Wait For Dusk Part 6

Sunset came too early the next night. After returning to the hotel from s...o...b..r Park, Danaus headed out into the city while I returned to the hotel room we were sharing on Gellrt Hill. I could have used a bite, but I wasnat in the mood for hunting. I was in the domain of an unknown keeper and Rowe was lurking about. In the meantime, I had with me two nightwalkers of questionable dependability. Valerio looked out for himself first and foremost, while Stefan would rather see me dead so he could have my seat on the coven. The situation was far from ideal from my perspective. I needed to get home before this situation got even more out of control. Unfortunately, returning to Savannah wouldnat solve my dilemma with Nick. I couldnat even begin to guess at how I would deal with such a creature.

With a sigh, I jumped in the shower and then pulled on a clean change of clothes. I had packed enough to get me through a week, but I was hoping that this trip abroad wouldnat last me quite so long. My own domain was wounded and sore, needing my strict attention before the rift between the shifters and the nightwalkers grew any wider.

Stepping out of the bedroom into the main living room of the hotel suite, I found myself faced with Valerio instead of Danaus. A frown tugged at my lips as I looked around the room, as if the hunter were lurking in some remote corner, but he was nowhere to be found.

aHeas not here,a Valerio confirmed.

aWhere is he?a I demanded, hating the petulance in my tone.

aDonat know. He left the hotel room as soon as I arrived and didnat say where he was going.a Valerio sat in one of the comfortable chairs that ringed a dark wood coffee table. My bare feet sank into the thick carpet as I crossed the room and dropped into one of the chairs opposite him. aTrouble in paradise? Loversa quarrel?a I flashed the nightwalker a dark look and then turned my attention back down to the coffee table before me. There were a pair of picture books on the surface that showed tourists all the wonderful sights within Budapest. A secret part of me wished this would prove to be an easier task than Jabari had led us to believe, and that Danaus and I could take some time wandering these old streets together. However, between Nick and Rowe, such a hope was promptly crushed.

aMiraa"a aLet it go, Valerio. Itas none of your business.a aUnfortunately, it is my business,a he countered, drawing my gaze up to his face. aIf youare distracted with romantic thoughts, it could mean my life. It is my job to protect the Elder of the coven, after all.a I tilted my head to the side as I stared at him in surprise. aWould you protect me?a He smiled. aOf course. You are one of the few nightwalkers still in existence that I would dare to refer to as a friend.a aValerio, Iam quite confident that I am the only nightwalker in existence that you would call friend, but that still doesnat mean you would risk your neck for me.a His smile grew wider and an evil twinkle filled his eyes. aI never said anything about risking my neck. I only said that itas my job to protect you. We must be reasonable about these things. You certainly wouldnat want me to die for you.a A soft chuckle escaped me as I shook my head at my old friend. Valerio would never change. He looked out for himself above all, and always looked for the situation that best served to give him the advantage. It surprised me that he had taken my side months ago when I was on the outs with the coven, but then the move proved to be to his advantage when I finally claimed the open seat. I was beginning to believe that he was both smarter and more dangerous than I ever gave him credit for.

aSo, youave become involved with the human and now itas not working out how you might have hoped,a Valerio observed. I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he held up one hand, halting the words on the tip of my tongue. aPlease, donat waste our time by denying it. You made him your consort. Youave been working closely together for months now. If you didnat kill each other, it was inevitable.a Flopping back against the back of the chair, I crossed my arms over my chest and crossed my left leg over my right knee. aNothing is inevitable.a Valerio shook his head at me. aBut things arenat working out, are they?a aNo,a I said softly. We technically kissed and made up at the park, but I could still feel the anger boiling inside of him.

aIad be surprised if they did.a aWeare not that different.a aYes, Mira, you are.a Valerio presented me with a patient yet condescending smile. aYouare a powerful nightwalker and heas a human. Youare an Elder on the coven, and heas a nightwalker hunter. There is a vast canyon separating you and Danaus, and I donat think you will ever find a way to bridge that gap.a aWeall find a way,a I said stubbornly, but I could no longer meet his eye. My gaze dropped down to the shiny tabletop, trying to ignore the truth that was ringing far too clearly in his voice.

aLet it just be a fun interlude. Do not involve your heart in this matter.a aAs if I would be so stupid and foolish,a I scoffed, but it was a lie and Valerio knew it.

aIt took you decades to recover from Sean, and I heard about Michael,a he murmured, leaning forward in his seat. He reached across the table and placed his hand on my knee. aThe men in your life donat last a long time, and you are the one left standing with a broken heart. Love is a beautiful thing, but youare an Elder now. You canat afford such weakness.a He was right. I had loved Sean with everything that I was, but his death had finally driven me out of Europe and to the New World. And the loss of my sweet Michael because of the naturi had made me sullen and reckless. The men in my life lived short lives and died painful deaths. But something in my mind screamed that Danaus was different. He was older and wiser than his predecessors. He had his own gifts and could survive and thrive where the others had not. At least, that was the lie I was currently telling myself.

aLove is not a weakness,a I countered, pulling my knee out of his reach.

aIt leaves you vulnerable. They could use your attachment to Danaus against you,a Valerio warned.

aAnd risk the hunteras wrath? I doubt it. A few may try it at first, but they will not survive his anger at being used like that.a Valerio sat back in his chair and stared at me with newfound interest. aYou sound very confident.a aDanaus will not tolerate being used.a I knew it firsthand. I was lucky the hunter was still in the city. He could have caught the first plane out of Budapest the second the sun rose and never looked back. I was praying that some thread of compa.s.sion he felt for me was holding him to Budapest. aHe hasnat lived as long as he has in our world without having a few skills of his own. He will outlast the others.a aIt will be interesting to see,a Valerio stated, scratching his chin.

A knock at the door drew my attention away from the nightwalker. Pushing out of my chair, I walked to the door while scanning the hallway with my powers. An unknown human stood on the other side of the door. She was alone in the hall. However, there were two nightwalkers downstairs in what felt like the lobby of the hotel. Meanwhile, I could feel Danaus coming down the hall toward the suite. A part of me relaxed as a soft sigh of relief slipped past my parted lips. He was returning to the room.

Opening the door, I was greeted by the sight of a tiny young woman with flowing blond hair and bright blue eyes. She was thin and pale, wearing a wispy thin top and soft flowing skirt that brushed against her ankles. A thick pearl choker was wrapped around her slender neck, with a silver ring in the front. A fragile smile lifted the corners of her rosebud mouth, but there was worry in her gaze. She was afraid.

aAre you Mira?a she asked in a musical voice.

aI am,a I admitted, only when Danaus was standing directly behind her. His hand rested near a knife that he always kept at his side. The hunter stared down at the top of the womanas head, a frown marring his handsome face.

aI am Sofia and I have been sent by Veyron to invite you to his home this evening,a she said. Her soft, breathless voice danced around us like a summer breeze. It seemed to hold no threat or cause for concern. I frowned. I didnat trust her. She seemed too helpless and fragile, but appearance could far too easily be deceiving. And yet I could sense nothing out of the ordinary about her.

aCome in,a I said, waving for her to enter the hotel room as I stepped out of the way.

The young woman kept her head down as she entered the dimly lit suite. She came to an abrupt halt when she saw Valerio standing before the seat he had been in just moments ago. Her hands remained twisted before her thin body as if she couldnat relax enough to allow them to hang limp at her sides.

aThis is Valerio,a I introduced, motioning toward the nightwalker. aAnd the dashing gentleman behind you is my consort Danaus.a Sofia scooted farther in the room, turning so she was facing the three of us. aIt is a pleasure to meet you,a she said, her gaze darting about the room. I knew she was looking for Stefan. Odelia would have informed Veyron of my presence along with the presence of my companions. As if he knew that he was needed, Stefan appeared in the room, standing just behind Sofia. It was all I could do to smother the smile that was trying to rise on my lips. Danaus gave Stefanas presence away when his eyes shifted from Sofia to the nightwalker standing behind her.

aOh G.o.d!a she cried in her soft voice as she turned to find him there. She jumped away from him and covered her mouth with both of her hands.

aAnd this would be Stefan,a I said, finishing the introductions with a little more glee than I should have felt at scaring a human. Danaus glared at me, but I shrugged it off. It was just a bit of harmless fun, and any report she brought back to Veyron would make the nightwalker pause in his dealings with us. Regardless of what Danaus thought, there was a method to our madness.

aI am a.s.suming that Odelia told Veyron of our presence in Budapest,a I began, drawing Sofiaas attention back to me.

The young woman dropped her hands back to her waist, where she continued to twist her fingers together, and turned to face me. aYes, Odelia stopped by last night and told Veyron that you had come to look into our naturi problem.a aYou know about the naturi?a Danaus interjected when she would have continued.

aYes, of course,a she said softly, flashing the hunter a weak smile before turning her attention back to me. aVeyron would like to welcome you into his house and to Budapest properly. Would you please appear at his home tonight?a aWe would be happy to meet with Veyron tonight,a I said, resisting the urge to frown at Danaus. aWe have several matters we would like to discuss with him.a The hunter apparently hadnat realized that Sofia was Veyronas pet, and this didnat bode well for the rest of the evening. I was beginning to wonder about the wisdom of bringing him along, but if I told him that he couldnat go, I knew it would cause even greater problems. I had taken him into the heart of the coven, for G.o.d sakes. A late night meeting with a powerful nightwalker shouldnat be a problem for us, but I knew it would be.

aExcellent! Veyron will be quite pleased that youare coming,a she said, seeming to relax a bit for the first time. Reaching inside the left sleeve of her shirt, she pulled out a folded piece of paper and moved to hand it to me. I took a step back, while Stefan stepped forward and intercepted it. It was all done smoothly, like a dance we had practiced over the long years of our a.s.sociation, but in truth we had never done such a thing before. However, it was the practice of the Elders not to receive anything directly from an underling if other nightwalkers were about to act as our a.s.sistants. Stefan knew the drill, and I was proud of the fact that I hadnat actually reached for the paper. The tradition was a mix of protection and elitism. By touching the paper she tried to hand me, I was putting myself at risk of any spell that might have been attached to it. In addition, an Elder never lowered him- or herself to accepting something from any lowly creature if could be helped.

aIta"Itas the address and directions to Veyronas home,a she stammered, her eyes darting from Stefan to me.

Mira, Danaus said in a warning growl.

Sheas in no danger, I replied in my most placating tone. His weakness for humans was going to be our undoing in the end; I knew it.

aOdelia said that you are an Elder on the nightwalker coven,a Sofia said in a low voice, but it came out sounding like more of a question.

aYes, Iam an Elder.a aAnd the Fire Starter?a aYes,a I hissed, smiling wide enough to expose my fangs. Whatever safety she felt by living under the protection of Veyronas name slipped away as she came to realize she was in a room surrounded by powerful nightwalkers and a human that I called my consort. If I had come to town with the explicit desire to anger and destroy Veyron, then my first stop would be through Sofia, and the two nightwalkers that were making their way up to the suite would never be able to save her. If Veyron treasured her so much, he never should have sent her. But then, she was in no real danger. I didnat mind raising the heart rate of a human every now and then, but if I was angry with a specific nightwalker, I usually took my temper out on that nightwalker, not his underlings.

aIf there is nothing else, you may return to Veyron and tell him that we will be appearing at his home later this evening.a I extended my hand toward Stefan, who laid the piece of paper in my palm.

aYes, of course,a Sofia said quickly with a bob of her head before she scurried back to the door. Everyone remained silent as Danaus opened the door and closed it again then secured the lock.

I glanced down at the piece of paper, noting the clean, elegant handwriting. It was obvious that a woman had written down the address and some brief directions to the place that lay somewhere in the Castle District. With a frown, I handed it over to Valerio, who also examined the address.

aIs this truly his place or is it a trap?a I asked, shoving my hands into the pockets of my black dress slacks. I hadnat been in the mood for my typical leather pants and confining top, but settled for a pair of cotton slacks and a mint green turtleneck. It was far from intimidating, but as Sofia proved, I could be intimidating even without my leather and knives.

aIt is the address for his home, but I think it is also a trap,a Valerio said. Folding up the piece of paper, he handed back to me and I shoved it in my pocket.

aFind anything of interest last night?a Stefan inquired.

aHeas not the keeper,a Valerio stated with a heavy sigh. aNo one uses that term. However, he is one of the oldest nightwalkers in the region, if not the oldest. His name is frequently connected with Odeliaas when it comes to who is making the edicts in the city.a aIs there any indication that Veyron and Odelia may be fighting for control?a I asked.

aNone. There has been no indication that they are anything but in total harmony at all times.a I shook my head and walked a couple feet away from where Valerio sat in his chair and then paced back. The only thing I could come up with is that Veyron and Odelia were actually lovers and were sharing the domain, but that situation was doomed to fail at some point. Nightwalkers typically didnat play well with other nightwalkers, particularly when emotions and shared power were involved. Hurt feelings and wounded egos did not mend so easily. aLovers?a aPossibly,a Valerio said with a shrug of his broad shoulders. aJust so long as they are both permitted to have other affairs as well. Sharing the domain, you think?a aThey have to be,a Stefan interjected before I could speak.

aItas rare, but it has been done before.a aIf weare here to take out both of them,a Danaus said in a low, dark voice, drawing all eyes to where he leaned against the doorway leading into the suite, ait will ultimately leave a power vacuum since there are no old nightwalkers in the area. Thatas dangerous.a aValerio is just a quick jaunt away in Vienna,a I said, waving my left hand at the seated nightwalker. aHe can easily hop over and keep the peace if necessary.a Valerio pushed to his feet and took a step around the coffee table toward me. aNow, Mira, thereas no need to volunteer me for more territory than I need. Iam not even technically the keeper of Vienna. I canat go extending my territory to include Budapest as well. Besides, as an Elder on the coven, shouldnat you have a domain in Europe like the other members?a aI keep my eye on Savannah. Thatas enough,a I snapped.

aAnd having a domain on two continents may ruffle more than a few feathers on the coven, I am sure,a Stefan said, earning a glare from me, over my shoulder. But despite my dark looks, the nightwalker was correct. Jabari had a good chunk of Africa, Macaire claimed Rome, and Elizabeth hung close to France. While I was always the first to deny it, I was overseer for all of the New World. I had always taken the approach that I was nothing more than an amba.s.sador for the coven since my domain was exclusively Savannah, but I knew that nightwalkers across the region bowed to my will because I was the Fire Starter. Claiming Budapest as well as the New World would only upset the various member of the coven.

aWell, everyone can relax. Iam not claiming Budapest,a I said, trying to keep my voice from dropping to a frustrated growl. aIave got Savannah and thatas more than enough for me. We should get going. Danaus and I will take a taxi to Veyronas place and then Iall contact you when we arrive so you can pop over.a aIt may be better if we follow you by the air,a Valerio suggested. aYou never know. He may decide to launch an attack when youare en route to his place if weare separated.a aWeall be fine,a I said, then looked over at Stefan. aFind anything interesting with Ferko?a aJust where they will be hunting tomorrow night,a Stefan replied with a cold grin.

aTomorrow night?a aFull moon,a Danaus said, leaving me cursing my absentmindedness. I had completely forgotten about the full moon. The local pack would meet tomorrow night, since they would all be forced to shift. The urge to hunt would be overwhelming, and they would need the strength of the alpha to keep the group under control.

aIam guessing that Iall find out tonight at Veyronas what has dragged you to this city,a I said, arching one eyebrow at Stefan. The nightwalker had not come because he had any real desire to protect me. He didnat care about whatever Macaire had planned for me. His main concern was a seat on the coven. However, I was willing to bet that something important had happened in his life surrounding the creatures of Budapest and he had tagged along to take care of a personal matter. I knew that he would have to tell me soon, or it was going to interfere with my own investigation. I was already on edge with Rowe in the city, and it didnat help that I was faced with a tag-team ruling party. I needed to know that Stefan wasnat going to run off and take care of his own agenda.

Stefan gave a little snort as one corner of his mouth quirked in a grudging smile. He had underestimated me. aI imagine you will.a aFine. Weare out of here. Be on guard while youare in the city. Rowe is in town and heas not happy,a I announced as I grabbed my heavy coat from where I had laid it across an open chair.

aThe one-eyed naturi from Machu Picchu?a Stefan inquired. aThe one that wants your head? When is he ever happy?a I pressed my lips into a firm line as I turned back toward the bedroom so I could pull on a pair of socks and boots before we left. Rowe was only happy when I was hurt and bleeding. Rowe would only be happy when I was dead.

I paused near the center of the room, every muscle in my body freezing as I extended my powers beyond the confines of the hotel room. Something powerful was coming.

aDanaus! Blade!a I ordered. I was completely unarmed, but the hunter tossed me a knife from across the room. I caught it with my right hand and turned it toward the growing source of energy. Valerio and Stefan didnat question me as I could feel their own powers begin to fill the air.

To our combined surprise, Macaire appeared in the room, standing so the point of my knife was just centimeters from his heart. He took one look at the blade and raised an eyebrow at me. aI take it things are not going well.a I hesitated in withdrawing the blade, but finally forced myself to lower it to my side. aIave never been one to welcome unexpected visitors.a aI came to offer my a.s.sistance since I am the one that directed you to Budapest.a aWhile unnecessary, your presence is most appreciated,a I lied through my clenched teeth. aI take it that everything went well in Spain.a aAll is quiet in Sadiraas former domain. Some of her children still reside in her old castle. Otherwise, the naturi threat has been removed from the area.a He made the comment about Sadiraas former domain and her poor children as if I was supposed to feel some kind of twisted remorse about her death at Machu Picchu. The only regret I felt was that I had not been the one to actually kill my maker. The old bloodsucking witch got what she deserved, and now it was time for her precious children to learn to stand on their own two feet.

In the meantime, I truly doubted that Macaire had accomplished much on the naturi front. Danaus had been there weeks earlier and cleared out the region. I couldnat imagine that there was much for Macaire to do. Besides, the Elder was far more interested in seeing me get killed off one way or another.

aWe had our first encounter with the naturi last night,a I said. aRowe is in town and appears eager to have his hands on me again to hand over to Aurora.a I suppressed a barrage of nasty thoughts about Macaire. The nightwalker liked to tread through the minds of others, and I had no desire to have him listening in on my thoughts of him. aIam confident that weall succeed in eliminating him at long last when we remove the naturi threat from the region.a aReally? Iam surprised, considering that heas been giving your problems for so long. Why do you think you have an edge this time?a Macaire inquired with a wicked grin.

aHe doesnat have the same kind of support of his people as he has had in the past. Heas an outcast; a traitor. They are going to be unwilling to help him, making the naturi an easier target to hit.a aWill you be hunting him down tonight?a I shook my head. aNot tonight.a aWeave been invited to a private gathering,a Valerio volunteered.

I turned Danausas knife over in my hand, watching the silver blade reflect the light. aIt seems that Budapest is far more interesting that we initially thought. We all came to town a.s.suming that we were dealing with naturi, but Iam afraid there has been a serious breakdown in the ruling system that we have set up.a aWhatas going on?a Macaire demanded.

aThatas exactly what weare trying to figure out. The Ancients are dead. None of the younger nightwalkers are going before the coven. And this Odelia that I met last night claims there is no keeper of Budapest. Itas chaos, and it cannot be allowed to continue.a aReally? I had no idea the situation was so dire.a aIam surprised. I thought you knew. I a.s.sumed it was the reason you chose me to come to Budapesta"to clean up this mess.a aMy concern was the naturi, that is all.a aYou said that you were familiar with Budapest, correct?a Danaus interjected, where Stefan and Valerio were not bold enough to tread. aYou should accompany us tonight to Veyronas. Perhaps the two of you could shed some light on what has happened to this poor city.a Macaire stiffened at being addressed directly by Danaus, but was forced to nod at the invitation. aI have heard of this Veyron and I would be happy to accompany you.a I chuckled as I turned my back on Macaire and walked over to Danaus to return his blade. aTwo Elders gracing a single nightwalkeras doorstep. What a rare honor!a Iam sure thatas exactly how Veyron will see it, Valerio said sarcastically in my mind. He was still cautious enough not to directly cross Macaire. I had recently killed the Elderas companion, making him a walking powder keg. The littlest thing could set him off, and no one was particularly happy to discover that he was now in town.

aYou can get the location from Stefan or Valerio,a I called over my shoulder as I walked toward the bedroom with Danaus following behind me. aWeall meet you there in approximately thirty minutes.a My final words were punctuated by Danaus slamming the door shut behind us. Let them figure it out on their own. I didnat want Macaire traveling with Danaus and me. He wasnat supposed to be there in the first place, and I didnat like it. I was beginning to feel even more trapped, surrounded by Nick, Rowe, and now Macaire. I was quickly running out of options and people to help me.

Nick had been right. Time was running out for me.

Chapter Twelve.

There was no mistaking that Danaus was still angry with me from the previous night. The hunter refused to look at me as we climbed into the taxi. He stared out his window at the night-drenched city while I told the taxi driver where we were going. So much for trying to make this fragile relationship work. We were two damaged people, warped by too many years on this earth and too many violent encounters with the various races. We couldnat trust others and we couldnat ask for help. Valerio would have said we were doomed from the start, but I refused to believe it. I had managed complicated relation-ships with nightwalkers, lycanthropes, and humans over my long existence. Why couldnat I make it work with a half-bori vampire hunter?

I gazed across the taxicab at Danaus, taking in the way the light slid across his strong features as we rode down the busy street. His dark hair brushed his shoulders, nearly obscuring my view of his blue eyes. I swallowed a sigh and turned my gaze back to my window. I knew what he wanted. A promise that I would never control his powers again. I just couldnat do that with Nick making my life a living h.e.l.l each night.

aWas it necessary to frighten the woman?a he finally growled at me after we were in the car for several minutes.

aThis time, yes, it actually was.a It was a struggle to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. aShe will carry back to Veyron stories of me and my companions. Veyron needs to know that the Fire Starter is here and she will burn through his domain if necessary.a aYou mean your already dark reputation wasnat enough to convince Veyron? You needed to scare some poor, helpless human as well?a I held back my next comment and stared out the window. I truly doubted there was any real reason to pity the poor girl. She looked like she was well taken care of, by the quality of her clothes and the expensive choker that ringed her neck. The woman was obviously Veyronas pet, which meant that she was accustomed to dealing with nightwalkers. And she carried some value to Veyron since he went to the trouble of arranging a pair of bodyguards for her.

aYou neednat get so worked up about the girl. I have little doubt that she can take care of herself.a Danaus opened his mouth to comment but I didnat hear it. A large bundle of magic energy gathered in the air just above out taxicab as we waited at a red light. There wasnat time to search out who it was or what the reason for the ball of magic was for. It didnat feel right, and I had survived countless centuries by listening to my instincts. Grabbing a handful of Danausas leather coat, I jerked him forward while I crouched down as much as I could in the backseat of the tiny taxicab.

aGet down!a I shouted just before a large explosion reverberated through the air, causing my eardrums to rattle in my head. Something large slammed into the side of the taxi, flipping the world upside down. I was thrown into the side of the taxi with Danaus landing on top of me. His elbow crashed into my jaw while the back of my head hit a combination of the gla.s.s and the street as we turned over. The whole world changed from darkness to a flash of white light as the taxicab rolled onto its top and I was crushed under Danausas weight. The noise of the metal sc.r.a.ping along the street was horrendous, clogging up all my other senses besides the horrible sense of pain.

Danaus finally shifted on top of me. Around us I could hear the shuffle of feet and the cries of terrified voices from the people that crowded this busy section of downtown Budapest. My body ached and my thoughts felt fuzzy, as if they were covered in cotton. There was a warm wet spot on my temple where my scalp had been cut and I had a sneaking suspicion that I had cracked my skull when we turned over. A part of me just wanted to lie there, but I couldnat. A creature was lurking somewhere outside the car, desperate for my undivided attention. I wasnat about to disappoint him.

Are you okay? I asked Danaus, using our private path. I had begun to cloak myself from the human onlookers so I could sneak out of the car.

Been better. Driveras dead.

Yeah, well, it could have been us just as easily. Stay here and play dead. Iam going to go look around.

I can help.

Keep an eye on the crowd if you can. Iam not sure what hit us or if itas gone.

Sliding out beneath Danaus on a bed of broken gla.s.s, I crawled out through the back window, which had been smashed. It wasnat easy to weave through the people that were gathered around the overturned car, trying to get a look in at Danaus. I was cloaked, but I wasnat sure how long I would be able to keep it up. My head was throbbing and the world swayed around me, keeping me off balance.

Outside of the crowd, I scanned the thoughts of the people, reviewing their memories. They were filled with confusion and fear, as no one could recall what had pummeled the side of the car. Only that something hit it with enough force to flip it over and send it skidding across the street. In the most anxious of those gathered, I inserted the memory of a car slamming into the side of the taxi before it drove off. It wasnat a pretty image, but it was more settling that the gaping void that filled their minds now.

I scanned the area for our attacker but no one stood out initially. There was a heavy feeling of magic and power in the night, but I couldnat tell if it was residue from the spell that had been cast or if the attacker was still in the region. The only thing I was confident of was that our attacker had been a warlock or a witch. The magic in the air didnat feel like a nightwalker, and lycanthropes didnat use magic. Even a naturi would have had a different feel to it.

A knot twisted in my stomach as I switched my focus to scan specifically for Nick. I had to wonder if he had struck out at me simply because I was not making progress fast enough, but I couldnat sense him. Of course, that didnat mean the b.a.s.t.a.r.d wasnat lurking somewhere close by, watching the show.

Energy thickening in the air was my only warning before I was slammed into the side of a building with a crushing force. My hold on my cloaking spell wavered once, but I managed to keep a grip on it so no one saw me flying through the air. Three ribs broke, puncturing once vital organs that now only seemed to be source of pain for me. Smashed against the wall, I gazed around the area to see a figure outlined by the moonlight as the person stood at the edge of a building.

With a smile, I summoned up my powers as a fourth rib threatened to break under the pressure pinning me against the wall. Fire flared around the figure that was casting the spells, but just as quickly the fire was extinguished with a hand wave. That was why I didnat go picking fights with warlocks. You find one with just enough skill, and my ability to manipulate fire no longer gave me an edge. However, the distraction was enough to free me of his magical grasp.

Sliding down the side of the building, I was relieved to see Danaus crawling free of the car. I considered reaching for his powers but squelched the thought just as quickly. The hunter was already angry with me. No reason to make the matter any worse, though I knew I would have to eventually.

Danaus, the rooftop across the street, I directed as I tried to push to my feet.

Got it. I felt the warm brush of his powers as he gathered the energy around him just before sending it across the street to our attacker. The figure jerked sharply and then ran from the edge of the building, moving out of our line of sight. Danaus dropped his hand and muttered a soft curse. He couldnat boil the attackeras blood if he could no longer see him. The magic user had escaped, but at least we were both still alive.

Too often nightwalkers were seen as the most dangerous of the supernatural creatures because of our need for blood to survive. However, warlocks and witches were frequently the most brutal of the others simply because there were too few of us strong enough to stand up to them. The only thing we had in our favor was that warlocks and witches didnat frequently feel the need to strike out at the other races. Like nightwalkers, they were content to fight among themselves.

With a few solid mental pushes and a little misdirection, I finally managed to extract Danaus from the crowd gathered around him and the car. He stumbled over to where I was leaning against the wall, a frown creating lines in his brow.

aWarlock?a he asked.

aOr witch. Apparently we have an admirer in town besides Rowe,a I grumbled in a low voice, still trying to avoid the attention of the crowd that was now being dispersed by the newly arrived police and ambulance. I squinted my eyes against the flashlights on their cars, which bathed the area in bright shades of red and blue.

aEarth warlock or witch?a I shook my head and instantly regretted it as it felt like my brain had sloshed around in my skull. aNo,a I replied with a soft groan. aThe magic felt like blood magic. Crisp, clean, familiar. This was a blood magic user who was looking specifically for us.a aMaybe you,a Danaus quickly countered. aI donat have any enemies in this part of the world.a A little snort escaped me as I looked up at my companion. aMy enemies are your enemies now, my friend.a Danausas frown eased as he put his hand under my chin and tilted my head up so he could get a better look at my face and the blood that was now smeared across my cheekbone and jaw. aYou should have just left me in Savannah,a he said.

aAnd leave you out of the fun? Youad never forgive me,a I teased, finally succeeding in erasing the last of his frown. aHow bad does it look?a aYouare a mess,a he said, dropping his hand back down to his side.

aYouare not,a I griped. aOf course, youare the one that landed on me.a Looking around the area, my eyes finally settled on an elegant hotel just down the block. It was a safe place to clean up before we continued on to Veyronas. I knew I couldnat show up on his doorstep looking like I had just survived a car crash. With a gentle jerk of my head, I motioned for Danaus to follow me down the street.

aAny clue as to who our new friend is?a he asked after we were several feet away from the crowd of people. His pace was slower than usual, but then I think he was more worried about me and the limp I had developed. The broken ribs I had sustained from the second attack mixed with the aches and pains from the car crash were slowing me down. My body was healing, but it was also starting to demand that I stop and feed. Unfortunately, that wasnat an option with Danaus hanging on my coattails. Of course, if Veyron was half the host I expected him to be, I wouldnat be surprised if he offered appetizers.

aNo idea,a I muttered. aThe only person I know that could have pulled such a spell is Ryan, and that wasnat Ryan.a aNo, that wasnat Ryan,a Danaus agreed. He had only gotten a brief glimpse of the person on the rooftop, but it was enough to know that it wasnat the lanky, white-haired man that ran Themis. We had had a falling out with the powerful warlock, but I was relieved to see that he hadnat made an appearance in Budapest with the sole purpose of making our lives more difficult. He was undoubtedly saving that for a more special occasion.

Wincing against the bright light that filled the hotel lobby, I paused in the middle of the room, staring up at Danaus, who was watching me as if I looked like I was about to fall over. aNot a word of this is mentioned at Veyronas,a I declared. aHe canat know that weare having trouble in his city. I want Valerio or Stefan to look into the warlocks and witches first.a aIf heas as powerful as everyone seems to think he is, wouldnat he know who the most powerful warlocks are?a aIf heas smart, he will. I just donat want him to know that heas not the only one trying to kill me.a aVeyronas trying to kill you?a aOf course. Why else would Macaire have sent us here? Macaire needs me dead, and for some reason heas sure that Veyron has an edge. If Veyron knows a warlock or a witch is gunning for me too, he may try to strike while Iam in the middle of a fight with the other b.a.s.t.a.r.d.a aDoesnat a meeting with Veyron and Macaire together seem unwise if they both want you dead?a aPossibly, but youare watching my back. It will be fine.a aGo clean up in the bathroom and Iall meet you right here,a Danaus said, pointing me toward the restroom near the back of the lobby. There was no use in continuing the conversation. I was determined to discover exactly what Veyron and Macaire were doing in Budapest.

With a sigh, I shuffled toward the bathroom, peeling off my coat as I walked. It was splattered with my blood, but as far as I could tell, none of my blood had gotten on my sweater. I would need to burn the coat before I appeared at Veyronas, but otherwise he wouldnat be able to tell that Danaus and I had been in a bit of a scuffle.

I couldnat begin to guess why the magic user had attacked us. The only one that might be even a little angry with me was Ryan, and I didnat think it would be his style to send someone else after me when it would be more to his advantage to manipulate me back to his side. I was far more valuable to him alive than dead, particularly if he was looking to get a toehold of control on the coven.

This magic user was also striking me at a bad time. It wasnat enough that I had to worry about what Rowe was up to, but I had to try to guess why Macaire had sent me to Budapest in the first place. Sure, it was to die, but why here? What edge could Veyron actually have over me and Danaus?

Of course, there was potentially an even darker reason as to why Macaire sent me to Budapest, but it was too horrible of a thought to contemplate. And besides, there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop him.