“You are his lifemate. Without you, he would become the vampire of legends, a monster without equal in the human race.”
Raven fought for each separate breath. “Don’t believe that, Father. We have our own evil monsters. I have seen them, followed them. They are every bit as bad.” She clutched the blanket closer to her. “Have you ever met Mikhail’s friend, Gregori?”
“He’s the one they call the dark one. I’ve seen him, of course, but only once. Mikhail has voiced his fears for him often.”
Raven’s breath wheezed in and out, a harsh sound in the quiet of the cell. “He’s a great healer, Father.” She took another shuddering breath. “And he is loyal to Mikhail. Do you believe there is hope for their race?”
The priest made the sign of the cross on her forehead, on the insides of each of her wrists. “You are their hope, Raven. Don’t you know that?”
Mikhail touched her mind with his. He was closer, the bond between them powerful. He flooded her with love, enfolded her in strong, protective arms. Hold on, my love. His voice was a black-velvet seduction of tenderness in her mind.
Do not come to this evil place, Mikhail. Wait for Gregori, she pleaded.
I cannot, little one.
Lights flickered in the cell, on, off, back on again, as if a generator was being powered up. Raven’s hand found Father Hummer’s. “I tried to stop him, to warn him, but he will come.”
“Of course he will.” Edgar’s eyes were blinking in the sudden light. Father Hummer was worried about Raven. Her breath sounded strangled, labored.
The heavy door clanged and creaked as it swung open. James Slovensky peered at them. His eyes fastened on Raven’s face as if drawn irresistibly. Her blue eyes met his across the room. “What’s wrong with you?” he demanded.
A faint, taunting smile curved her soft mouth. “I’m dying. I think that’s plain enough even for you to see.” Her voice was low, a mere thread of sound, but so musical that it was impossible not to be entranced by it.
Slovensky advanced farther into the room. Raven could feel Mikhail in her, building his strength, his power, crouching, waiting to strike. She also felt a sudden uneasiness. Wait. The vampire comes. She dragged a shuddering breath into her laboring lungs, the sound loud and distressed in the room.
Slovensky was shoved carelessly across the room with one powerful swat from Andre’s hand. He stood framed in the doorway, flushed from a fresh kill. His eyes were flat and held a kind of contempt, a merciless promise of savagery. “Good morning, my dear. I am Andre, come to take you to your new home.”
He glided across the room, clearly enjoying his power over them all. As he approached her, his eyes darkened with rage. “You were told to feed on the priest.”
“You were told to go to hell.” She said it in her soft, musical voice, deliberately baiting him.
“You will learn it is better to obey me,” he snapped. Angry at her defiance, he caught the priest by the front of his shirt and hurled him against the stone wall. It was done coldly, callously, without thought of the consequences. “If you are not going to use him for food, we have no need of him, do we?” The vampire’s smile was wholly evil.
Father Hummer’s body had fallen to the floor heavily, his skull cracking audibly on impact. There was a gasping sound as his lungs fought for air, then a soft sigh as they gave up the fight.
Raven bit back a scream, struggled for air, her grief so overwhelming, that for a moment her mind couldn’t function. Mikhail, I’m sorry. I angered him. This is my fault.
She felt the warmth of his love surround her, the brush of his fingers so tender on her face. Never that, my love. She felt his sorrow mingle with hers. Raven lifted her blue-violet eyes to the face of the vampire. “Now, how do you expect to control me?”
The vampire bent down, his smile evil, his breath foul. “You will learn. Now you will feed.” He snapped his fingers, and Slovensky nearly tripped over his own feet to run out of the cell and return with a glass of dark, murky liquid. His hand trembled as he passed it to the vampire, careful to avoid the razor-sharp long nails. “For you, my dear; breakfast.” The vampire held the glass close enough for her to smell the contents. Fresh blood tainted with something else, some herb she didn’t recognize.