The healer is trying to outwait me. He knows I cannot last
.
You will last
.
Strength poured into her. “Sara,” she said softly. “I appeal to you. Ask the dark one to step aside. I have done harm to no one here and I want only to leave in peace. You indicated the need to repay me for saving the life of your child. This is what I ask. Simply have your healer step aside.”
Sara looked up at Falcon and then to Mikhail. “I think she sounds reasonable. Please, Gregori, just step aside.”
All of them looked at Sara, who angled closer, more protectively, toward Ivory.
Dirt geysered beneath the heels of the prince and a body materialized behind him, one arm locked tight around Mikhail’s neck, the blade of a knife pressed against the heart of the prince. Stormy, merciless eyes locked on the face of the dark one with absolute resolve.
5
N
o one moved. No one breathed, remaining statues frozen in time, as if one small mistake would start a bloodbath, and judging by the death in Razvan eyes—and Gregori’s—there was little doubt there would be.
Gregori released his breath in a long, slow hiss. “It is a death sentence to threaten the life of the prince.”
Razvan shrugged his shoulders, a casual ripple of power. “I have been under a death sentence since my fourteenth summer. It is nothing new to me. There is nothing you can conceive of to do to me that has not been done already. I accept that I will die this night.” He inclined his head to Gregori, his expression unchanging, as if giving the Carpathian leave to kill him.
A man with nothing to lose, Gregori, often emerges the victor
, Mikhail pointed out, a trace of humor in his voice.
Gregori’s silver eyes flashed, and there was no answering amusement in them.
No one lays his knife at your heart and walks away unscathed
.
“Step away from my lifemate. Once she is away, you can do as you will,” Razvan instructed.
“No,” Ivory protested. “I remain with you. We will fight our way free.”
Sara tried to step closer to Ivory. “This is crazy. Mikhail,” she appealed to the prince. “Stop this. Let them go.”
“Do you know who this man is?” Falcon asked softly. “Ivory, do you have any idea of the crimes Razvan has committed against our people?”
Again Razvan didn’t flinch—and neither did the knife.
“You know nothing about him,” Ivory said. “You have no right to pass judgment when you do not know the facts.”
There is no need to defend me
.
Razvan was shocked that she would. She stood there swaying, looking far too deceptively fragile for the warrior he knew her to be. Her body was tall and straight, her flawless skin marred now by the tracks of vampire blood and the teeth tears in her shoulder. There was something very intimate in knowing that beneath that flawless exterior, he knew the true woman, the scars of death and defiance. The reserve of courage that it must have taken to pull her body back together and lay so broken in the ground for hundreds of years while nature tried to repair her.
He alone knew the depths and strengths of her when no other on the face of the earth did. Pride in her shook him. Her courage and ferocity humbled him.
“That is true,” Falcon said, remaining calm in the midst of the tension. “You do not know
this
prince. I have given my allegiance to Mikhail. He is worthy of my respect and protection. You know me. More important, you know the De La Cruz brothers. They also have given their sworn allegiance to Mikhail. Manolito gave his life for Mikhail and Gregori restored him to this world.” His gaze flicked to Razvan. “I believe your lifemate injected the poison into Manolito.”
Razvan didn’t flinch and the hand holding the knife was rock steady. “Ivory, I want you to come to my side and take my blood. Take enough that you can be at full strength.”
She looked stricken and shook her head silently.
It is the only way. Your purpose and your preparations will be lost if you do not get away. We cannot stop them all. I knew when I came that I would be exchanging my life for yours. It is an honor
.
“Her blood is infected with parasites,” Mikhail said. “Keep the knife to my heart and allow my healer to rid her of Xavier’s vile worms.”
Ivory flinched when she heard the high mage’s name.
Gregori’s gaze flicked toward the prince, flashing him with a glitter of silver.
This is not amusing, Mikhail. We know too little about this man. He may very well shove that knife into your heart under Xavier’s orders. You would not be wearing that smirk then
.
I have no doubt that you would find a way to save me
.
“Razvan,” Mikhail said. “We are not looking to harm your lifemate, only to make certain she can survive an attack on the way back to her home. We offer both of you friendship. Your sister, Natalya, is here with her lifemate, Vikirnoff. Lara, your daughter, and her lifemate, Nicolas De La Cruz, are residing among us, working to save our unborn children. She has been a tremendous asset to our people. Your aunts, Tatijana and Branislava, are safe and alive, at present under the ground healing. I offer safe passage to both of you.”
Razvan flicked Ivory a quick glance.
It is up to you
.
Ivory drew in her breath. Life or death for her lifemate. He was putting his life into her hands so easily. Little did he know how abhorrent it was to her to allow favors from the Dubrinsky family. She could scarce make herself accept, yet she forced her body forward stiffly until she stood beside the healer, her fingers closed tightly around the hilt of a knife. She nodded her head toward the healer.
She’ll probably stab me when I’m done
. Again those silver eyes flicked toward the prince.
You won’t be laughing so much when our wives give me hell for allowing someone to stab you
.
I don’t know. It might be amusing. Neither will be angry with me
.
Gregori’s breath hissed through his teeth as he sent the prince another smoldering look before laying gentle hands on Ivory’s shoulder. She trembled, much like a wild animal under the hands of a rescuer removing it from a trap. Without being consciously aware of it, the healer murmured soothing words in the ancient language, trying to reassure her by his voice and the touch of his hands that he meant her no harm.
Gregori closed his eyes and ceased to be a fierce warrior, ferocious guardian of the prince and the Carpathian people. All ego, everything he was, he surrendered, sending himself outside his body and into that of the wounded female. He became energy, a healing entity, moving through her bloodstream to find and repair all damage from the inside out.
He nearly forgot himself, one of the rare times in his centuries of healing, when he discovered the way her bones and sinew were so crudely knitted together. Ridges and evidence of inside and outside scar tissue were everywhere throughout her body, even on her organs, unheard of in Carpathian society. He pulled out of her for just one moment, shaken, unable to look at her while he tried to puzzle out how anyone could have survived what had made those scars.
Mikhail
. There was shock when it was difficult to shock Gregori. There was awe when it was nearly impossible to astonish him. Mostly there was respect.
It is as if she was chopped into small pieces. No part of her is untouched other than her face, and even her neck has these patchwork ridges. I believe she was cut into pieces, but how could she survive?
He sent the impressions to Mikhail.
Her true skin is a patchwork. I feel blades sawing through her skin and bones, around her neck, hacking off her head. This woman has suffered greatly
. There was a breath taken. A crashing heartbeat. Abruptly Gregori pulled his mind from Mikhail’s.
Tell me
. The two words were a command, nothing less.
Your eldest brother assaulted her. I feel his taint, a stamp of suffering I have not felt before. He did this to her. Or he was part of it
.
Mikhail closed his eyes for a moment.
She has reason to hate my family
.
Undoubtedly
.
Do you feel animosity toward the Carpathian people? Would she try to destroy us?
There is great resolve, but not to end your life or to destroy us. Her determination is bred into her bones. I would like to know more of this woman
.
Gregori shed his physical body once more and reentered Ivory, paying attention to the bones and organs, bathing them in healing light as he passed through, examining her blood and cells for the infestation of parasites. He forced more of the intruders from her body through her pores, incinerating them as they wiggled in the snow, trying to find a target. It was a messy, exhausting business, and she sank into the snow, her strength finally giving out.
Her wolves pushed close, forming a circle of protection, with Ivory and the healer’s body inside. Gregori was dependent on Falcon to keep his physical form safe while he worked, and the ancient Carpathian remained very still, watching the wolves very carefully.
While Gregori worked, the knife never wavered, nor did Razvan ask anything about his family. His entire concentration was on Ivory’s safety. He watched the others, leaving it to her wolf pack to warn him should Gregori try anything to harm her. That took discipline and restraint. At no time did the blade of the knife penetrate the prince’s skin.
Mikhail allowed his body to breathe naturally. “Gregori is a tremendous healer. He will make certain no parasites remain.”
“I appreciate his service.”
“You have no need to continue to hold me hostage,” Mikhail said. “Gregori snarls and snaps, but he has no wish to harm your lifemate, only to heal her. He is driven by his code. He will not be so understanding over your continued threats. I have given my word for safe passage for both of you. It would be foolish to escalate the situation when your woman will need care.”
Razvan held the knife for a few more moments, as if weighing the truth of Mikhail’s words and then the knife disappeared and he stepped back into the shadows where he had a clear path to all three male Carpathians.
Mikhail didn’t move out of striking distance, maintaining his show of faith. Falcon glided a little closer so that he was in a better position to insert his body between the prince and potential harm should there be need.
“Tell me, Razvan,” Mikhail said, “does Xavier still truly live?” He studied the gray-streaked hair. Few Carpathians went gray; only the gravest of all injuries could produce that kind of damage to a Carpathian. When looking closely the prince could see signs of suffering etched into the worn face. Razvan was a handsome man, but he looked older, weathered.
“He does,” Razvan confirmed.
“Does he possess your body at will?”
“He does,” Razvan answered, without flinching. “Although for the first time, I was able to keep him out. I have never been at this strength before, so it is possible, with time, I can learn to keep him at bay.”
Falcon stirred, his dark eyes looking deep into the shadows as if he might see their oldest, most dangerous enemy. “Do you endanger your lifemate?”
“I am a danger to anyone near.”
Mikhail flicked Falcon a quick, quelling glance. “How is it you came to escape?”
“The last attack on the ice cave forced him to move me from the chamber where I was normally held. He had little time to prepare, and it wasn’t as secure. I had not been fed in days. I believe he thought me too weak to make the attempt.” Razvan shrugged.
Mikhail studied the face ravaged by hardship. That small shrug told him a lot about the man. He wasn’t asking for sympathy, nor was he apologizing for the life he’d been forced to lead. Those simple sentences spoke volumes.
Mikhail bowed. “You are a true Dragonseeker.” No Dragonseeker had ever succumbed to the darkness preying on the males of their species. If anyone had reason to embrace bitterness, hatred and anger, it was Razvan, if all that was suspected was correct. “We are in a battle for our very existence. Perhaps there are things you can tell us that might aid in our fight to save our children. Lara has been invaluable to us.”
Razvan kept his gaze on Ivory, not answering. Just hearing his daughter’s name was hard, and emotions swamped him, but he refused to let it show. He had centuries of practice at learning to keep his face a mask, and he didn’t allow the prince to see how the mere thought of Lara twisted him up inside. Ivory lifted her lashes and looked up at him. His gaze locked with hers and his heart jumped.
She knew. She had to be in tremendous pain—she had to be fearful of the outcome of his threatening the prince of the Carpathian people—but a small half smile curved her mouth. He knew that smile was for him. That secret smile locked them together, fit them like two pieces of a puzzle, private and intensely intimate. Her eyes were soft as she sent warmth into his mind.
Something deep inside of him twisted into hard knots. Something else melted. His heart gave a curious flutter and his throat closed. Ivory. Why had he found her now? She was the most unexpected treasure. No one, least of all him, deserved her, with her tenacious courage and generosity.
Feminine amusement slid into his mind.
Do not deceive yourself. No one but you would call me generous. I am the slayer. That is all
.
She was so much more—she was
everything
. He kept his eyes locked with hers while she shuddered again as more parasites fell from her pores to the blood-spattered ground. He filled her mind with strength and the scents he had discovered in her lair, the ones he knew soothed her, to sustain her through the rest of the healing.
The extraction of parasites was a difficult process. The healer had to be especially careful not to miss even one and, as Gregori rejoined his body, he swayed with weariness.
“She needs blood,” Gregori announced, and sank into the snow beside her.
“So do you,” Mikhail said, gliding over the snow to the healer’s side. He held out his wrist in a casual, easy gesture that spoke of longtime familiarity with donating blood.