Carpathian 16 - Dark Demon

her soul.
    Razvan had honorably chosen to give his blood to Xavier, He had successfully deceived his grandfather into believing he was the one with the superior skills in magick, when it was really Natalya. They had carried out an elaborate deception and Razvan was often punished when Natalya couldn't complete experiments and pass the information on fast enough to her brother. She had hidden in safety while her brother had taken all the risks and now, after all of his sacrifices, she couldn't bear to think she hadn't been there to save him as he had saved her. She hadn't been there for him and he'd turned to evil. Her guilt was soul-consuming, a terrible burden he felt penetrating his own soul.
    She looked up, her gaze locking with his. "Is there a way to get him back? Can we undo the damage done to him?"
    "Natalya…" There was a warning note in his voice. "He has Carpathian blood running in his veins. There is every possibility that he is now part vampire. I never thought vampires would ever join forces, but they have. And your brother is in league with them. Maxim and his brothers are arrogant and believe they should be ruling the world. I think that both Xavier and Razvan feel they should be the rulers and they have united with the vampires in the hopes of gaining control of everything. The vampires are using your experiment to recognize one another, those participating in this conspiracy. I found the parasites first in my brother's lifemate's blood. She had been taken as a child and converted by a vampire.
    She was able to defeat him, but her blood called to the others. That's how they identify the members of the conspiracy, those with the parasites in their blood. It has to be that." He gentled his tone. "You know Razvan is lost to you."
    "How do I know? The healers do incredible things. Maybe he could be saved. He isn't wholly Carpathian. So if he did turn, he isn't wholly vampire." She wiped her hand over her face as if that could erase the knowledge of the extent of her twin's betrayal. "He was a good man. For centuries, he was honorable and he suffered so much."
    Vikirnoff sighed with regret. "You wanted to know why he wanted children. I have seen that question in your mind many times."
    She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and refused to meet his gaze, shaking her head slightly.
    "He is looking for blood just as Xavier wanted the blood of his children to sustain his life. That is how he remained alive all these years. Not all children will carry what he needs, so he wanted several from different mothers." And Razvan now wanted Natalya's blood just as Xavier sought it all those years ago . Razvan would not take her from Vikirnoff. He could not be allowed to destroy the fragile threads that bound their hearts even as their souls were welded so tightly together.
    "You don't know that." But it made sense. It was exactly what Xavier had done. She had witnessed it when she'd grasped the handle of the ceremonial knife.
    "No, I do not. And I do not know if there is any hope for him. What I do know is there are vampires conspiring to kill the prince and kidnap you. They are hunting for a book your father gave his life to protect. He was so desperate to protect that book he put a compulsion on you to find it should someone start nosing around the cave."
    "Someone went into the ice cave before us and that triggered the compulsion." She'd already figured that out for herself.
    "If your father was willing to give his life to keep that book from Xavier, I am willing to bet we do not want it in his hands."
    "I still think there's a chance."
    "Natalya, I cannot tell you how many friends—even family I have had to hunt and kill.
    When we face a loved one who has become a vampire, even hunters hesitate. And when facing a hunter as skilled as your brother, hesitation is a death sentence. You cannot afford pity. You cannot afford to think he can be saved. He cannot."
    "How do you know, though? Have any of you ever tried to heal a vampire? Has it ever once been tried?" She knew it was desperation, but she couldn't help pushing it. There had to be a way to save her brother. If his sacrifice for her had led to his downfall then she bore the responsibility. He had been there for her when she needed him so desperately; she had to find a way to be there for him.
    Vampires were completely evil. She had seen their depravity, their joy in the killing of others. She couldn't bear that Razvan had chosen such a thing. That he had