Baird’s eye twitched, or it could have been the parasites that had begun to crawl over his face. Several had made it to his eyebrow, and two had gotten caught in the sunken sockets. He halted his forward momentum, suddenly suspicious. Something struck him hard in the back. He choked, trying to shape-shift. The fist drove through skin, bones and muscles, tearing everything in its path to reach his heart.
“No, no, no.” Where were his servants? Why had he taken such a foolish chance? He was so weak, and the blood he needed was only a few steps away from him. Snarling, he drew back his lips to reveal his teeth, his every intention to fly at Benedek and take what he needed by force.
Benedek began healing the terrible wounds in his neck and chest, all the while watching him with that same impassive, merciless look on his face. If Benedek was in front of him, who had impaled him? Who had wrapped their fingers around his heart and relentlessly dragged it from his body?
Baird shrieked and wailed as he spun around, spewing the poisonous vapor every which way in the hope of getting a direct hit on thehunter behind him. Another ancient. He didn’t have time to remember his name; the bolt of lightning was leaving the clouds and slamming into the heart the large Carpathian had flung into the air. Baird tried to crawl away, but without his heart, nothing worked right. The flash was dazzling as the white-hot energy enveloped him, reducing him to ash.
Afanasiv kept his gaze fixed on the third master vampire making his break at the same time as the first two. He recognized him immediately, not from looks but from his movements, although he appeared slow and stiff. At one time, centuries earlier, Gazsi had been considered a legendary Carpathian hunter. He had been a good friend to Prince Vladimer. When the hunters were asked to leave the Carpathian Mountains, Gazsi had done so willingly, and he’d been an efficient destroyer of the undead.
Afanasiv heard the rumors that he had turned. A hunter such as Gazsi had many battles under his belt. He’d also exchanged blood with other hunters when he was wounded. The first thing he’d done was track those hunters through his blood bond and kill them. More than once, Afanasiv had run across his kills and had begun tracking him only to have to break off in order to save a village from a hoard of newly made starving vampires killing everyone in sight. Gazsi became famous for his sacrifices of villages and pawns.
Gazsi started out of the house but was far more careful than the other two master vampires. He wasn’t looking at the demons rushing the royals or the Lycans battling the lesser vampires. He stuck his head out the door and sniffed the air. Instead of stepping outside, he remained inside but stretched his neck as he stood cautiously, continuously testing the air. The entire time, his eyes moved restlessly over the battlefield, ensuring that every royal was occupied. It was clear he was uneasy. He extended one foot out the door, his hands grasping the doorjamb in preparation of launching himself skyward.
As Benedek revealed himself to Slayer of Hunters, Gazsi was back inside. Afanasiv knew the other ancients had sealed the windows anddoors in an effort to force the army hidden inside the Trojan horse to exit out the back door.
You are certain the women are protected?Afanasiv said.
Gazsi had been a smart hunter. He hadn’t lost that intelligence when he chose to give up his soul. If anything, he had become even more cunning. He might feel the safeguards the ancients had woven around the women. If he did, was it possible he would be able to reverse them and use the women as hostages or for the blood he was starving for?
They are,Benedek assured him.
There was no arrogance in Benedek, but it was impossible not to believe him. He was that confident, even while battling Slayer of Hunters.
Even with the reassurance, Afanasiv drifted close to the house, ignoring Petru as he circled to the side of the structure to follow the progress of the one called Baird. Afanasiv’s prey was Gazsi, and he couldn’t take anything for granted when it came to the master vampire.
Afanasiv assessed the things Gazsi would need for his continual survival. He would be methodical about getting everything in place. He didn’t need to be outside fighting the royals or the Lycans. He didn’t have anything to prove to anyone. He didn’t care about anyone but himself. He would sacrifice anyone to stay alive. He would stay in the house as long as it took for him to feel it was safe enough to leave. In the meantime, he would see to his needs.
Gazsi would search for food, anything to make him stronger. That would be a priority. Benedek could weave the strongest safeguards, and they would keep a vampire out, but a master vampire might be able to compel someone to come to him. The safeguards normally weren’t woven to keep someone prisoner. That meant he would call someone to him.
Lycans weren’t easily beguiled or tricked, but everyone inside had belonged to the Sacred Circle, including those who worked there. Barnabas had worked for years to get key members to undermine theroyals using his insidious preying on their innermost desires. The weaker ones had eventually caved, believing themselves above reproach. If any inside still had ties to Barnabas even after he had been destroyed, Gazsi very well could persuade them to come out of their safeguarded hiding place.
Afanasiv drifted back into the house on a slight wind. He needed every sense, but the stench in the room where the Trojan horse had exploded, expelling Xayvion’s army, was overpowering. He shut down all emotion as he had been doing for more time than he had ever had feelings. The moment he did, the demon rose in him, eager to do battle. It was that darkness that aided him now. Darkness called to darkness.
He was aware instantly of Gazsi gliding through the next room, not as graceful as he normally might be. Afanasiv listened to the footsteps. The master vampire wasn’t wasting precious energy on flying or trying to camouflage his appearance.
“Aw, now I know where you are. I can smell you.”
Afanasiv heard the quiet chuckle in the vampire’s voice and he passed through the open archway to catch a glimpse of Gazsi hurrying around a corner.
“Lycans have too much wolf in them to try to hide from anyone with a nose,” the vampire went on in a singsong voice. The voice was very compelling. “Come to me, feed me. Be my servant. I can give you immortal life. Come to me now.”
Afanasiv circled in front of the master vampire to find the hiding place in the kitchen where the woman who served the family for years had secreted herself in a small space in the wall. Benedek had woven safeguards to keep any vampires out, but the woman could easily walk right through them if she wanted to step back into the kitchen.
Very carefully, Afanasiv threw up a second safeguard, this one blocking the vampire’s voice and ensuring the weave prevented the woman from going to anyone evil.
Vasilisa, visualize the woman who works for Lada.
As he waited for her response, he caught a glimpse of her determinedly sprinting toward a small army of demons and vampires as they rushed toward Andros and Grigor. Behind the demons and vampires poured an army of Lycans. Even while he was merged with Vasilisa, several Lycans leapt on the vampires and tore at their chests or backs. Others lifted demons and slammed them over their knees to break their backs. Andros’ people had come to protect the royals.
Vasilisa sent him a detailed picture of the woman hidden behind the panel in the kitchen. He cast the illusion over his body, taking the older woman’s appearance.Thank you, my lady. It would please me if you would come back into the yard.
I am certain it would.Behind the laughter, there was a grim note.
Gazsi was in the kitchen, sniffing at the walls and waving his hands in a revealing spell. He would know that an ancient would think to safeguard any Lycan or human remaining in the house. Gazsi didn’t appear as disoriented as the other two master vampires had, but he was weak and very aware of it. He watched his back trail even as he systematically went over each wall, trying to find the hidden room, coax out his prey with his sweet, persuasive voice, or find the right combination of words to reveal woven safeguards. He couldn’t keep up his appearance, something all master vampires took great pride in.
He neared the wall where the woman hid in the small room. Afanasiv didn’t move, waiting patiently as Gazsi lifted his hands once more and murmured his revealing spell. At once a barricade that looked much like a tapestry of woven threads appeared. The threads blazed with life spinning around one another in various hues.
“There you are,” Gazsi said aloud. “Why do you hide from me?” His voice sounded sweeter than ever. “I will give you everything you ever wanted. Come to me. You know you want to be with me.”