of his head. “It might be your last meal if you don’t move it,” she cautioned.
“It might be my last meal anyway,” he groused. But he was on his feet and rushing after Gary and Gabrielle, covering his wrist with his other hand as the band began to give off a faint light.
Definitely going hot, Jubal told his sisters. The blades will come out next.
“Call him back, Joie,” Gary ordered over his shoulder. “Call Traian and get him back here. We don’t have much time.”
Joie didn’t hesitate. There was too much urgency in Gary’s voice. Traian. They are here. The undead are here at the inn. Gary says it’s urgent that you return as quickly as possible.
Do as Gary says. He will know what to do until I am able to return. They cannot get their hands on any of you. Go for the heart if you have to defend yourself. They often inject poison into the bloodstream, and they are great deceivers and shape-shifters.
Traian’s matter-of-fact voice calmed Joie. Jubal’s bracelet is going hot. The last time that happened, the blades came out. Gary will see them, there’s no way to hide it from him.
We have no choice but to trust him. We do not know your ancestry, but you are my family and under my protection. He will know that. If any Carpathian should threaten you because that mage weapon is seen, you tell them all of you are under my protection. This time there was steel in his voice.
Gary shoved open the door to his room on the first floor. It was faster to get there and provided an excellent escape should they need one. “Quick, get inside and stuff everything you can find in the cracks around the doors and windows.” He tossed Gabrielle shirts as he hurried to the door leading to the verandah. “We’ll have to hole up in here. They’ll try to call us out, using compulsion. Jubal, there’s a small CD player on the desk. Pick some obnoxious music from the collection and turn it up loud. Very loud.”
Joie locked the door behind her. “The keyhole, Gabrielle—stuff something in that as well.” If vampires could do what she had seen Traian do, stream through tiny spaces as vapor, she didn’t see how they were going to keep them out. “So why are they here?”
“Most likely because you are,” Gary answered. “The surest way to bring a Carpathian male out into the open is to go after his lifemate. They’ll want one of you to invite them in. If you hear a voice talking sweetly, it is a deceiver. Put cotton in your ears, put your hands over your ears. Do anything to keep from listening. If one of you observe another going to the door or even talking, inviting someone into the room, stop him, even if it means knocking him out.”
“They’re definitely here,” Jubal said, pulling back his sleeve. His bracelet spilled light into the room, the wicked curved blades very much in evidence.
Gary stepped back, shook his head, and sighed. “I’m not even going to ask.”
Shadows passed across the window, moving back and forth as if searching for something. The wind picked up so that the tree branches scraped against the inn with a sickening screech. Clouds spun and boiled, casting hideous apparitions across the moon. A stain spread across the sky, slowly blotting out the stars, creeping insidiously until nearly all light was extinguished. The wind howled against the windows, slammed into the verandah door, carried with it voices. Soft. Cunning. Sweet and enticing. Pleading voices. Cries for help. A woman called out just beyond the door, begging for entrance, her voice rising on the wind.
“Joie?” Gabrielle looked to her sister for guidance.
Gary was close to her and he put his arm around her protectively. “Traian will be here soon. We can hold out until then.”
Jubal cranked up the CD player so that it blared loudly. Something grabbed the door handle and shook it so hard, the door rattled and splintered. Jubal leapt to place his body between the door and sisters. Joie stepped up beside him.
“Gary, get Gabby out of here,” Joie said, her heart pounding. Jubal had killed one of these things with his bracelet. Maybe it could happen again. She sent up a silent prayer.
“Believe me, we’re safer inside this room than anywhere else right now. And there’s less danger if we stick together,” Gary said. He took up a position at her side. “Jubal, watch the