Dislcaimer: Sadly, I'm getting away from typing any manga stories at the moment. You might ask why that is, and the answer would be: simply because. I just don't feel like typing a manga story. Instead, I'm going to do a story on my other favorite series, my other favorite breed of people. The Carpathians! They're just perfect for storylines. Now, I've read almost every single Carpathian novel of Christine Feehan, and I just have to set up one of my favorite families with lifemates of their own. Now, I was going to break up the Daratrazanoff family up and put some of them with people of my making, but I just couldn't do that yet. Instead, I'm working with the De La Cruz family. To be more specific, I'm working with sad, lonely Zacarias De La Cruz. So, have fun reading about little ol' Zac meeting his lifemate!

Summary: Zacarias De La Cruz, the eldest of his five brothers, has survived centuries in the endless darkness. He lost his emotions early, and was better able to survive than his brothers, but is no longer sure he wants to keep waking every night. Three of his brothers have found their lifemates, and the other two were searching desperately for theirs. But he knew he was too ancient, too dark, and too deadly to find his own lifemate. Would he choose to meet the dawn? Or would he be forced to lose his soul to the darkness, with no light to save him? This is set after the Dark Possession novel.

Dark Survival

The Decision

"Zacarias! Brother, are you there?"

Zacarias De La Cruz, head of the ancient De La Cruz family, glanced up when he heard the softly spoken question. The deep voice belonged to his younger brother, Rafael. What was he doing here again? It took Zacarais a moment to remember that he'd promised to meet with Rafael and his lifemate, Colby. That was today? Nowadays, it seemed all of his nights blended together, into an endless night where the ever-calling darkness enticed him to join them. Zacarias sighed, dismissing those thoughts.

"In here, Rafael. Have you a need of me?" He spoke it like his brother was in the room; even though Rafael was many yards away, his sharp Carpathian hearing would enable him to hear the words.

It took mere moments, but seemed so long with the whispering darkness, before Rafael materialized in front of him. Tall and broad-shouldered, like all of the De La Cruz brothers. Long, drawn-back hair, as black as the night and just as thick. Sinewy muscles beneath clothes, and cold black eyes that warmed with affection at the sight of his brother. He moved with his cat-like grace to stand before Zacarias, bowing his head a little in respect to the head of his family.

"Brother, you are looking hungry. Have you fed this night?" Like the others, Rafael was beginning to grow worried over his eldest brother. He'd lasted the longest of them all against the darkness, and was still fighting it. They needed to find his lifemate soon, or else they'd lose him, but whether to the sun or to the darkness was indeterminable right now. And they couldn't risk that.

Zacarias looked at his young brother, wishing not for the first time he felt the same affection for his brothers as they felt for him. But he'd lost his emotions centuries ago, younger than most lost them anyway. His icy black eyes were forever cold, and more often than not frightened the others with less knowledge of him. His long, thick black hair was pulled back with a leather band to keep it off his face, hanging past his broad shoulders, yet it was still wild. Now, he ran a large hand through it, more habit than anything else. "I am fine, Rafael. Do not worry; if I have a need, I will call to one of you. Have you brought your lifemate?" He asked, his voice rumbling out of his chest.

Rafael nodded, but he didn't take his eyes off his brother. Using the telepathic connection he'd created with his lifemate, Colby Jansen, through their blood exchanges, he called to her. You can come inside now, Colby. He's waiting.

She replied back in the same way, her worry passing onto him. Is he alright? I caught your despair. He isn't doing well, is he? She asked, ever concerned.

He sent her the impression of a sad smile. My brother is lonely, lifemate. He doesn't have anyone who can be the light to his darkness, anyone who can anchor him to our world. We will lose him soon, and I do not want that to happen.

Colby drifted into the room, circling her arms around Rafael from behind as her emerald-green eyes closed, hiding her emotions from the silent Carpathian in front of them. I know you worry; we all do. I know you don't want to lose him after you've finally found your affection for him.

Rafael nodded, running a hand through her long dark hair. He loved Colby like he'd never thought he would, and sometimes that emotion scared him. But most of the time he relished the feeling. Smiling slightly, he drew her foreword, and presented her to his oldest brother. "Zacarias De La Cruz, I present to you Colby De La Cruz, formally Cobly Jansen, and now my lifemate." He waited for a respons, metaphorically holding his breath.

Zacarais nodded, bending from his great height to look Colby in the eye. "Welcome to our family, little sister. We are glad you were able to save our brother; I will be forever grateful to you for that." He spoke formally, speaking more as a whole of the family than his own person.

Colby bowed, somewhat frightened in his powerful presence, yet feeling sorrow for him as well. "Thank you. I know you weren't expecting this when you first sent Rafael to me, but I am just as grateful to have saved him." She whispered, her voice full of her emotions.

Zacarias placed a hand on her head, but it was an impersonal touch, no emotion in it whatsoever. "I would have liked you to have stayed longer, but it would not be safe. I have heard stories of the undead close to this area; Rafael, I want you to take her away from here. If the stories are true, the undead would come after her." So he said it, so it would be followed. His word was law.

"I understand. We will go to ground in the morning, and leave the minute we can tomorrow. Will you have a need of me tonight? Shall I hunt with you?" Rafael asked, Colby firmly wrapped in his arms.

Zacarias sent him a small smile, but it was just a mere twisting of his lips. He knew what his brother tried to do. He hoped that, if he accompanied Zacarias when he went hunting, he would be able to stop him from taking to much blood from his prey. But Zacarias wouldn't endanger his brother that way; who knew when the monster would come out. "No; I will not have a need of you this night. I will control myself." Suddenly, Zacarias scented something in the air, and tilted his head to the side. "Did Manolito send word to you that he was coming?" He asked, wondering when Rafael and Colby shook their heads no. "Then what could he be doing here?"

His question was answered when the second oldest, second most powerful De La Cruz brother showed himself. He stopped right next to Zacarias, almost appearing his twin as he stood next to him. Both were dark haired with wild hair, and cold, handsome looked that made women want to swoon. Both were tall, although Zacarias was just a little taller, and his eyes colder. Manolito was accompanied with another, though; someone even more surprising.

It was the Prince of the Carpathian people, Mikhail Dubrunsky. He, too, had the dark Carpathian looks; long black hair, weary black eyes, and he stood tall and muscled. He wasn't with his mate, Raven, for once; it appeared she had "stayed home."

"To what do we owe this honor, Prince, Manolito?" Zacarias questioned, turning with a deeper bow than he'd afforded Rafael.

Manolito shrugged, a dark ripple of power. His large figure contrasted with his nickname, Manolito, which was a childish name given to him by his brothers that meant little boy because he had more muscle and broader shoulders than the others; his real name was Manuel. He had been riding the darkness closely when his lifemate, MaryAnn Delaney, went to him and saved him. "Mikhail has information on a human woman with high psychic power. He brought the information to me, and I wanted him to tell you of it, brother." He said, wasting no time with idle talk.

Zacarias turned questioningly to the Prince, who nodded. "Byron and his lifemate Antoinetta ran across the woman one night while hunting with their nephew, Josef. They said that she isn't like the normal psychics, though; she seems to have more the power of our people. She has a natural affinity to animals, mainly the large cats. They thought they saw her walking with a large tiger, but she disappeared before they could make certain. I would have you go to where they saw her, and meet her." Mikhail decreed, the Prince's command to his warrior.

If Zacarias could have felt anger, he would be furious. They thought to send him away! "And what would I do once I got there, Prince? I know what you think; you think to hope she is my lifemate, and that by us meeting you can save me. But what if you are wrong?" He hissed, wondering at the stupidity.

"Yes, and I know what you think. You think to meet the dawn, and I refuse to let you do that, as does your family. And I know she's your lifemate."

Zacarias leaned down just a litte, turning dangerous. "And how would you know such a thing? You were not there." He spoke calmly, belying the danger about him.

But Mikhail didn't back down; he wasn't the Prince for nothing, after all. "She spoke your name in the dark. Your name, Zacarias. Clearly, although it wasn't clear of whom she was speaking it to. But she did speak it; Zacarias De La Cruz. They didn't catch what she spoke after that, but the fact that she spoke of you should be enough."

Zacarias turned away in a swish of cloth, gliding to the window to look up at the dark midnight sky. Manolito followed him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I would have you do this, brother. We all need you to do this."

Zacarias exhaled loudly, closing his eyes. He opened them again, and turned the burning depths on the Prince. "Very well; I will go to this human. But be warned; if she is not my lifemate, and I lose control of myself to the darkness, it will be on your head." He looked at Manolito. "All of your heads. And know that if she is my lifemate, we are all damning her to live eternity with a monster." He honestly believed that, too. He knew how close he was riding the line of darkness; he could switch sides any moment, although he was fighting his hardest to not turn, to not become the undead.

Mikhail nodded. "Of course. I thank you for seeing this our way, and agreeing to our demands. We are sending you to the Americas, near Texas, as it would be. She lives on a ranch, I have heard. although her name Byron and Antoinetta could not get. Here is a picture of the woman."

Zacarias took the photo, studying the female in the picture. He couldn't see the color of her wide eyes, or the color of her long hair. As he'd grown older, he'd lost the color in his eyesight as well as his emotions. He sighed; he figured that this couldn't work. And yet, deep down, he wanted it to work; he wanted it to work so he would be saved, so he'd have his eternity here in the world, with his brothers, and his Prince. Sure, it wouldn't be easy, with the Manilov brothers planning something, as always, but if he had a lifemate at his side, he'd be fine.

He heard a sound and looked up; everyone had left but Mikhail, who was staring at him. "I am sending Gregori with you; his lifemate Savannah will also accompany him, although both will be careful due to the twin girls she's carrying. Should there be trouble, or this woman is not your lifemate, they will see you safely home." He paused. "They will also make sure that no harm comes to you, or the woman."

Zacarias nodded. So, the Dark One and his lifemate was accompanying him? This would certainly be interesting.

And we're stopping. I so love the Daratrazonoff family; Lucian, Gabriel, DARIUS and GREGORI sound totally hot! I mean, seriously! Anyway, this isn't about them, though. Yet. I think. So, Zacarias might have a lifemate...I can't wait until they meet! I hope it'll work out for them; I can't wait until I read the actual book, if he has one, and find out who his lifemate is! Please be good readers and review for me on this chapter!

Ayame