Carpathian 16 - Dark Demon

only to study Xavier's plan to rid the earth of our species. Xavier must have spent centuries developing a spell to use against my people."
    "I'm certain he did. The point is this. You asked me to locate the book and I did. Now you want me to recover the book and hand it over to someone I don't know. Does that make sense to you?"
    "If you trust me, then there is no problem. We do not want to keep this thing."
    "Isn't it better to leave it where it is for the time being and if it becomes apparent Xavier is getting close to discovering its whereabouts, then retrieve it?" Natalya stepped out of the shadows. "Don't ask me to do this, Vikirnoff. I can't go against what I feel is right, not even for you."
    "You believe it is better to leave the book there? Why do you think vampires are looking for psychic women who have the ability to touch objects and read the past? Why do you think so many have gathered here? A war between vampires and Carpathians? I believe they are searching for the book. Xavier knows your father was found near the peat bogs. He has to be searching there."
    "The safeguards will hold."
    "Will they? Who taught your father the safeguards? Who taught you? Even Razvan knows the safeguards you use. They will not hold and I think you know that."
    "Then I'll guard the book. I'll hide it somewhere else, halfway around the world, somewhere he'll never think to look."

    "Natalya."
    She threw her head back, exposing her throat, but her fists were knotted at her sides. Her name. Just that, nothing else, a wealth of expression in his voice. "I'll find the damn book, Vik, but I'm not handing it over to the prince until I'm certain it will be safe."
    "That is good enough for me, ainaak enyém , I cannot ask for more." He held out his hand. "Let us go find it."

Chapter 17
    The peat bogs were unexpectedly as beautiful as they were eerie. Natalya paced carefully around the nearest edges just along the pine forest, where the water drained from above and seeped up from below to form the enormous marsh. Sphagnum moss grew in abundance, the feathery stems and leaves stretched out invitingly over the surface beckoning her to come closer. Orchids and a dozen other plants flowered in or around the dark water. The ground, even close to the edges was spongy and each step she took shook the nearby trees.
    "Some of these plants are huge."
    "They are carnivorous. They eat insects," Vikirnoff said.
    "Still…" Natalya glanced up at the mountain rising sharply above them. Parts of it were totally obscured by the thick mist. Pine trees grew in abundance and some low branches partially dipped into the wide bog, so that needles floated on the surface along with the thick vegetation. She pressed her palm over the birthmark that warned her when vampires were near. "I don't think we're being watched. Do you feel any danger?"
    "Not from vampires, but lately I haven't been able to feel them close by. I think it has something to do with the parasites in their blood. I have no idea how they mask their presence, but it seems to be effective." He was still uneasy. The forest pressed too close and the smell of the peat bog was overwhelming. "Can you unravel the safeguards from here, Natalya?" There was more fighting room. He preferred the solid ground to the spongy, waterlogged terrain.
    "No. I'll have to be in the exact spot my father was. He'll have set it up that way as part of the protection. If they come, you'll have to keep them off of me while I retrieve the book.
    Once they know we're looking here, they'll drain the bog before giving up." The marsh was huge with sinkholes everywhere. In the moonlight, the stagnant water appeared deep and treacherous, despite the many plants blooming on the surface.
    "You be very careful, Natalya." It was an unnecessary thing to say, but her hesitation, coupled with the heavy oppressive weight settling between his shoulder blades, increased his feelings of unease.

    Natalya tossed him a quick, saucy grin. "Careful is my middle name."
    Vikirnoff scowled at her. "This is a serious situation, Natalya."
    Her eyebrow shot up. "Really? I would never have guessed. I thought maybe it would be cool, campy fun like in The Creature from the Black Lagoon . It didn't actually occur to me that it could be serious ."
    "There is such a thing as overconfidence." There was a small pause. "What is The Creature from the Black Lagoon ?"
    Natalya shook her head in disgust. "Just what have you been doing all these years? Don't