Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Elisabeta clearly didn’t want the ancients to think she would refer to the victims in such an uncompassionate way. Ferro sometimes found himself swamped with love for her at the most unexpected times. She was incredible, guiding the hunters through the traps and now waiting with them to see what Sergey would do. At the compound, she had Julija and Lorraine with her, shielding her from so many curious eyes watching her.
You must be very careful that the newly made vampires do not come in your direction, Ferro. If they alert, Ambrus will know you are close whether or not Sergey believes it. He will call all the servants out, and it is an army of them. They will be hungry and the five of you are ancient. Your blood is the most prized of all.
They were all very aware of the truth of what she was saying. We will go higher, into the clouds, drifting slowly so there will be nothing to trigger an alarm. Elisabeta, I am counting on you to let us know if there is the least concern. We will stop moving if you warn us.
Ferro again wanted to give her a task so she wouldn’t panic. He knew any movement near seven master vampires was extremely dangerous. Elisabeta had spent centuries around them. She would know that just as well as all five hunters. The five ancients began their ascent just as Sedrick and Edward emerged from the small grove of trees. Edward hung back a little on the pretense of adjusting his clothing to make certain he looked fresh and clean.
Sergey is very fed up with Edward. He wants Cornel to discipline him. He has noticed that Edward takes the lion’s share of all victims’ blood and runs from a fight. Cornel agrees with him and said he has waited for Sergey to give him the go-ahead. He has something special planned for Edward to learn his lesson.
The effort to keep Ferro and the others informed was taking a toll on Elisabeta. He could feel her worry that she might make a mistake and they would pay the price. She paid strict attention to the vampires now, staying more and more in the place of retreat in her mind where Ferro couldn’t follow. The situation was suddenly very unsettling to him. He found he didn’t like her being there. He wasn’t certain if she was safe or not. He had no way of knowing, and there, in the middle of danger, he couldn’t ask her.
Piŋe sarnanak, it is more important that you stay safe for me than for us to have this information. If you are not safe, retreat now and stay in the compound. We will do what we always do and I will come back to you when I am finished. That is a command. His heart ached. His soul ached. She had to obey him in this one thing. This could not be the time for his little songbird to decide it was time to fly from her cage and soar free.
Why would you think I am not safe? Julija and Lorraine are with me. I am merely getting information for you.
Does Sergey have a way of detecting your presence? If he had a heartbeat in his present form, it would be accelerating so fast it might burst in his chest.
Not unless I want him to know.
The relief was tremendous. We definitely do not want him to know. Ferro was adamant on the subject.
The two master vampires, Sedrick and Edward, took to the air and were gone without interference. Only the sound of the waves could be heard lapping at the shores of the lake.
They are sending out the newly made vampires. Are you high enough that they cannot detect you?
Ferro hoped so, but they had no way of knowing what the range was.
Do not move, Elisabeta warned, her voice tight. None of you.
Below them, coming out of the forest from various directions, looking like gray, shadowy wolves, the newly made vampires emerged, slinking apprehensively on hands and knees or bellies. There were only six left and they were quite a distance from one another, something Ferro hoped would help raise the odds in their favor. Each crawled or dragged itself to the lake and then stood, stumbling as if drunk. One raised his head a few times, looking skyward, but the clouds continued to drift and he shook his head as darkness engulfed him and twice he went to his knees.
They were more bait for the hunters, but Ferro thought it was a little insulting that Sergey and the other master vampires would think such easy victims would draw them out when Sedrick and Edward hadn’t managed to do so. Now the newly made vampires were trying to take to the air, running and leaping, falling flat on their faces. They were human, not Carpathian, and they had no idea how to fly. No one had ever shown them. They’d woken starving, disoriented and mostly terrified, a condition the master vampires would enjoy to the fullest for as long as they could.