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  She shuddered and moved a little closer to her brother. “I never, ever, want to meet another one as long as I live.”

  “You encountered one?” Gary asked, obviously shocked. “And lived through it?”

  Gabrielle nodded. “Jubal . . .”

  “Perhaps that discussion is best left for another time,” Traian interrupted. He didn’t know Gary Jansen. He believed him an emissary of the prince, but he needed to protect Joie’s family from all possible harm. The last thing he wanted was for the mage weapon to be brought out into the open. “Suffice to say, we escaped and hurried here to give Mikhail the news. Is he well? In danger?”

  Gary shook his head. “Raven was pregnant and she lost the baby.”

  Traian met his eyes. Joie caught the echo of his instant sorrow. Somehow that baby had meant the world to all Carpathians, representing hope.

  “That is sad news. I had thought perhaps, with her having been human, and carrying successfully once, she would escape the fate of our women.”

  “What fate?” Jubal asked, shifting protectively toward Joie.

  Traian sighed. He’d hoped to avoid repeating the subject in front of her family, but honor compelled him to answer Jubal’s direct question. “Over the last few centuries, fewer and fewer babies survived. Those that did were usually male. It became very rare to have a female child. When our prince found his lifemate in a human psychic, the males had renewed hope. She gave birth to a female child—the first in a very long time. Unfortunately, miscarriage is common and if the child is born, more often than not, they do not survive beyond their first year.”

  Joie pressed her lips together tightly and looked at her sister. Gabrielle looked as if she might cry.

  “How terrible,” she whispered.

  “I’m doing research,” Gary said. “Hoping to find the cause.”

  “Have you discovered anything that might point you in a direction?” Gabrielle asked, real interest in her voice. “I might be able to help.”

  Gabrielle, Jubal cautioned. Slow down. We don’t know anything about this man.

  Gabrielle stuck her chin out. If Traian is discussing important things with him, he obviously trusts him.

  Traian ignored the sibling debate. “I came across a group of vampires traveling together. Not one master and a puppet, but at least three master vampires, each with their own following, even several well-seasoned ones—all traveling and hunting together with an actual battle plan. I have never seen such a thing before. There is definitely something brewing and the conspirators are determined to assassinate the prince. I managed to kill a couple of them, but was wounded, and instead of killed, taken prisoner and used for a food supply, but I had the feeling they wanted to use me for something else. What that could be, I do not know.”

  “Mikhail wanted me to ask you why you did not simply give him the information when you requested that someone join you here,” Gary said.

  “Had I used the common telepathic link, the undead would have heard what I had to say,” Traian said. “I have never exchanged blood with the prince and do not have a private telepathic link. I believed the news of vampires banding together was far too sensitive for them to know I was passing the information to our prince. I wanted to keep the news as confidential as possible until we had time to assess things.”

  Gary nodded. “Unfortunately, I fear things are going to get worse before they get better.”

  “Where is Mikhail’s second in command? Why is he not guarding our prince? Our people cannot afford the loss of our prince and his lifemate. I do not like the fact that the undead dare to gather so close to our homeland.”

  “Gregori is in the United States but will be returning soon. Falcon and Jacques stay close to Mikhail, although he doesn’t like it. He says he is quite capable of defending himself.”

  “Perhaps it is so, but a master vampire is too powerful for any experienced hunter to take on alone and if they are banding together, even the prince and Gregori are in danger. He has not had to deal with so many of them because they spread out to other countries to grow in power and keep from being brought to justice by a hunter,” Traian objected, an edge to his voice.

  Gary shrugged. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about master vampires. I’ve had a little experience with the undead and have found them difficult to kill. I, of course, go armed at all times and have developed a few weapons more suited to a human defense against them.”

  “You might share your discoveries with Joie, Gabrielle, and Jubal,” Traian suggested. “No doubt they will be exposed again to the undead if they stay in this area long.”

  His gaze rested on Joie. Had she changed her mind about coming fully into his world? He should have disclosed that the possibility of losing children was very high. He’d discussed Carpathian history with her and had revealed the lack of women and children, but he hadn’t actually told her what the reality would be.

  Joie sent him a reassuring smile, one fist bunching in the back of his shirt, joining them together. I’m not going anywhere, Traian. If you and the rest of your people have to face the problem and look for solutions, I can too. And Gabrielle wasn’t just talking. She’s very good at what she does. She might be able to help Gary if he’s really doing what he says.

  Traian turned toward her, unable to help himself, sweeping her under his shoulder. “I was on my way back in answer to the prince’s summons when I was attacked by a group of the undead. I killed two of them, but was wounded. They dogged my heels for weeks, nipping at me, wounding me and retreating. Vampires have too big of egos to get along, yet the fight was coordinated. After I killed a couple of them, I expected them to leave, but instead, they redoubled their efforts, attacking and running, but never allowing me to rest. First one master and his followers would attack and then the next. The third, the one I believe pulling the strings, never showed himself to me, but I felt him and he was very powerful.”

  Worry crossed Gary’s face. “You’re right. That’s very unusual behavior. I’ve never heard of it either in all the time I’ve been with Gregori and Mikhail.”

  Traian was astonished that a human was so trusted that Gregori, guardian to the prince of the Carpathian people, would allow him to get so close. It was obvious, from the familiar way Gary spoke, that he was in the inner circle. Traian had been away from his homeland for centuries and when he’d left, the ruling leader had been Mikhail’s father. Traian had yet to swear allegiance to Mikhail, so in some ways, Gary was more trusted by the prince than he would be.

  “I went to ground in a network of undiscovered caves in the mountains not far from here,” Traian said. “At first I thought the vampires had followed me into the caves, but they were hunting for something there beneath the earth. They were so frantic to find it, instead of avoiding me as would be usual, they engaged me in a series of battles. I was able to kill one master, Gallent, but got no information about the powerful one who was coordinating the fights.”

  Gary rubbed his jaw. “New behavior in an enemy is always indicative of planning. Someone out there is definitely orchestrating a major battle.”

  “I believe that to be the case as well. I was severely wounded after one of the battles, and they found my resting place. Instead of killing me, they decided to use my blood and continue searching. Joie, Jubal, and Gabrielle found me. Joie killed one of the vampires.”

  Gabrielle stirred as if she might give her brother credit as well, but Jubal laid a restraining hand on her arm and she closed her mouth.

  “Sort of,” Joie corrected when Gary looked at her with admiration. “The darn thing fried my favorite knife. Traian had to incinerate it before it was really gone.” He knows a lot, don’t you think, for someone human?

  Few humans are trusted with the knowledge he has of our people. He must be much respected for Mikhail to send him to me.

  “How did you get involved with all of this?” Gabrielle asked Gary curiously.

  He looked sheepish. “I’m embarrassed to admit I developed a compound to paralyze the system of Carpathians, thinking, of course, they were vampires. The compound was twisted into a poison and used to torture and dissect whomever the human society of vampire hunters deemed one of the undead. When I tried to expose them and rescue one of their victims, I met Gregori.”

  “What’s he like?” Gabrielle asked curiously. “You must have been shocked.”

  He shrugged. “I can’t describe Gregori or what meeting him was like, but it changed my life. The society would like to see me dead, so as a protection, Gregori brought me here to help with research. I like it here and have developed strong friendships, so I stay.”

  Who is Gregori? There was so much respect in Gary’s voice, Joie was curious.

  He is second in command to the prince—his guardian and the one tasked with keeping him alive. He is a great hunter and healer. His lifemate is the daughter of the prince.

  Joie looked up at Traian. “I can see the Carpathians have a complex society. Why didn’t we know of its existence until now?”

  “We take great care to blend in to the human world. It has been our way for centuries and has worked well for us. Unfortunately, our race is on the verge of extinction.” Traian gathered Joie to him. “Without lifemates, we will not survive.”

  “Lifemates?” Jubal echoed. “You said Joie was your lifemate before, what does that mean?”

  “We mate for life. Once a male finds the woman who is his other half, he binds her to him, as you do with a marriage ceremony. If she is a human and does not live fully in our world, it can be very difficult. Lifemates cannot be parted for long periods of time. We have a strong telepathic link and must touch each other’s minds frequently or one begins to grieve for the other. As Carpathians cannot walk fully in the human world, it is usually best for the human to walk in our world,” Traian explained.

  Jubal and Gabrielle exchanged a long, apprehensive look.

  “What exactly does that entail?” Jubal asked suspiciously.

  “Jubal—” Joie protested.

  “No, Joie, I want to know what he’s talking about.” Jubal didn’t look at his sister but rather at Traian. Man to man. Expecting an answer. Demanding one.

  “Joie has consented to come fully into my world, Jubal,” Traian said, his voice low and without inflection. “I will protect her and watch over her and see to her happiness at all times. The conversion will not take her from your family. She would never be happy apart from you. I hope you and your sister and your parents will be able to accept me into your world, and your family, in the way I know my people will accept Joie into mine.”

  Jubal swore softly and turned away from them to stare out into the night. “Joie, did you think this through? Do you know what he’s asking of you?”

  Joie went to her brother, and put her arms around him. “I’ve never felt as if I truly belonged, Jubal. I accepted that I was different, and yes, I’ve been happy because I like the work I do and I love my family dearly, but I want more than that. Traian offered me more, and I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.”

  “Do you hear what he’s saying to you? This isn’t like a human marriage, Joie, where you can walk away if things don’t work out.”

  Traian stood beside Joie, his fingers laced with hers. “Lifemates not only want to be together, Jubal, they need to be. They find a way to work things out. A male Carpathian knows what makes his lifemate happy and does everything within his power to do it for her. And it works both ways. We always have telepathic communication open to us, so, in a sense, we are used to living in each other’s heads. I know that is a big adjustment to make, and I am doing my best to give Joie as much space as she needs. But she is already learning quickly.”

  “It’s what I want, Jubal,” Joie said. “Be happy for me.”

  “I know you, Joie. You aren’t going to be satisfied sitting on the sidelines while vampires are hanging around. You’re going to go save the world.”

  Joie couldn’t lie to her brother. “Probably. On the other hand, I have no intention of giving up my business. I thought Traian might work with me.”

  “This is where it is necessary for you to have faith in me, Jubal,” Traian said. “I cannot allow anything to happen to Joie.”

  Jubal laughed without humor. “You don’t know Joie if you think you’re going to be protecting her. More than likely, it will be the other way around.”

  “Forgive me for butting in, but I’ve been around the Carpathian race for some time now,” Gary said. “Traian is an ancient Carpathian male. He is far more powerful than you can imagine. They do not allow their women to come to any harm.”

  “But then you haven’t met someone like Joie before,” Jubal pointed out. “She’s the guardian of the world.”

  “At least I go after people, not little organisms that you can’t see and can’t do anything about.”

  “Hey now,” Gabrielle objected, “don’t turn the spotlight on me.”

  A small smile curved Traian’s mouth. “I think you are misjudging me because of our first meeting, when I was being held prisoner. I have survived countless battles with the undead, Jubal. A master vampire is every bit as powerful as our greatest hunter.”

  He turned his attention once more to Gary. “Mikhail must know they are traveling in packs, and that they are planning something big. I also believe it is important to discover whatever it is they are seeking in those caves. Vampires always seek power. They would never waste time working the way they are unless it resulted in more power. That cave now belongs, or once belonged, to a powerful mage,” he added in warning. “There are items of great power in the caves, guarded by a shadow warrior.”

  “I don’t know what that is.”

  “Mikhail and Gregori will know. No one wants to meet a shadow warrior.”

  Gary nodded. “I’ll tell him.”

  “I’ll be returning to the cave just before sundown tomorrow. I hope to surprise them before they rise. In any case, I will do my best to discover what they seek.”

  “Well, of course I’m going with you,” Joie said.

  Traian brought her fingertips to his lips, breathed warm air over her hand. “I can travel faster on my own, Joie. And you have not yet learned to prevent them from reading your mind. I would be at risk because of your unguarded thoughts.”

  Joie’s gaze flicked to Gary. The man nodded. “They are adept at reading our thoughts and even controlling us. Traian can go in without their being aware of his presence, but they would know the moment you were near.”

  Joie frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you going in alone. There are several of them, and you’ve admitted there’s more than one master vampire. I might be able to help. Could you block them from reading my thoughts?”

  “Probably, but the more tasks I have to perform, the more energy I expend. I have to go in fast and hard and get out the same way.”

  Jubal immediately stepped to his sister’s side. “What if we were nearby, waiting just in case you run into trouble?” he suggested.

  Gabrielle nodded. “I think that would be best, Traian. We might be able to slow them down and even incinerate the things for you.”

  Traian looked at the three of them. Family. Solidarity. Jubal and Gabrielle might not agree with Joie’s choice. They might be afraid for her. But when it counted, they stood with her. He bent his head and kissed Joie right in front of them. It was that or humiliate himself with tears shimmering in his eyes. As it was, a lump threatened to choke him.

  “Thank you for letting me be a part of your family, Joie. They are wonderful.” He looked at Jubal. “I appreciate the offer, but it is safer for me if you are here, a distance away, where the undead cannot perceive a threat to them. Should I have need, I will contact Joie immediately.”

  He looked at Gary over their heads, and the prince’s messenger nodded carefully. He would watch over Traian’s lifemate and family. A matter of honor in the Carpathian world.

  Chapter Ten

  Joie dreamt of a hot, moist mouth pulling strongly at her breast, of hands stroking her body. Of lips traveling down her bare skin to her navel, swirling kisses and teasing bites over her stomach. Hands on her thighs tugging her legs apart. She was already damp with invitation.

  She opened her eyes as the waves of sensation burst through her like a gift. The wealth of Traian’s silky dark hair slid over her skin, the sight more erotic than she had ever imagined. His fingers moved inside her, found secret ways to shimmer fire through her veins. And then his tongue took the place of his hands, stabbing deep, tasting and teasing and stroking her until she was crying with joy and her body no longer belonged to her. Wave after wave, orgasm after orgasm rippled through her body, so that she bucked and jumped as he held her firmly, his mouth devouring her, claiming her, feeding her sheer pleasure.

  She clenched her fists in his hair, holding on while she took the wild ride, while the earth moved and her body shattered into fragments. He took possession of her then, kneeling above her, dragging her hips to him, thrusting deep with powerful strokes while she came over and over in a mind-numbing climax that seemed endless. He was everywhere, in her body, in her mind, their hearts beating in the same rhythm. She could feel the intensity of his emotions, a tidal wave of longing and love, of absolute need and hunger, of caring and loyalty, far more than she could understand, but real all the same.

  Traian loved the way Joie clung to him as his body rode out the storm of roiling emotions, each thrust deeper and harder in a fierce, possessive joining. Thunder roared in his ears, lightning sang in his blood, fire raged in his belly until the conflagration merged together at the core of his body. Her feminine sheath was fiery hot, tight and velvet soft, the friction an unbelievable sensation. He tilted her hips, wanting her to take all of him, wanting to crawl inside her body, his home, his sanctuary after several lifetimes of loneliness. He wanted to give her the world, wanted her body to feel the same flames of passion and pleasure that she ignited in him.

  He felt her muscles clench around him, the gathering of a great force. He threw back his head, allowed his body to explode with volcanic intensity, thrusting deep, taking her with him, holding her close as they burst into sunlight, the only time he could ever embrace such a thing.