Dark Peril (45 page)

Solange brushed against his mind, a gentle, loving slide that shook him with the intensity of feeling in that small, tender gesture.

“What are you doing in here?” The voice was harsh and commanding.

Dominic turned slowly, his gaze falling on the guard. The gun was pointed firmly at his chest and the eyes were flat and cold. He nudged the brain of the tech closest to him.

The tech responded immediately. “He’s consulting with me, Felipe.”

“Sorry, man,” Felipe said, shaking his head. “They’ve got people coming in from all over and they don’t seem right. I thought maybe you were one of them.”

Dominic smiled easily. “Yeah, I got the vibe, too. They all seem a little arrogant, like we’re beneath them or something.” He held out his hand. “Dominic. Hopefully I won’t be here that long.”

“Felipe,” the guard said, taking the extended hand.

Dominic tested his resistance. This man would have the security code to get into the room where the computers were housed. “I can see why everyone is on edge. Who are these people? Why are they here?”

Felipe shrugged. “Brodrick tells us who is coming and when they’re going.”

Dominic sent him a wave of camaraderie, a subtle testing of the man’s acceptance. Felipe grinned at him and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Are you keeping count?”

Felipe nodded. “Damn straight. I want them all gone as soon as Brodrick gives the word. They make everyone nervous. Sooner or later one of the boys is going to accidentally shoot one of them.”

“Yeah, that would be terrible,” Dominic said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He pushed a little deeper into the guard’s brain. The man really didn’t like the visitors, and that could be used to Dominic’s advantage. Felipe was head of security and the vampires hadn’t thought to protect his brain—of course, none believed a Carpathian hunter would infiltrate their meeting.

“Brodrick’s got a couple of his men guarding him. He calls them the ‘elite’ and they certainly think that entitles to them to do whatever they want. Every time a woman gets brought in, they’re all over her. And they like to hurt her. They’re cruel bastards. We just keep away from that side of the lab when they’ve got one here.”

Dominic felt Solange’s reaction, her sick, churning stomach, her racing heart, and the sorrow that she couldn’t prevent the jaguar-men from kidnapping women and bringing them to a place where others allowed their atrocities.
We will make certain Brodrick cannot continue.
He sent her the reassurance even as he pushed deeper into the guard, planting more seeds of friendship. Felipe would come to believe they’d known one another a long while and that he could confide in him.

“Brodrick’s got a lot of men coming in,” Dominic said, pushing uneasiness into the guard’s mind. “Something big must be going on.” He amplified the uneasiness, glancing toward the room where the computers were housed.

Felipe’s gaze followed and he frowned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “I counted seventeen big shots, and a few that seem to be serving the others.” The guard took a few steps toward the door, obviously growing worried enough to check on what was likely his main responsibility.

Dominic gleaned from his mind that three computer techs worked around the clock on their research, finding psychic women and tracking lineage. Now was his moment. The guard was going to open the door, and he would have to be in two places at one time. Dominic separated himself from his own body, leaving his clone to step away from Felipe, to stand across the room in plain sight of all the researchers and Felipe, lifting his hand as the guard glanced around to make certain that when he punched in his code, no one else could see the complicated numbers.

Dominic allowed his real form to dissolve into molecules, lighter than air, floating around Felipe like dust particles as the guard punched in his code and opened the door to peer into the main room. Dominic simply floated inside. Satisfied that the tech was working and no one had disturbed him, Felipe closed the door. Dominic heard his footsteps receding.

Josef was a young Carpathian, considered a wild teenager, although he was in his early twenties, and he was obsessed with computers. Dominic had contacted the boy for aid, knowing the information in the computers would be vital to the Carpathians. These women were potential lifemates. They were also in need of protection. Before the entire operation could be destroyed, they needed that information. Josef had developed a virus that would destroy the entire network the jaguars and vampires were using. Once uploaded, the virus would spread like wildfire and destroy everything, filtering from one computer to another without detection until it was far too late for anything to be saved.

Dominic floated across the room until he was hovering around the tech. The man was engrossed in his work, uncaring that the woman he was gathering information about might end up kidnapped and raped, or dead and thrown away like garbage by the men employing him. Dominic probed the tech’s mind. Again, he was astonished that the man wasn’t protected.

He shimmered into substance, standing behind the tech, burying his fangs in the man’s neck. The blood was energizing, and he took enough to exchange, so he could monitor the tech from a distance as well. He allowed a small amount of his own blood to drip into the tech’s mouth. The exchange gave him complete control. It mattered little that the tech would ingest parasites, as he wouldn’t be alive that long. The tech took the tiny drive from his hand with the program that would allow Josef to take over the computers from a distance. He could download all the data they needed, and when he was done, upload the vicious virus.

Once Josef’s program was in the computer, Dominic took back the drive and had the tech open the door. He floated out to reconnect with his body. The computers were now in Josef’s more than capable hands. Dominic had other work to do.

You’re certain the boy will be able to retrieve all the data and really destroy their network?
Solange sounded anxious.

He knows what he is doing,
Dominic reassured, sending up a silent prayer that he was right. Josef was wild, but he was highly intelligent and programming was his first love.

Reconnecting with his body sent a tremor running through him, and for a moment his legs shook. He stored that reaction in his mind. He couldn’t afford the couple of seconds it took to readjust when he was in the midst of the vampires. One moment of weakness, of vulnerability, and he would be torn to shreds. He was one of the most feared—and therefore the most hated—of Carpathian warriors. And vampires had long memories. They existed on a steady diet of hatred and revenge.

Dominic made his way through the laboratory. It was actually smaller than it appeared from the outside because the walls were thick to withstand an assault as well as to keep the inside cooler. There were sleeping quarters for the men who lived there, five scientists and three computer techs. The barracks were attached, housing seventeen guards. There was no evidence that the jaguar-men stayed, which fit with their personalities. They would want to sleep in the forest where they could see or feel an enemy coming at them.

One room had several barred cells. There were bloodstains on the cell floor as well as blood spatter on the wall from the women slaughtered there. No one had bothered to clean up, and the stains were piled on top of one another. Any prisoner would have to endure lying in the cell knowing others had been murdered there. The sight sickened Solange and he felt her silent weeping.

There was no way to save them all,
kessake ku toro sívamak—
beloved little wildcat. In this life we can only do our best.
He sent her warmth and comfort.

I know, it’s just that they needed someone, and the thought of them dying like that, all alone, scared, with no one to help them . . .
She trailed off.

His heart melted a little. His Solange. Tenderhearted. Who would ever believe the truth of her?
I cannot be late for this meeting, Solange. Are you up to this?

He felt her instant reaction, the steel spine, the unfailing courage. Her need to protect him.
Of course I am.
There was a bite to her voice, a definite reprimand, the implication that he had no need to ask.

Dominic knew she was ready, but he wanted her to know it. The sight of the cells had really shaken her. He strode boldly from the laboratory into the open yard. The vampires had gathered just beyond the open area around the building, far enough away that no one else had the opportunity to hear them.

Giles held court, with at least twenty vampires around him, while his own lesser vampires guarded his back. Dominic had to admit it was an amazing sight, one he had never dreamt he’d witness. Vampires’ egos were too big, and they didn’t stay for long in the company of other vampires. And food sources would eventually disappear. As it was, the hunger radiating from the group was so overwhelming that, even though he’d fed well, he still felt a ravenous appetite.

The heartbeats of the human guards patrolling around the building were overly loud, a thundering drum calling to them all. Dominic subtly fed the hunger, increasing the need as he slipped into the group. His parasites leapt and rejoiced, answering the call of the others in the bodies of the surrounding vampires.

Solange had gone very still, afraid for him, but he knew her hands were rock steady on her weapon. She had them in her sight now and a part of her settled in spite of the danger.

“Dragonseeker.” Giles’s voice cut through the whispers of the parasites and the hissing and growling of the vampires.

He had known the master vampire would single him out. He was legend among them. The murmurs started, and he stayed standing while they all turned to look. Black hatred added to the crushing hunger emanating from the group. He took a step and they parted immediately, stepping back away from him as he moved toward Giles. He didn’t look right or left, but kept his challenging gaze on the master vampire. He walked with utter confidence, his expression holding both superiority and contempt.

Giles looked him up and down, as if Dominic were beneath him, but the lesser vampires moved closer as if he’d given them direction. “I heard rumors that you had joined our ranks, but did not believe them.”

Flaviu stepped away from Giles, revealing exactly who had told the
master
the Dragonseeker was among them.
Take a good look at him, Solange. I will be sending both him and his friend, the one off to his left, after you. Tell me before you kill them so I can shield the sounds and flash.

No problem.

The confidence in her voice reassured him. She could handle the pair. He gave Giles a cocky, mock salute as he shrugged his shoulders. “Ruslan used to make sense. Whether he does now, we shall see.”

“You have sworn allegiance.”

Again Dominic shrugged. “If he has found a way to take down the Dubrinsky family, I will aid him. Draven Dubrinsky started this entire mess by selling out my sister’s lifemate to Xavier. His father should have destroyed him, but he allowed him to continue while the rest of us were required to defend our people. We need a strong leader.”

Giles nodded slowly, looking a bit relieved. It was clear he didn’t want to have to try to defeat Dominic in battle. His relief was apparent to the other vampires as well, and they moved back as Dominic returned to the rear of the group. He didn’t want any of them behind him. He could easily spot the ones who had been followers for some time. They were far more comfortable within the group, while others, like him, stayed slightly apart.

Giles stood and everyone went silent. “We have come together for one purpose—to see to the destruction of the Dubrinsky family. All over, envoys for the five are meeting with our members to let them know the time is near for us to rise up and take over ruling.”

A roar went up. Under cover of the energy, Dominic fed the hunger cravings. He needed the scent of blood to enhance the effect, and stared hard at the guard who was keeping an eye on them, his gun close, and his knife in his hand as he carved a stick of wood. His hand slipped and he yelped, jerking his blade from his grip. Blood welled up. Dominic sent a small breeze building behind him, pushing the aroma straight into the mass of hungry vampires.

Giles held up his hand and waited for the crowd to quiet. Several turned their heads toward the bleeding guard. The guard paid them no attention, not realizing their appearances covered monsters and he was in grave danger. He walked several steps, calling out to his companion, blood dripping onto the ground. Dominic fanned the breeze just enough to send another burst of scent into the air.

“Dubrinsky lives as in the old days. We have gone to modern technology, and in the end that will defeat him. He rules his little corner of the world and forgets the larger picture. We have acquired wealth and used it wisely. Our company owns a satellite and we have pinpointed Mikhail Dubrinsky’s favorite resting place.”

The roar went up again, a thunderous shout that covered the subliminal message Dominic sent into the conclave.
Hunger.
Gnawing, biting hunger that refused to leave.
Starved for blood.
Wonderful, aromatic, adrenaline-laced blood.
Human guards walking around thinking they were in charge, holding their pitiful weapons
. Humans were so fragile, one tearing bite of the flesh and the delicious hot blood pumped out like a fountain.
So many of them, enough that with just a few moments of heady work the conclave could indulge.
Open a few arteries and the blood would spray everywhere, enough to feed everyone.

More heads turned toward the guard. Two of the vampires licked their lips and one’s disguise slipped just a bit, his dark, thick hair, disappearing to reveal his true nature, the graying wisps that were left covering his scalp.

Solange, the two vampires, Faviu and his buddy Henric, are getting very hungry. I am going to send them your way.

About time,
she responded.
I was thinking about taking a nap.