julija shook her head and touched her throat. Still hurts.

"I'm sorry," Gary said aloud. "The damage was very severe."

She nodded. Thanks for fixing me up. She slipped off the stone table and walked over to the cage. I have to reverse the spell Sergey used. It was one Xavier used to hide Rhiannon. It prevented her from making a sound so that he could hide her in plain sight of a Carpathian. That would maximize her torment, being so close to those who could rescue her, yet being completely hidden from them.

How do you know this? Dragomir had touched her memories, but he hadn't had time to examine them thoroughly. He tried not to allow suspicion to spill over into his mind where she would read it.

Sergey often told the story to Elisabeta. He wanted her to see how much better he was treating her. He didn't let Vadim or his other brothers see her. Not ever. He was careful. She told me about Rhiannon and how Xavier had children by her and then killed her. She said Sergey never tried to force her to have his child.