Dark Song

10

Elisabeta tried not to fidget. She dropped one hand to the skirt of her dress, her fingers folding the material in between nervously. Her mouth felt dry. She knew the other women would never know she was in a state of panic because she had become adept at hiding all physical symptoms from Sergey over the centuries.

She studied the other three women discreetly. Lorraine and Julija both wore soft blue jeans and T-shirts. She couldn’t imagine that such clothes could possibly be comfortable, but both women seemed very at home in them. Emeline was dressed in a long, ruffled, very feminine skirt and a formfitting camisole top with silken ties that wove back and forth across her breasts. It was far more daring than Elisabeta’s formfitting dress, and yet Emeline wore the outfit with ease and grace. She had kicked off her shoes, so Elisabeta, with great relief, followed suit, the hated sandals on the floor beside her chair.

Ferro wasn’t present physically, but he was merged with her, not leaving her alone when she might summon Sergey. She was terrified the vampire would find a way inside the compound, desperate to get to her when she called him. She doubted she would be able to stop herself even knowing she was doing it. Emotions versus intellect was something she was going to have to learn about.

Emeline’s home was cozy, not nearly as big as the house Ferro had. She wondered if he could split the room in half, making it approximately the size of Emeline and Dragomir’s living room. She might do better handling that volume.

We could do that, sívamet, but it will take you more time to acclimate to the outside world. You are having a difficult time looking at the scope of land between the homes in Tariq’s compound, let alone if we traveled and you had to see the open mountains, valleys and skies.

She hadn’t thought of that. Naturally, there would be a reason Ferro had chosen a large room to introduce her to in their home. He always had a reason, and that was where trust needed to come into play. She was immediately ashamed that she had second-guessed him.

Elisabeta, you are doing just fine. There is no reason for you to be upset. I had time while you were in the ground healing to think about what would best aid you in your recovery. You have only had time to react to the many problems facing not only you but all the Carpathians. The world is much changed.

Ferro’s voice was reassuring. Not only his voice. He was in her mind. Calm. Steady. A rock. Her rock. No matter what he was doing—and it was important—he took the time to reassure her.

I will be fine with these women. Stay with me, Ferro, but you do not need to speak with me. Her heart reacted, accelerating like crazy as she let him off the hook.

Julija was a true friend. Her very first. She sat across from Elisabeta in a very comfortable armchair holding Emeline’s daughter, Carisma, in her lap.

She sent Elisabeta a quick grin. “Are you finished talking to that man of yours?”

“Yes. I think so. He is working with the healer to check everyone who might have been infected. Poor young Josef was mortified at the things he said to Tariq.”

“What exactly is happening?” Julija asked.

Elisabeta frowned. She was uncertain how much she should say. Am I allowed to tell them everything? You did not say.

Yes, of course. This is no secret. The more of us aware, the more we have looking out for the danger.

“There seems to be something causing a burn across the brain in two different areas, one controlling emotions and the other, judgment.”

“On the ancients,” Emeline said, making it half question, half statement.

Elisabeta shook her head. “Josef was also infected. In fact, his burns were worse even than Tariq’s.”

The women looked at one another. Emeline tapped the arm of her chair and then seemed to make up her mind. “Is it possible that this could affect children as well? Or older people? Would they necessarily have to be Carpathian? Can anyone be infected?”

“Yes, I believe we all are at risk,” Elisabeta replied. “I do not know what it is, or where it is coming from, but yes, everyone is at risk, including the children. Most likely those humans in the compound as well. Until we figure out the cause, all of us need to watch one another.” She kept her gaze on the other woman’s face, sending out her soothing energy.

Ferro, I think Emeline suspects a child, or maybe some of the children, are at risk of the infection. She also mentioned older people in passing. Specifically humans. I do not know if it is anything, but she is giving off some very heavy waves of distress.

Lorraine leaned toward Emeline. “Are you worried about the children, Emme? One in particular? Is someone showing signs of temper?”

Emeline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Elisabeta noted that her hand trembled just a little.

“Genevieve told me they all seemed out of sorts lately.” She looked at Elisabeta. “Genevieve is their nanny. She’s human, the sweetest woman ever, a good friend to all of us. She and Charlotte were best friends long before Charlotte found Tariq. Genevieve told me Danny shoved her. Danny is the most polite boy on the planet. He really is. And Amelia yelled at Lourdes and Bella and made them cry. Liv kicked her stone dragon and chipped out a piece of the rock, and then when she couldn’t repair it herself, threw a temper tantrum. Genevieve said all the children have been out of sorts over the last few days.”

“Last few days?” Elisabeta echoed. Did you hear that, Ferro? Not just since Josef has been here. Do you want me to offer to look at them?

Absolutely not. Ferro was adamant. He definitely sounded commanding whether he wanted to or not.

She kept the soothing energy moving through the room, making certain that Julija and the baby she carried in her body as well as the child in her lap would only feel happiness and peace. “You mentioned older people, Emeline? Do you feel they are upset as well?”

“Yes, Donald and Mary Walton. They live in the converted boathouse next to the lake. They’re the sweetest couple and they never fight. The last few nights they’ve barely spoken to one another and Mary’s been crying a lot. It just seems like everyone is going a little nutty. I talked to Dragomir about it and we both thought maybe it was from everyone being cooped up for so long. No one has been able to leave the compound in a while.”

Elisabeta couldn’t help but feel guilt. Maybe, had she not been there, the occupants wouldn’t be so trapped.

Emeline gave a sigh. “I feel so bad that everyone’s been here since the children and I were rescued. Vadim found a way to impregnate me, and if it wasn’t for Dragomir, I would be dead and so would our daughter. Dragomir was able to change her blood and make her his.” Her eyes met Elisabeta’s. “I was one of his experiments.”

Elisabeta had often been down in the labyrinth of tunnels the vampires had taken over beneath the city and seen the horrors visited upon women and children. She’d been helpless to do anything but watch. So many times she’d been taken to places of torture and no one had ever known she was there other than Sergey. If it hadn’t been for Julija, no one would have even known she existed. Even when the hunters came and the vampires fled, Sergey would have been able to come back and retrieve her, but Julija had managed to allow Elisabeta to be seen, and the Carpathians had taken her with them back to the compound.

It had never occurred to her that Emeline might feel as responsible as she did for the others occupying the compound feeling so trapped. “Your daughter is beautiful, Emeline,” Elisabeta said. “You and Dragomir have a gift beyond any price.” There was suddenly longing in her heart for what she thought could never be. She had so much already and she would be forever happy and grateful that the universe had given her Ferro.

Emeline’s face lit up. “Thank you, Elisabeta. I worried so much that Carisma wouldn’t be accepted, but Dragomir was positive that she would be loved by the Carpathian people, and she has been. We use this house sometimes, but we have our own now, very close to the one your lifemate has for you. The property borders the woods like yours does. Dragomir wants to fill our home with children. He even gave me my own golden dragon with gorgeous emerald eyes right in the middle of our courtyard because he knows I love the stone dragons the triplets made for the children here. He constructed a beautiful little lavender one for Carisma for when she gets a little older. He’s so thoughtful.”

“I do not know about the stone dragons you speak of.”

Instantly Ferro sent her an image of stone dragons in various colors: red, blue, orange, green and brown. Lojos, Matias and Tomas made these dragons for the children. They come to life for them, whispering to them and flying them when they want to play. They are protective of the children. Dragomir has made one for Emeline and Carisma. Liv has asked Valentin to make one for Genevieve. He is considering doing so.

The instant Ferro flooded her mind with the information, Elisabeta felt safe and warm. She hadn’t realized, even with him merged with her, staying somewhere in the background while he worked with the healer examining the others in the compound, that she was uneasy without him. Not just uneasy, bordering on panic. Her heart pounded, although she automatically kept the sound from being heard. She’d learned to do that always, keeping her breathing and pulse from Sergey when she was especially agitated. She’d actually dug her fingernails into her forearm, deep, to concentrate on the bite of pain in order to keep her mind from panicking.

Emeline explained about the dragons and how the triplets had made them for the children to keep them from being afraid when they were fleeing the vampires. “The dragons represent freedom to them and also the friendship of the Carpathians when the hunters can seem so frightening at times.”

“I can understand that,” Elisabeta agreed. She rubbed at her eyes. The lighting in the room was dim. Ferro had made it clear to the women that she couldn’t be exposed to too much light or space, but in spite of the room being smaller than the one in their home, she still felt sick if she looked too long at one thing.

She wanted to succeed in her friendship with these women. She was very adept at reading others; she’d learned to be. Sergey would bring her with him and secret her from his brothers. He would want her to tell him every detail of the meetings they held, what was said and what she thought their real intentions were. Reading others, their minds, their expressions and body language, even when their flesh was rotting, allowed her to keep her own brain functioning. These women were good and genuinely wanted to become her friends and help her integrate into her new life.

She knew all of them worried about Ferro being too domineering with her. To them, he appeared arrogant and controlling. They couldn’t know she asked for him to shield her and sometimes even command her. She needed those clear lines because it was the only way she had lived for centuries and it made her comfortable when she was terrified.

Ferro, there really seems to be a problem with the children and the older couple. If Emeline invites one of them to the house, I could tell immediately if they have been infected. They cannot possibly hurt me. We could start with one of the children or the older woman.

O jelä peje terád emni, absolutely not, I will be there soon. You will not take chances with your life. We have no idea how this thing is passed from one person to the next. You are already dealing with enough. I am not willing to take chances with you. Is that understood?

She wanted to hug herself. That was her lifemate, cursing at her in their ancient language. Sun scorch you, woman. She hid her amusement even from him, but somehow his reaction made her feel cherished, not oppressed as she knew the other women in the room would feel. They would take his instant response as a sign of his controlling behavior. She saw it as a sign of caring. In spite of her trying to hide her agitation at their physical separation, he knew.

Elisabeta, he prompted. I require an answer.

I understand. I wished only to help, Ferro.

“Are you going to spend what little time we have to visit talking to your lifemate?” Lorraine demanded. “Because he doesn’t let you out of his sight.”

Julija laughed. “You’re one to talk, Lorraine. I’m surprised Andor isn’t standing outside with his ear pressed to the door.” She nuzzled Carisma and kissed the side of her neck before blowing raspberries to make her laugh.

“That would most likely be Dragomir,” Lorraine redirected.

Emeline shrugged, not in the least offended. “That’s true, and I’m totally fine with it. Unlike the two of you crazy women, I don’t want to go off and fight some monster.” A shudder went through her. “I’ve seen enough of vampires to last me a lifetime. Dragomir is the most amazing man and I love the way he likes to stay close to me.”

Elisabeta liked her answer. Emeline was matter-of-fact and unapologetic. All three women were very different and she realized they must have very different relationships with their lifemates. Ferro was correct when he’d told her they would find their own way together and what was right for them.

“Are you really worried that the children might be infected, Emeline?” Julija asked, gently rocking back and forth to soothe the baby.

Elisabeta thought she looked natural with the child even though Julija had confessed she was worried about having a baby, since she’d never really been around one. She could tell Emeline was keeping a close watch but was generously giving time to Julija in order to help her overcome her fears of handling a baby. Elisabeta found herself liking and admiring Emeline even more for her compassionate nature.

Emeline nodded. “The children have been through so much already. I hate to think that whatever this is, they have, but their behavior is just so out of character.”

“Ferro and the others are checking the hunters in the compound,” Lorraine said. “I’m certain they’ll check the children if we ask them.”

“I don’t want them frightened. Amelia, in particular, has been accused of all kinds of things. She was used as a spy and still feels that deeply,” Emeline continued.

The worry in Emeline had Elisabeta sending a breeze of pure soothing energy around the room. She couldn’t help herself. She had to reassure the other woman. “Ferro will find a way for the children to be checked without them even knowing.” Ignoring the look Julija and Lorraine exchanged, she poured confidence into her voice because she had absolute conviction in her lifemate. He would find the perfect way to examine the children without upsetting them.

You know I can tell, päläfertiilam, and I would not get close to them. If I identify a problem, you and the healer can decide how best to handle it.

Masculine amusement filled her mind. I see how you survived the centuries, minan piŋe sarnanak. You keep after what you believe is right.

He was back to calling her his little songbird. That boded well and gave her even more confidence that when she was persistent, he wouldn’t get angry with her or dismiss what she thought was important. I would wait for you, but wish to reassure Emeline that you will look into this for her and take it seriously, even if they are children and the older couple are human.

Ask her about Genevieve. Are there signs of her being infected? Is she out of sorts?

“Emeline, have you been around Genevieve? Do you feel that she might be infected as well?” Elisabeta kept her voice as soothing as the gentle breeze moving through the room. Already the baby had responded to the peaceful atmosphere and the faint blend of lavender, lime, orange and bergamot. The fragrance was so subtle it was barely there, but helped lift anxiety as she sent a wave of healing energy toward Emeline.

“Genevieve is one of the most calm, steady women I’ve ever met in my life,” Emeline said. “I’ve never seen her angry. If she is infected, she certainly has an abundance of control to keep it in check, and I would find it hard to believe that she could do so better than Dragomir.”

Julija nodded. “I have to agree with that statement. The ancients have checked their emotions for centuries. It doesn’t make sense that they are having trouble not losing their tempers, especially someone like Sandu, who can’t even feel his emotions.”

Elisabeta frowned. “Ancient hunters without lifemates may not feel emotion, but they have feelings the same as everyone else. I can feel them when I’m near them. Sometimes even when I am not close but they are broadcasting because they are grief-stricken. Whatever this infection is bypasses the block that prevents them from feeling and goes straight to the core of where emotion and judgment are.”

“Humans get illnesses, like the flu,” Lorraine said. “I know Carpathians don’t, but is it possible, with the composition of the soil changed so much, that the answer is that simple? It’s a new illness sweeping through the compound?”

“That’s an interesting theory,” Emeline said. “One I wouldn’t have considered and I doubt if the others have, although perhaps the healer has. He seems to give thought to everything. What do you think, Elisabeta? You’ve seen the results of it up close.”

Elisabeta wasn’t used to anyone asking her opinion. She went back and forth on enjoying the discussion with the women and then panicking a little at the completely unfamiliar need to actually give her own response.

It is okay to tell them what you are thinking, sívamet. They are simply speculating, as you would be. I have no answer. Gary and I are throwing out ideas in the hopes that we hit on something. I repeated Lorraine’s theory of a flu of some sort to Gary, but he does not think it could be that.

She took a deep breath, taking the scents that helped with anxiety deep into her lungs. She’d sent the fragrances around the room to aid Emeline and now hoped they helped her. Not only did she have to talk— something she found difficult—and give an opinion—which was even worse—but even in the small space, without the bars between her eyes and the rest of the world, she found it difficult to look around her without feeling disoriented.

“I do not know what is causing this infection, but the burns can be very deep in some and not in others. It does not appear to be a sickness to me.” Her heart beat so hard in her chest she pressed her fist there to help mask the sound. She thought she might faint. She bit down very hard on her lower lip and once again pressed her nails into her forearm. Her distress level was rising the longer she was there alone and the more that was required of her.

They wish only to be your friend, Elisabeta. Nothing is required of you. Lean on Julija. She will get you through any difficulty.

Merged as she was with Ferro, something alerted her to his state of mind when directing her to lean on her friend. It wasn’t an inflection in his voice, or any hint of emotion, but still, her connection with him was extremely strong. She knew there was a cost to him when he gave her that advice. He wanted to be the one she leaned on, and yet he generously pushed her toward the three women, certain it would be good for her to have female friends.

You will get me through all difficulties, kont o sívanak. Deliberately she called him “strong heart.” He was that to her. I like them, but it is you I have placed my trust in. It is you I have given my allegiance to. I will learn, over time, to trust in my friendships with them, but it is you I have need of, Ferro, unless I am too much trouble. She may have been reading him wrong. It was possible he was trying to pass her off to someone else because he was tired of her clingy ways.

Amusement flooded her mind. You are certainly trouble, but never too much. I enjoy our little skirmishes. Isai comes for Julija. She is with child and we cannot take a chance that she becomes infected. He is not at this time and until we figure out what is happening, he will keep her away as much as possible, Ferro warned.

Elisabeta could see that all three women had already been contacted by their respective lifemates.

Julija was up and handing the sleeping child to Emeline. “Isai comes to collect me. Thank you for allowing me to spend time with Carisma. She’s beautiful.”

“Dragomir is also on his way,” Emeline said. “I’m going to talk to him about the children and Genevieve. She might be in real danger.”

“No worries, Emeline,” Elisabeta said. “I promise I will see to them without them realizing anyone is checking for trouble. You have a little one to protect.”

“You’ve been through hell,” Emeline protested.

“It helps me to concentrate on others.” Elisabeta told the strict truth. “I do not have to think about all the little details I am expected to learn about this new life.”

Dragomir’s broad shoulders filled the doorway, his golden eyes moving over his lifemate, seeing everything. He gave a courtly bow to the other women as he stepped inside and took Carisma from Emeline, his mouth brushing a gentle kiss on his lifemate’s temple. He took her hand and tugged until he brought her under the protection of his shoulder.

“Ferro and the healer will be careful with the children, Emeline. Elisabeta will keep them in line.” He smiled at Elisabeta and then he was gone, taking his family with him.

Isai came in next, Andor right behind him. Elisabeta folded her hands in her lap, uncertain of what to do. This wasn’t her home. Apparently, it wasn’t Emeline’s home, either. Isai saluted her and Julija waved as he all but carried her out.

It was good to see you out with just the girls, Elisabeta, Julija said. I’m so proud of your progress. Isai is railroading me back to our home. Will you be okay until Ferro gets there?

Would she? Elisabeta didn’t move, frozen in the comfortable chair. Of course, I will be fine. He is bound to turn up soon. She wasn’t going to ask him where he was. He would come for her. He knew the others had come for their women.

“Do you want us to stay with you until Ferro gets here, Elisabeta?” Lorraine asked.

Andor shook his head before Elisabeta could answer. “Ferro gave very strict instructions. He wants Elisabeta to sit in here. When we leave, we will leave the door open behind us. Amelia will come in at Genevieve’s request to check the house and, Elisabeta, you introduce yourself and tell her you are waiting for Ferro to come. He will be here, unseen but close, should there be trouble.”

Elisabeta nodded, hurt that Ferro hadn’t given her the instructions himself. It felt strange to her to have Lorraine’s lifemate speaking directly to her. Did that mean she needed to answer him? Her fingers twisted in the skirt of her dress. She couldn’t look up at Andor or Lorraine.

He does not expect you to answer, piŋe sarnanak. I am Ferro, after all, and I do not share my lifemate. Just sit there and look demure. Lorraine will lose her mind again and call me a caveman. The night air will be cooling to you when they leave the door open.

“That horrid Ferro has commanded you not to answer Andor, hasn’t he?” Lorraine demanded.

Before she could shake her head, Ferro laughed. You are not to answer Andor, Elisabeta.

You said that on purpose. She was relieved all the same. She gave the tiniest of nods to Lorraine.

Yes, Ferro admitted to her, making her want to laugh.

“I am going to strangle that man,” Lorraine proclaimed. She went out the door. Ferro, you had better not bully that girl. I thought we cleared this up.

Elisabeta heard Lorraine’s voice in her merged mind with Ferro. He didn’t respond until Lorraine and Andor were gone completely.

You really like to get her riled up.

She has a bit of a temper. Andor finds her very appealing when she gets fired up and passionate. I like to give her an outlet to vent.

Someone is coming up the stairs. I can hear them. It is definitely the younger girl.

Amelia. Gary and I are in the house with you. Do you feel me close, sívamet? You will have to talk to her.

Elisabeta felt his hand sweep down the back of her head in a long caress.

She is fifteen now, but has had vampires assault her and use her as a spy. Her life has been turned upside down. She needs and wants to be converted but not without her brother, Danny. She does not want him to be alone. Her little sister and Lourdes can both be converted, but she refuses to allow at least Bella to be converted until Danny is safe.

Elisabeta knew Ferro wanted her to feel compassion for the teenager to make it easier to speak with her. A young girl stalked right into the room without hesitation. She was very slim and had thick, dark hair and vivid green eyes.

“Who are you? What are you doing in here?”

Elisabeta studied the teenager. Her fists were clenched. There was belligerence stamped on her face. There was no doubt, even without checking further, that Amelia had been infected. Elisabeta sent a sweet breeze to surround the girl, a soothing peace. “I am Elisabeta. I was visiting with Emeline, Lorraine and Julija, but their lifemates came for them and mine is late.”

The peaceful calm settling over Amelia seemed to drain some of her anger, or at least minimize it. Ferro stepped up behind Amelia, materializing and waving his hand toward her as he did so. The teen froze just as Josef had done.

Josef knew what was happening to him. Does she? Elisabeta didn’t want the child to suffer any more than she already had.

“Josef is Carpathian, and Gary wanted him to know what was happening, so he shared with him all information. Once you removed the burns, he could understand and was not angry. There is no need for her to know anything is wrong.” Ferro spoke aloud, indicating to Elisabeta that they could do so.

As pure light, Gary entered the child first, allowing Ferro to follow through their bond. Merged as she was with her lifemate, Elisabeta moved straight to the damaged areas. She was prepared to see burns, but not to the extent that they were in Amelia’s brain. The scoring was far worse in the teenager than it had been in anyone else she’d encountered so far.

This is horrible. This has been done over a period of time, longer than a couple of days. Perhaps a week? Two? She didn’t want to think longer, the same amount of time she had been at the compound in the healing grounds. Did you find burns in anyone else?

No other hunter. Gary and I checked Lorraine, Emeline and Julija. They show no signs of burns.

Why the children and Tariq? Sandu? Dragomir? What of Traian and Joie? Elisabeta felt a little anxious over her birth brother and his lifemate.

No trace of burns. Neither were infected. I wish I had an answer for you, piŋe sarnanak, but I do not, and neither does Gary. We can only try to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Can you rid her of these burns?

Elisabeta studied the terrible, angry dark red slashes. They were deep, and so many it looked as if they were one continuous mass coloring over the areas of the brain affecting Amelia’s abilities of judgment and rational thinking. She was shocked that the teenager hadn’t had far more outbursts.

She has more damage even than Josef, yet Emeline was not certain if Amelia was infected.

Gary answered her. This child is extremely strong. She fought a master vampire’s hold on her. She did her best against him, although eventually he did wear her down, and she still feels guilty over it. She most likely has restrained herself in order to keep from lashing out, knowing instinctively something is wrong.

Elisabeta immediately felt kinship with the girl. She began to flood the teenager’s brain with a cool, healing breeze, this one much stronger than she had ever used on the others. It was going to be a very difficult and long process to remove the deep scoring in her brain, but Elisabeta was determined.

Someone must examine Danny. If Amelia is this bad and Danny actually pushed Genevieve, then he could be worse. Can Sandu inspect him? Tariq or Maksim must be able to lead him into the boy’s brain, Ferro suggested to Gary.

Elisabeta could tell Ferro was worried for her, not for the unknown boy. He didn’t know the children, but she was expending a great amount of energy on Amelia. If Amelia’s brother was as bad or worse, to clear out the burns and rid him of the infection, Elisabeta would be exhausted beyond measure. She wanted to surround Ferro with soothing peace but she knew she couldn’t waste even a small amount of energy to reassure him. The task before her was too great.

I am worried for the boy. And what of the little ones? She kept working as she addressed both Carpathians.

Tariq would prefer either Dragomir or Andor go with him into Danny’s mind. Gary addressed Ferro’s concern. They have lifemates to anchor them.

That made no difference to this infection, Ferro pointed out.

That is true, Gary agreed, in no way perturbed. But Sandu is still without his lifemate and, this infection aside, would be a threat to Tariq’s children. He has adopted these children, human or not. He loves them.

Elisabeta stayed silent through the exchange, hoping the healer would address her concerns and allow Ferro to understand what Gary had said about Tariq and the children. Ferro had been sequestered in the monastery while the world around him changed. He had little to do with humans before that. He might have caught up with knowledge simply by extracting it from those around him, but that didn’t give him the emotional understanding needed in these circumstances.

I will ask Tariq to inspect the little ones, with one of the ancients to guard him, Gary assured Elisabeta.

You have seen Elisabeta work, Ferro said. Can you rid them of this infection?

She knew the answer even before she felt the healer’s negative reaction.

I wish I could say that I could, Ferro. I have the memories of my ancestors and all the many situations and experiences they encountered. None have ever run across this before. What Elisabeta does seems unique to her. This is not a poison or injury, although it appears as a burn.

Elisabeta felt Ferro’s frustration and knew what he was going to say before he actually said it, and her heart sank.

She cannot possibly erase these destructive burns from everyone, especially if they are as deep and as massive as this girl’s are. Elisabeta is still weak from long years without proper sustenance. If these children are infected—and you know they are—that is three more right there. That is without the older couple, who most likely are as well.

I am sorry, Ferro, Gary replied. As a healer, I feel my failure even more than you. I am merged with you. We are tied together. I already know the exhaustion she is feeling.

Elisabeta despised that she could not comfort either of them. It wasn’t their fault that some mysterious infestation was creeping through the compound. She didn’t want to think that she may have brought it with her, but looking at the violent scorching in Amelia’s brain, she knew the damage had happened over the last few weeks, not just since Josef had arrived. She was almost certain if they measured the injury, they could pinpoint the exact night of her arrival.

I am an ancient, Gary, Ferro replied. This is my failure as well. I am her lifemate and I have always been able to heal every wound, no matter how bad, yet this eludes my skills.

Elisabeta couldn’t stand it. Neither of you has failed me. Please just find out about the children and the older couple. I will work as long as possible. If Sandu and the other ancients are willing to give me blood, I will be able to continue. It just takes time.

Minan piŋe sarnanak, we do not know what is causing this. You may remove all traces of the infection only to have it back this next rising, Ferro said.

Elisabeta knew he was right, but she couldn’t help the need in her to help. That trait overrode all else, the centuries of conditioning, the strange reaction to large spaces, her fear of giving her opinion, everything.

Perhaps we do not know what is causing this infection, Gary said, but we might be one step closer to identifying it if someone who previously had it gets it back. We need to find something they all have in common.

Because the scoring was so thick, it took much longer to heal, and a concentrated breeze centered on the heavy swath of red, but in the end, the burns gave way, first thinning and then floating in tatters before simply dissolving completely. Elisabeta took her time with the deep scoring, working on healing those crevices the burns had created before she was finally able to withdraw from the teenager.

She found herself dizzy and disoriented. At once, Ferro pressed her head to his chest and she blindly drank from him. Strength poured into her, along with the very essence of her lifemate. He filled every one of her senses. She became aware, after a few minutes, that he was completely supporting her, his arms hiding her from several others in the room. Someone, and she vaguely realized it was Sandu, was giving Ferro blood. Benedek was there, along with a couple of others she didn’t really recognize.

Once she was back up to strength, Tariq strode in with two little girls on either hip. His lifemate, Charlotte, was with him. Lourdes was her niece and now adopted daughter. Bella was Amelia’s little sister. All of the siblings had been adopted by Tariq and Charlotte. The little girls were four. They were beautiful and looked remarkably alike.

They have faint scorching on their brains, Tariq greeted. He sank into one of the chairs opposite Elisabeta and Ferro.

Charlotte sat in the chair beside him and took Lourdes from him to hold on her lap. Charlotte had very curly, thick auburn hair and was on the smaller side, with generous curves. The moment she had secured Lourdes, Tariq waved his hand and both little girls, who had been squirming to get down, immediately froze.

“I don’t believe they were exposed to this infection very long,” Tariq said grimly. “It is strange that neither Charlotte nor Genevieve have it when I did and the children all do.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Gary assured.

With both Tariq and Charlotte looking so anxious and staring at her, Elisabeta felt the familiar recoiling, the need to bury her face and retreat from all those around her. Immediately, Ferro shielded her. “Elisabeta will be very gentle with the girls.”

She took that as her cue to follow the healer into Lourdes first. It was Charlotte who led them, not Tariq. She wasn’t surprised. Had she been the child’s mother, she would have insisted she be there as well. Charlotte didn’t know her at all and had no reason to trust her.

The red streaks were so faint on the developing brain that they were actually more pink than red. It gave Elisabeta, Ferro and Gary the chance to study the faint layers and how they lay over the frontal lobe. The burn hadn’t settled into the brain itself yet, nor had it covered it. Elisabeta was able to simply blow the easiest of breezes to remove it. She did the same with Bella’s. It took no real effort, as both girls had the same faint streaking.

“Do you have any idea what is causing this?” Tariq asked Elisabeta directly, rocking Bella gently. It was clear he expected an answer.

Elisabeta’s stomach churned. She pushed her hand tight against the gathering knots and pressed closer to Ferro.

“The three of us were just discussing that,” Ferro said, coming to her rescue. “We don’t know. Send in Mary and Donald Walton. Andor found very few burns on them. Less so on Mary than Donald. We will lose the night if we don’t hurry, and Elisabeta will grow too tired. She still has Liv and Danny to heal after the Waltons.”

Charlotte rose. “Thank you, Elisabeta, we’re in your debt. I hope to get to know you better when you have had the time to adjust to being with your lifemate. I know that is important. And now the entire compound is counting on you. This must be so difficult for you. I just want to say how much we all appreciate you.”