I will kill you and everyone you love. You are nothing.
Jubal gave the mental equivalent of a sigh.
I think you’re actually beginning to repeat yourself. You need a few new lines. You do know this is not the only hunter in the area, don’t you? I believe they are spreading out looking for you. Sooner or later, one is bound to cross your path and then they’ll band together and track you down.
You will notice that it will take more than one.
Jubal gave a sniff of disdain.
It matters little to them. You are simply a duty to them. They remove all rotting corpses from the earth when they come across them. They have nothing to prove to you or anyone else.
Traian blinked and became aware of the world around him as he slipped back into his own body. Weak, he nearly collapsed over the top of Joie.
“We do not have much time. We need to get her out of this hallway and back into the bedroom where I can convert her. I will need blood,” he instructed.
He became aware of Jubal shielding his mind, and realized the vampire had tried to prevent him from healing Joie’s worst wound.
“You can step aside,” he said quietly. “I thank you for what you did.”
This does not end here. I will find you again,
the vampire promised both of them—and then he was gone.
Tangling with a master vampire was never a good idea. They were vengeful creatures with long memories, and this one—and Traian was afraid he knew who the master was now—would not forget Jubal as long as he was alive. He would hate him with every breath he took and he would never stop plotting revenge. A vampire could live a long time and while the memory for Jubal would fade away, it never would for the undead.
With a small sigh, Traian lifted Joie into his arms and carried her into the wrecked bedroom. “Gary, have Mikhail send a couple of our people to repair the damage here when we know the master vampire has left our region.” He laid Joie carefully on the bed and slipped to the floor beside her, weak, his body swaying.
Gabrielle swallowed hard and stepped close to him. “You’ll have to use my blood.”
Traian glanced at her pale, set face. She looked determined but very frightened. He half smiled. It was all he could do to give her reassurance. “Gary or Jubal can give blood.”
She stuck her chin out. “They both have done so already and they’re wounded. Use mine.” She stuck out her wrist and closed her eyes. “I can’t cut myself, so just do it fast.”
For the first time Traian was uncertain of what to do. He needed the blood. Time was slipping away for Joie, but this was her sister, sacred to her.
“Do it,” Gabrielle hissed without opening her eyes.
He raised his eyes to Jubal. The man nodded. Traian took the extended wrist gently and murmuring softly to enthrall Gabrielle so she would not feel any sensation, he took what she offered, drawing vital sustenance in order to provide enough blood to Joie for the conversion. All the while, he kept Joie’s spirit locked to his, preventing her from slipping away. She was no longer losing blood, but her human body was giving up the fight for survival.
Very gently he closed the two wounds on Gabrielle’s wrist and woke her from the enthrallment. Gary swept his arm around her shoulders and stepped back, taking Gabrielle with him. “Only Traian can help her now.”
Gabrielle swallowed hard. “What can you do?”
“I will bring her fully into my world. She had consented to be Carpathian,” Traian said.
Jubal met the Carpathian’s gaze squarely. “Do it. Whatever you have to do. Just don’t let her die.”
Traian looked at their faces, swollen and red from the bites of the insects. Joie’s siblings were brave, but watching their sister go through such a difficult process might be too much for even them. “Should anything go wrong, I will follow her and care for her, but you must know, Jubal, that the chances of any hunter killing the one who got away are very slim and he will come after you. Never forget him and how he felt in your mind.” Traian glanced up at Gary. “I will need candles, herbs, soil. Everything to help her through this, and quickly.”
Gary tugged at Gabrielle. “Come with me. Mirko will have most of the herbs and candles. I’ll need you.”
They rushed from the room.
Jubal watched every movement as Traian laid his hands on Joie’s wounds and bites from the insects. Once again, Traian left his own body and entered Joie’s. Jubal remained vigilant in case the vampire returned, ready to place himself as a shield between the Carpathian and the undead. He could see the lines deepen in the hunter’s face, his color paling visibly as if his strength was slowly being drawn from him.
This time was much shorter. He swayed a little, his face lined with exhaustion, but he gathered Joie into his arms, cradling her now, close to his chest.
Gary and Gabrielle hurried back into the room. Gary set a bowl of rich, dark soil on the floor beside the bed, and Gabrielle dumped various herbs into a second bowl.
Gary handed candles to Jubal. “Spread these around the room and light them. We don’t want any artificial lights on, just the candles. Gabrielle, mix the herbs together in the bowl. We need the scents to blend.”
Traian rocked Joie gently, holding her close, murmuring softly to her in his mind. He had done his best to heal her body enough to get her through the conversion. This was their moment. The conversion could easily kill her if she was too weak.
Gary put his hand on Traian’s shoulder as if reading his thoughts. “She is strong. Her will is strong. Joie was a surprise to Valenteen. She was wonderful, unbelievable. She didn’t even hesitate. It never occurred to a vampire that a woman would stand between others and danger. And he certainly never thought she would be willing to plunge a knife into his heart.”
“She used my memories,” Traian explained as he mixed healing saliva into the soil and packed the wounds in Joie’s throat with fresh soil. “She flattered him and stalled him, hoping I would get there in time. And when I didn’t, she did what she always does, she courageously put herself in harm’s way in order to get close enough to make certain she destroyed him.”
Gary took handfuls of the mixture and packed more into Traian’s chest. “Even with all I know, the draw to go to him was so powerful, I doubt that we would have survived.”
“He was a master vampire and he ran with another much more powerful master.” Traian lifted his head to look at Gary. “I never saw the other one clearly. He took my blood in the cave, yet he stayed in the shadows. I saw him for one moment earlier and if it is the warrior I remember from long ago, he is extremely dangerous. Keep Jubal away from him. Protect Joie’s siblings. I cannot go near our prince. You will have to relay to him all information. Until the vampire is found, and I very much doubt that he will remain in this country now, I will stay away from Mikhail. We cannot take a chance with his life.”
“He won’t see it the same way,” Gary pointed out.
“You know I am right. He should not chance his life by entering into battles in the way that he does. His purpose is to serve and lead our people, not hunt the vampire. We have many hunters and only one leader. His brother is strong and powerful, but he has been damaged by the torture he endured. He cannot lead. If the vampire or humans managed to kill Mikhail, I fear our race would be mortally wounded.”
Traian smoothed his hand over Joie’s hair. He was reluctant to bring her over when she was so close to death. If he failed . . .
“You have no choice,” Gary said. “She will die either way.”
“Explain it to them. They shouldn’t be here,” Traian said.
Traian didn’t look up at Gary to see if he agreed or not. He gathered Joie into his arms.
You must accept my blood, Joie. This will convert you to my race, and it is not a pleasant experience to go through.
He felt her touch, gentle, tender, on his face, yet she lay motionless in his arms. A faint smile appeared in his mind as if she found his warning amusing.
“He will take her blood and then give her his own,” Gary said. “Her human body will die and if this works, she will become fully Carpathian. The process can be brutal on the body. Once he starts, there is no turning back,” he added gently to Gabrielle. “It is best if you leave. This will be painful for you to watch.”
“We stay,” Jubal said. “The vampire may try to attack him again and in any case, if Joie goes through this, we stay to protect her.”
Gabrielle nodded. “We won’t interfere.”
Traian turned his body slightly, not wanting to drain his strength further by masking what he was doing from her siblings. If they chose to stay, they would see how very difficult the transition was regardless.
The soothing aroma from the herbs and candles mixed through the room, driving out the foul stench of the vampire. Gary began to softly chant in the ancient language of the Carpathian people. The sounds of chanting filled Traian’s mind as other voices, far away, joined on the common communication path in the age-old healing chant.
I offer life, Joie.
Traian bent his head and sank his teeth above her breast, right where her pulse beat, shallow and slow.
Her blood flowed into him, mixing with his ancient Carpathian blood.
Come to me. Give yourself to me.
Her spirit was weak, but she didn’t try to fight him. Instead, that bright light, fading slowly, moved weakly toward him.
He felt her trust surround him. Warmth. Traian closed his eyes, savoring the feeling, sending up a silent prayer that she would survive the transition.
Very gently he closed the small wound when he was certain he’d taken enough for a final exchange.
You must take my blood for the third exchange. Your neck is torn and you are weak, but I will help you.
He opened his wrist. She would not be able to take the blood herself. He would have to press it to her mouth and stroke her throat, forcing her to accept the gift of a life. At first Joie didn’t respond, and a few drops trickled from the corner of her mouth.
“Joie, please,” Gabrielle said. “Please.” She suppressed a small sob and hid her face against Gary’s shirt.
For our children. For me. For your family. You can do this,
Traian encouraged.
Try for me, Joie.
It wasn’t about acceptance. Joie had already given her life into Traian’s keeping. It was finding the strength for that last effort.
You are a fighter, Joie, and so am I. I will fight to keep you with me, but no matter what happens here, I will go with you.
Joie’s mouth moved feebly against his wrist. Traian stroked long fingers over her throat. She accepted his blood just the way she did everything else where he was concerned, with complete faith. It humbled him that she did so.
Sivamet—my love—that’s right. That’s what you have to do. Take more. You need a fair amount to make the exchange. Hold close to me. Do not let your spirit drift.
Gabrielle clutched Gary’s arm tightly. “Can he save her?”
Gary put his arm around her. “If it’s possible, he’ll do it. Lifemates are completely devoted to each other. If she doesn’t make it, he’ll follow her.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Basically, he’ll suicide. One can’t live without the other. The ritual binding words the male says to the female ties them together in some way we can’t possibly understand. Literally, one is a shadow without the other. He’s said he’ll follow her and he means it. Their belief is, that they go from one life to another—that they will go together to the next life.”
Gabrielle looked to her brother for reassurance. Jubal had a strange expression on his face and held up his hand for silence. His gaze remained fixed on Traian.
What is it?
Gabrielle asked.
He’s here—the master vampire. Lurking in the back of Traian’s mind. He’s waiting to strike. I can feel him. Traian’s too far into Joie. I need to be watchful, Gabby.
Traian concentrated on holding Joie’s spirit tight. She was drifting now, slipping into a semi-conscious state. He hoped that he’d given her sufficient blood because it was nearly impossible for her to take any more. He closed the wound on his chest and laid her gently on the comforter, blinking a little as he looked around the room.
“Perhaps you all should leave the room. She would not want you to see her this way. This will get . . . brutal.”
“You need blood and care yourself,” Gary pointed out. “You’re weaker than you think, Traian. Take my blood and let me help the two of you through this. I know what to expect. Gabrielle and Jubal can wait in their rooms.”
“We’ll stay,” Jubal said decisively. “She’s our sister. And Traian,” he hesitated, unsure whether to tell the hunter and risk the vampire knowing he was aware of his presence.
Their eyes met. Traian’s nod was barely perceptible. “I will count on you.”
Jubal let out his breath. “You can.”
“I know.”
Traian took a deep breath. He had done as much as he could to make certain Joie could undergo the transition from human life to Carpathian life. The rest was up to her. All he could do was watch and be ready to send her to sleep the moment the transition was complete. He would have insisted her brother and sister leave, but they were not faint of heart. They’d stood with him in the caves and again here at the inn, fighting a master vampire. It seemed impossible that they’d delayed Valenteen and helped him to defeat the undead.
Gary stepped close to Traian. “You must feed.”
“You are already weak,” Traian said.
“Then I’ll get Mirko, he’s helped us many times,” Gary said and hurried away, preventing argument.
“Is it done?” Gabrielle asked anxiously as Gary left the room. “You gave her your blood. She’s still barely breathing.”
Traian laid his head back against the wall. All at once, his body seemed like lead, drained of all energy. “I wish I could say that was all there is to it, but her body essentially dies before she is reborn as one of us. This will get messy.”
“If it’s messy, Traian, Joie would want me here to see to her needs. She’s very meticulous about certain things.” Gabrielle lifted her chin, prepared to fight for her right to stay. “In any case, I’m a doctor. I’ve seen messy.”