that much time with them, but they’d seemed genuinely nice people. If their bodies were found, the conclusion would be they had been attacked by wild animals.
He swore in his language. He was a Carpathian hunter first and foremost, and to leave a battleground when there was a master vampire to hunt went against everything he believed in.
He is part mage now.
Julija’s voice startled him. She was merged with him and knew his thoughts. That shamed him. He didn’t want her to ever think he was upset because he protected her. Explain.
The first crack was far too wide and easy for a vampire to spot. He couldn’t secret Julija there and expect her to be safe.
He has slivers of Xavier in him. To look for the book, he has to bring those to the forefront. Sergey won’t feel the book on his own.
It calls to all evil.
No, Isai, it doesn’t. Xavier would like you to think that, but if that was so, my father and brothers, Barnabas and Crina would have known where the book was. They followed me thinking the book was in my possession. Remember, I went to the Carpathian Mountains and someone stole the book from the shadow cat. The shadow cat was killed. They had no way of knowing who stole the book. When I left the Carpathian Mountains, the order was sent out by the prince to find me. What would you think?
He turned that over in his mind just as he found the second crack in a large outcropping. This one was close to the ground, not up high near the top of the rock. The crack was so tight that at first, he wasn’t certain it was actually an opening that led anywhere. He had to get her under cover before the bats reached them.
He took a breath and waved his hand toward the crack, murmuring to the earth to open for him. The crack widened enough that he could shift their bodies to paper-thin, so they could pass through. He had no idea what was inside, and he didn’t like that with Julija there, but it was better than exposing her to the bats that Sergey had sent.
Once inside, he began to close the crack and she caught at his shirt. “No. The cats. They’ll be coming after us fast. If you shut them out, they’ll be exposed to the bats.”
He doubted if the bats would be able to see the cats as more than mere shadows. Blue, I did not leave a trail. He sent an image to all the cats of where they were. You cannot reveal our hiding place. If it is not safe to join us, wait. Pay attention to anything moving over your head or under your feet.
“They’ll let us know when they are close,” he assured and set her on her feet. He waved his hand and sconces immediately lined the chamber, illuminating the small cave. There was little room compared to many of the caves he’d used as resting places. This looked about the size of a small bedroom. Or a sitting room. He could change it at will. Right now, he just needed a place for Julija to be safe while he went after the master vampire.
“Listen to me, Isai. I know what I’m talking about. Sergey can’t find the book on his own. There is no trace of it or Iulian. I didn’t feel the book, that’s not what brought me here. I followed Iulian. I was connected to him from that brief time when he was losing his lifemate. It was Iulian that brought me to this place, not the book. He’s masked the book. I don’t know for how long, but Sergey won’t be able to find it, not even if it tries to call to Xavier.”
“That is a huge jump, Julija.” He began to weave safeguards, changing them in the way the brethren did so that no trace of Xavier’s teachings showed. Sergey would not be able to get to her.
“I know it is true. Isai, you aren’t really going after him by yourself, are you?”
“There are two innocent men out there. I can’t just let them die.” He spoke more harshly than he intended. Any fight with a master vampire was dangerous. Sergey, perhaps, the most dangerous of all.
“Stay connected to me. He will try to bring Xavier to the forefront and use his mage illusions. I can counter every one of them if you just allow me to