Carpathian 23 - Dark Storm

at him. “He’s gone. You know he’s gone.”
    “He leaves both carnage and traps behind. Neither is for you.”
    She raised an eyebrow. “I think you’re mistaken about that. I think he left both behind
     for me to find. He knows I’m following him.”
    “That he does, sivamet . And we’ll get him.”
    “He should never have gotten out.” Riley glanced over his shoulder toward the smoldering
     ruins of the little house there on the side of the river. “I should have been able
     to stop him.”
    “Riley.” Dax said her name softly, shaking his head. He stroked a caress down her
     long sweep of hair. “You have to know you aren’t responsible for any of this.”
    “Of course I am. He got out. He’s killing people, destroying lives. How many more
     will he kill before we catch him?” She blinked back tears and gestured toward the
     cabin. “Whoever lived there had a life and it’s gone because I wasn’t powerful enough,
     or fast enough to keep him a prisoner in that volcano.”
    “If you believe that, you have to believe that ultimately, the failure is mine. I
     have had centuries and yet, I failed.” Dax kept his voice very low, very matter-of-fact.
     His guilt was not in his inability to defeat the vampire, that was part of the job.
     Sometimes the hunter won and sometimes the undead prevailed. All hunters knew and
     accepted that premise.
    At once Riley’s expression changed and she shook her head. “No, no, Dax, please don’t
     think I ever thought that. Of course it isn’t your fault . . .”
    “It isn’t yours, either. Mitro is evil. I have no idea if he was born that way, or
     what shaped him, but he wanted to be evil. He embraced that darkness in himself. He
     had every chance to move to the light, but he clearly made the choice to be what he
     is.”
    He dropped his arm around her shoulders and began walking away from the scent of smoke
     and death. “He seems to need carnage and suffering. It feeds some deep need he has.
     He’s been around centuries, and maybe it is not our destiny to stop him. But we will
     continue to try, Riley. There is nothing to gain by blame or guilt. Neither serves
     any purpose, not in a life-and-death hunt. I need you to be at your strongest and
     most determined. He can’t ever see weakness in you. The moment he does, he’ll use
     it to attack. Remember, vampires can get into your head.”
    Riley nodded. “I hate that you, Gary and Jubal have to see what he’s done and I’m
     protected from the worst of it.”
    He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her mouth. “I never want you to have to see
     any more of his work than necessary. I can help to distance the horror from Gary and
     Jubal should they ask, and they know enough of our abilities to ask if they have need.
     I have dealt with this most of my life and can look upon death and torture without
     repercussions. I have the ability to push all emotion aside.”
    Riley turned, stepping in front of him, halting his forward progress. She linked her
     fingers behind his neck as her eyes searched his carefully. “I don’t know how you’ve
     done this so long, Dax, but I admire you for it. I wish I had the courage to tell
     you I’m going with you no matter what, but I already feel sick just with the thought
     of it.”
    She pressed her face against his chest, right over the steady beat of his heart. He
     was such a rock. So calm. So completely confident. There was no doubt in her mind
     what he would find when he approached that little cabin. Lives were lost, others changed
     forever. She sighed, wishing she could somehow prevent him from having to witness
     the depravity and cruelty of Mitro.
    Dax caught her chin, tipping her head up, his strange, beautiful eyes staring down
     into hers, captivating her with those spinning colors and the bright flame that shone
     with such intensity every time he looked at her. “I appreciate that you would spare
     me this, Riley. It is enough that I know you don’t have to see.”
    “I wish neither of us had to do this. And poor Gary and Jubal. Traveling with me,
     they had no idea what was in store for them.”
    He bent his head and brushed a gentle kiss across each eyelid and then blazed a trail
     of fire to the corner of her mouth. “Don’t worry about them, my gentle heart. I watch
     over them. They’re good men and good friends to our people. I won’t let them see more
     than they can handle. They’re tough, both of them, and they’ve