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“This beast you guard, could he be the one building the storms for them? Would he have that kind of power?”

Again, the look of anxiety crossed Tora’s face. “The reason he’s locked behind the gates is because even Lilith fears him. She wants to find a way to control him, as do other factions. That’s why you need to guard the tarot cards so carefully. Like the soul you’re keeping safe, the cards must be kept safe and away from others as well.”

Silke took her gaze from the clouds gathering over the forest to study Tora’s expression. Tora was an absolutely beautiful woman. Her skin was flawless. Her hair was dark, thick, and shiny. Her eyes were shaped like a cat’s and colored a deep emerald green. Every man who met her, young or old, was enamored with her, and it was easy to see why. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a mesmerizing quality to her. Just being in her presence was soothing.

“Tora, clearly you’re worried about my reaction to whatever it is you’re holding back.”

Tora rubbed along the bottom of her chin with her closed fist. It was one of the few things she did when nervous. To others, she would never give that telling sign away, but she knew she was safe with Silke, even if she had withheld something important.

Silke didn’t hold grudges. Not ever. She sometimes got even, as she had when two young boys tried to push her around in school when she was eleven. That hadn’t ended well for them. When one tried to push her so the other could steal her lunch, she beat them up right there in the schoolyard. She told them that until they apologized, bad things would happen to them. It only took three days of insects crawling all over their bedrooms, clothes, and toys before they gave her the apology. After they apologized, she brought them fruits and baked goods often, because Fenja told her the boys didn’t have a lot in the way of food. Their father had gone on a fishing trip and never returned. Their mother struggled to make ends meet. That was when Silke realized that although the village was filled with happy people, some struggled.

“It’s your lifemate, I know he’s one of the ancients.” Tora made it sound as if she were confessing a great sin.

Silke frowned, trying to comprehend her meaning. Obviously, that revelation was supposed to be significant. She shifted her gaze to the clouds when she felt the buildup of energy. “They’re going to rain lightning on us in an attempt to penetrate the veil you are protecting the forest with.”

Tora gripped her arm. “Honey, did you hear what I said?”

“I figured out that if I was guardian to a soul, he would have to be a Carpathian warrior living the kind of horrible life you told me about. This doesn’t come as a shock.”

Again, Tora rubbed her arms as if cold. “He’s ancient. Your lifemate is one of the very ancient Carpathians. There were a few who held out far longer than others. They became…more. From everything the others guarding the gates told me, these ancients have much battle experience and powerful gifts developed over two thousand years of going into battle. In that time, they made numerous kills. Even when one doesn’t feel, killing takes a toll. Living in that endless void takes a toll.”

Silke was trying to understand what Tora was not telling her. “But they haven’t chosen suicide, and they didn’t choose to become vampire. It seems they are extremely strong. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“They have a code. They believe they owe it to their lifemates to remain on earth searching until they find them. These men secreted themselves in a monastery in the Carpathian Mountains to keep from going insane or turning. Each battle, each kill, brought them closer to the brink, so it seemed a good idea to lock themselves away. Your lifemate did that. He’s considered extremely dangerous, Silke. He’s powerful and has gifts many other Carpathians don’t, and most hunters have tremendous talents. Already it is whispered that, should he turn vampire, few if any could defeat him.”

Silke found herself frowning, still trying to puzzle out Tora’s concern. She wasn’t certain what Tora was trying to tell her. It was very unlike Tora not to be direct, especially with Silke. They were very close. Silke tended to follow where Tora led, trusting Tora to show her the things she needed to learn to better defend their people. More than that, she allowed Tora to take the lead because she loved and trusted her. Tora had never let her down.

“Justice, the beast we guard, was Carpathian.” Tora frowned. “Is Carpathian, or has remnants of his Carpathian code. Gaia would never stay with him otherwise. Gaia was brought to the underworld as a child. An exchange was made with Xavier, the high mage. I think Lilith wanted her for her ability to talk to animals. When she couldn’t mold Gaia to her likeness, she allowed demons to terrify her. Gaia hid in the beast’s territory, inside the gates with him. He protected her and made it known she was under his protection. That was how their friendship began.”

“Again, he sounds like a hero to me.”

Jagged lightning ripped through the sky, sizzling and crackling as, almost simultaneously, the roar of thunder shook the forest and ground. The strike was directly overhead, yet it never penetrated the canopy. Ground to sky, the energy couldn’t build because the heavy layers of fog were impenetrable. As if the lightning were dozens of swords and spears, the bolts rained down, seeking an entry.

The veil held, despite the relentless battering.

“You would think they would recognize the touch of a Carpathian,” Silke said. “If Lilith has vampires at her disposal, and I can’t imagine that she doesn’t, why don’t they recognize that the forest is protected by a Carpathian?”

Tora gave her an enigmatic smile. “I was a young woman when the Battle of Baduhenna took place. Over the years I have learned many, many things. It seems that most Carpathians trained under the high mage, Xavier. The spells they learned to safeguard; even using just one weave that is familiar to vampires would quickly identify a Carpathian, but I had no such experience. Everything I learned was through trial and error. My weaves are natural, all about the earth. I learned mainly from nature and all the creatures I came across from the time I was a child.”

“You never talk about your parents.”

“I was very young when they passed. My father hunted a vampire, and he was killed.” Tora’s voice was very matter-of-fact. “The vampire followed the trail back to my mother and me. My mother defended me, but he would have killed us both if it wasn’t for your ancestors. A group of women heard my screams, and they came running. My mother knew them and was able to tell them how to aid us in defeating the vampire. It was your ancestors leading the way fearlessly. They took me in and raised me when my mother succumbed to her wounds.”

Silke knew the battle and the death of Tora’s parents had happened centuries earlier. Tora acted stoic about it, but Silke sensed her underlying sorrow.

“I’m so sorry, Tora. It’s never easy to lose one’s parents. I didn’t know mine, but if I were to lose Fenja, I know I would never get over the loss. I’m so happy it was my family that took you in. You’re my sister. I love you very much.”

They didn’t often express their affection for one another, although they showed it in the things they did for each other.

“This Carpathian warrior who is your lifemate,” Tora blurted out. “Like I said, he’s one of the ones who were in the monastery. He’s lived longer than I have. I’m told he’s extremely dangerous. Even other Carpathians who were in the monastery are leery of him. He has developed gifts that would make him nearly impossible to defeat in battle, just the way Justice has developed them.”

“What are you saying, in plain language? Do you believe the man I’ve been promised to is like the beast you and the others have kept behind the gates?”

Tora frowned and rubbed her chin. “I don’t know. No one knows, only that when you live so long and fight so many battles, something happens to you. It isn’t vampire, but more like a demon. Not the type of demons Lilith commands. One with all the knowledge of centuries of battles. Scary strong.”

Silke stared at her friend for a long time in utter astonishment. Then she burst out laughing. “You’re telling me the soul I guard could very well belong to a demon? I’m a demon slayer. He’s supposed to be my husband. I guess that’s very fitting. If he gets out of hand, I’ll be the one who is supposed to take him down.”

“It isn’t a laughing matter,” Tora scolded.

“It is. You really need to see the irony of a demon slayer having a demon as a husband. Sheesh, Tora, what could be funnier than that?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Shadow Riders series, and the Sea Haven novels, including the Drake Sisters series and the Sisters of the Heart series. She also writes stand-alone contemporary romantic suspense set in the California backcountry.

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