Carpathian 13 - Dark Destiny

didn't bother to shield his presence from her any longer. She knew he was racing to their aid.
    Nicolae allowed his body to drop away, become light and energy so that he could enter Destiny's body to survey the damage. He spent precious minutes studying the chemical compound used to poison his lifemate. It was replicating itself quickly, and mutating as it spread through her body. The mutant form seemed to sense him, an army of hostile intent, ready to attack his light.
    Pull out! Destiny didn't wait to see if he listened to the order; she struck with every bit of strength she had, driving him from her body, using their blood bond to draw him with her.
    The move was so strong, so unexpected, it caught Nicolae unawares. He found himself back in his own body blinking at her.

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    If I had a sense of humor, I would be laughing right now. Vikirnoff sounded the same as always. Calm, undisturbed by the fact that they were being stalked by an unknown number of vampires, and a bloody battle would soon take place.
    Nicolae sighed. "You should not have done that, Destiny," he reprimanded. "The poison must be driven from your body; we have no other choice. We have no time for arguing."
    "No, we don't," she agreed. Beads of sweat dotted her skin. Some were pink, the first traces of blood.
    "You will have to delay them, defend us while I do this myself. The poison was designed to attack the healer. Both of us cannot be infected." She laid her hand on his arm. "You know I'm right, Nicolae."
    She does actually make sense once in a while.
    "I heard that," Destiny said. "Nicolae, we don't have time to argue about this. Even your brother agrees I'm right, and you know he's totally living in the Dark Ages when it comes to women."
    Nicolae swore eloquently in the ancient native tongue. He included Vikirnoff in his litany just for good measure. The poison was a virulent strain. He bent his head to rest his brow against hers. "Being your lifemate is not the easiest on a man's ego."
    Her hand cupped his cheek, her thumb feathering a caress over his lips. "The hounds are at the front door."
    His mouth skimmed hers. "You be careful, Destiny. Do this right. You do not have much time. I will need you on your feet and ready to go. They must be kept from this chamber if possible. I will meet them above."
    "Go." She squeezed his fingers, let her hand fall away. Nicolae was already dissolving, streaming away from her and up the chimney to burst into the night sky. He would go out to meet their enemies. His lifemate's blood was a bright beacon summoning the undead straight to their location. It was his job to keep them away from her until she was able to move and hunt on her own.
    Destiny wasted no time, and he could detect no fear in her as once more she allowed her body to slip away. She became light and energy, marshaling her waning strength to fight the army of invading microbes in her bloodstream. Nicolae remained a shadow in her mind, ready to give her strength should there be need, ready to aid her in any way.
    He climbed high, taking stock of his surroundings. He hoped the vampires would be careless in their attack, certain he was too busy with Destiny to go on the offense. This had been a carefully prepared battle, and Nicolae was certain Pater was behind it. Pater was determined to bring the vampires together, uniting them against the hunters.
    It might work if they can keep from killing one another, Nicolae observed.
    Vikirnoff thought it over. I did not believe there was a vampire powerful enough, not even an ancient, to accomplish such a thing as uniting vampires to a common purpose, but our enemy seems to have managed such a thing here .
    It has been done before, but not with ancients. Always there has been one who has power, the rest only sacrificial pawns. This bodes ill for our people. Nicolae hid his being in the tiniest of molecules, spread Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    out across the sky in the roiling clouds. Vikirnoff was in his mind, and deeply merged with Destiny also, waiting to lend his strength when there was need.
    Destiny was unaware of either of them. She concentrated entirely on her own war, trusting Nicolae to fend off the undead until she could join him. She recognized she had lost too much blood through the many bites on her skin. The compound in her body was wreaking mass destruction,