It was a stern reprimand, and she took it to heart. The scrape of a claw on rock warned her, and she locked her gaze with the vampire’s. At once she felt power and strength moving through her. Enormous strength. The power was astonishing.
Pater screamed, contorting, attempting to spin around in the small confines of the burrow, his spiked tail lashing, but his very bulk defeated him. Flames danced over the scales, sizzled and bubbled the reptile’s skin, searing down to the bone. Fire raced the length of his body, blackening the scales, fouling the air with a terrible stench. The carcass split open, spilling the vampire onto the cave floor. He was hissing in rage, crawling toward her, his eyes glowing a fiery red, fixed on her with malice.
Destiny tried to gather herself to meet the attack, but her body failed her, useless without nourishment, her strength spent on the battle to drive out the poisonous virus.
Just look at him. Nicolae was completely confident. His certainty struck a chord deep inside her. He was engaged in his own life-and-death struggle, with a human in his care, evading vampires while he aided her, yet he was supremely confident of his ability to protect her. And she believed him.
Destiny didn’t take her gaze from Pater. A small, grim smile touched her mouth. She looked exhausted and weak, but she was also relaxed and certain.
Pater read her expression, saw her eyes, the power swirling in the blue-green depths, power not her own, and he knew he had failed. His minions had not kept the ancient occupied. He was staring at death. In desperation he threw up a barrier, burrowing into the ground as he did so. Inches from Destiny, vines erupted from the ground. Giant tentacles reached for her, flowers opening to reveal tiny piranha-like teeth snapping close to her legs.
She drew away from the plants with her last remaining strength. Even as she did, she felt the power moving through her, saw the vines wither and die, dropping in the dirt to disintegrate into lifeless black strings. Destiny slumped against the wall of the cave, breathing a sigh of relief. Pater had escaped a second time, but he hadn’t managed to use her to destroy Nicolae.
The battle in the air was fading, the vampires retreating at their master’s call. Vikirnoff had managed to destroy one of the undead, calling on lightning to incinerate his black heart.
Nicolae had managed to evade the other three, even while keeping Martin safe and fighting off Pater’s attack on Destiny. He was worried, though. He could sense Destiny’s weakness.
Take Martin back to the city for me while I see to Destiny, Nicolae said to his brother.
He must be healed and his memories removed.
He is your human. I do not deal well with such people. They make no sense to me. I must feed if I am to supply you with what you need. You should take what you need from that one before you go to your lifemate. But you will not because she will be angry if you do. It makes no sense. Prey is prey.
Nicolae glared at his brother, but the gesture was lost on Vikirnoff.
Destiny. I must see that Martin’s wounds are healed and that he gets home safely.
Of course you must. There was something new in her voice. A soft note of warmth, of love that hadn’t been there before. Nicolae was certain she was unaware of it, but it spread fire in his belly and sent his heart leaping with joy.
I’m a little tired, but I’m all right. Do what you have to do, then come back and get me. I’ll even let you play the big hero. You can pick me up and carry me home.
Nicolae found himself smiling as he whisked Martin across the sky, back to the comparative safety of the city.
You like it when I carry you around. Especially if you do not have any clothes on.
Her laughter bubbled up, soft and melodic, warming him even more, filling him completely with happiness. He also heard the note of utter weariness in her voice when she spoke to him.
You like it when I have no clothes on. That mind of yours is a minefield of erotic images. It is true what they say about men thinking of sex every few seconds.
I have been in your mind too, Destiny.
I have an excuse, though. You have all those images in your head and I’m thinking them over. Memorizing them.
Her teasing voice caressed his skin, fanned the flames of urgent need, even when he knew rest and the healing soil were the only thing he would allow his lifemate this night.
I am proud of you.
He had to tell her of his pride, could not keep it to himself. The intensity of his emotions swept through him until he thought he might burst. She had done the impossible, the unthinkable.
You did rather well yourself this night, although your speed could use improvement. Do not think I haven’t noticed the wound on your shoulder when you were just a bit slow shoving your idiot of a brother out of harm’s way.
You are critiquing me? He injected shock and horror into his voice to make her laugh. He loved her laugh.
I thought frying the lizard was a nice touch.
I was taught by a master. Really, you could use a few tips. The amusement was already fading from her voice, leaving her sounding drowsy.
I’m tired, Nicolae. I must rest until you return.
He shared her mind as she set safeguards; they would be easy enough to unravel now that he knew the complicated patterns,
I will return swiftly.
No need. I will rest in the soil.
Just like that she was gone from him. He knew she was safe, that she had gone to ground, allowing the earth to welcome her, but he needed to hold her, to see for himself that she was safe from all harm. He wanted to carry her to the cave of pools, to perform the healing ritual on her and give her blood before placing her in the rich soil of their lair.
Nicolae controlled his descent so as not to alarm Martin further. He chose a small park a short distance from the man’s home.
Martin trembled uncontrollably. “What were those things? You saved my life.”
Nicolae helped him to sit on the park bench. “It is not necessary to explain. You will not remember them. You will not remember any of this.”
At those words, Martin jerked away from Nicolae. “Like I don’t remember the attack on Father Mulligan? Did you have something to do with that? Did those... those
things?
”
“I do not know why you cannot remember what happened, Martin,” Nicolae answered honestly. “I cannot find evidence that one of the undead touched you in any way. Either a vampire has grown more powerful than anything I can conceive of, or it was not the influence or work of one. I do not know what happened to you, but I am trying to find out.” He examined the wounds on Martin’s legs. “Fortunately, you were not injected with poison. You were very lucky this time.”
“Lucky?” Martin looked as if he might cry. Then he began to laugh, almost hysterically. “I guess you’re right. If you hadn’t come along, that thing would have eaten me alive. What was it?”
“Martin? Nicolae?” Father Mulligan came up behind them, startled to see them in the park. He had walked right past that bench only minutes earlier and no one had been in sight.
Nicolae heaved a sigh, sitting back on his haunches. The world was conspiring against him. “How are you tonight, Father?”
“What happened to Martin’s legs?” The priest peered anxiously at the gaping, bloody lacerations. “Should I call an ambulance?”
“I can take care of it for him,” Nicolae said. “What are you doing out so late?”
“The storm over the mountains made me uneasy.” The priest’s gaze was shrewd and assessing as he studied Nicolae and then Martin. The blackened wound on Nicolae’s shoulder and Martin’s shredded legs told him more than either would admit in words. “That was no natural storm. Who won?”