Carpathian 21 - Dark Peril

They employ a lot of people who are very loyal to them. They take good care of their workers and the families who stay with them throughout the years seem to grow wealthy as well. Many of the locals are fiercely loyal to them.

    “Solange, whoever is handling the cat has to be on this ranch.”

    Her heart jumped. Maybe not. Maybe it was looking for a meal. But she knew he was right. It made sense.
    The tracks led straight to a road. And on the road there were tire tracks. She’d seen them often in her wanderings. The trucks the De La Cruz workers used were all the same, as were the tire tracks so clear there in the mud. The heavy cat had leapt from the back of the truck. The tracks were deep behind where the vehicle had been parked.

    Dominic crouched low to examine the ground. “There are boot prints here. There must have been a cage of some kind in the back of the truck and he let it out.”

    Not vampire.

    “Definitely not vampire. What do you think is going on here, Solange?”

    A silly fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach told her just how much it mattered that he’d asked her opinion. She turned the small bit of information they’d collected over and over in her head. Maybe we aren’t the target at all here, Dominic. They don’t know about you yet. And what threat would they consider me? Zacarias is the biggest threat they have in this part of the world. He’s the one most feared of all the De La Cruz brothers. He carries the most power and is the most influential with the leaders here.

    “All true, but why would they need your blood? What would that have to do with Zacarias?”

    Whatever it is, I’ll bet they didn’t count on me giving my blood to Zacarias. I’m not known for my generosity in that area.

    “So it if isn’t a vampire”—Dominic was already following the tracks of the truck in the mud, knowing it would lead them back to the De La Cruz ranch—“then who would send a cat after you? And who has that kind of black magic ability to possess another’s body now that Xavier is dead?”

    Are all mages in league with the vampires? Did they all follow Xavier?

    “No, the mages have scattered to the four corners of the world. Many were experimented on. Xavier held Razvan for centuries, and in that time he saw many terrible things done to young mage women and men. A few fanatical mages worshiped him and followed his teachings. They hate Carpathians and want them wiped off the earth just as much as the vampires do.”

    So we know whoever sent the cat has to be mage, and not necessarily in league with the vampires. He may have his own agenda. And he’s using someone at Zacarias’s ranch. If he’s been there for some time, getting established, he must have been very distressed when Zacarias showed up. He rarely comes here.

    They stood at the edge of the forest, staring down at the cleared barrier between the forest and the extensive cattle ranch. The truck tracks followed the road straight into the De La Cruz property.

    Solange shifted and stood naked beside Dominic, smiling a little at his body’s instant response to her.

    “You could give me a little warning so I would be ready with clothes,” he said.

    She lifted an eyebrow. “I think you’re a little off your game, Dragonseeker. I expected clothes. Maybe I should be going to visit our neighbors just like this. It would definitely get us in the door.”

    Instantly her body was clad in familiar jeans and tee. She laughed at him. Even her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Let’s go see who wants my blood.”

    Dominic held out his hand. Solange only hesitated for a second before she put her hand in his and walked with him up the muddy road toward the sprawling De La Cruz ranch house.

    15

    I can never betray you.
    You can never part from me.
    In love forever, this life and next.
    You are the very heart of me.

    DOMINIC TO SOLANGE

    C esaro saw Dominic and Solange coming and rode out to greet them on a dark horse. In full gaucho gear, he was an impressive sight. The horse all but pranced under him. He flashed a wary smile in greeting. “All is well?” he called.

    Dominic shook his head. “We may have discovered a plot against Zacarias, Cesaro. We are not certain, but would like to discuss matters with you. You know more about this ranch and the people on it than anyone else, I would imagine.”

    Cesaro slipped easily from the horse’s back, retaining the reins. “Of