room. Ancient spells and power remain in them. We don’t want vampires, or anyone, for that matter, to get their hands on things best left alone. Carpathians are of the earth. We have gifts, but we do not wield power in the same way as the mages do.”
“You believe that some still live?”
“I would think it likely. At least I would think some of their descendants remain and have retained their knowledge, or at least a portion of it.”
Joie sighed. “Lovely thought. Anyone who created that shadow warrior is not going to be counted among my best friends.”
“Nor mine.” There was an ominous warning to his voice.
She looked up quickly. “I know what you’re thinking. You just remembered, if my brother is a mage, than so am I. We are from the same parents and that’s an indisputable fact. I can’t reach either Gabrielle or Jubal. They’re too far away.” There was worry in her voice.
Traian took a breath and stopped, seeking his blood bond with Jubal. “They are out of the caves and heading for the inn. They thought to get a rescue team together. I have informed him there is no need, we will join them shortly.”
Joie nearly sagged with relief. “You’re certain?”
“Absolutely.”
Joie followed him through the long hall, already feeling the open air on her body, not looking at the beauty and magnificence of her surroundings as she normally would. She was so relieved that her brother and sister had made it out that she wanted to weep. She searched for a topic to keep from giving in to the intensity of her emotions. “You grew up a long time ago.”
He grinned at her, his teeth flashing in the light of her lantern. “Well, yes. I have lived for centuries. I barely remember my parents anymore.” His smile slipped away. “The memory of my childhood days has faded. I catch glimpses at times. I do recall the years just before leaving my homeland. The way the prince looked at us all. I saw it in his eyes. His own death, the decline of our people, his dread for all of the warriors he was sending away from home. Our women were so few, even then the numbers were declining. Back then we had alliances with humans. Now we keep to ourselves and just do our best to blend in.”
She listened to the sound of his voice and heard the sorrow that ran deep. In his mind she saw the battles, sometimes with childhood friends. She saw his inner demons, the insidious whispers of power, the dark stain that slowly spread over him, calling to him. And he was always alone. In every memory, he was always alone. Joie wanted to comfort him. She caught his hand, tangled her fingers with his. She meant it to be a brief gesture, but he tightened his grip.
“I grew up very differently,” she said, ducking her head to avoid a large crystal formation. “My family is very close and very loving. We all talk at the same time and give each other all sorts of unwanted advice. My dad tells outrageous stories. He used to sneak into our bedroom at night with a flashlight shining on his face and tell scary stories until we screamed and laughed and Mom came running in to chastise him. Once, after he read us Stephen King’s Cujo, he put whipped cream on the muzzle of our huge mutt and shoved him into the bedroom. It’s a wonder we all survived his sense of humor.”
She laughed at the memory, deliberately sharing with Traian the warmth of her childhood, the love in her family. “We’re all a little bit crazy, but it’s okay with us.”
“Do you think I will fit in?” He brought her hand to his chest and held it against his heart. “I would not mind having a family after all this time.”
He was a tall man with wide shoulders and eyes that had seen far too much, yet the lost note in his voice turned her heart over. Joie smiled at him. “I can’t wait for you to meet my mother. She does not like men, other than my father, and she can be very intimidating. You’re an alpha male and she will definitely have an opinion. We’ll see how well you can stand up to her. She ran off every boy who wanted to date my sister or me.”
He smiled at her, rather like a wolf smiling at a lamb. “I will have