Carpathian 16 - Dark Demon

another part of him was outraged that he was allowing her to be in harm's way.
    She growled a warning. He had no idea whether it was meant for him, or for the creature stalking them, but the knife flashed as the opening yawned to their left and the narrow cavern erupted with a wild howl of pain and rage.
    Blood splattered across Vikirnoff's face and Natalya's arm. It burned like acid. Natalya swore in his ear. I can't make it out, did you see it ?
    He glanced behind them, momentarily slowing down. Natalya gasped and jerked on his hair. Don't you dare! I mean it. We're getting the hell out of Dodge this time. I'm not tackling that thing when you're hurt and shadow warriors could be on us at any moment.
    Kick it up a gear, Speed Racer, and get us out of here .
    He knew he was too badly injured to fight anything with the kind of speed and strength the creature displayed, but he wanted to get a look at it. We are not in Dodge nor am I Speed Racer. Is your Troll King a vampire ?
    Natalya had excellent night vision as well as olfactory senses. Even the tiny hairs on her body acted like radar, much like a cat's whiskers, yet she couldn't identify the creature through scent or sight. She had tried to look at it, but her impression was of something tall and very muscular. Like a very blurry Godzilla. And it smells familiar yet not. I can't explain it. It's very frustrating . And she was getting dizzy as they hurtled around narrow corners, just barely missing crashing into the walls. He stopped following us and is throwing a bit of a tantrum, digging in the ice. I think I scored a really good hit on him, there was a lot of blood .
    Vikirnoff had no idea what or who Godzilla was, but it didn't matter. She couldn't identify the creature as vampire and it was going to come after her again and again until he destroyed the threat to her. He wasn't at all certain the creature was that injured. It was very possible he was trying to bring tons of ice down on top of them. They needed to get out of the cavern immediately.
    The hall encasing the stairs widened and Vikirnoff increased his speed, moving so fast he nearly missed the small tunnel that seemed to lead upward.
    Wait ! Natalya tugged at his hair again. That's it. The hidden entrance. I know it is. I feel it .
    You are certain ? He was already backtracking, feeling her certainty. She had mage blood in her and it had to be directing her.
    Vikirnoff allowed her feet to touch the ice floor. At once she looked down, her eyes searching the floor around her. "I no longer feel his presence. Do you?"
    Vikirnoff didn't believe she had felt his presence. Whatever was beneath them coming down the stairs had been no more than an illusion—and one she shouldn't have fallen for.
    Natalya shook her head. "The entrance is here, Vikirnoff, we just have to find it."
    "What happened to Vik?"
    She glanced up at his droll tone, a small grin hovering around her mouth. "I wouldn't want you to think it was endearing or anything like that."
    "I doubt there is reason to fear." He stood directly behind her, his body shielding hers, his hands reaching around her, caging her in, as he pointed out faint marks in the ice. "What are those?"
    "Ancient symbols."
    "Can you read them?" It had been long since he had seen such things and his memory wasn't to be trusted unless it was necessary.
    "Of course." She moved her hands with confidence, touching various symbols to arrange a pattern. "He loves patterns."
    Vikirnoff dropped his hands on her shoulders. "Who loves patterns?"

    Natalya tilted her head back to look at him with a frown. "What?"
    "You said he loves patterns. Who loves patterns, Natalya?"
    She rubbed her pounding temples. "I don't know. I detest not being able to remember things. I hate it, Vikirnoff."
    His fingers massaged the nape of her neck, easing the tension out of her. "Do not worry about it now, think only of opening the entrance for us. We will work it all out."

Chapter 10
    Natalya hurried through the progression of symbols to open the exit. She wanted out of the cave more than anything else. Keeping her back to Vikirnoff, she glanced over her shoulder at him then looked quickly back at what she was doing. "I should never have considered the idea of removing your memories. Whether I could have or not is irrelevant.
    It's offensive. It's not right. The idea that someone tampered with my brain, deliberately removed my childhood and who knows what else, is so disturbing I can't even tell you. I