Dark Slayer

The healer slashed him with peculiar silver eyes, eyes that reminded him eerily of Xavier. They glittered with menace, a threat, a reprimand, and for the first time in his encounter with these men, he felt shame.

«You protect me,» Ivory said, «and I am grateful. No one here has an understanding of what you-we-deal with.»

«I offer my blood freely,» Sara reiterated and stepped close to Ivory, holding out her wrist in offering.

Ivory inclined her head. «I am grateful.»

The blood was rich, a Carpathian's blood, hitting her system like a fireball of energy, soaking into her cells and aiding the healer's careful repair of her shoulder and ribs.

Gregori studied Razvan's face. «You fear to give your blood to your lifemate.» It was more of a statement than a question, and this time a hint of respect crept in. Every male Carpathian was driven to provide for their lifemate. «You have not claimed her.»

Razvan shrugged. «I cannot. I will not.»

Ivory lifted her head, her tongue sliding over the pinpricks in Sara's wrist, dark eyes gleaming, going almost amber, much like a wolf 's eyes. «There is no need to explain to any of these men.»

«Ivory,» Mikhail said, his voice gentle, «no one is accusing Razvan of failing you. Quite the contrary. And the man who gave his services to heal you is the man who brought my eldest brother to the justice he so deserved. Gregori spent three months in the ground from the injuries he sustained.»

Her chin rose. «I spent three hundred years in the ground.» As soon as the words slipped out, the first sign of bitterness, she looked ashamed. «Forgive me, healer. I have long been away from the company of others and have forgotten my manners.»

«There is no need to apologize,» Gregori said, but he was still studying Razvan's worn face. «I would like to examine you for signs Xavier might have left behind.»

There was a stunned silence. Mikhail frowned. Falcon stepped partially in front of Gregori and Razvan actually took a step farther back into the shadows.

«You have no conception of how dangerous that might be,» Razvan said.

«If no one tries,» Gregori pointed out, «you are lost to us.»

«I have been lost these hundreds of years.»

«And all the information you possess that might aid in our fight against our greatest enemy is lost as well,» Gregori continued. «And your lifemate is lost as well.»

«I do not factor into the equation,» Ivory protested. «Do not put pressure on him to do anything he thinks is wrong by using me as your leverage.»

Gregori flicked her a quelling glance. «You have much to contribute to the world at large, Dragonseeker. I wish only to take a look.»

Perhaps he is right. Deliberately Ivory didn't look at Razvan. It is solely your decision and I will back you all the way, but perhaps we can find a way to break Xavier's hold on you. I suspect there is a way.

Razvan turned the idea over in his mind. He hadn't thought about living, only dying. Dying represented freedom from Xavier's possession, from mental and physical torment, and now even from his memories and the emotions they elicited. Ivory had used the term we. He had never thought in those terms either. He looked around at the small group.

He had never thought he would be standing among Carpathians and not have to fight his way out. A part of him didn't trust their acceptance of him.

As if reading his mind, Gregori shook his head. «I do not altogether trust that you pose no threat to Carpathians, but I am willing to find out.»

Razvan felt the challenge of those words. Gregori was willing to put himself in jeopardy in order to protect the Carpathian people and perhaps to aid Razvan. Did Razvan have the courage to allow him to enter his body to see for himself what Xavier had done? Guilt lay heavy in his mind.

His memories of earlier had faded behind the barriers he'd erected for sanity's sake, and he was no longer certain what he had or hadn't done. There were weeks, months, perhaps even years he no longer remembered, and he was afraid to examine what had happened. Xavier had slowly, successfully beat him down until he could no longer fight the mage.

If he allowed Gregori to enter his body and examine him, Gregori would know every humiliating and degrading moment of his life.

I will enter with the healer. I can protect your memories if anything were to be incriminating. Otherwise, whatever he finds is on Xavier, not you.

His heart turned over. She so clearly aligned herself with him, but why? They were meant to be lifemates, it was true, but they didn't know each other, and he was the most notorious criminal the Carpathians had.

I have been inside your head many times these past three weeks. I am an outsider as well. And I believe absolutely that you are the key to destroying Xavier.