Carpathian 04 - Dark Magic

one present ? she asked. Her stomach was lurching.
    Gregori studied the room. There was always the chance one of the undead had learned to mask himself from other Carpathians. He could do it. It would be egotistical to think another might not learn the trick.
    The master vampire was very old. He had survived the hunters because he was cunning and perfectly willing to flee the vicinity and leave it to the hunter until such time as it was once again safe to return. Still, Gregori doubted he would deliberately go to the same restaurant as a hunter to secretly gloat, especially if that hunter was Gregori. The Dark One . Only those weary of their existence challenged him outright.
    Gary was looking from one to the other in alarm. "What is it?"
    "Remain calm. Savannah is very sensitive to evil. She can feel it, and I can touch it through her, but I cannot detect it within the room myself."
    "Are we in danger?" Gary found the idea more exciting than frightening. He was looking forward to Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    action. Rambo style .
    Savannah and Gregori exchanged a sudden smile. "Gary." Savannah couldn't help herself. "You've seen too many movies."
    "Yeah, well, you don't know what this is like for me. All my life my classmates and friends made run of me.
    The bullies shoved me into walls and tossed me into trash cans. All because I always did my homework and got A's on every paper. This is exciting stuff for me."
    "Me, too," Savannah lied. She didn't want any part of it, for herself, for Gary, or for Gregori. She wanted them all to be safe. Whatever horrible thing was waiting for them, crouched just beyond their reach, carried the foul stench of evil. It permeated her mind and left her feeling sick and dizzy. "I have to get out of here, Gregori."
    You will be fine , mon amour. We will leave this place immediately. It seems your mother did pass on her gift to you . Once more he allowed himself to survey the room. There was nothing but the laughter of the tourists and the good-natured wrangling of those who lived there. Gregori summoned the waiter, paid the check, and took Savannah by the arm as they wound their way among the tables.

Chapter Fourteen
    Walking around the French Quarter in the night air helped to clear Savannah's head of the presence of evil. Whatever or whoever it was didn't follow them out of the restaurant. Within a few minutes, she felt better. Gregori kept her under the shelter of his shoulder. He remained silent, but his mind was merged fully with hers, observing the darkness rapidly dispelling.
    Gregori guided them without saying a word toward the hotel where Gary was staying. He wanted the list of names, wanted to be able to see how far the society's rot had spread. Gary believed most members of the society were others like him, hoping it might be true that vampires lived and that they were the romantic characters depicted in recent movies and books.
    But Gregori had seen what the depraved human mind could do. He had seen the work of the society time and time again. Women butchered and murdered, innocents, children. He laced his fingers through Savannah's, finding a measure of peace and solace in her closeness. The wind blew the dark, ugly memories into the night.
    Savannah's fingers tightened around his. "Did you know what it was?"
    "No, but it was real, chérie . I was in your head. You did not imagine it." They walked along, the silence comfortable between them.
    A block from his hotel, Gary cleared his throat. "I thought you said going back to my room might be dangerous."
    "Life is dangerous, Gary," Gregori said softly. "You are Rambo , remember?"
    Savannah's laughter rang out, rivaling the jazz quartet playing on the corner. Heads turned to listen to her, men to watch her, stealing away the attention of the audience gathered in a loose semi-circle around Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    the quartet. She moved in the human world, completely comfortable in it, a part of it. Gregori had walked unseen, and that was how he preferred it. She was dragging him into her world. He could hardly believe he was walking down a crowded street with a mortal with half the block staring openly at them.
    "I didn't know you knew who Rambo was," Savannah said, trying not to giggle. She couldn't imagine Gregori in a theater watching a Rambo movie.
    "You saw a Rambo flick?" Gary was incredulous.
    Gregori made a sound