Christine feehan - Dark Slayer 20

I call to Hell's Gate, Ivory chanted.

Let lightning strike, Razvan invoked.

I call to the power that which is light, Ivory chanted.

Take form from this darkness, Razvan invoked.

Let angels walk forth, Ivory pleaded.

Opening their arms, draining evil's force, Razvan chanted.

Take that which is heart's blood. Power filled Ivory's voice.

Straining it pure. Razvan merged completely with Ivory.

They chanted together: Let it only abide in one that is pure.

Already weak without Carpathian blood to sustain him and from her previous spell, the combination of Razvan and Ivory together was too much for Xavier. The dark blood in the center of the crystal exploded outward and Xavier clutched his heart. Blood burst from his chest. Snarling, cornered, terrified he was losing his final chance at immortality, the mage used his last, most secret weapon. He dropped his staff, clutched his chest in an effort to stem that black, bubbling blood and unleashed his wrath on the Carpathians.

The sun burst overhead. Bright. White-hot. A turbulent, seething, volcanic mass. Winds roared, tearing through the ice caves as the heat blasted them from all sides, melting the ice faster than anything possible. Water poured down on them, searing, boiling water. Steam rose, but as the orange-red ball spun, it flung threads of fire. Dazzling light radiated through the chamber.

Skin smoked. Blistered. Melted. Sergey screamed and tried to dissolve again, and this time the arrowheads fell from his chest as his acid blood ate through the coating. The two fragments seeped into his pores just as he shifted.

To my back! Ivory ordered the pack, holding out her arms.

The wolves leapt for safety as the water rose fast, rushing through the chamber, boiling everything in its path, including the saber-toothed tiger. The Carpathians shifted to vapor, their only hope of escaping, just as Sergey had done, but even in that form, the sun burned the molecules that made up their forms.

Ivory flowed toward Xavier as he crawled along the edge, leaving a trail of black blood behind. The blood bubbled and burned into the fast-melting rock. He opened a crack that was spewing water wide enough for his body to pass through, but she was on him, her hands coming out of the vapor. The burns went to the bone, her skin dissolving first into a mass of blisters and then melting. Still, even with her bones, she held him, preventing his escape.

Razvan's fist came out of the vapor, suffering the same fate as Ivory, the skin burning off as he slammed it deep into Xavier's chest and extracted the burst heart. He threw it into the raging fires and then followed it with the body.

The four Carpathians streaked out of the rapidly collapsing cavern using Xavier's escape route. The spinning mass of heat and light stayed behind them as they shot down a tube and into the cool darkness of the caves. The mountain rumbled ominously as they made their way through the tunnels to the outside hills.

All of them rolled in the snow, trying to ease the burning, vicious pain.

«We need to go to ground right now,» Vikirnoff said, his teeth chattering, his body in shock. Gregori, we have need of you. Healers! Come to us!

«Not here. Not anywhere near his evil,» Ivory advised. «Find a clean spot and let Mother Earth have you.»

«Gregori and Francesca are on the way. They will meet us,» Vikirnoff said.

Shivering with the terrible pain, Ivory and Razvan took to the air together, leaving Vikirnoff and Natalya to do the same.

CHAPTER 21

Razvan gripped Ivory's hand as they approached the ceremonial cave. Gregori's summons had reached them just before dawn, with his invitation to the naming ceremony, and both had been nervous before they had succumbed to their rejuvenating sleep. They had spent so long in the ground recovering from wounds, both had thought the naming would have already taken place, but Gregori had honored them by waiting, which meant they had little choice but to attend.

«They are not going to search you this time,» Ivory teased. «I think.»

«They try that this time and the dragon in me may just come flaming out.» He gripped her hand tighter.

Ivory looked up at his face. Instead of his usual calm, he looked strained. She knew it had nothing to do with the distrust of the Carpathian ancients and everything to do with his daughters and sister.

She halted and tugged him around to her, lifting her palm to frame his beloved face. «You are han ku pesa-protector. You are han ku meke piramet-defender.» Her voice softened. Her eyes swam with love. «Most of all, you are han ku kuulua sivamet-keeper of my heart.»

He caught her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. He couldn't have spoken. Not with love shaking him and setting his hands trembling, or with the lump in his throat so big he might choke. He could only pour everything he felt for her into his kiss. When he lifted his head, her eyes had gone antique gold. «Thank you. I needed to hear you say you loved me.»

She parted her lips to protest. She hadn't actually gone that far, but he kissed her senseless again, scattering her wits until she could barely remember her own name, let alone what she'd said to him.

«Razvan!» Natalya rushed them. «You came.»

They had barely time to break apart before she threw herself into her brother's arms, rocking them both so hard Ivory had to catch his arm to steady them.

«Of course we came. Gregori said it was a naming ceremony. I have never been to one.» Razvan gently set his sister back on her feet, looking her over for injuries. The time spent rejuvenating in the ground had done her good. She bore little evidence of the encounter with Xavier and Sergey.

«You have to come to see Lara. Gregori let her up for the ceremony. She's fragile and weak, but he said whatever Ivory did, she can still bear children.» Natalya's eyes were bright.

«Mother Earth saved her, not me,» Ivory protested.

Natalya ignored the protest as well as all personal barriers, catching Ivory's arm and tugging toward the ceremonial cave. «Hurry. Everyone is waiting inside for you.»

«Give them a chance to catch their breath, Natalya,» Vikirnoff advised with a small smile. He tucked her beneath his shoulder. He still had a couple of burn marks on him from having shielded Natalya.

«I do not wish to upset Lara, especially in her fragile state,» Razvan objected, halting abruptly.

Ivory swung around to him, her hand actually curling around the hilt of her knife. We do not have to do this. She wasn't going to have anyone-sister, daughter, ancients, anyone-make him feel unwelcome or less than what she believed him to be: a great hero.

Shockingly, Razvan laughed and the sound was carefree. He swept his arm around her. «You are a treasure, fel ku kuuluaak sivam belso-beloved. My greatest treasure. I believe you would stand between me and . . .»

«Anything. Anyone.» Her eyes deepened from her light amber to that antique gold that always sent his heart stumbling.

He brushed a kiss on top of her head. «Let us go to the naming ceremony for Gregori's sake. He has done much for us, and if this pleases him, it is a small thing to us.»

Natalya frowned. «Lara wants to see you, Razvan. And Nicolas is dying to see his wonderful little sister Ivory. He can scarcely believe what you did-what the two of you did. What a relief it is to know Xavier is gone from this world.»

«Not entirely,» Ivory cautioned. «No one must ever forget those two fragments found a host in a master vampire. He was terribly wounded, but he will rise again, and with the shadow of Xavier dwelling within him, he will be more evil than ever.»

«We have warned the people,» Vikirnoff assured. «A hunting party went out, but no trace of Sergey was found.» His eyes met hers. «I am truly sorry about your brother. He was a great warrior once.»