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  "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 hunters.

  He sighed and shook his head. "Thanks for getting here so quickly."

  Matt nodded. "We tried to follow the child, but we lost her. The main force engaged with us, allowing them to slip her away."

  "We'll get her back. In the meantime, I need to see the three crazies who just won't stay away from this mess."

  Matt led the way inside. Maksim followed Tariq. He needed to feed again to gain strength and taking the blood of spies seemed fair, even though the security detail had no qualms about providing for them.

  Daniel Forester leapt to his feet when Tariq and Maksim entered the room. Vince Tidwell and Bruce Van Hues were a little slower to get up, and both eyed Matt warily. Vince sported a bruise on his jaw, and Bruce had lumps on his forehead and temple. Daniel moved stiffly, holding his ribs.

  "We drove up to talk to you," Daniel said, the words spilling out of his mouth fast, "when a man burst through your gates carrying a child. There were soldiers and disgusting-looking creatures following and then your soldiers engaged with them. We saw that the man carrying the child was slipping away while the others fought, so we followed him."

  Tariq shook his head. "You have no idea what kind of fire you're playing with." He wanted to shake all three of them, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but respect their courage. They'd seen Vadim's puppets and they'd still followed the very intimidating half-human hybrid in order to find out where he was taking Liv.

  "I told you, we're committed to destroying these things. They have an army that can't possibly be vampires because the sun would kill them." Daniel made it a statement, but then he frowned. "Right? Vampires can't go out in the sun?"

  "No, they can't," Tariq said. "But you aren't trained to fight these creatures and eventually, when you go up against one, you're going to die."

  Daniel gestured toward Matt. "He fought them."

  "He's trained." Tariq was aware of time ticking away. "I have to get to Liv. You're going to stay here until I get back. Matt, keep an eye on them. I want them contained where I know they're safe."

  "You said if we thought about it and decided for certain, we could help. We decided. We're not without some skills. We could be assets to you."

  Maksim smirked as he moved toward Daniel. "Do you really want to see what you'd be getting into? We hunt the vampire, and in order to do that, we have to live, century after century. We exist the way they do. On blood. Sleeping in the ground. We have powers you can't imagine, just as they do. If you're an asset we can count on, that means you provide blood when needed."

  Daniel scowled and refused to give ground. "I'm not afraid of you."

  "You should be," Maksim said, and hooked his hand around the back of Daniel's neck, yanking the man to him. Without hesitation, he sank his teeth into Daniel's neck.

  Daniel didn't move, but his two friends did. Both rushed toward Maksim, who simply held up a hand. The two men bounced back as if they'd hit an invisible barrier.

  "That's what you're going to be dealing with," Tariq said. "Where did they take Liv?"

  Breathing far too fast and loud, Vince, his eyes on Daniel and Maksim, face pale, tried to answer, but stuttered a little. "Warehouse. Out by the harbor." He gave the address.

  Tariq left them to Maksim's mercy. Maksim would take blood from each of them in order to monitor them at all times. If he deemed it necessary, he would remove their memories of all events that had transpired. If he believed the three men would be assets to them, he would turn them over to Matt for training. If that was successful, Maksim and Tariq would continue that training until they were as elite as Matt. Only then would Tariq approve them joining the fight.

  Tariq needed to visit the two human males who had aided Emeline. Matt had them under guard. The two ex-soldiers guarding Vadim's recruits nodded to him when he entered the room. These two men had served countless missions for their country. They never hesitated, no matter the odds. He liked them both. He hadn't known it until Charlotte came into his life, but he remembered the two men because they were excellent at learning how to kill a vampire. Like Matt, they showed no hesitation.

  Vadim's two human psychics both looked very apprehensive and tried to get to their feet, but failed, due to the shackles on their ankles.

  "Your names," Tariq bit out. He was very aware of the position of the sun. He had to time everything just right.

  The blond spoke first. "Ryan Jenkins."

  The dark-haired man went next. "Andrew Wilson."

  "Tell me why I should keep you alive." Tariq laid it on the line. He would kill them if there was the slightest hint that they had come to spy or harm his family in any way. "Make it fast--I have a child to rescue."

  "You can't get into that warehouse without Fridrick bringing down the safeguards. It's a trap. They're expecting you to follow. They've got a hidden army there," Ryan said hastily. "You can't just walk in and get her."

  Tariq was very aware of that fact. He simply shrugged. "So far I'm just getting impatient. Why were you working with Vadim?"

  "Fridrick approached us. We had done some psychic testing at the Morrison Center here in the city. He told us he had a job for us using our particular skills," Ryan answered for both of them. "He took us to Vadim. The man was too smooth and I didn't like the whole setup, especially when he started messing with our minds. I have a kind of shield that stops most attacks, but he got through and he forced us to drink blood. Not his. Another man's blood, a prisoner's. Then he put something in us. Something that works on us day and night to do his bidding."

  Tariq kept his face blank. More splinters. Vadim had no idea that he was diminishing his power by inserting the pieces of himself into others.

  "He's recruited at least fifteen psychics, all male. Two work in your club. He said you couldn't detect them because they have Carpathian blood covering whatever it is he put into us. There was no way to go against him, not even when he let those monsters he created hurt that child." There was genuine disgust and repugnance in his voice. "It made me sick to stand there and watch that shit, knowing if I made one move to stop them, those monsters would kill me and I wouldn't have a chance to save her."

  Andrew took over. "While Vadim sleeps, we can try to fight him, but he's too powerful when he's awake. That thing inside of us won't let up. It's hard to fight the compulsions."

  Tariq nodded. "You knew they were after Emeline."

  Both men nodded. "We made up our minds that when they struck here, we'd fight them and maybe have a chance to prevent them from taking the women. They wanted us to bring four back to them."

  Four. Emeline. Charlotte. Genevieve. And that had to mean Amelia. She was only fourteen, but Vadim and his army of vampires wouldn't care about her age. They would have taken her as well.

  "If we couldn't get the women, we were to take any of the children. Fridrick said they would bargain for the women, that he knew once they had the kids the women would do anything to get them back," Ryan continued. "You can't let them trade themselves for that child. They're going to kill her anyway. There's no saving her." There was genuine regret in his voice.

  Andrew shook his head.
"Those things, that giant of a man Vadim created--they're so strong you can't fight them. Killing them is next to impossible. He gave them his blood and the Carpathian prisoner's blood. Vadim likes to experiment, and these hybrids, as he refers to them, are killing machines. They don't seem to have any feelings at all for caring. They're especially cruel. Vadim's got at least six or seven of them guarding that warehouse along with I don't know how many of those monsters. He feeds them women. Slaves he buys off the cartels or prostitutes they pick up in the streets. He promises them he'll give them immortality. That's why most of the other psychics haven't fought him. They want his power."

  "They'll never get it," Tariq said. "They won't live long. Puppets die fast, but while they're alive, they wreak havoc everywhere they go."

  "Can you get whatever he put in us out?" Ryan asked. He shook his head. "I just went for a job interview and ended up their prisoner. You have no idea the things they've done. The experiments. The women they've hurt and killed." He lifted his shackled hands to his eyes and pressed his fingertips to his temples. "I can't look at those things anymore. I can't stand it. I've gotten to the point that if they killed me, I wouldn't care, not if I had to keep seeing the sick things they get off on."

  Andrew nodded. "So if you can't get it out of us, you might as well kill us. We aren't going back, and the moment Vadim wakes, he'll come at us."

  Tariq knew that was true. Vadim would know the two men betrayed him and he would make them suffer before he killed them. He'd force them to do the very things they were trying to run away from.

  Tariq made up his mind. Both men were telling the truth. He heard the honesty in their voices. He could take their blood later, but now he had a woman to feed. "I'm out of time. I have things to do, so to ensure your safety, I'm sending you both to sleep. Vadim won't be able to reach you. And when he wakes, you'll be the last things on his mind. I don't know if it will be possible to remove the splinters, but we've done it once. We'll try. I'll be back in a few minutes."

  He dissolved in front of them, shifting so that he was a stream of molecules. Charlotte. Come to me. The carousel in the yard.

  He'd dreamt of taking her on that carousel. It was magical. He'd designed it, carved the horses and added a few unique touches. He wanted to see Charlotte on the horses, wearing nothing but her long hair.

  She was waiting for him, sitting in the golden chariot with its streaks of fire running jagged through its side. He could see the hunger in her eyes. Felt it beating at him as he approached. She looked beautiful and a little fragile, her gaze soft and warm, but holding a sorrow that would be ever present until they brought their child home.

  "Sielamet." He whispered the endearment softly as he gathered her close and pulled her to his chest.

  The moment her mouth was on his bare skin his body shuddered with pleasure. Her teeth sank deep in an erotic bite, connecting them in the intimate way of his species. He wrapped his arms around her and threw his head back, savoring the feel of his woman against him. Skin to skin. Shocked, he glanced down at her and found she'd already learned how to shed clothes. At once his hand went up to cup her breast as she fed, his thumb sliding over her nipple, a whisper of breath. All the while he shielded them from any eyes.

  You wanted me naked on your carousel.

  I did, beloved. But I need you naked on my carousel when I have time to do something about it.

  I know. I just wanted you to have a small respite before the war begins. I love you, Tariq. Let's get our daughter back.

  Just like that she licked at his chest to seal the small evidence of her teeth and clothed them both. He couldn't fault her on her attention to detail. "How did you learn how to do this so quickly?"

  She smirked at him. "I spent time around Vi and she's a total fashionista, so I learned to be one as well. I like clothes. I like your clothes. I asked Blaze to show me and she did. It isn't that difficult once you get the hang of it. I even managed to make Emeline smile when I first made a few mistakes."

  A small, child's voice flowed into his mind. Broken. Filled with sorrow--and resolve. Tariq, please tell Danny, Amelia and Bella that I love them. Tell Emme I'm sorry. And Val . . .

  Liv's voice cut into him and Tariq's head snapped up. Don't you dare! He poured every ounce of command into his voice. We're coming for you.

  I knew you would. I don't want anyone else to die because of me. I can't stand his voice in my head. I can't stand knowing he might make me hurt my brother or sisters. Or Emeline. Or you.

  There was a stirring in their minds. Val flowed in. Power flowed with him. You will not do this, Liv. There was power beyond imagining, an ancient who had been born in fire and pain, tortured beyond conception, one relentless, brutal predator. You are far too young to understand yet, but you hold my honor in your hands. You will choose life and you will endure until we get to you. Do you understand me? You will not choose death, because when you do, you choose it for me as well. That is totally unacceptable to me. Live for me. It was a command, nothing less.

  19

  Small waves lapped at the harbor, the sound deceptively soothing. Bats dove through the air catching insects as the sun began to sink slowly into the choppy water. The wind rose as the sun went down, bringing ominous patches of churning gray.

  That's Fridrick's work. Tariq had known all along he wouldn't be facing Vadim. Vadim would never chance risking himself against the combined power of the Carpathian hunters. He would send his pawns in his place. Not his brother, Sergey, but Fridrick and his army of newly made vampires, puppets and the hybrids. Fridrick would have one or more of his brothers with him as well.

  Tariq waited. Breathing in. Breathing out. He was a hunter, and patience was everything. How could you know? He sent the query to Val. A Carpathian male rarely knew a female was his lifemate before she was sexually mature. Only then, when he heard her voice, would his world change. Tariq knew even at her young age, had she been mature, Vadim wouldn't have thrown her away.

  Val Zhestokly had risen at last. All the Carpathian hunters had. Tariq had already fully scouted the area around the warehouse and harbor and knew exactly the count of guards outside. He had time to examine the safeguards and knew it would take several of them working in unison to bring it down and they would be under heavy attack. That wouldn't work. They had to get Fridrick to take down the safeguards. He also had the count of those inside, the majority of Fridrick's army, through Liv.

  She isn't of age. She could not possibly have restored colors and emotions to you. He tried not to sound like a father, wary and protective, but he felt that way.

  Liv had gone through so much, and Val was . . . well, one of those who had secluded himself in the monastery because he deemed himself not safe to be around others. He'd left it of his own accord, for his own reasons, and fallen into Vadim's hands, where he'd been tortured for an extensive length of time. He was a good man. Honorable. A warrior of amazing skills, but too hard for Tariq's Liv. Val wouldn't claim her until she was of age, but that would still be too young for him. She would be forever too young for such a hardened warrior.

  She is mine. Eight years from this day I will claim her as my lifemate. Until that day, I will be close to help you protect her.

  There was finality in Val's voice. Tariq sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It wasn't as if he didn't have enough problems. I ask again as she is my daughter; how would you know? You cannot just claim her.

  There was silence. Val had said his piece and he wasn't going to argue. That didn't bode well for their future. Tariq sighed again. At least Liv had listened to Val and had subsided in her cage, no longer trying to get the puppets to attack her.

  The wind rose on a wild shriek. Fridrick. He was testing them, seeing if there was any response to the penetrating note he'd sewn into the wind. At his right side, Maksim just looked bored. Blaze, looking exactly like Genevieve, stood close to Charlotte. The two women were tucked against the side of the building, deep in the shadows. Neither made a move
ment as the wind tore through the parking lot, whipping debris into a wild frenzy, whirling it and throwing it with such force paper actually penetrated a power pole a few feet from them.

  The Carpathian hunters quietly stalked the hidden guardians scattered around the warehouses. On the rooftops. In the alleyways. Three roving. The triplets arrived first, Tomas, Lojos and Mataias. They killed the three roving through the complex of dirty, unkempt buildings. Nicu snapped the necks of two others on the rooftops across from the warehouse where they held Liv. Siv and Dragomir both swept through alleys and between the warehouses, killing the remaining puppets and hybrids as they went.

  Charlotte held her breath, twisted her fingers together nervously. If she blew this, Liv would die. She had to believe in Tariq, in the other Carpathians, and play her part. More, she had to believe that no matter what happened around them, Val would get to Liv and bring her home safe.

  She watched the whirling leaves to the right of the warehouse. They lifted and moved to the left, then the wind took them high. Her stomach dropped. He's here.

  I see him, sielamet. You are not alone. Stick to the plan and keep Blaze close.

  Tariq had carefully explained to her that if she were in mortal danger, if the hunters thought Tariq's lifemate might be killed, they would all come to her defense, not Liv's. They couldn't afford to lose one of their women. Losing Charlotte meant losing Tariq as well. But Val had dropped his bombshell and that changed things. She knew it did. Time meant little to Carpathians and knowing Liv was in the world made the waiting for her to grow up and mature fully much easier.

  He cannot feel.

  He has to feel something or he wouldn't know. He wouldn't be so gentle and focused on her, she protested. She had to believe Val would save Liv no matter what. All the while she connected so intimately with Tariq, she watched those whirling leaves. The moment Fridrick materialized right by the warehouse door, she stepped into view, "Genevieve" right behind her.