Christine Feehan - Dark Demon 16

Natalya turned on the nearest wolf, her mind racing. She would have recognized Vikirnoff in any form. The clone wolves still remained behind and she «felt» the presence of evil in the inn, probably stalking those upstairs, but the vampires had charged after Vikirnoff and she was certain there would be more of them. Snarling, she whirled to face the wolves, wanting to dispose of them quickly so she could follow Vikirnoff.

«Cover Natalya, Mirko! I'm going to protect my sister.» Jubal picked up two more cans of hairspray and raced out the door.

The few people crowding close to see what was happening, ran when Jubal burst out of the same room where several hideous creatures had just emerged from. No one was in the hall, but the walls seemed to expand and contract as if the building itself was breathing heavily. The door to Natalya's room was ajar and Jubal skidded to a halt wanting the lighter out in case he needed it to defend himself or Gabrielle.

«I'm coming in,» he warned just before peeking his head around the door.

His heart stuttered when he looked at his sister. She was white, almost gray, the lite gone from her face, and both Raven and Sara looked pale, their expressions focused as they concentrated on keeping Gabrielle alive. Mikhail, in his Vikirnoff disguise, and Falcon moved carefully around the room, examining the walls and floor.

«We are taking Gabrielle out of here, Jubal,» Falcon explained, his voice calm. «Mikhail is leading them away to give us time to get Gabrielle to safety.» In the very likely event vampires were near, Falcon wanted to preserve the masquerade as long as possible that Mikhail had left the inn.

«Is she dead?»

«I will not lie to you. We are keeping her alive, but we do not know if what we are doing will work. She is mortally wounded. Vikirnoff holds her spirit to prevent her from passing now. We can keep her body functioning, but we cannot contain her essence. He was the first person here and her spirit is sealed to his until she dies-or completes the conversion.»

«We must go now.» Mikhail mimicked Vikirnoff's voice perfectly. There was urgency in his tone. «I feel the presence of the vampire, but cannot locate his exact position.»

The tigress pushed its way into the room, ignoring the others as she caught up her pack in her teeth and went into the bathroom. Natalya emerged a couple of minutes later, still shoving weapons into the loops on her pants.

«Sorry it took so long, but there were a few of them. You have to go now.» Her birthmark was burning painfully. «Another vampire is close.»

«Jubal, bring the car around,» Vikirnoff/Mikhail instructed as he lifted Gabrielle into his arms. «Hurry, we do not have much time.»

Raven and Sara crowded close to him, protective of the woman as the prince started for the balcony.

Without warning, pieces of the ceiling rained down in sharp spears. Raven threw her hands into the air, creating a shield as they raced for the balcony. Jubal tossed the can of hairspray to Natalya and ran out of the room and down the stairs, using the front entrance to get to the car.

Natalya and Falcon separated, each moving to an opposite corner of the room. Natalya lifted her sword in preparation. The ceiling gaped open, and something dark and shadowy dropped into the room. She recognized the vampire immediately. Knowing Falcon had the better chance of killing him quickly, she stepped out of the corner to draw his attention.

«You're too late, Arturo,» she greeted. «And you look a little worse for wear. Did you and your master have a bit of trouble with the shadow warriors, because, honestly, you look like you've been sliced and diced.»

He snarled, flexing his hands into claws. «You. The hunters deserted and left you to your fate.»

«The hunters didn't think you were worth their time. I told them I could handle you no problem. I've already killed you, sheesh, let me think»-she tilted her head to study his face, lined now with hideous scars-«at least four times, maybe more. The battles with you seem to blur together.»

Falcon glided in silence to stand directly behind the vampire.

«I'm really going to miss you, Arturo, but all good things must come to an end,» Natalya said and took a step toward him, sword at the ready.

Falcon struck from behind, driving his fist through skin and sinew and bone, grasping the heart and wrenching it from Arturo's body. Lightning forked across the sky and slammed through the hole in the roof hitting the heart as Falcon dropped it, incinerating it immediately.

«Nice work,» Natalya said. «You don't fool around. I hope you can repair the place for Slavica and Mirko,» she added. «I'm going after Vikirnoff.»

«He is an experienced hunter. He will not want his lifemate to place herself in jeopardy.» Falcon directed the lightning to the body. «He expects me to guard the prince.» It was the only apology he could give her.

«I am well aware of what he expects.» Natalya raced for the bathroom again. She'd changed her clothes so many times in one day she was beginning to get annoyed with the whole thing. «Go. You do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do.»

«Good hunting.»

«Same to you.» Vikirnoff had drawn off a pack of vampires and he might lead them in circles just to buy the prince and Gabrielle time, but eventually he would have to fight them. She was damned if he was going to do it alone.

Natalya undressed once again. It took seconds to shove weapons, ammunition and clothes in her pack before slinging it around her neck and shifting back to her animal form. She could always put out the rumor of an escaped circus animal or let the Carpathians worry about a cover story. The roof was repaired and Falcon already gone when she reentered the bedroom. There was no body and no singe marks on the floor, not even from her practicing with the hairspray cans.

The tigress leapt from the balcony to the wraparound deck and then to the ground. She sprinted through the town, keeping to the shadows as best she could, avoiding humans whenever possible. She heard a few murmurs as people caught glimpses of the tigress moving fast through the bushes and trees. With all the events at the inn, there would soon be many frightening tales that would grow with each telling into large legends and her tigress would become a part of that.

She stayed connected to Vikirnoff, reaching past his persona of the prince. He was thinking thoughts the vampires might pick up, thoughts of his people and how it was so important to stay alive to protect them. She considered Vikirnoff's impressions of what Mikhail might be thinking idiotic…

Idiotic? These are princely thoughts. What do you think you are doing?

Following you. Watching your back. You're leading them deeper into the forest, aren't you? Where he would have to deal with them alone. Natalya wasn't about to let that happen, whether he wanted help or not.

Yes. I want them away from the inn, but in a place of my choosing to fight. Far away from where his lifemate would be in danger.

Arturo is dead. Falcon killed him and he's guarding the prince. He said it's what you'd expect of him.

Of course.

Natalya sighed at the perfect calm in his voice. He had gone into his battle mode and put aside his feelings, relying on centuries-old warrior instincts. They said only you could keep Gabrielle alive. What did they mean?

I am the keeper of her spirit. They will continue to try to heal her body and Falcon will give her blood next. They will try to heal her again and Mikhail will give her blood. She will go through the conversion at that time. If she is strong enough, if my will and her will are strong enough, we will see that she lives.

Natalya increased her speed, cutting through a meadow and bounding over a hill. She