Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“You’ve really thought about this?”
“I would never take a chance on your life or Raik’s until I had a plan I believed would work.”
There was confidence in Silke’s voice. In her demeanor. Benedek could feel steel in her. Determination. She had already visualized every move she would make in her mind, going over and over the battle until she felt she could defeat the enemy. He wanted to merge his mind with hers and learn everything there was to know about her. The parasite the vampires had left behind was a problem in that none of the ancients could find it, which meant they couldn’t remove it. Benedek couldn’t take a chance on infecting his lifemate. Until they discovered what the vampires had implanted in them, they had to be extremely cautious.
Just being this close to his lifemate set up an even worse craving than had already been there. Whispers grew in his mind. Take her blood. The others crave her. They are desperate for the taste of her blood. They are conspiring to take her from you.
The whispers were loud, amplifying the cravings he’d awakened with. He was grateful for the centuries of discipline that allowed him to compartmentalize. He allowed the whispers to grow louder to try to analyze them.
Nothing will ever taste as good as that woman. Her blood belongs to you.
The thoughts couldn’t possibly be his own, not even to magnify. He trusted the other ancients. He absolutely knew Nicu was a man of honor and would never conspire with anyone to take his lifemate. Mataias had no parasite in him. He would fight them to the death to protect an innocent woman—particularly an unmated Carpathian woman. No, the thoughts weren’t his. They had to be coming from the parasite.
Benedek, Tomas said. The temptation to take the women’s blood is extremely loud in my head and getting worse. I shouldn’t be in here.
The same goes for me, Lojos confessed.
The voices grow louder in my head as well, Nicu said.
It is the parasite the vampires injected into us, Benedek said with conviction. These are not your thoughts. A vampire is attempting to control us using compulsion. This was a well-thought-out plan. Even the master vampire and his minions, the ones we fought, were pawns, sacrifices to get the parasites into us.
Nicu was thoughtful as he speculated. Humans made certain we couldn’t use our private plane. They had to have known we would take the fastest route to get here.
Essentially, Mataias said, you’re saying we were herded like cattle right into their trap.
That’s what I believe, Nicu replied. They set us up with a couple of easy battles with lesser vampires so when we ran into the trap, we wouldn’t be suspicious. They expected us to defeat Frisi and his followers. Frisi didn’t realize he was expendable and that his one purpose was to get those parasites in us.
I have to agree with Nicu, Benedek told the others. This attack on us was planned far in advance. The voices we hear are not coming from any of us; rather, they have been planted in us to get one or more to turn vampire and join their ranks. What they don’t realize is we are men with a strict code. We’ve been following that code for centuries. We aren’t going to turn because they amp up our craving for blood.
“Stop talking. Or if you have something to say, show yourself. Don’t hide.” Silke’s voice was low and compelling—compelling enough that for a moment Benedek thought to show himself.
Benedek was certain Silke was speaking to the demon she was determined to extract from Raik Bootsma. All the ancients fell silent. No one moved. Like Benedek, they assumed she was talking to the demon.
Benedek studied Silke’s expression. Pure concentration. Weirdly, her features seemed softer than ever, not at all stern or warrior-like. She faced Raik, feet shoulder-width apart, one foot forward, on the balls of her feet, ready for action. In one hand she had a large tube with clear liquid in it. In her other hand she had what appeared to be a small sword.
Benedek had been around other slayers. He knew they used crystal swords with various shades of light produced from the different crystals embedded in the sword. This sword had five long dark maroon tines coming off the main blade. Each prong closely resembled the velvet petals on a large lily not yet unfurled.
He felt the power of her mind as she sought the demon within the fisherman. It wasn’t just Raik. Her entry into his mind was so subtle, so delicate, the energy so low, he wasn’t aware of her immediately. His first inclination was to throw her out, to erect a barrier so strong it would be impossible for her to penetrate. If he did that, she would be very aware of his presence. As it was, she didn’t seem to realize she had touched his mind when she sought Raik’s. She simply reached out, merging ever so gently with everyone in the room. He didn’t dare warn the others to stay still. He didn’t want to call attention to the ancients or distract her.