Jacques swore softly to himself. Three Carpathian males should never have allowed humans to fool them. Why hadn’t they detected the presence of the men nearby in the forest? Why hadn’t the threat to Raven and Shea been ferreted out?
He looked at Shea’s arm, red and raw with open wounds, and cursed again. He was sworn to protect her and keep her happy. So far he had done a poor job of it. How was he going to take away the trauma of this day and show her the beauty of their life together? For the first time he became aware of the body of Eugene Slovensky. He sighed and moved away from Shea to hoist the carcass onto his shoulder and toss it outside to the wolves. The last thing Shea would need when she finished the grueling operation was to see any grisly evidence of their kills.
Jacques shoved a hand through his hair, suddenly realizing how tired he was. Everything about his relationship with Shea had gone wrong. He had inadvertently brought her over without her knowledge or consent. He had not even helped her through the difficult process. Worse, he had abused her whenever his mind fragmented. And now, to add to his long list of sins, he had viciously, joyously eliminated an enemy using her as his guide. He wasn’t very good at being a husband.
Jacques tried to use his newfound powers to search his memory for the time Mikhail had brought Raven over. Mikhail, too, had done so without her consent, without her knowledge of the existence of Carpathians. He had done it hastily, to save her life, and none of them, even Mikhail, had known if it would work. Raven had been forced to learn a new way of life.
A slight sound sent him whirling around to face Gregori, who staggered away from Raven’s body. Shea slumped down beside the woman and didn’t move. The two healers appeared drained and nearly helpless.
“You have need of blood,” Jacques said to Gregori. “You gave Raven too much.”
“She had need,” Gregori answered wearily. He stretched out on the floor, one arm flung over his eyes to protect them.
“Allow me to provide for you. I have fed well this day,” Jacques offered formally. The sun was climbing steadily despite the severity of the storm.
“I thank you, Jacques, but I am just too damn tired. This is Mikhail’s old cabin. Find out where his chamber is hidden.”
Jacques tested his strength, searched for the lost connection to his brother. Mikhail? They are far too tired to continue. You will have to guard Byron, and I will take care of those here. In this cabin you must have a private resting place. Where is it?
Beneath the table is a trapdoor that leads to the area under the house. Take care, it is not that well hidden. But if the house were to be discovered or set afire, you could close the earth above you and survive.
The healer will not accept blood this day. He is in need.
There was a short pause as Mikhail touched Gregori to assess his condition. He will survive. Just get them to safety.
Feeling like a true Carpathian male once-more, Jacques made his way to the hidden chamber. It was unusual for Carpathians to share a sleeping chamber, to even allow others to know where they rested. Entirely vulnerable during the afternoon hours, they were cautious to conceal where they slept. Jacques was uneasy with the arrangement and knew the healer would be even more so.
With his strength waning as the sun climbed higher, Jacques carefully carried Raven’s broken body to the chamber below and settled her on a blanket. After locking the cabin, securing the windows, and shutting off the generator, Jacques swung Shea’s slight body into his arms. She gave a soft murmur of protest, but her arms crept up around his neck, and her body settled into his trustingly. She was in a light sleep by the time he took her below to the underground chamber.
Gregori stumbled after them, far too drained to bother with floating. He lay across the entrance to the lair and remained there. With Jacques he uttered the words commanding the earth to close them off from the day and cast spells to safeguard them from intruders. Before he slipped off to sleep, he remembered the meadow with the wire strung across it and sent off a silent warning to anything that might try to venture into it. Later he would dismantle the dangerous traps.