Carpathian 23 - Dark Storm

the flame-filled eyes. Deep inside those red
     flames burned black hatred. Riordan only caught the briefest of glimpses in the midst
     of the swirling, leaping towers of fire raging inside the eyes of the beast.
    He’s shadowed, Dax, you were right.
    The creature snarled and ripped at Riordan.
    Now, but watch for the sliver to try to save itself.
    Before the shadowed rodent could sink its claws into Riordan’s skin, the hunter hurled
     it into the air. Dax summoned dragon fire, opened his mouth and breathed a torrent
     of flames to engulf the watcher, burning it fast. The smell was terrible, noxious,
     even poisonous. The snarling turned to a terrible scream. Riley put her hands over
     her ears and held her breath.
    Both hunters didn’t take their eyes off the burning rodent as it fell to the ground.
     Shockingly, it got to its feet and staggered toward Riley. Dax sent another sweeping
     torrent of flames at the creature, the force so strong the watcher rolled over and
     over away from Riley. Burning fast, squealing, the rodent opened its mouth and coughed
     out a small sliver of darkness, a mere shadow. The shadow fell to the ground and began
     burrowing deep. Without the shadow of Mitro keeping it alive, the hapless creature
     burned hot and bright, turning to nothing but ash.
    “Stop it, Riley,” Dax commanded the moment the sliver landed on the ground. “Don’t
     let it use the soil to get away. Drive it back to the surface.”
    She plunged her hands into the soil without hesitation, although her fear was tangible.
     He didn’t need their mind bond to feel it. Her murmured chant was low but strong and
     firm without hesitation. Mother Earth answered her child.
    At once the ground rippled, rolled and then shuddered. Dirt burst into the air, a
     geyser spewing high as the sliver of evil was rejected. The wind shifted away from
     the Carpathians. Dax and Riordan both leapt through the spray of soil, eyes trained
     on the single dark shadow as it was taken in the direction of the trees.
    Once more Dax called the fire, inhaling deeply, drawing on the reserve in his belly,
     and sending the stream of flames directly into that sliver of darkness. Screams of
     rage and pain rent the air. Dogs howled throughout the neighborhood, the alarm spreading
     throughout the city. Car alarms went off. Sirens sounded. Windows shattered in some
     homes and businesses. The promise of retaliation—of vengeance—came as the unholy noise
     faded away.
    Riley knelt with her hands over her ears, head down. Riordan checked to make certain
     both the sliver of evil and the creature were dead.
    “It’s over,” Dax said, hurrying to Riley’s side. He reached down and lifted her to
     her feet, pulling her into the shelter of his body.
    Riley leaned into him for a brief moment, taking the comfort he offered. He wrapped
     his arm around her, nearly crushing her to him, inhaling, drawing her deep into his
     lungs. Her scent wiped out the repulsive, offensive stench permeating the air around
     them.
    “What was that?” She rested her head on his chest, betraying nerves by the nervous
     little strokes of one hand over his heart.
    “Mitro created a watcher by putting a small sliver of himself into the creature so
     he could see what it did. That way he could send it where he wanted, have total command,
     and obtain information at very little risk to himself,” Dax explained, bringing one
     hand up to the nape of her neck to gently ease the tension from her.
    She turned her face up to his. “You live in a very scary world. What did he hope to
     gain?”
    “Clearly he was having someone watch either the Carpathian hunters or Jasmine.”
    Over her head he could see Riordan once again weaving new safeguards around his home.
     This time there would be no watcher able to report back to Mitro the exact patterns
     of the wards, knowledge of which would have essentially given his minions free entrance
     into Riordan’s house. Now, it would be nearly impossible for anyone wishing harm to
     gain admittance.
    “You believe he’s after Jasmine.” Riley made it a statement.
    “Don’t you?”
    Riley stepped back, her eyes meeting his. “Absolutely. He’s after her child for some
     reason and we’re going to have to find out why, Dax, and stop him. He’s a serial killer.
     You can call him anything you want, but in the end, he seems to take great pleasure
     in torturing and murdering innocent people. He’s ritualistic in his