Jubal touched her shoulder gently in rea.s.surance. Tell me if anyone comes toward us. I'm going to keep an eye on Gary, just in case. I don't know what's about to happen, but Traian will be in some danger and he wants my protection.

Gabrielle gave him the briefest of nods. It was obvious she didn't want to take her eyes from her sister, but Jubal made sense. She liked Gary, but she didn't know him. They had thrown their lot in with Traian and only he appeared to be able to save Joie's life.

Traian blocked out everything, the wreckage of the room, the few remaining insects buzzing around, the bat clinging to the ceiling and the three humans surrounding him. There was only Joie and her cold body, her life slipping away. He had to repair the damage done in order to give her the strength needed for the conversion. He left his own body, a mere sh.e.l.l, damaged and bleeding, behind, to become pure spirit. His body was unprotected. He had no choice but to rely on Joie's brother, Jubal.

He entered Joie's body as white healing energy, reaching for her spirit to lock her to him so she had no chance to slip away before he completed the complicated task of healing her from the inside out.

Her neck was the worst, the artery needing to be sealed before anything else. It took time, precious time he didn't have. It was more difficult than he had thought to keep from being in the present, aware of time ticking away and her spirit sliding further from him as he worked.

She will die. You think you won, but I have killed you both. The voice of the third master vampire slipped into his mind. The undead had taken his blood in the cave and could reach him when he chose. The voice, after seeing him, nearly convinced Traian the unknown master could be one of the Malinov brothers. He didn't have the strength to fight the vampire and save Joie at the same time.

Unexpectedly, it was Jubal who placed himself as a shield between Traian's mind and the vampire. You're a coward, hiding behind insects, those supposedly less powerful than you and a few bats. You didn't capture the Carpathian hunter, your little army wore him down, but in the end he defeated them and drove you away. You can't do a thing to him and you know it. All you have is your empty threats.

Behind the shield Jubal gave him, Traian worked quickly. The vampire sent waves of doubt and distrust, trying to build a wall between the Carpathian and the human. When he realized it wasn't working he studied the human.

Mage-blood. He spat the accusation. You have gotten a hold in his mind. How very clever of you. You are nowhere near as strong as I am. I have only to get a hold of you and he and all who are under his protection will be mine.

Jubal laughed. I don't really believe in you. You're a maggot, nothing more. It's a little difficult to take you seriously when you're nothing but a voice threatening mayhem, but never really doing anything.

"You're playing a very dangerous game," Gary cautioned. "If you're doing what I think you're doing, Jubal." He could feel the energy building around Jubal and read the concentration on his face.

Jubal didn't glance at him. He kept his eyes fixed on Traian. The Carpathian grew pale before his eyes. He could actually feel the energy draining from the hunter and was determined that the vampire didn't feel it. He kept disdain uppermost in his mind. It wasn't that difficult. If this was the master vampire commanding all the others, he didn't have the courage to fight his own battles. He thought himself the brains and sent his army, but in defeat, he retreated, running away because he wouldn't fight unless he had a distinct advantage.

I will face you, the vampire offered. Come out into the night alone without your friends. We shall see who survives our meeting.

Jubal laughed softly. And leave you the ability to worm your way into the hunter's mind when he is far too busy to bother with your endless empty threats?

Black rage was thrust into Traian's mind, battering at Jubal. Jubal kept his eyes on the Carpathian. If the man got any whiter he was going to be translucent. Jubal wanted to follow the path of Traian's mind to see what he was doing to Joie, but the vampire was strong and all he had to defend Traian was sarcasm, keeping the undead's attention on him rather than pursuing his attack on Traian.

I will kill you and everyone you love. You are nothing.

Jubal gave the mental equivalent of a sigh. I think you're actually beginning to repeat yourself. You need a few new lines. You do know this is not the only hunter in the area, don't you? I believe they are spreading out looking for you. Sooner or later, one is bound to cross your path and then they'll band together and track you down.

You will notice that it will take more than one.

Jubal gave a sniff of disdain. It matters little to them. You are simply a duty to them. They remove all rotting corpses from the earth when they come across them. They have nothing to prove to you or anyone else.

Traian blinked and became aware of the world around him as he slipped back into his own body. Weak, he nearly collapsed over the top of Joie.

"We do not have much time. We need to get her out of this hallway and back into the bedroom where I can convert her. I will need blood," he instructed.

He became aware of Jubal shielding his mind, and realized the vampire had tried to prevent him from healing Joie's worst wound.

"You can step aside," he said quietly. "I thank you for what you did."

This does not end here. I will find you again, the vampire promised both of them-and then he was gone.

Tangling with a master vampire was never a good idea. They were vengeful creatures with long memories, and this one-and Traian was afraid he knew who the master was now-would not forget Jubal as long as he was alive. He would hate him with every breath he took and he would never stop plotting revenge. A vampire could live a long time and while the memory for Jubal would fade away, it never would for the undead.

With a small sigh, Traian lifted Joie into his arms and carried her into the wrecked bedroom. "Gary, have Mikhail send a couple of our people to repair the damage here when we know the master vampire has left our region." He laid Joie carefully on the bed and slipped to the floor beside her, weak, his body swaying.

Gabrielle swallowed hard and stepped close to him. "You'll have to use my blood."

Traian glanced at her pale, set face. She looked determined but very frightened. He half smiled. It was all he could do to give her rea.s.surance. "Gary or Jubal can give blood."

She stuck her chin out. "They both have done so already and they're wounded. Use mine." She stuck out her wrist and closed her eyes. "I can't cut myself, so just do it fast."

For the first time Traian was uncertain of what to do. He needed the blood. Time was slipping away for Joie, but this was her sister, sacred to her.

"Do it," Gabrielle hissed without opening her eyes.

He raised his eyes to Jubal. The man nodded. Traian took the extended wrist gently and murmuring softly to enthrall Gabrielle so she would not feel any sensation, he took what she offered, drawing vital sustenance in order to provide enough blood to Joie for the conversion. All the while, he kept Joie's spirit locked to his, preventing her from slipping away. She was no longer losing blood, but her human body was giving up the fight for survival.

Very gently he closed the two wounds on Gabrielle's wrist and woke her from the enthrallment. Gary swept his arm around her shoulders and stepped back, taking Gabrielle with him. "Only Traian can help her now."

Gabrielle swallowed hard. "What can you do?"

"I will bring her fully into my world. She had consented to be Carpathian," Traian said.

Jubal met the Carpathian's gaze squarely. "Do it. Whatever you have to do. Just don't let her die."

Traian looked at their faces, swollen and red from the bites of the insects. Joie's siblings were brave, but watching their sister go through such a difficult process might be too much for even them. "Should anything go wrong, I will follow her and care for her, but you must know, Jubal, that the chances of any hunter killing the one who got away are very slim and he will come after you. Never forget him and how he felt in your mind." Traian glanced up at Gary. "I will need candles, herbs, soil. Everything to help her through this, and quickly."

Gary tugged at Gabrielle. "Come with me. Mirko will have most of the herbs and candles. I'll need you."

They rushed from the room.

Jubal watched every movement as Traian laid his hands on Joie's wounds and bites from the insects. Once again, Traian left his own body and entered Joie's. Jubal remained vigilant in case the vampire returned, ready to place himself as a shield between the Carpathian and the undead. He could see the lines deepen in the hunter's face, his color paling visibly as if his strength was slowly being drawn from him.

This time was much shorter. He swayed a little, his face lined with exhaustion, but he gathered Joie into his arms, cradling her now, close to his chest.

Gary and Gabrielle hurried back into the room. Gary set a bowl of rich, dark soil on the floor beside the bed, and Gabrielle dumped various herbs into a second bowl.

Gary handed candles to Jubal. "Spread these around the room and light them. We don't want any artificial lights on, just the candles. Gabrielle, mix the herbs together in the bowl. We need the scents to blend."

Traian rocked Joie gently, holding her close, murmuring softly to her in his mind. He had done his best to heal her body enough to get her through the conversion. This was their moment. The conversion could easily kill her if she was too weak.

Gary put his hand on Traian's shoulder as if reading his thoughts. "She is strong. Her will is strong. Joie was a surprise to Valenteen. She was wonderful, unbelievable. She didn't even hesitate. It never occurred to a vampire that a woman would stand between others and danger. And he certainly never thought she would be willing to plunge a knife into his heart."

"She used my memories," Traian explained as he mixed healing saliva into the soil and packed the wounds in Joie's throat with fresh soil. "She flattered him and stalled him, hoping I would get there in time. And when I didn't, she did what she always does, she courageously put herself in harm's way in order to get close enough to make certain she destroyed him."

Gary took handfuls of the mixture and packed more into Traian's chest. "Even with all I know, the draw to go to him was so powerful, I doubt that we would have survived."

"He was a master vampire and he ran with another much more powerful master." Traian lifted his head to look at Gary. "I never saw the other one clearly. He took my blood in the cave, yet he stayed in the shadows. I saw him for one moment earlier and if it is the warrior I remember from long ago, he is extremely dangerous. Keep Jubal away from him. Protect Joie's siblings. I cannot go near our prince. You will have to relay to him all information. Until the vampire is found, and I very much doubt that he will remain in this country now, I will stay away from Mikhail. We cannot take a chance with his life."

"He won't see it the same way," Gary pointed out.

"You know I am right. He should not chance his life by entering into battles in the way that he does. His purpose is to serve and lead our people, not hunt the vampire. We have many hunters and only one leader. His brother is strong and powerful, but he has been damaged by the torture he endured. He cannot lead. If the vampire or humans managed to kill Mikhail, I fear our race would be mortally wounded."