Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

“It could have been somewhere close to what now would be Russia. Domizio had chased the vampire for weeks and was far from what he considered his territory to guard. The only reason I think this—while we hunted and eventually caught up with the undead, another Carpathian hunter had attacked the master vampire. He was a guardian of that territory, and now that I go further into my memory, that hunter called himself Koshkiny, Alyosha Koshkiny. We joined him in the battle. The master vampire had surrounded himself with others to do his bidding, and just as before, when Domizio had taken him on, Alyosha was torn up by the sheer numbers. We came upon them, and the undead had no chance against three experienced hunters.”

“Russia?” Adalasia said. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

It is possible one of Liona’s friends was from the area that is Russia, she added to Sandu.

“Danutdaxton had met up with Alyosha a time or two. They may have been related in some way. I have a strong feeling you should speak with Dax. He stays in Peru most of the time. He can be . . . charming. If you go, Sandu, never forget, he is a shifter, just as we are, but he is also a dragon, a genuine dragon. He shares his body with the soul and heart of a dragon. It is necessary to always be mindful of that fact. Dax has to be mindful, which is why he prefers to stay as far from civilization as possible. He allows the Old One the freedom to fly as often as he can. In the cities, that would be impossible.”

“What of his lifemate?” Adalasia asked.

“Lifemates provide whatever their other half needs,” Solange answered.

The animals in the forest are whispering to me in alarm, Dominic,” Nicu said as they gathered in the great room on the next rising. “I patrolled to the south of your home. There was no sign of the undead, but every bird, every monkey, even the smallest of them, seemed to be uneasy. When I asked them what kind of creature had passed through, they whispered, Unsavory. Vile. Traitor.”

Dominic exchanged a long look with his lifemate and then Jubal Sanders. “Did these animals show you any images of the creatures coming through their territories?”

Nicu shook his head. “I asked, but they only kept to their shelters. I didn’t push them but intend to return. I thought it best to warn you first.”

“You did not feed yet,” Sandu observed.

Nicu shook his head. “I did not waste any time getting back here in case the danger was to Dominic’s family. I didn’t want to use telepathy because I had no knowledge of what I was dealing with.”

Sandu studied Dominic’s features even as he brought Adalasia closer to him, sweeping his arm around her shoulders. He had been about to take his leave but would not if there was a threat to Dominic’s family.

“We can use the pathway of the brethren,” Sandu suggested. “Should this danger be the work of the undead and his pawns, they would not hear. I will reach out to the others. If they have run across any threat, we will have more information.”

“I’ll go looking,” Jubal volunteered. He stood. “I have a feeling—”

“No.” Jasmine looked as if she might burst into tears. “No, Jubal, you can’t.” She looked to Dominic even as her slender fingers wrapped around Jubal’s wrist, as if she might be able to physically hold him there.

“You and Sandrine will be safe here, Jasmine.” Jubal’s voice gentled. “No one can find you here. Dominic and Solange have safeguards to keep everyone out.”

Sandu could have told him Jasmine wasn’t worried for her daughter or herself. She didn’t want Jubal going out into the rain forest, where something unknown could harm him.

Dominic waved Jubal to his chair. “We do need to gather more information before any of us goes hunting, Jubal. I would appreciate you contacting the others, Sandu. Nicu, you need to feed, especially if you plan to go back out there immediately.”

Very casually, without waiting for an answer from Nicu, he lifted his wrist to his mouth and tore a line in the flesh with his teeth so the bright blood bubbled up instantly. Nicu bent his head to the offering.

Brothers, Nicu has encountered strange occurrences among the animals. Sandu sent the images to the three guardians still out. On rising, each had gone his own way to find blood. Be on the lookout for anything unusual and report back to us. We need to gather as much information as possible. There is an old enemy possibly stalking Dominic’s family.

Benedek was the first to answer. I took the form of a harpy eagle and flew to the fishing village. I found nothing unusual there, but as I was returning, I caught glimpses of several men moving in the branches of the trees just beyond the ruins. It was unusual to see men in the branches of trees, so I circled back to investigate. They are nowhere to be found.