Dark Slayer

You will not have to fight. I give my life for yours. Follow my lead. Talk to the woman, distract them for another couple of minutes.

There was something reassuring in his tone. She had left him a broken, fallen warrior, but he had risen something altogether different. There was confidence in his voice. Razvan was Dragonseeker, one of the oldest and most powerful of all Carpathian lineages, and he had endured torment and suffering for hundreds of years without succumbing to darkness. She had been in his mind, and his memory was long. He had absorbed fighting skills, techniques and strategies. He knew more about Xavier than any other living being and he had more cause to destroy him than any other. She wanted to believe in him. Shaken and weak, she needed to believe in him.

The healer is trying to outwait me. He knows I cannot last.

You will last.

Strength poured into her. «Sara,» she said softly. «I appeal to you. Ask the dark one to step aside. I have done harm to no one here and I want only to leave in peace. You indicated the need to repay me for saving the life of your child. This is what I ask. Simply have your healer step aside.»

Sara looked up at Falcon and then to Mikhail. «I think she sounds reasonable. Please, Gregori, just step aside.»

All of them looked at Sara, who angled closer, more protectively, toward Ivory.

Dirt geysered beneath the heels of the prince and a body materialized behind him, one arm locked tight around Mikhail's neck, the blade of a knife pressed against the heart of the prince. Stormy, merciless eyes locked on the face of the dark one with absolute resolve.

CHAPTER 5

No one moved. No one breathed, remaining statues frozen in time, as if one small mistake would start a bloodbath, and judging by the death in Razvan eyes-and Gregori's-there was little doubt there would be.

Gregori released his breath in a long, slow hiss. «It is a death sentence to threaten the life of the prince.»

Razvan shrugged his shoulders, a casual ripple of power. «I have been under a death sentence since my fourteenth summer. It is nothing new to me. There is nothing you can conceive of to do to me that has not been done already. I accept that I will die this night.» He inclined his head to Gregori, his expression unchanging, as if giving the Carpathian leave to kill him.

A man with nothing to lose, Gregori, often emerges the victor, Mikhail pointed out, a trace of humor in his voice.

Gregori's silver eyes flashed, and there was no answering amusement in them. No one lays his knife at your heart and walks away unscathed.

«Step away from my lifemate. Once she is away, you can do as you will,» Razvan instructed.

«No,» Ivory protested. «I remain with you. We will fight our way free.»

Sara tried to step closer to Ivory. «This is crazy. Mikhail,» she appealed to the prince. «Stop this. Let them go.»

«Do you know who this man is?» Falcon asked softly. «Ivory, do you have any idea of the crimes Razvan has committed against our people?»

Again Razvan didn't flinch-and neither did the knife.

«You know nothing about him,» Ivory said. «You have no right to pass judgment when you do not know the facts.»

There is no need to defend me.

Razvan was shocked that she would. She stood there swaying, looking far too deceptively fragile for the warrior he knew her to be. Her body was tall and straight, her flawless skin marred now by the tracks of vampire blood and the teeth tears in her shoulder. There was something very intimate in knowing that beneath that flawless exterior, he knew the true woman, the scars of death and defiance. The reserve of courage that it must have taken to pull her body back together and lay so broken in the ground for hundreds of years while nature tried to repair her.

He alone knew the depths and strengths of her when no other on the face of the earth did. Pride in her shook him. Her courage and ferocity humbled him.

«That is true,» Falcon said, remaining calm in the midst of the tension. «You do not know this prince. I have given my allegiance to Mikhail. He is worthy of my respect and protection. You know me. More important, you know the De La Cruz brothers. They also have given their sworn allegiance to Mikhail. Manolito gave his life for Mikhail and Gregori restored him to this world.» His gaze flicked to Razvan. «I believe your lifemate injected the poison into Manolito.»

Razvan didn't flinch and the hand holding the knife was rock steady. «Ivory, I want you to come to my side and take my blood. Take enough that you can be at full strength.»

She looked stricken and shook her head silently.

It is the only way. Your purpose and your preparations will be lost if you do not get away. We cannot stop them all. I knew when I came that I would be exchanging my life for yours. It is an honor.

«Her blood is infected with parasites,» Mikhail said. «Keep the knife to my heart and allow my healer to rid her of Xavier's vile worms.»

Ivory flinched when she heard the high mage's name.