Vikirnoff physically dragged her away from the wall. “Go,” he ordered gruffly. “Do not take this poison into your body—go while you can. I will get him out.”
Destiny hesitated, watched as Vikirnoff began to work at a ferocious pace, working against time while the earth bucked and caved in.
Go. The voice was as steady as ever. Unconcerned. Without worry. She spun around, leapt over an opening crevice and raced toward the upper chambers. Every step she took away from him added to the terrible weight pressing against her chest like a stone. She didn’t understand it; she didn’t want to understand it. She only knew that she could barely breathe, so strong was her need to turn back and go to his aid.
She raced away from the remaining tendrils of vapor, shape-shifting as she did so, streaking through the caves and chambers, climbing steadily toward the surface. She was a comet of mist, staying well ahead of the trailing poison, but something of her was left behind. Not blood this time, but something far more important. It was her soul that seemed to be left behind with him in that collapsed chamber.
She burst into the open, into the cool, refreshing air. Destiny shifted into the form of an owl, winging her way across the sky. Normally she enjoyed the sensation; the ability to take on this form was a benefit of what she had become. Now her mind was consumed with the need to know that Nicolae was alive and well. It was all she could think of, all that mattered.
Nice to know I matter to you. There was that inevitable male amusement, designed to set her teeth on edge, but this time she only felt relief. We are clear of the chamber and fighting our way out of the vapor. We will join you soon.
Destiny broke the connection abruptly. They would not be joining her. She needed the solace of the earth. Her wounds burned and throbbed, reminding her that she could feel pain when she wasn’t making a continuous effort to block it out. Weary, she still made every effort to cover her trail. She could not take a chance of being found. She knew Nicolae, knew how skillful a hunter he was. He had given her access to his memories, and he had such a wide range of experiences, century after century of battles. She was in no shape to fight him, especially as he had a traveling companion with him.
Destiny deliberately doubled back several times, watching her back trail. She was determined to pick the time and place of her battle, to make certain the advantages were all on her side. She would never allow herself to be a captive again.
Bone-weary, she settled in a small grove of trees halfway up the mountainside in a national park. The wind was blowing hard, intensifying a biting cold that seeped into her body all the way to her bones. Shivering, she wove her safeguards, a maze of traps that would deter humans and slow vampires, as well as alerting her to their presence.
As she opened the earth, felt the rejuvenating soil beckoning to her, she thought about what Nicolae had done. He had saved her life, shoved her clear of the collapsing wall, acted the savior over and over again. Was that the work of a true vampire? All that she had ever seen of vampires argued against his being one. True, their voices were fair and sweet and lured even the wary to them. They could appear handsome and sensual. But they couldn’t mask their evil natures; they were selfish and spiteful and gloried in the pain of their victims. They would never willingly help anyone, or save anyone.
Yet there was Pater and his plan to unite vampires in a grand scheme to take over the world. No matter how far-fetched, the idea truly terrified her.
Vampires had incredible powers, tremendous influence over humans, creating puppets to do their bidding, evil minions to carry out their orders even while their masters rested below the earth out of the sun.
Nicolae had never shown those traits, not even in his battles. During his fights, Destiny had felt the wildness in him rise, a demon crouched and poised ready to destroy, but it was always leashed, always under control. She sighed softly. She needed to find out much more about him before she destroyed him, her only companion.