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.If it was his blood Zacarias needed, Cesaro would give it.His fingers drew the rifle into his hand and his fist closed around it.He took a deep breath and surged to his feet, the butt of the weapon fitting snugly into his shoulder, his sights on the cat.Very slowly his finger found the trigger and he began to squeeze.Behind them, bloody, his shirt and chest shredded, Dominic roared a challenge to Zacarias even as he ripped the rifle from Cesaro with one hand and slapped him away with the other.The strike was casual, but so hard the force sent Cesaro flying through the air to land hard against the house.“See to the woman,” Dominic ordered, his voice a low command that brooked no argument.He pointed and the man slowly got to his feet, looking dazed, his eyes showing his confusion.Cesaro was protected from compulsion, so it was only the sheer force of Dominic’s personality that overrode the loyalty ingrained in the foreman to protect Zacarias.“She’s in the bedroom and needs immediate medical attention.” That spurred the man into action.He hurried into the house, leaving the two Carpathians facing one another.Dominic held his hands out to his sides.“Zacarias.” Just the name.A calling.Zacarias shook his head.The whispers refused to stop, pounding like a drumbeat deep in his veins, in his mind, until he was consumed with the dark desire for blood.“Go.Go while you can, old friend.Save yourself.”“Ekam.My brother.Anaakfel.Old friend.” There was anguish in Dominic’s voice—in his heart and mind.“This is not your choice.Your choice is to serve your people.I need you.The prince needs you.We have to get this information to him.” Even as he spoke, Dominic glided into position, his heart so heavy he could barely keep the burning tears from moving past his throat.There was a ball of them lodged there.Zacarias.A man noble beyond anyone’s imagining.To kill him felt like a sacrilege.I’m going to shift, Dominic.I need clothes.Solange’s voice startled him.She was so calm.Her utter composure surprised him.He felt her in his mind, knew she felt his love for Zacarias.They were ancients.They had been childhood friends.They’d spent centuries fighting the same enemy, sometimes side by side, other times alone, but they’d always been in the world sharing the same fate.His heart would shatter when he killed Zacarias—but he would kill him.He would spare Zacarias the humiliation of losing his honor.The Carpathian people would remember him as the hero he truly was.Leave us, Solange.Dominic flexed his fingers.He’d taken a beating killing Etienne.The ancient had been a skilled fighter and he’d sustained several injuries.Zacarias was one of the best, most experienced warriors he’d ever encountered.Dominic’s love for him, his respect, would be difficult to overcome.He didn’t want Solange anywhere near this battle.He had no doubt that he would kill his friend, but there was every possibility that Zacarias would kill him, too.There’s a chance to save him.His first reaction was to order her away, but the absolute belief in her voice swayed him.More than anything, he wanted her protected.Yet Zacarias was as close as he was ever going to get to a real friend, and Dominic didn’t want to have to kill him.She didn’t wait for him to make up his mind, but shifted just to the left of him.He clothed her in her normal clothes, the faded jeans and thin tee that worked best when she was moving through the forest.She had emerged closer to Zacarias than he liked, and he knew it was deliberate.“I am family to you, Zacarias,” she said, addressing the Carpathian hunter.Centuries old, Zacarias was more than intimidating under normal circumstances.But he was so close to turning, he was growling, his eyes already changing, revealing the red haze of the vampire already trying to possess his mind.Dominic moved into position to strike.He would need every ounce of speed and strength he possessed to drive through the wall of Zacarias’s chest and extract the heart before Zacarias could retaliate.The attack would have to come as a complete shock if he had any chance at all to end it fast.The idea sickened him, but he meticulously went over each move in his head.Solange had merged her mind with his.He knew she saw the attack in his mind, but she continued to try, taking another step toward the hunter.Even as Dominic reached out a hand to stop her, Zacarias stepped out of reach and shook his head.“Take her and go while you can, Dominic.” His voice was little more than a growl.“Look at me,” Solange persisted.“I am your family.Sister to you.Would you really destroy the one you have long protected? The scent of blood, so much death, it’s calling to you, but I’m offering you freely, as your sister, as one under your protection.”Dominic’s breath hissed out between his teeth, his heart pounding.She was reading his mind, seeing the traditional and very formal Carpathian ways.Her life for his.No, Solange.I will not accept that.For you, not for him.This is a gift to you.I want to love him and see him as you do.You see honor and I want to see that as well.Let me give you what I can of myself.This is for you.Not at the risk of your life.You risk yours to kill him.Let me risk mine to save him.If he hadn’t loved her before, he did now.The force of the emotion shook him as Solange extended her wrist toward Dominic.All the while he watched Zacarias watching them.Zacarias was more predator than hunter.Perhaps both of them were in that moment.Both dangerous beings.But then Solange had faced danger unflinchingly before.He took a breath and allowed one nail to slide over her skin, opening the vein.Bright ruby droplets welled up, small, beautiful gems, glittering like jewels.“Come, brother,” she said softly.“Feed and then go to ground.This will pass.It has happened before.You’re strong and we need you.”Zacarias couldn’t tear his eyes from the blood.“Not like this.Never like this.It is too dangerous, Dominic.Send her far from me.”“I will honor your wishes should you go too far,” Dominic promised, his heart in his throat along with the ball of unshed tears.“You are my brother.Our brother.Drink.You will stay in control.” He tried a little push to aid Zacarias, but ultimately, it was his choice.He had to fight the beast, find the last bit of strength to get him through this foul crisis.Solange stood her ground.Of all of them, she was the most calm [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.If it was his blood Zacarias needed, Cesaro would give it.His fingers drew the rifle into his hand and his fist closed around it.He took a deep breath and surged to his feet, the butt of the weapon fitting snugly into his shoulder, his sights on the cat.Very slowly his finger found the trigger and he began to squeeze.Behind them, bloody, his shirt and chest shredded, Dominic roared a challenge to Zacarias even as he ripped the rifle from Cesaro with one hand and slapped him away with the other.The strike was casual, but so hard the force sent Cesaro flying through the air to land hard against the house.“See to the woman,” Dominic ordered, his voice a low command that brooked no argument.He pointed and the man slowly got to his feet, looking dazed, his eyes showing his confusion.Cesaro was protected from compulsion, so it was only the sheer force of Dominic’s personality that overrode the loyalty ingrained in the foreman to protect Zacarias.“She’s in the bedroom and needs immediate medical attention.” That spurred the man into action.He hurried into the house, leaving the two Carpathians facing one another.Dominic held his hands out to his sides.“Zacarias.” Just the name.A calling.Zacarias shook his head.The whispers refused to stop, pounding like a drumbeat deep in his veins, in his mind, until he was consumed with the dark desire for blood.“Go.Go while you can, old friend.Save yourself.”“Ekam.My brother.Anaakfel.Old friend.” There was anguish in Dominic’s voice—in his heart and mind.“This is not your choice.Your choice is to serve your people.I need you.The prince needs you.We have to get this information to him.” Even as he spoke, Dominic glided into position, his heart so heavy he could barely keep the burning tears from moving past his throat.There was a ball of them lodged there.Zacarias.A man noble beyond anyone’s imagining.To kill him felt like a sacrilege.I’m going to shift, Dominic.I need clothes.Solange’s voice startled him.She was so calm.Her utter composure surprised him.He felt her in his mind, knew she felt his love for Zacarias.They were ancients.They had been childhood friends.They’d spent centuries fighting the same enemy, sometimes side by side, other times alone, but they’d always been in the world sharing the same fate.His heart would shatter when he killed Zacarias—but he would kill him.He would spare Zacarias the humiliation of losing his honor.The Carpathian people would remember him as the hero he truly was.Leave us, Solange.Dominic flexed his fingers.He’d taken a beating killing Etienne.The ancient had been a skilled fighter and he’d sustained several injuries.Zacarias was one of the best, most experienced warriors he’d ever encountered.Dominic’s love for him, his respect, would be difficult to overcome.He didn’t want Solange anywhere near this battle.He had no doubt that he would kill his friend, but there was every possibility that Zacarias would kill him, too.There’s a chance to save him.His first reaction was to order her away, but the absolute belief in her voice swayed him.More than anything, he wanted her protected.Yet Zacarias was as close as he was ever going to get to a real friend, and Dominic didn’t want to have to kill him.She didn’t wait for him to make up his mind, but shifted just to the left of him.He clothed her in her normal clothes, the faded jeans and thin tee that worked best when she was moving through the forest.She had emerged closer to Zacarias than he liked, and he knew it was deliberate.“I am family to you, Zacarias,” she said, addressing the Carpathian hunter.Centuries old, Zacarias was more than intimidating under normal circumstances.But he was so close to turning, he was growling, his eyes already changing, revealing the red haze of the vampire already trying to possess his mind.Dominic moved into position to strike.He would need every ounce of speed and strength he possessed to drive through the wall of Zacarias’s chest and extract the heart before Zacarias could retaliate.The attack would have to come as a complete shock if he had any chance at all to end it fast.The idea sickened him, but he meticulously went over each move in his head.Solange had merged her mind with his.He knew she saw the attack in his mind, but she continued to try, taking another step toward the hunter.Even as Dominic reached out a hand to stop her, Zacarias stepped out of reach and shook his head.“Take her and go while you can, Dominic.” His voice was little more than a growl.“Look at me,” Solange persisted.“I am your family.Sister to you.Would you really destroy the one you have long protected? The scent of blood, so much death, it’s calling to you, but I’m offering you freely, as your sister, as one under your protection.”Dominic’s breath hissed out between his teeth, his heart pounding.She was reading his mind, seeing the traditional and very formal Carpathian ways.Her life for his.No, Solange.I will not accept that.For you, not for him.This is a gift to you.I want to love him and see him as you do.You see honor and I want to see that as well.Let me give you what I can of myself.This is for you.Not at the risk of your life.You risk yours to kill him.Let me risk mine to save him.If he hadn’t loved her before, he did now.The force of the emotion shook him as Solange extended her wrist toward Dominic.All the while he watched Zacarias watching them.Zacarias was more predator than hunter.Perhaps both of them were in that moment.Both dangerous beings.But then Solange had faced danger unflinchingly before.He took a breath and allowed one nail to slide over her skin, opening the vein.Bright ruby droplets welled up, small, beautiful gems, glittering like jewels.“Come, brother,” she said softly.“Feed and then go to ground.This will pass.It has happened before.You’re strong and we need you.”Zacarias couldn’t tear his eyes from the blood.“Not like this.Never like this.It is too dangerous, Dominic.Send her far from me.”“I will honor your wishes should you go too far,” Dominic promised, his heart in his throat along with the ball of unshed tears.“You are my brother.Our brother.Drink.You will stay in control.” He tried a little push to aid Zacarias, but ultimately, it was his choice.He had to fight the beast, find the last bit of strength to get him through this foul crisis.Solange stood her ground.Of all of them, she was the most calm [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]