Dark Carousel (Dark #30) - Christine Feehan Page 0,148

wasn’t just her life she’d risked. She knew Fridrick’s army was there to take her to Vadim and still, she’d launched herself out into the open and saved Liv’s life.

“She’s mine, too,” Emeline said and then gasped for breath. She wheezed with every breath she took.

Tariq knew she didn’t want interference, but he couldn’t be in the same room with her and not help. He waved his hand to calm her breathing, to ease the terrible tightness in her chest. Before Emeline could protest he leaned down to brush a kiss across Charlotte’s mouth. “Excuse me, ladies, I must feed. We need to get moving as soon as possible to put our plan into action.”

“You have a plan?” Emeline’s gaze jumped to his face again. This time there was the beginning of hope.

“We do. We’ll bring her home, Emeline,” Tariq assured. He jerked his chin at Maksim and the two left the house together. “How hurt is she?”

“She didn’t want Blaze to examine her, but the medic said concussion. She won’t allow us to use our skills on her. She wants nothing to do with Carpathians, Tariq. Nothing at all, especially with the men. She tolerates me because of Blaze, but she’s uneasy with me in the room. I thought it would get better, but it’s actually gotten worse.”

“It hasn’t been that long since she was attacked, and it probably didn’t help that Fridrick’s army penetrated our defenses and managed to take Liv again. There is no way she feels safe now.”

Maksim casually used his lengthening fingernail to cut a long, deep line in his wrist. He offered the blood to Tariq rather absently. They’d been partners for a long time and hunted together frequently. That meant they shared blood and saw to each other’s wounds. Neither thought much about it although Maksim murmured the ritual words.

“Saasz hän ku andam szabadon—take what I freely offer.”

“You can spare this? We have to be at full fighting strength.”

Maksim nodded. “I fed twice, first for Blaze and then again for myself. Our security team was very cooperative.”

Tariq bent his head to Maksim’s wrist, accepting his answer. Maksim knew what was at stake. They were far from the Carpathian Mountains and had to create their own sense of family. Maksim and Blaze were part of Tariq’s family just as he knew he was part of theirs. They relied on one another to guard their lifemates. Blaze was precious to them. She had represented hope for Tariq, another reason to hang on no matter how long he had to endure that gray world of nothing.

Blaze was a warrior through and through, and Tariq found it interesting that Charlotte was as well. Charlotte wasn’t skilled in fighting as Blaze was, but she had the spirit and courage of a fighter. He would never forget that moment in the parking garage when she’d tried to protect him.

When he’d taken enough blood to feed Charlotte, he closed the laceration on Maksim’s wrist and stepped back, looking around the compound. His first order of business was to make certain they had every single splinter from the carousel. He didn’t want there to be any mistakes. The children couldn’t accidently stumble across one of Vadim’s evil shadows. He waved his hand and sent wind swirling through the yard, a magnet for the ancient splinters of wood. His security team had handled the larger pieces but there was no way for them to get every splinter. He had to do it. He sent the debris into the basement, where the rest of the carousel was waiting.

“The two men aiding Emeline,” he ventured as they continued across the compound toward the small guardhouse where the prisoners would have been taken. “They were both in the tunnel when Liv was thrown to the puppet.”

“I remember,” Maksim said. “Vividly. That child has endured far too much in her short life.”

As they approached the house, the head of security, Matt Bennet, stepped out to greet them. He was armed and looked grim, but Tariq had always noted the man rarely smiled. “Sir, we picked up three other prisoners just a little while ago. They claim they’re friends of yours and have information you need.”

Tariq wanted to groan aloud. He knew exactly who those men were. Idiots. Had they witnessed the attack? More than likely. He knew they wouldn’t leave it alone. They’d all but told him they wouldn’t. He had two of Vadim’s human soldiers locked up, a child missing and now the three vampire