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)
“Dragomir, your lifemate will breathe ice into her lungs. Get a hold of yourself. Let me in to aid you. Let the healer in.” Ferro kept his voice pitched very low.
Dragomir shook his head again, his gaze on Emeline. She held out her hand to him in entreaty. He pressed his lips together to keep from breathing ice particles, and then those golden eyes jumped to Ferro and the healer. He nodded.
Ferro and Gary used their blood-bond with Dragomir to enter. Elisabeta, merged with Ferro as she was, slipped in as well. Ferro found weird streaks of color in a ferocious red across Dragomir’s mind, almost like the vicious claw marks a cat might make. The lines were thin and already fading. Elisabeta’s gentle breeze sent them drifting away, thinning until the claw marks wore away to nothing. Gary’s healing spirit moved through Dragomir’s brain carefully, looking for any sign of damage or an intruder that had somehow managed to slip past their safeguards. Other than them being uneasy, they could find nothing.
Dragomir scowled and shook his head several times as if he could shake loose whatever was inside his mind. “What happened to me, Ferro? I cannot turn vampire, and yet I could not stop wanting to rip that imbecile child’s head off, or worse, yours.”
Elisabeta, you said something to me about Sandu, and I dismissed it thinking, rather arrogantly, that I knew what you meant. You said there was something else at work here other than a dislike of modern technology. What did you mean?
Josef didn’t have a dislike of modern technology, and Dragomir could not possibly turn when Emeline was his true lifemate. Gary had not found even the slightest shadow in Dragomir’s brain.
The feel of evil was prevalent in Sandu’s mind, an overwhelming need for violence. It was there in Dragomir’s but not nearly as bad. She hesitated. Not evil exactly. That taint was there faintly, but more like malevolence. The need for violence.
Ferro turned what she said over and over in his mind. Ancients had no emotions. Sandu was incapable of feeling a need for violence. If Elisabeta said that was in his mind, then it had to have been there.
What do you think, Gary? he asked the healer.
Women often feel the emotions in the ancients that we cannot.
Ferro heard the speculation in his voice. Elisabeta didn’t say anything more. She didn’t weigh in one way or another, nor did he expect her to. He kept his arm firmly around her, holding her close there in the middle of the compound, trying to decide what was the best course of action, because something was very much off.
“Has anyone examined the boy?” he asked. “This is now two of our ancient warriors that have had a similar reaction after an encounter with him.”
Traian frowned. “Do you believe that Josef has managed to do something to introduce something evil to ancient warriors that would make them turn even if they had lifemates? A boy? A Carpathian boy who has worked hard to identify potential lifemates for those without them before the vampire can get to them? He’s placed himself in danger numerous times and proven himself over and over.”
“No one has accused him,” Gary said, his tone, as always, mild. “But something is wrong here. We have to make certain this compound is safe for our women and children, including Josef. There is no question that he is a valuable asset to our people. Like with Sandu and Dragomir, it is best, given the circumstances, that we examine him. I will need Elisabeta, Ferro. We will need to go to Tariq’s home to conduct the examination.”
Ferro gave an exaggerated sigh in order to make his woman laugh when he knew she would be nervous. “Of course you will. Is there anyone here who does not need my lifemate?”
He flicked his gaze at Sandu and Benedek, two of his brethren from the monastery. Entering Tariq’s home with his bodyguards close meant exposing Elisabeta to danger without anyone at his back. Gary was Tariq’s second-in-command and sworn to protect Tariq. As much as he would want to count on the ancient and the fact that their souls were tied together, he couldn’t do that, not when it came to Elisabeta’s safety, not when he still felt that strange, vague threat to her.
“I will need Sandu and Benedek with us,” he said.
Tariq had started toward his home but he spun around, his face darkening, as if his honor had been called into question, which—Ferro conceded—it had. “You do not feel as if you can bring your lifemate into my home, where Charlotte resides, without two of your brethren with you?”
It was a direct challenge and one Ferro hadn’t expected. Tariq was a man born to lead, one very careful of his tone and his wording. He wasn’t a confrontational man. In all things, he was diplomatic. He was also an ancient with an ancient’s patience. Having Sandu and Benedek in his home seemed a small thing and something often required when examining for any type of evil entity, especially if a lifemate was close. It was not an unreasonable request.