Dark Peril (46 page)

“We have a three-point attack planned, but first we will hit Dubrinsky where it hurts. He has a weakness for the people in the village near where he lives. We will attack the humans, his women and children. They will believe the main attack will be centered there, but in fact we will follow his movements by satellite. He will not expect an attack from the air, from the ground and from beneath the ground simultaneously. He will be destroyed.”

The guard had disappeared around the corner of the laboratory, but Dominic replicated an image of him, blood dripping, heading into the forest, and he projected that image into the heads of Henric and Flaviu. The two vampires looked at each other and then at the others. Saliva dripped from Henric’s mouth and Flaviu exposed his fangs twice. Dominic simply waited, allowing the image of the guard to replay in their heads.

“We will, of course, have a few practice runs. We will try such an attack first on a couple of our greatest enemies in order to perfect the attack on the prince.”

Dominic’s heart lurched.
Zacarias! Are you getting this? They have to mean your family. Your people are in danger.

Power flowed into his mind. Zacarias. There was no edge, as if the continual call of the vampire had been pushed away by sheer will. Zacarias had more will—more heart and courage—than any other warrior Dominic had known. He would do his duty, protect his family, and there would be no worry of turning until after the job was done.

I hear. I have sent the news to my family and it is being sent to the prince as we speak. Josef is nearly finished copying the data from the computers. Get out of there.

Dominic smiled a little at the absolute authority in Zacarias’s voice. He would expect obedience. Everyone obeyed Zacarias. They always had. Zacarias was swift and deadly, and held tremendous power. He didn’t have patience for those who didn’t follow his word. He didn’t speak lightly, and if he said something, that something became law.

Will do as soon as my task is complete.

Dominic broke off, needing his attention centered on Solange. She was in the trees, moving fast, drawing the two vampires away from the safety of the conclave. He moved a little deeper into the circle of vampires, wanting to make certain he was seen and couldn’t later be blamed for the disappearance of the two. More than anything, he wanted to destroy Giles. The vampire had grown powerful and arrogant.

Solange. Can you kill them?

Solange sighed. Of course she could kill them. Dominic persisted in worrying. Before it would have aggravated her, but now she knew loving someone meant you fretted about their safety. She was certainly apprehensive about Dominic surrounded by a crowd of very hungry undead.

Henric dissolved into vapor, searching through the trees for the missing guard or the blood trail that would lead to him. Solange positioned her arrows over her shoulder, the crossbow behind her back, and used a liana to slip from the canopy to the ground. She did her best to look helpless, fluffing out her hair and humming, trying to look like a lost tourist. She wandered aimlessly, leaving tracks an amateur could find, but all the while making her way toward the second vampire, the one Dominic had called Flaviu.

Flaviu stepped out from behind a tree and bowed low. “You look lost.”

Solange sent him a tentative smile. She had practiced a million times with the crossbow, now she had to get it right. “I am lost. My friends and I are backpacking and I got separated from them.” As she talked she moved into position. Now or never. Henric wouldn’t be gone long.
Now, Dominic.

Solange didn’t wait for an acknowledgment. The crossbow slid into her hand, the arrow fitting smoothly as she brought it up and shot almost in one continuous motion. The head of the arrow pierced Flaviu’s chest and ignited, the flash white-hot. He opened his mouth but his heart had incinerated in his chest and his body slowly crumbled to the ground, the fire spreading from the inside out. The vampire burst into flame and rolled, his grotesque mouth stretched thin over long, stained fangs. He snapped at her, clawing the earth, trying to drag himself across the vegetation to reach her. The smoke rose, a blackish red, strange shapes with open mouths appearing and then subsiding.

Solange backed away from the undead as the remaining flames burst into a bright fireball and ashes rained down.

Get out of there,
Dominic hissed.
Run.

She sprinted away from the evidence of a burned vampire. There was no wind below the canopy, but thunder rumbled in the distance and the heavy layer of mist that had developed began to turn to a steady drizzle. That might help remove her scent, but she doubted it. Henric would be coming after her.

She leapt over a rotting log, sprinting for the small cache of weapons she’d hidden a hundred yards ahead in the huge sprawling tangle of roots. Her cat suddenly leapt, slamming hard against her bones, frantic to get out. Instinctively Solange changed directions. Behind her she heard a high-pitched yell.

“Stop, woman!” Henric sent the order, pushing hard at her brain.

Solange stopped abruptly and turned to face him, her movements uncoordinated, like a jerky puppet. She blinked at him, shaking her head, fear stamped into her expression.

Henric smirked, now that he had her under his control. He wanted her terror, wanted the adrenaline flowing, lacing the blood. The high he got was better than sex to him. He crooked his little finger at her.

Solange didn’t feel the pressure in her brain. She shook her head violently and let out a little squeak. What did most women do when they were terrified? When she was terrified—and she was fairly scared—her mind raced with every weapon possible she had at her disposal. Long ago, she’d learned that her intellect and her ability to stay calm were her two most powerful weapons. In this situation, she was certain a gun, knife and definitely her crossbow would be more helpful.

She made a move as if to run, but her feet refused to move. “What do you want?”

“Are you having trouble running?” Henric taunted. Deliberately he allowed his civilized mask to slip, showing her the skin stretched taut over his skull, his bloodred, glowing eyes and his dark, bloodstained teeth revealed by a parody of a smile.

“Help!” Solange twisted and turned frantically. “Someone please help.”

“No one is coming to help you.” Henric took a step toward her and watched as tears swam in her eyes. “No one is going to come. No one can save you.”

“What are you?” Deliberately she recoiled, wringing her hands together.

Henric shuffled a few steps closer, drawing out her fear, feeding on it. He looked down at his hand. His fingernails lengthened into long, razor-sharp talons. Smiling, he looked back up at her.

Solange held her crossbow and now she was smiling.
Now, Dominic.
“Then I guess I’d better save myself,” she said aloud as she shot the arrow.

Henric tried to dissolve, but she was close, almost too close. The arrow shot him through the heart and nearly pushed out the back when it ignited. Henric, half substance and half mist, shrieked and howled. He spat curses at her as he tried to dislodge the arrow burning white-hot from his back to his heart. The arrow had gone through the center of the withered heart, impaling the organ and holding it to form.

Solange calmly fit another arrow into her crossbow and shot him a second time, watching with cool detachment as he burned to ash. She took a breath and let it out.

They’re dead, Dominic. Where do you want me?

No injuries? Not even a scratch from running through the forest?

She heard the concern in his voice and carefully inspected her body to ensure she had no cuts or scratches.
I’m good.

Make your way back to your original position. I will get things going here. Everything is in place. When all hell breaks loose, these are the leaders I want you to try to take out.

Solange studied the images in his mind. She recognized Giles and his lesser vampires. Dominic had paid attention to four others. One looked older, unusual for a vampire to make that choice, a distinguished, silverhaired man wearing, of all things, a business suit.

He goes by the name Carlo. He has been living in Sicily so long he thinks he is part of the Mob.

She could see that. He certainly looked intimidating. The second man was slender with the cold, flat eyes of a killer. He wore casual clothes and he made her shiver for no reason at all. His hair was longer and drawn back in the usual Carpathian style. His jaw was pronounced and he idly swung a chain. He stood a distance from the others, and his gaze was watchful.

Akos. He used to travel with a falcon. I would not be surprised if he uses a harpy eagle to watch the skies,
Dominic warned.
Wherever he goes, there is a bloodbath.

Great. He and Brodrick are probably friends.

Men like Brodrick and Akos have no friends, only those they use as pawns. Do not underestimate him. If you have the shot, take it when the frenzy starts.

Solange was a little uneasy with the word
frenzy
.
What are you going to do?

Turn them on one another. As soon as Josef gives me the word that the virus has had a chance to work through the computers and destroy the data and spread into the network, I will destroy the laboratory as well.

“He’s going to turn them on one another,” she muttered aloud. She had a picture of vampires devouring one another in her head.

She climbed back up the tree and found her favorite resting place. Two boughs made a nice little cradle for her to stretch out in, her weapons close. Her favorite sniper rifle lay waiting, and she checked it out of habit. No one had disturbed her blind, but she cast around for tracks, always careful of the jaguar-men.

I’m in position.
She used the scope to take a better look at her targets.

The third image he sent her was of a short, stocky man who could easily have passed for a jaguar male. He had thick, ropy muscles on the frame of a serious body builder.

His name is Milan. He will try to outdo all of them for viciousness just to prove a point. If you cannot get him, get clear. If you only have three shots, Solange, make him one of them.

Will do. I know what I’m doing.

They can take to the air,
he reminded.

She flooded his mind with warmth. It was strange to have someone concerned about her well-being.
I’m not the one in the lion’s den. Show me the last one.

This is Kiral.
The man had chosen the form of a young, virile man. He wore skintight jeans, and she doubted seriously if the bulge in the front was really his. She was fairly certain he’d stuffed his pants.

He can choose his form,
Dominic reminded.

She could hear the humor in his voice.
That is just obscene. He scares me with that package. I think I’m shooting him first.

Dominic’s soft laughter soothed her nerves.

She took her time studying each potential target. The vampires were all talking at once, but she could feel the tension in the air, in spite of the distance. The rain fell steadily, making her cradle a little slippery, and she tied off a couple of vines for added safety. Thunder rumbled, and twice, in the distance, lightning forked.

The air felt charged, as if violence would erupt at any moment. She realized she wasn’t the only one feeling it. There was movement on the roof of the laboratory. Guards crawled across the flat rooftop, staying low, getting in position. They were heavily armed and Felipe led them. Solange was fairly certain Dominic had prompted him somehow to gather his men to defend themselves from a potential threat—but she knew they were the bait.

Giles continued to stir up the vampires, pitching the plans to them and emphasizing technology and how Mikhail Dubrinsky, the prince of the Carpathian people, lived in the dark ages and refused to change with the times. Solange could see the crowd had grown restless and many of them were having trouble keeping up the illusion of their appearance. Hunger beat at them and the scent of blood was heavy in the air. She didn’t know how Dominic was amplifying the smell with the rain falling, but he managed.

With businesslike precision she fit her scope to her weapon and the rifle to her shoulder. She was certain the frenzy was about to start.

19

I’ll wait for you to see it, forever if it takes . . .
Solange, my very own, amazing gift beyond worth.

DOMINIC TO SOLANGE

W
hen Dubrinsky leaves his lair to rush to the aid of the village, it will be far too late, we will have turned his people into the dead. Blood will run in rivers down the streets. Ours will be a feast beyond all imagining, celebrating our new world order,” Giles, the master vampire continued.

The vampires roared again, but this time the sound wasn’t quite as loud. More moved from the inner circle to look hungrily toward the laboratory where the humans lived and worked. Dominic pushed their need for blood up as far as he dared. He wanted more information, and Giles’s control over his conclave was beginning to unravel rapidly.

“Our puppet awaits our orders. He will be programmed to drive a truck with the bomb into the prince’s home. His lifemate is with child. We will get every one of them. From beneath the ground, two of our best will destroy everything above them. And from the air we will destroy everything below. Once he is gone, the vessel will cease to exist.”

Dominic waited for the roar of approval to quiet. “What of his daughter?” he asked, keeping his voice pitched low so the vampires had to strain to hear.

Giles looked annoyed. “She is of no consequence. She is female.”

He’s been too long in Brodrick’s company.
Solange’s sarcasm filled his mind.
The jaguar-men are slinking into the forest. They sense something is going to happen and they don’t want any part of it,
she added.