Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Ferro frowned and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “We know this burn is spreading, Gary. Sandu and Dragomir were both infected. I need to be inspected. No one has scanned me, or you, for that matter.”
Tariq took his cue instantly. “We should go back inside, feed, and scan while we do so, all those who haven’t been looked at. Then the ancients can lay down false trails as if they are searching for Sergey once we have a plan.” He was already moving, as if expecting everyone to do as he said. He was their leader. Gary his second-in-command.
Gary took a deep breath, clearly fighting for control, and then he fell into step with Tariq. The four brethren tied to him created a loose semicircle close enough to contain him. He politely pretended not to notice. The other ancients created a second circle, a little wider, flaring out around them.
Once inside, the safeguards were woven even stronger. “How does Sergey expect to get past the safeguards?” Tariq asked. “Even if all warriors were gone from the compound, he could not find a way to break that weave. Julija, a powerful mage, has added her elements in. The ancients from the monastery who stopped using Xavier’s spells long ago and came up with their own unique spells intertwined with each other’s strands. The safeguards are woven above, below and on all sides of the compound.”
He had called the trusted members of his security force to the secluded area. Matt Bennet, Tariq’s head of security, immediately told the others that only those comfortable with giving blood needed to do so, but there was an immediate threat to the compound and the warriors needed to be at full strength.
Ferro was a little surprised at the human response. The De La Cruzes were a legendary family of Carpathian vampire hunters, and he had been skeptical of their choice to interact with humans. It forced the brothers to protect their servants and made them more vulnerable to their enemies, and yet, in the end, the loyalty of the humans had proven undeniable. They had fought with the De La Cruz brothers against the vampires, knowing some of them would die. The De Le Cruz family had placed shields in their human brains, which over the centuries the families had begun to be born with. The De La Cruz brothers had further strengthened those.
Every man immediately consented to giving his blood freely to the Carpathians. Ferro noticed that Tariq stayed close to Gary, watching him as he fed, ensuring that the healer was careful with the security team.
You believe I have been infected. Gary spoke directly to Ferro, allowing Sandu, Andor and Dragomir to hear him as well.
Yes. You are . . . not yourself.
Gary sighed as he carefully and respectfully closed the small holes on the wrist of the volunteer, healing the wounds as if they had never been. I feared that might happen eventually. I know you do not want to tell Elisabeta that Sergey has threatened her with the murder of more humans, and then on the heels of that, ask her to work on those of us infected, but if she does not and these burns worsen, the results could be disastrous. There is a chance that ancients would turn on ancients. The compound would be destroyed from within.
Ferro went very still. All of those connected through Andor’s soul did, too. Ferro let his breath out as he carefully closed the wounds on one wrist and took another. He had to have enough blood for his lifemate as well. Repeat what you just said, Gary. I think you found the motive behind this infection.
Sandu, Dragomir and Andor clearly agreed with Ferro. Gary waited for Tariq to give orders to Matt and then hurried him across the compound, back toward the main gate where they knew Sergey’s spies would be wondering what they were up to.
“We believe that this infection is to turn us against one another. It attacks the judgment center in the brain. It doesn’t matter if you have a lifemate, if you’re male or female or a child,” Gary explained as the hunters gathered in a tight circle around him.
Andor nodded. “Once the scorching is bad enough, the victim reacts with violence. The person he’s angry with has no choice but to protect himself. This infection has the potential to destroy lifemates and turn our ancients into vampires right here in the compound.”
Without looking at Ferro, Gary continued. “We are very lucky we have Elisabeta here. Without her, this would most likely have worked. There is no one else capable of stopping it. We still have not tracked down the source. We know some of us are infected to varying degrees. We also know Sergey has set a trap, hoping to lead the warriors away from the compound, which means he believes he has a way in. We have to figure out how he believes he can bring down the safeguards.”