Free Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan Page B

commented. “You must be getting old and feeble to allow a human to creep up on you like that.”
    As she spoke she circled around to try to put her body between Sergey and the human male. The man had risked his life for her and he was still standing there, waiting for another shot, when he had to know that her crossbow wasn’t going to take down a master vampire. She’d rarely had dealings with humans, but she had to admire his courageous stand, even though she feared for his life.
    “One of mine for one of yours, little sister,” Sergey hissed, his body suddenly moving with blurred speed.
    Even with her specially coated metal in him, she could barely follow his path, the master vampire moved so quickly. She saw him grasp little Farkas and slam the wolf’s body over his knee. There was an audible crack and the animal screamed. Cackling, Sergey threw the wolf away from him so that the body hit a snowcapped boulder where the animal lay broken and panting in pain.
    The metal arrowheads fell to the ground in pieces, and already the vampire’s body was regenerating, while her own grew weaker from blood loss. She dared not close off the wound and trap parasites in her where they could take hold. For a moment she just faced her brother, trying to decide the best way to get luck on her side—it was the only possible chance she had of defeating the vampire.
    The air around them charged with electricity, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She felt the compression in her lungs and thought it was the undead attacking, but he stepped back, giving a wary glance right and left and then upward toward the sky.
    “Another time, Ivory.” Sergey raised his hands and the ground erupted into violent upheavals, sending both Gary and Ivory pitching forward. Gary went down headfirst and Ivory leapt to try to cover him against whatever form Sergey’s latest aggression would take. Snow burst into the air in a spinning cyclone so that everything went white. She felt the impact of his blow on her left side, slamming her down and over the male. The blow might have killed a human; as it was she felt bones crack under the force.
    Ivory rolled and rocked forward, allowing the momentum to take her to her feet in a half-crouch, ignoring the waves of pain coursing through her body. She turned in a circle. Sergey was gone. There was silence, broken only by heavy, ragged breathing. Ivory sagged, the strength leaving her body in a rush.
    On hands and knees she crawled to Farkas as the other wolves circled around them. Ivory gathered the wolf into her arms, judging how much time she had to heal him. She was definitely weak and needed blood.
    Gary pushed himself to his feet. “Are you all right?”
    “Yes. Thank you.” It came out stiffer than she intended. “How did the ghoul get that child? Why was he not kept safe?” She cast him a swift look of reprimand, her hand stroking gently along the back of her wolf, finding the breaks along the spine.
    “He is the adopted child of Sara and Falcon and, although psychic, is human. During the day the children attend school and participate in the regular activities other children in the village have. Falcon and Sara have guardians in place. I was with several of them in the schoolhouse, but Travis had gone to attend a function with a woman who helps us out. We had no idea there was a threat in the area.”
    Ivory sighed. “Master vampires have learned to hide their presence from hunters. Some of the lesser vampires have slowly been acquiring the skill as well. Your hunters should know that and take better precautions.”
    Above them, thunder boomed and an answering crash blasted across the sky as if two powerful forces met and clashed in the heavens above them.
    Sergey had sent another blast toward them, hoping to score a hit from a distance, but an unseen hand had sheltered them. The energy was much closer, and she knew she didn’t have much time. She had to leave before the Carpathian