Wait For Dusk Part 9

aThen youare going to need my help.a Danaus said, heading toward the door. As Valerio and Stefan started to leave the room, I grabbed Danausas sleeve, stopping him.

Thank you for protecting me, I said silently, so the others could not invade this private moment.

I protected nothing, he replied, anger still filling each of those words.

You protected me. Few have done so, I pressed, holding him still when he tried to take a step away from me.

Valerioa"

Valerio gave me a place to sleep. He did nothing more. You fought for me.

I promised to protect you. His words softened in my brain to something that resembled a loveras caress as his anger dissipated. I will protect you above all others. I promised.

aSave the longing looks for another time,a Stefan called from the doorway, snapping us out of our brief moment.

Danaus and I still had a long way to go, but at least I knew that he hadnat abandoned me for a human. The giant black chasm that still separated us needed to be closed, and I had my doubts as to whether that was even possible. But I was willing to try. He had not left me for a human. It was a start.

For now, I had to put thoughts of my rocky and fragile relationship with the hunter aside. I had to hunt down some lycanthropes, and I was sure that Danaus was going to see a side of me I preferred to keep hidden from him. I didnat want him to discover that I was struggling to hide the smile of excitement pulling at the corners of my mouth. I didnat want him to know I was eager to be in the woods, chasing them down, hearing their screams of pain. They had attacked Danaus, tried to kill me. I was ready to make them pay.

Chapter Seventeen.

The woods were thick. An oppressive silence weighed on us as we trudged through the blanket of snow. The crunch of our footsteps echoed through the cold, crystalline night. Ducking under low branches, I was grateful Valerio had acquired a pair of black leather pants, st.u.r.dy boots, and a black turtleneck for me. My new, long black coat flaired behind me as I walked.

There was no doubt that the lycans were gathered up ahead, and there was no sneaking up on them as we crunched through the snow. By my count, we were faced with sixteen lycanthropes of varying ages and strength. There was one in particular that was rather strong, which I could only guess was Ferkoa"alpha of the Budapest pack. I smiled, causing my fangs to brush against my lower lip. Ferko and I needed to have a nice little chat about who was truly the ruling power in Budapest.

After walking more than a mile in the bitter cold, we came to a clearing in the middle of the woods. Some of the shifters had already changed into wolf form. Their thick coats protected them from the wind that was starting to kick up, pulling the snowflakes from the trees above us and swirling them through the air. A low growl rumbled through the circle, but there was no other noise to be heard. Opposite me stood a man with long, s.h.a.ggy brown hair and eyes that seemed to be their own void of darkness. He stood bare-chested in snow, his shirt and coat dropped carelessly behind him.

aFerko, I presume.a aFire Starter.a His voice rumbled within his chest like a roll of thunder.

aI believe we have something to discuss.a aAnd what would that be? Your new position as nightwalker keeper of Budapest?a he said in a mocking tone that left me clenching my teeth, but my smile never wavered.

aIam more concerned about the lycans that you sent to kill me during the day,a I replied casually, as if we werenat discussing the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt on my life.

He shrugged his ma.s.sive shoulders, holding his hands open and empty out toward me. aI donat know what youare talking about.a aI didnat think you would, but if youare kind enough to give me the name of the warlock that accompanied your men, I might let some of your people limp away from the forest tonight.a An eerie lavender light glowed from my eyes, matching the rising glow coming from both Valerio and Stefan. We stood on the edge of battle, and there was no way of avoiding it. I was simply giving Ferko the chance to save the lives of some of his people. A good leader would have considered my offer. Ferko didnat.

aAgain, I donat know what youare talking about.a If he wasnat still smiling at me, I would have considered that he might have been telling the truth. Unfortunately, it didnat matter. His people had to die for the attack that was launched on Danaus.

aDanaus?a I asked, turning my head toward the hunter.

aThe blond over there.a Danaus directed my gaze to the shifter that stood near the edge of the ring with a gray wolf on either side of him. One of the wolves flattened its ears against its head and growled at me, returning my smile to my lips. We might have spotted two of the culprits behind the dayas battle. aI donat see the other two. They may have already shifted.a aKill the blond and anyone who has already shifted into wolf form,a I announced, locking eyes with Ferko. Only he had the power to stop the slaughter of his people. Of course, he thought his people actually had an edge in this battle because they outnumbered us. Not a chance. I had two Ancients with me. They were older, faster, and stronger than all the lycans combined. I was the Fire Starter. And Danaus, well, he was a monster from nightmares that left a scream lodged in your throat when you woke with a start.

aI donat think you want to do this,a Ferko said with a smug smile.

aNo, you donat get it. Iave been looking forward to this.a I lowered my voice slightly, directing my attention back to my companions. aLeave Ferko alive. Thereas information that I need. Kill all the others.a aYouare an angel,a Valerio purred as he shed his heavy coat. Folding it neatly, he laid it over a nearby tree branch so it wouldnat get dirty. I looked to my left to find Stefan doing the same thing. I suppressed a wild laugh at their delicate sensibilities and priorities before a bloodbath.

Stefan and Valerio took a step forward toward the shifters, and they immediately scattered into the darkness. Both the men and women that were in human form were throwing off clothes as they ran through the forest, so it would be easier for them to shift into wolf form. Ferko winked at me once before he also darted into the black wall of darkness that enveloped the woods surrounding us.

aHave fun!a I laughed just before Stefan and Valerio darted after them. It was only a few seconds later that I heard my first wounded whimper rise up in the night. A young nightwalker was fairly matched with an experienced werewolf, but an older, experienced nightwalker held the edge in a fight against a shifter. We were stronger, faster, and generally more brutal. However, a lycanthrope was not without its own edge, since they tended to hunt in packs. It was rare for three powerful nightwalkers to come into the woods and hunt shifters. Of course, if any lycans escaped us tonight, there was still a chance they could hunt us down during the daylight hours and eliminate us as retribution. It was how this game was played.

I glanced over my shoulder at Danaus, who held a knife in his right hand. He was waiting for me to move. aAre you going to be all right on your own?a aI survived many centuries without your watchful eye. I think I can manage this minor scuffle.a My laugh echoed through the night as I ran across the clearing and instantly became washed in the darkness of the forest. I dodged low tree limbs and moved almost silently across the snow-covered ground. My powers bounced back to me like sonar, revealing the locations of the werewolves. Four were ahead of me at different spots, waiting for me to blindly pa.s.s by so that they could all jump on me.

Palming the knife that was sheathed on my right leg, I darted to my left and leapt on the back of a wolf that wasnat expecting me to attack from that angle. He jerked his head around, clamping his teeth down on my left forearm as I buried my blade into his rib cage. The wolf yelped in pain, releasing me. Blood poured from my arm, but I ignored it as I wrapped it around his throat and pulled him over on me as I fell to my back in the snow. Yanking the knife from his ribs, I plunged it into the creatureas stomach and twisted it, causing another cry to go ringing out into the night. A bubble of laughter rose up in my chest and some of the tension from earlier in the evening eased from my shoulders. I was back in my natural element and it was great.

My only warning was a low growl from a second wolf just before it attacked me. A set of sharp fangs bit into my throat, causing a gush of blood to spray across the white snow. I released the half-dead wolf I had been holding, pushing its limp body off me as I yanked my knife free. With a grunt of pain, I swung the blade at the wolf, but I missed when it leapt away from me before I could carve into its hide. A third wolf launched its heavy frame at me, aiming to land on my chest. I caught it with my foot in its tender underbelly, kicking it away from me.

Rolling back to my feet, I pocketed the knife as I stalked over to the wolf that had bit me in the throat. Blood dripped down from his jaws as it growled at me, its hackles standing on end as I approached. With a bark, it leapt, mouth open in hopes of taking a fresh chunk out of me. I grabbed the top and bottom of its jaws and pulled them sharply apart, breaking its lower jaw and neck at the same time. It didnat even have time to let out a whimper of pain before it died.

I dropped the carca.s.s to the ground and smiled as I turned back to the wolf that had tried to jump on me. With long bloodstained fangs showing, the wolf growled at me as it backed up several steps. Its large yellow eyes reflected the moonlight. The creature crouched for a second as if it planned to leap at me, and then darted off into the woods like a brown blur in the darkness. I chuckled and gave chase, happy to spend the evening running through the thick forest after my prey. Dodging low branches and leaping over fallen trees, I found that my body hummed with energy and pent-up excitement. This was the thrill of the hunt, and it was the closest I would ever come to once again feeling alive.

The wolf dove, jumped, and barreled through the woods, weaving among the trees as if it were made of the wind. I followed close on its heels, not quite catching it as I played it cautious on the slippery snow-covered ground. I didnat need to catch it. It would grow weary before I would.

Something heavy landed on my back as I pa.s.sed beneath a small rise. I hadnat been scanning the area for other lycanthropes and my prey had managed to lure me into a simple trap. With a swing of my arm, I knocked the creature off my back before it could do any kind of significant damage. Laying on my stomach, I threw out my hand toward the wolf that was about to jump on me again. Flames instantly engulfed my prey, burning brightly in the night. The creature lurched away from me, rolling in the snow as it tried to put the flames out. Its cries suddenly became a womanas shrieks as she changed back to human form, the pain making it impossible for her to remain a wolf. And then she lay dead before me.

I scanned the area, only to find that the wolf Iad been chasing had run off, most likely frightened beyond rational thought at the sight of the flames. This might be little more than a deadly game between nightwalkers and lycanthropes, but I played to win.

Three were dead, leaving thirteen to my other three companions as I headed back to the main clearing where we had initially met. With any luck, wead have most of this cleaned up in a matter of minutes before we could finally turn our attention back to Ferko. Unfortunately, I wasnat as alone as I initially thought I was.

aBravo, Fire Starter! Show those animals whoas dominant!a shouted a mocking voice down from the trees, accompanied by clapping.

I clenched my teeth and took a couple steps backward, palming the knife in my right hands once again. I knew that voice. I would always know that voice. Rowe had found me once again, and he sounded like he was ready to play.

aRowe!a I replied in the same mocking tone as I looked at the trees before me. aItas been so long since we last met. Come down and play.a aGladly,a he growled. The wind gusted through the trees so that their limbs swayed and crashed into one another. I looked up in time to see him gliding down toward me out of a nearby tree, his black leathery wings thrown wide behind him. I dove out of the way of his flashing silver blade, sliding several feet in the snow before I regained my feet.

The naturi grinned at me, twisting his short blade so it winked at me in the moonlight. I kept my distance from the one-eyed creature, as I had only a knife with me. I hadnat been planning to go up against the naturi this evening, just the local werewolf pack. And that was more hands-on than fighting the naturi.

Rowe lunged at me first, bringing his short sword down in a slashing motion, hoping to open a vein or two. I dodged it while trying to keep my feet beneath me as I moved through the snow-slick forest.

Mira! The naturi are here. Danausas cry along our private link screamed through my brain as Rowe swung at me again. I narrowly missed having my head removed as I slid to my a.s.s in the snow. I hadnat been cloaking the hunteras presence, and I had a feeling that Rowe was just following him around with the expectation that I would be in Danausas shadow.

I noticed, I growled in response. I blocked Roweas blade with my own, and quickly pushed it off as it slid down toward the handle, threatening to remove my hand at the wrist. Get over here before more of the shifters find me!

Leaning back in the snow, I grabbed a handful of snow and flung it at the naturi, hoping to temporarily blind him. Rowe took a step backward to avoid the white spray, giving me the chance to push to my feet again. I backpedaled, wishing I could divide my attention enough to scan the area for lycanthropes. That was the last thing I neededa"to be attacked from behind by an angry shifter. Unfortunately, I was too closely matched with Rowe and couldnat afford to split my attention.

aAnd I thought you wanted me alive so I could be brought before your precious wife-queen.a I darted behind a particularly thick tree as he swung his blade at me. A heavy thunk echoed through the forest as the metal buried into the bark at the last second. I lunged forward as he tried to pry his blade loose. Rowe slid out of my reach and pulled a knife from his belt as he abandoned his sword.

aOh, I do,a he said breathlessly. aBut that doesnat mean I canat wear you down a little bit, shed a little blood before I hand you over to Aurora. Iam sure she wonat mind if you arrive less than perfect.a aIam sure she wonat mind at all,a I replied, swinging my blade at him so he was backed against a tree. aShe never could handle me when I was at my peak.a aYou have never seen Aurora at her peak strength! She will crush you!a aYeah, yeah. Heard that one before and here I still stand.a In response, a low howl filled the air, only to be answered by two more that were ominously close to my current location. The werewolves were closing in on me and my combatant. I wasnat sure if they would bother to attack Rowe as well, but I couldnat get my hopes up. Besides, Danaus was supposed to be drawing close. He would even the odds.

Afraid that I would soon find a lycanthrope at my back, I waved my free hand out to the side. A low wall of flames sprang up from the frozen earth and surrounded us in a flash. Danaus would be trapped on the outside, but I hoped that the shifters would be trapped on the outside as well as I took care of Rowe.

aDonat worry,a Rowe purred. aIam not going anywhere.a aIam not worried about you. Iam just making sure this stays a private party.a Rowe lunged at me again with his knife, hoping to get inside my reach so he could bury it deep in my stomach. I caught his hand while I tried to stab him. Unfortunately, the naturi captured my wrist as well, locking us in a deadly stalemate. My arms trembled under the exertion and I gritted my teeth. We were fairly matched in strength, but the ground beneath our feet was wet and frozen, making our footing unsteady. A wrong step and someone could far too easily slip.

aGive it up, Mira,a Rowe snarled between clenched teeth. aCome back to Aurora with me. I promise to do what I can to get you a quick death.a aThe only way I am willing to die is with Auroraas heart in my hand.a I tightened my grip on his wrist, hoping to shatter the bone, but it wouldnat give under my grasp.

aI will kill her. Someday, I will finally kill her.a aNever!a A sudden crash of thunder echoed through the forest and the wind picked up. Fat flakes of snow plummeted from the sky, obscuring the woods so that we were trapped in a swirling vortex of frigid white. I could barely make out the wildly dancing flames only a few feet away. I could hear them snapping and crackling as they ate through any nearby brush, but their light was muted by the sudden snowstorm.

Lightning crashed to the ground just a few feet behind me, followed by the ominous sound of cracking wood. A tree had been struck and was breaking apart. I fought the urge to look over my shoulder to see if the tree was about to crash about my shoulders, reconciling myself to the thought that a falling tree would hit Rowe too.

A second roll of thunder was accompanied by a pair of sharp fangs embedding in my left calf muscle. A werewolf had jumped easily over the flames and was now gnawing on my leg like a chew toy. I screamed but didnat release the naturi. My hands were trapped and there was no way I could easily rid myself of the lycanthrope that wouldnat take my full concentration.

aDanaus!a I screamed, not caring who thought me suddenly weak. I needed help. I was surrounded and vastly outnumbered.

Coming! He was close, maybe only a few dozen yards away, but now I could also hear the growling of other lycanthropes. They were blocking his path, keeping him from saving me as I was trapped between a shifter and a naturi with a serious att.i.tude problem.

aDoesnat look good for you,a Rowe taunted as he twisted his wrist. I was weakening under the pain of the lycan that was tearing through vital muscles.

aKill them, Mira,a called a familiar voice in musical tones. aUse the bori and kill them all.a Rowe stilled suddenly at the mention of the bori. He jerked his head around so he could look over his shoulder for his mortal enemy. Nightwalkers were always good fun to destroy, but bori were a totally different matter.

I didnat hesitate. I couldnat lose this opening. I reached out for the powers that swarmed around Danaus. With only the barest of nudges, I activated the energy that seemed to lie sleeping around his soul. Something inside of me screamed in pain, blocking out the strain from Rowe and the pain in my leg caused by the lycanthrope. The flames that surrounded us were immediately extinguished and my hold on Danausas powers grew stronger. I didnat question it. I opened my senses as I tightened my hold on Roweas arm. The souls of the werewolves in the immediate area glowed like beacons in the darkness. With a loud growl, I directed the powers out from Danaus, enveloping the werewolves around us.

No! the hunter cried in my brain, but I didnat stop. We were trapped and Nick was watching me. He expected me to use Danausas power. If I didnat, I feared he would make a bad situation significantly worse. I was locked in a battle of strength with Rowe, and I couldnat come to Danausas rescue if the monster decided to strike. Danaus would hate me, but in the end I figured I was probably saving his life.

The werewolves howled in pain as they writhed on the ground. Rowe stopped fighting me, staring at the werewolf behind me. It thrashed wildly on the ground, whimpering in pain. The naturi released me and jerked his one arm free of my grasp as he backpedaled away. His wide eyes jumped between the wolves that surrounded us. As death grasped them, they shifted back into human form in time for their flesh to split open. Boiling blood came spewing forth, hissing as it touched the snow.

When the last werewolf took its final shuddering breath, I released Danaus from my power. The hunter fell to his knees, his breathing ragged and labored. Using that power was exhausting and a heavy strain on his body after all the fighting he had already done. My own limbs were trembling in pain and fatigue, but I still had to deal with Rowe. It had been tempting to try to boil his blood as well, but more of a struggle to focus on his energy as well as the lycanthropes.

And in truth, I didnat want to kill him that way. Rowe and I had a history. He had been there at Machu Picchu when I was first captured. He knew me when I had been human. If I was going to kill Rowe, I would do it with my bare hands. It was something we both deserved. Not a death by these seemingly G.o.dlike powers that left us detached and feeling somewhat irresponsible.

aYou missed your chance,a Rowe said as he struggled to catch his breath.

I shook my head as I shifted my stance to take more of my weight off my wounded left leg. Blood poured down into my boot and pain radiated throughout my leg. aNever.a Rowe smirked at me. He lurched toward me with his knife slashing at my chest. I raised my own blade as I awkwardly stumbled backward a step. I was unstable on my feet, favoring my left leg still. The blade missed my throat by inches as he turned and threw it through the air. The knife cut through the air with amazing speed until it finally buried itself in Danaus. I screamed as I watched Danaus collapse backward into the b.l.o.o.d.y snow just a dozen yards away.

At the same time, Rowe ran into a small clearing and threw out his black wings. They immediately caught the rising wind and carried him from the vicinity. With a pain-filled grunt, I limped across the small clearing to where Danaus was slowly pushing up onto his right elbow. The handle of the knife protruded from just below his collarbone. It hadnat dug deep, as the blade had been caught up in several layers of thick clothing and a heavy leather coat. Kneeling beside the hunter, I pressed one hand against the wound as I yanked the blade from his shoulder. Danaus grunted once but said nothing for several seconds.

aYou could have asked,a he said in a low voice after a lengthy silence.

I frowned, biting my lower lip. The scent of his blood filled the night air, awakening the monster than inhabited my own chest, leaving it demanding a fresh meal. I could feel his warm blood against the palm of my hand, and it was all I could do to resist the urge to lick my fingers clean. I wouldnat feed from Danaus, not even indirectly. I wanted him to remain untouched by my kind. He was above them. He was above it all.

aI couldnat take that chance,a I replied when I could finally focus on our conversation. Pain started to rise above the need to feed. My body was slowly mending the jagged bite that had been taken out of my leg. aThere were too many of them and I was trapped with Rowe. I needed the lycans dead.a aSo you used me?a aDirecting youa"a aControlling me!a Danaus corrected.

aYou could already see all the lycans surrounding us. I wasnat sure where they all were, and I couldnat risk searching for them.a aAnd Rowe? Why did you spare him?a aWe need him alive.a I lifted my hands from his shoulder and immediately rubbed them in the snow, washing off the blood so I wouldnat be tempted to take a taste. I had succ.u.mbed to enough temptations tonight. aHeas going to help us get closer to the naturi that are in the region. And if it becomes necessary, he can get me closer to Aurora.a aAs her prisoner!a aPossibly, but itas better than nothing. The queen needs to be destroyed, but we donat know how to find her. Even exiled, I have little doubt that Rowe can find his wife-queen in his sleep.a aThatas insane,a Danaus said, slowly pushing to his feet. Instead of rising with him, I turned and sat down in the b.l.o.o.d.y snow and mud. My leg throbbed but was mostly healed. The only lycanthropes in the woods were a good distance off, but we werenat alone. I could feel his energy permeating the air, filling the night like a heavy, perfumed fog. Only Danaus was blissfully unaware of it, and I wanted to keep it that way.

aHead back to the main clearing where we first met,a I said. aStefan and Valerio should be dragging Ferko back there.a aWhat about you?a aIall be right behind you. I just need to rest and clean up this mess.a aGrab a bite?a Danaus said in a nasty voice.

aNot from the dead. Besides, we ruined their blood for anyone else. Iall burn the bodies and then be right behind you.a Danaus started to walk back in the direction he had come from and then paused after a few feet. aAnd Rowe?a aHe wonat be back tonight. Weall track him down soon, I promise.a aHe needs to be taken care of. Heas too dangerous to leave alive,a Danaus said as he resumed his walk through the woods, the darkness immediately swallowing him up so that he was little more than a disembodied voice.

aI know,a I whispered. Rowe was too dangerous to leave alive. I might have once hoped to use him, but that wasnat going to work. His only goal was to buy his way back into Auroraas good graces, and his only way of achieving that was through me. I couldnat take the chance.

Unfortunately. I had bigger concerns waiting for me in the darkness. I was on a deadline to learn to control Danausas powers, and I was getting better at it. I could still feel the hunter fighting me, but in each situation he decided not to pull away. We had been desperate, surrounded. There had been no choice if we had any hope of surviving to see the next night.

Bending my right knee in front of me, I rested my right elbow on it and threaded my fingers through my disheveled hair. aWhat the h.e.l.l do you want now? I did as you asked. I used his powers instead of my own.a aAnd I am so proud of you,a Nick crooned, suddenly appearing before me in the form of my father. The snow crunched beneath his feet as he approached me with a slow, steady gait. It was like he had all the time in the world. We were in a dark, snowy forest surrounded by nightwalkers and lycanthropes. Now wasnat the time for a little family reunion, but then my life didnat matter to him.

aWhat do you want?a aJust to tell you that youare close. You just need to try a little harder,a Nick said.

aTry harder?a With my right hand, I tried to push to my feet, but with a slight wave of his hand Nick knocked me back down on my b.u.t.t. I sat, balling my fists in the snow, barely suppressing the urge to hurl a fireball at him. I was getting over the fact that he looked exactly like my father. There were small differences now that my brain was beginning to pick out. He didnat walk the same. His gait was too confident and relaxed, as if he were lord and master of all that he saw. There was a twist to his thin lips that made him look like he was just about to flash a smug smile in my direction. And his eyes. They werenat the soft, loving brown that I remembered. Nickas eyes were the same shade of purple as mine. Maybe we were father and daughter, but that wasnat going to stop me from trying to fry his a.s.s the first chance I got.

aYouare struggling to maintain your hold over the would-be bori,a he said. aIf he were to really fight you, youad lose your grip on his powers. Thatas not going to do you any good. And what if he comes at you with an attempt to control you? Do you even know how to fight him off?a aHe hasnat tried to control me. Weave come to an understanding, which I am continuously breaking just to keep you happy,a I snapped.

aMy dear, you arenat trying to keep me happy. Youare trying to save your own skin.a aWhatever. At this point itas the same thing.a aTrue.a Nick shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dark pants. aBut Iam not happy yet. Get a firm control on the hunter and then you need to go after the nightwalker.a aJabari?a I asked, my voice cracking.

aHeas the only one left that can directly control you. That nonsense needs to be stopped now before one of them discovers what you are truly capable of,a Nick commanded, his expression growing grim for the first time. aI will not have you running rampant through the streets when you should be at my beck and call.a aLike an obedient dog,a I growled as I struggled back to my feet. Reaching out with my mind, I tapped into all the blood magic that I could sense swirling in the air from the nearby nightwalkers and lycanthropes. I reached farther for the souls of the humans that lay slumbering in the nearby villages. I stretched for any creature with a soul and tapped that energy.

Holding my hands out to my sides, I summoned up two b.a.l.l.s of fire that snapped and crackled with all the raw energy I could handle. I hurled them at Nick, willing them to not only hit his body but stick like tree sap to a leaf. I encased the creature in flames that grew to the point where it licked at the tops of trees and sent down a rain of melted snow. Clenching my eyes closed, I focused the energy on burning through flesh and eating through bone. I aimed for what I could sense of the creatureas soul, trying to use the soul energy of others to destroy his.

I held the energy focused on him until my body trembled from exhaustion and I grew light-headed. With great reluctance, I released him, hoping to find that I had reduced him to mere ash. I didnat want to sense him in the area. I wanted to wipe him from existence. But he was a G.o.d and I wasnat strong enough.

A white skeleton stood before me with its morbidly grim smile mocking me. It seemed to shiver once, and in a matter of seconds, muscles, organs, tissue, and skin all grew back over him. Clothes came next, so that in less than a minute he stood before me again exactly as he had been before my fit of temper. Behind him the earth was scorched with trees reduced to thin black timbers.

aNow itas my turn,a Nick said, and my stomach jolted in fear. Like an orchestra conductor, my father raised both of his hands. At the same time, it felt as if my soul had been lifted out of my body. I tried to open my mouth to scream in terror, but I no longer had a mouth to scream out of as my body went limp and dead to the ground. The world swirled around me, becoming pure energy. If Nick released his hold on my soul, I knew I would float away, never finding my way back to my body. Would this be death? Or something worse? Trapped forever between this world and the next, a part of nothing.

aI am not the bori or the naturi that can so easily be destroyed with your meager skills,a Nick snarled. aI am a G.o.d and you cannot harm me. You have been given the great gift of my limited patience. Do not waste it.a I felt more than saw Nick lower his hands again, placing my soul back into my body. I curled up on the ground in the fetal position as if I could tighten my hold on my soul. aLucky me,a I muttered, looking down at the snow.

Nick was on me in a flash. Kneeling before me, he tightly gripped my face in one hand so that his fingernails dug into my cheeks. I could feel the blood streaking down my face and dripping down on my stomach and legs. He lifted my face so I was staring him directly in the eyes. They were two ma.s.sive voids swirling around, nearly enveloping all of my thoughts and emotions. I gasped and tried to pull away from him. His power surrounded me and consumed me until I felt I was losing my grip on my very soul. He was everything, everywhere.

aYou have no idea how lucky you have been,a he snarled. aMy patience wears thin. Control Danaus and Jabari: this is your last warning.a I blinked once, trying to nod, but he was already gone. I slowly let my eyes travel over the dark forest. There were no sounds beyond the clack of dead branches stirred to life by the wind. Around me were the dead bodies of the lycanthropes I had killed using Danaus. Their blood had cooled and there was the faint scent of burned flesh hanging fetid in the crisp night air. I still had to dispose of the bodies and burn around the blood-soaked snow. But for now, I didnat feel like moving. Nick was watching my every move, and Danausas life hung in the balance. If I was going to keep him alive, I would have to make him my puppet.

Chapter Eighteen.

Ferko looked like s.h.i.t. He had been beaten, stabbed, and dragged through the forest by Valerio and Stefan. When I arrived at the clearing again, the two vampires were flanking the lycanthrope as he kneeled in the center with his hands hanging limp at his sides. A deep cut slashed across his brow, dripping blood into his right eye. Meanwhile, his left eye was swollen shut, keeping him blind to his surroundings. Not that it mattered. His other senses were still keen and he knew the second that I arrived when he deeply inhaled my scent.

aAny trouble?a Valerio asked.

aNothing important.a I shrugged, pushing thoughts of Rowe and Nick to the back of my mind. This was supposed to be a hunt for werewolves, and those two had decided to join in the fun uninvited. Standing with my legs spread before the lycanthrope, I placed my hands on my hips and fought the urge to kick him under the chin. I restrained myself, barely.

aHow many are left?a I asked, looking up at Stefan.

aThree, maybe four. Do you want us to hunt them down?a He smiled at me with frightening eagerness. Stefan loved his bloodshed, but then so did most nightwalkers.

I waved my hand, brushing off the question. aDonat bother,a I muttered, turning my attention back to Ferko. aHear that? You started with sixteen shifters and now there are only a handful of you left in all of Budapest. This could have been settled quietly. Lives could have been spared, but you chose to go this route.a aYou have no business in Budapest,a Ferko said in a rough, gravel-filled voice.

aThe naturi are here. That makes it my business. But we have a more pressing matter.a I glanced over at Stefan, who tightened his grip on Ferkoas neck. The werewolf flinched, twisting in the nightwalkeras grasp. aIt seems that Stefanas a.s.sistant has gone missing in Budapest.a aWhat the h.e.l.l do I care if someone has gone missing?a the werewolf snarled. aWhat the h.e.l.l does that have to do with me?a aA lot. Veyron pointed us in your direction.a ab.a.s.t.a.r.d,a Ferko muttered under his breath.

Stefan gave his prisoner a hard shake, making sure he had his full attention. aHer name is Mich.e.l.le. She is a nightwalker with brown hair and brown eyes. Her hair hangs down past her waist. She is delicate. You would remember if you saw her.a Ferko laughed. aYou think Iam going to remember some random girl?a Stefan slammed his fist into the back of Ferkoas skull, knocking him flat on his face. The werewolf shook his head slowly as he struggled to push back into a seated position with a low groan.