"I have no problem with you speaking your mind, sir," Dimitri said politely. "Hearing truth is always preferable to lies."
Are you saying that shaggy old bear of a Lycan deliberately made me feel like a schoolgirl in front of all the Lycans?
Dimitri didn't dare answer that, not when Skyler had a bit of a fiery temper. He took another look around the room just to assure himself there was no beehive clinging to the rafters.
Randall reached for his glass of water, and raised it to his mouth. Without warning the glass slipped out of his hands, dumping the water down the front of him. The amount of liquid pouring into his lap seemed to exceed the size of the glass.
At once Randall's bodyguards sprang to help, handing him napkins and small towels from the table of food. The council members were not as polite, laughing and teasing Randall good-naturedly about his big hands and how he couldn't even hold a glass of water. Randall took it all in stride, grinning at his friends and shrugging his shoulders.
Lycans can detect energy when Carpathians use spells, Zev warned, frowning at Skyler. These men are used to deference.
Skyler raised her eyebrow, looking more innocent than ever. Dimitri kept his face impassive, controlling his amusement.
Are you accusing me of causing an accident? Did you feel energy coming from me? She managed to sound as blameless as she appeared.
Dimitri waited for the merriment to die down. "I have a lifemate. It is impossible for me to turn vampire. In order for me to become the Sange rau you fear I would have to choose to give up my soul. There is no way for that to happen."
Mikhail nodded. "Carpathian males who have lived too long and have not found a lifemate are in danger of turning vampire, but no man with a lifemate could do that," he reiterated. "There is a difference between a Han ku pesak kaikak and the Sange rau. All Lycans do not become rogues. All Carpathians do not become vampire. All mixed bloods do not become Sange rau."
Arno frowned back at them. "Carpathian hunters can kill the vampire. Elite hunters can kill the rogue packs. Neither can kill the Sange rau. Better to exterminate them than to take the chance that they will wipe out all of us."
Skyler's fingernails dug into his thigh, but she didn't speak or retaliate. It was the first truly insulting thing Arno had said. Up to that point he had been polite and even friendly. Dimitri suspected his beliefs ran as deep as did his prejudice.
"I would prefer not to be exterminated," Dimitri said. "I am a man, not an insect."
"A very dangerous man," Arno pointed out. "Your lifemate nearly died. I know because we were in this room when your prince and her mother believed her dead. It nearly started a war right here. Suppose she had died?" he challenged. "Without a lifemate, you could turn, isn't that correct?"
Dimitri shrugged his shoulders. "Lifemates follow one another into the next life."
"In every case? Always?" Arno continued to push his point.
"Not always," Dimitri conceded, "but it is rare not to do so."
"We've studied your culture." Lyall took up the argument. "We know that when a mate dies, madness grips the male. How would this affect the mixed blood? Wouldn't he be more likely to choose the way of the vampire rather than lose his life?"
"It isn't about losing one's life," Dimitri answered. "As a Carpathian, as a lifemate, our first duty is to see to the health and happiness of our mate. She wouldn't die of sickness. That would be impossible. She wouldn't die in an accident. She would have to be targeted--murdered." His eyes met Lyall's. "Then choosing life over death would be about revenge."
The word revenge hung in the air between them.
Mikhail sighed. You could have chosen your words more carefully, Dimitri.
I am no politician, Mikhail. If they have studied our culture, they know that by sentencing me to death, they would also be sentencing my lifemate as well. They sit across from Skyler and calmly discuss exterminating us. Both of us. Do you think I will allow any of these men to harm my lifemate?
For the first time he felt the impact of Mikhail's rage. It hit like a solid body blow, mean and wicked. Do you think that I would? That any Carpathian would? There is no chance that we would ever agree to what they are proposing. There is, however, a small chance that they will see things our way.
Dimitri took a deep breath. Mikhail was right. It wasn't that Dimitri couldn't be objective, he just thought sitting there was a waste of time. Trying to change centuries of prejudice seemed impossible to him. Arno had almost a religious fervor to him when he forgot to be a polite council member and began to heat up over a subject that clearly he felt passionate about.
Forgive me, Mikhail. I see that you have had to walk a fine line in spite of what you would like to say to these people.
It was Rolf who broke the silence. "I can understand how one would want revenge, Dimitri. If my wife was murdered, I would hunt down the one who killed her and, God forgive me, I am certain I would kill him. I am Lycan, not human, and my instincts as a predator would likely overcome all civilization."
Dimitri nodded. "Seeing Skyler dead, or at least believing she was, it was a very dark moment for me, but I would not let her go into another life without me by her side. I would leave the hunt to her father and uncle." He looked at Arno. "I am Han ku pesak kaikak and I have never failed my people or dishonored myself or my family. Duty and honor have been ingrained in me since I was a child, centuries ago. I can only tell you, I serve as a Guardian, not a predator on the people I protect."
"It is easy enough to pass judgment on the mythical Sange rau when few in our lifetime have ever seen his destruction," Randall said. "It is an altogether different thing when we have Dimitri and his lifemate sitting across the table from us. Clearly he poses no threat to us."
"Now," Arno said. "Now he poses no threat. We don't know what he will do in the future, and what if they breed?"
The word breed was said with such repugnance and loathing, Dimitri gripped Skyler's hand tightly, warning her not to speak. This was Mikhail's territory, not his. Fen and Zev were both silent, but they exchanged a long look.
Dimitri was grateful that the council members weren't aware both Fen and Zev were of mixed blood. They had been targeted by assassins, not for their blood, but because whoever wanted the war between the two species saw them as threats to his plans.
"That was rude, Arno," Rolf said quietly. "Extremely rude. Skyler, please accept my apologies on behalf of all Lycans." He pinned the council member with a frown. "We are sworn to put all prejudices aside and judge fairly. You swore that, although you were a member of the Sacred Circle, you could accept the changes modern society brought." Rolf indicated Daciana. "She is one of our best elite hunters, yet her skills would be denied to us if the members of the Sacred Circle had their way. You helped pass the law allowing her to serve. We came here with open minds, prepared to change our law if it was warranted."
"I know. I know." Arno shoved both hands through the thick pelt of hair on his head. "Women hunted before the sacred code was put in place. A precedent had already been set," he defended. "The sacred code was written after the Sange rau decimated our people. We needed the women home. Now, it isn't as crucial."
"That's understandable." Mikhail sought to bring the rising tension down. "We lost our women as well, and most of them do not hunt. We prefer them to remain safe. A few go out with their lifemates, but we're still rebuilding and we debate the issue often."
Arno sent him a grateful look. "Forgive me, Skyler and Dimitri. I struggle with my beliefs. Sometimes they don't make sense and I fight all the harder for them."
He sounded genuinely upset, a man who definitely wanted to do the right thing, but was caught in a war between past and present.
His beliefs are strong, anchored in centuries of reinforcement. He believes very strongly that every mixed blood poses a threat to his species and shouldn't--no, can't be tolerated, Dimitri observed, using the common Carpathian path.
He is not alone in that belief, Zev said. All m
embers of the Sacred Circle believe as he does, and they are not only great in number, but loud about it. Arno is one of their highest-ranking members and speaks regularly on the sanctity of their code. He is probably one of their biggest recruiters. He's a good speaker and feels passionate about his subject.
Could he be the man targeting the council members for death on our soil? Mikhail asked.
Zev sighed. I would never have believed such a thing of him. He's always been a good man, but now . . . He trailed off. Gunnolf and Convel were both members of the Sacred Circle, but I never thought they would betray us, or betray our pack.
Rolf shook his head. "We're all tired. Perhaps we should adjourn until tomorrow night. Dimitri has given us much to think about."
Lyall glanced at his watch. "It is late," he agreed.
Arno checked his cell phone. "Later than I thought. I believe it would be best to adjourn also. I need to put things in perspective."
The council members rose, as did the Carpathians.
"Before you leave," Zev said, "we need to make absolutely certain all of you are safe."
19
Fen, Zev and Dimitri stepped outside to scan the area around them. Both still had an uneasy feeling that signaled danger--and it was much stronger in the open air--yet neither could get a direction or a scent.
Fen swore softly. "We seem to go from one bad situation into another," he said. "I have a really bad feeling."
Zev took a slow, careful look around. "What do you want to do? Keep them all inside while we scout around?"
Dimitri's first impulse was to say yes, but something made him hesitate. His gut churned and knots formed in his belly.
"We're sitting ducks out here if they have sniper rifles," Zev pointed out.
"Dimitri?" Fen said. His brother knew him and waited for Dimitri's assessment.
"That's exactly what they would expect us to do," Dimitri said. "Every hair on my body is raised. I think we've got snipers staring at us through scopes right now, but they're waiting to pull the trigger. Why?"
"Why haven't you thrown up a shield?" Zev asked. "I don't like the idea of being shot in the head."
"The moment we do something like that, it will tip them off that we're on to them," Fen explained.
Even as Fen uttered the words, a voice burst through their minds. Mikhail. Gabriel and Lucian are under attack. Lycans are pouring into the village. All warriors are needed. Every woman who can fight must do so. Defend the humans in the village and keep our children safe.
A chill went down Dimitri's spine. This was a serious, coordinated attack on both Carpathians and the council. "Fen, put up the shield. If they shoot us, for certain, Mikhail and Gregori will keep the council in that room in order to protect them, but I think the trap is there."
A bullet whined through the air even as he spoke. It crashed into a transparent wall, so that a crack appeared first and then spiderwebbed out, revealing the shield Fen had raised instantly. Two more bullets were fired in rapid succession, both hitting in the exact spot the first had. A third bullet fired almost simultaneously hit a quarter inch from the hole.
"He's good," Fen commented. "And he must have been waiting for the Lycans to attack the village."
"There're two of them," Zev said. "One, for certain, is Hemming. He's been in the military all his life as a sniper. The council uses him when necessary. No one can shoot like he can. He's also a member of the Sacred Circle."
Dimitri swore as a fourth slug hit the small hole precisely where the other two bullets had. This time, the bullet nearly penetrated the shield. "Inside. There has to be a traitor inside, one of the elite guards." He turned to race back inside.
Fen swore as well. "He's right, otherwise they would have shot us the moment we stepped outside. The snipers gave him time to get close to the council members as everyone stood up to say their good-byes." He followed his brother. "They were just waiting for the Lycans to attack as well."
Zev took off after them, just as another bullet whined past his ear. He ducked as he ran for the shelter of the building.
Dimitri burst into the room, his gaze going to Skyler like a magnet. She was talking to Rolf and Daciana, laughing at something the elite hunter had said. Her eyes jumped to his face, the smile fading immediately as she recognized something was wrong. Daciana did as well, quickly catching Rolf's arm and thrusting him back against the wall. Her partner, Makoce, was there, using his body as a shield.
Dimitri hastily scanned the room, looking for a betraying "tell" that might give him a hint where the danger would come from. Gregori, get the prince out of here. I don't care how much he protests, but go to vapor and leave fast. He isn't safe here. Above all else, their prince had to survive.
Gregori didn't hesitate or argue with Mikhail. He shifted, his hand on Mikhail's arm, shoving the image of mist into his mind so that his body began to shift almost before he was aware.
We're leaving now, Gregori informed his charge.
Mikhail completed the shift, although the look on his face told Dimitri that Gregori was in for a rough ride once they were alone. Gregori could handle it; he'd been the prince's primary guardian almost from the moment the two of them were born.
Just as Dimitri took to the air to get to Skyler's side, one of Arno's elite guards stepped into her so that she stumbled back with a small cry, her hands going up to protect herself from the dagger in his palm. Before the guard could shove the blade deep, something caught his wrist.
The ghost. Andre was there before Dimitri, dropping down out of sight, shifting at the last moment to emerge between Skyler and the guard, his fist circling the guard's wrist. He turned the silver dagger back on the guard, shoving it deep just below the Lycan's heart.
Dimitri caught Skyler and yanked her back away from the Lycans. There was nowhere he felt she was safe, not inside that room, or outside of it.
"They have snipers outside," Zev informed his hunters. "At least two, and one of them is Hemming."
Fen inhaled sharply. Dimitri followed suit. If it was possible for a mixed blood to go pale, they both did. The distinct odor of C-4 drifted to them.
Fen waved his hand and opened the ground, tearing easily through the floor to the dirt below them. "Get in, all of you." Zev, there's a bomb. He used the Carpathian common path, warning all the warriors to get out quickly or use the ground for shelter.
"Daciana, move it," Zev called. He rushed to Lyall, gripping his arm, dragging him way from his guards. "Get underground now."
Daciana and Makoce both caught Rolf between them and dove for the opening. Zev managed to shove Lyall down as well. Randall took matters into his own hands while his guards debated whether or not it was a Carpathian trap. He jumped inside the hole as well. Zev went back for Arno.
Dimitri all but threw Skyler down, his body over hers as the world above them exploded. He covered her head, murmuring soothing words as the ground shook. She felt small and vulnerable beneath him, causing every protective instinct he had to rage. He'd had enough of playing politics. More than enough. He was an ancient Carpathian hunter, and it was time to hunt.
He raised his head. Several of the elite hunters had followed the council members into the ground. Fen had raised a protective shield over their heads and debris from the room, dirt and rocks covered that shield above their heads. In the meeting room, dust swirled in the air, so dense it was impossible to see much else over their heads.
He sensed movement and spun around, coming to his feet, a raging tornado, ready to do battle. The second Lycan who had guarded Arno was in the shelter, although his partner wasn't. He had climbed to his feet, his hand slipping inside his jacket. He pulled out a gun and in one smooth motion, turned and aimed it at Lyall's head.
The council member's eyes went wide with shock. The guard took another step forward, lifting his aim just past Lyall's head to center on Rolf. Daciana threw herself in front of the council member as the guard squeezed the trigger. Dimitri was on the guard even as he fired, le
aping over everyone to tackle him, taking him down hard.
The guard shoved his gun into Dimitri's stomach and pulled the trigger rapidly, but nothing happened, only the sound of the wolf desperately attempting to fire off a volley of rounds.
Dimitri had jammed the weapon. He let his wolf surge to the surface, Lycan against Lycan. They rolled together, a twister of thrashing bodies, teeth, claws, snarls and growls. Dimitri was enormously strong, and each time the Lycan tried to bring up the gun, Dimitri slammed his wrist over and over into the ground.
The Lycan howled as his bones snapped, then fragmented and then pulverized. Dimitri was relentless, determined not to kill him, but keep him alive for questioning. If he had been sentenced to death by silver, he couldn't imagine what fate a traitor attempting to assassinate council members might receive.
Makoce and Rolf both bent over Daciana, attempting to stop the flow of blood.
"I wouldn't advise moving," Fen warned the other Lycan guards. "I'm certain most of you genuinely are here to protect your council members, but at this point, any one of you who makes a sudden move is going to be dealt with harshly. Just sit down slowly and keep your hands away from your weapons."
Most obeyed, but Lyall's elite guards looked as if they might challenge him.
"In case you believe that you're faster than me, I'll warn you right now, you aren't and I'm not in a mood to play games. I'll put you down hard and fast."
Lyall glared at his guards. "Don't be ridiculous. Do you want to get yourselves killed? Sit down and do what he says."
A little reluctantly, the remaining guards sank to the ground. Fen trusted Andre to watch them. He had the reputation for being fast and as merciless as any Carpathian could get.
"We need to aid those caught in the explosion," Rolf said, looking at Fen over his shoulder. "And Daciana needs help. This wound is . . . severe."