Carpathian 20 - Dark Slayer

into hers, hammering into her, hurting and tearing while his vampire teeth tore at her neck as he gulped great swallows of blood.
    Barack filled her mind. The essences and warmth of who he was. Mate. Protecter. Lover. Everything. He joined with her, holding her close, sharing those memories of that long ago, but never forgotten, attack.
    â€œI will not break,― Syndil said. “Continue.―
    Ivory stood in the center of the circle and raised her arms, her tone one of entreaty mixed with respect.
    I call to thee, Mother, who once held me tight , Healing me whole so that I might continue the fight .
    Bring
    to
    me
    the
    power
    of
    all
    To undo that which was cast in spell .
    The room shimmered with life in reaction. Flames leapt high from the candles, casting grasping shadows on the walls. A harsh wind howled through the cavern. The floor rippled with life and overhead the stalactites rocked and vibrated, threatening to shake loose. More dark red dots of perspiration beaded across Ivory’s flesh.
    Evil burned through her veins, eating at her so that she was rotting from the inside out. The filth tainted her, stained her soul. She could feel the very flesh peeling from her bones.
    Xavier’s face swam in front of her vision, his sly laugh echoing through her mind as he pointed a bony finger, the sharp, bloodstained nail directing her.
    Slowly, reluctantly, Ivory dared to turn her head. The twin girls, tiny infants, lay lifeless—corpses, their bodies blackened like her soul. She opened her mouth to give a soundless scream of utter horror.
    No! Razvan merged with her, poured his strength into her. Keep going. You must finish this. He cannot win .
    Ivory took a deep, shuddering breath, her legs trembling, rubbery, barely able to support her. She needed Razvan’s arms around her, his presence close. His mind moved in hers and she summoned her last strength, praying it would be enough.
    Give
    to
    me
    the
    power
    to
    right
    this
    wrong ,
    Clearing all from this earth that we may continue on .
    Clear
    the
    body,
    cleanse
    the
    soul ,
    Heal
    the
    mind
    and
    make
    us
    whole .
    Give us once again the gift to raise our young so that we may continue
    to live .
    She shouted the words in defiance. Power surged and swelled, filling the room. Electricity crackled. Their hair raised and waved in the bands of energy. A whip of lightning snapped above their heads and then jumped to enfold Ivory. She glowed with white-hot energy, sparks now flying from her fingertips.
    Her tone changed, booming through the room with absolute command.

    The babies convulsed again, their tiny bodies slamming hard into their father’s hands, their breath coming in ragged, torn gasps. Both glowed a bright, hot red as temperatures soared beyond what they could endure.
    â€œHurry, Ivory. For God’s sake, hurry,― Gregori implored.
    Reverse
    this
    spell,
    I
    send
    it
    back .
    I call for justice, let this fall upon Xavier’s back .
    I
    command
    thee
    to
    take
    him ,
    Bind
    him,
    seal
    him ,
    Let
    nothing
    be
    left
    or
    remain .
    Bring
    forth
    your
    light
    encompassing
    this
    prize
    As your radiance burns this darkness to light .
    The room flashed with light. The flames on the candles leapt higher. Wind rushed through the room, whirling around in a twister motion, spinning through the soil, touching each corner of the protective circle and then subsided as if it had never been, leaving the candles flickering and the room smelling sweet and pure.
    Ivory slumped in the center of the circle, and collasped to one knee, exhausted. Bloody sweat coated her body and made her tendrils of silken hair curl around her face. Skyler blew out her white candle. Natalya blew out the red one. Shea followed suit with the blue one. Syndil was last, blowing out the final one, allowing the smoke from the green candle to rise into the air, joining the smoke of the others to mix with the incense and purify the room.
    The chamber went silent. Only the sound of breathing filled the room. Savannah struggled away from her father, her desperate gaze on her lifemate and their daughters.
    Gregori closed his eyes and then opened them to look down at the tiny infants lying beneath the palms of his hands. Slowly, with great care, he lifted his hands away. His twin daughters stared back up at him with enormous, solemn eyes—eyes that had seen far too much already. Their skin was a healthy pink.
    Their fragile limbs kicked and