Chapter 11

Nicolae watched her sleep deeply. He sensed the nightmares of blood and horror creeping into her mind and decided that putting up barriers around her subconscious was for her own protection. Once he was certain that she would sleep soundly he got up and walked into his study.

Much plagued his mind since he found his life mate, and he was weakening with every passing moment. She didn't want to be converted and he refused to sleep in the ground without her. He couldn't bare the separation between them, and more importantly he couldn't trust that Elena wouldn't try to end her life again. There was nothing he could do now except to call the one Carpathian he knew that could help man his territory.

The Dark One, Gregori, had just reunited with his life mate, and were heading slowly from San Francisco to New York to plan their trip back home to the Carpathian Mountains. This was the one man he knew of that could help him. He cleared his thoughts and sought the standard path of communication their people used.

Dark One hear me. I have great need of your help. Nicolae spoke soundly and waited patiently for a response. This was the first time he had spoken to Gregori in 200 years.

He rested his head on the back of his favorite buttery soft leather arm chair and tried again. The stir in his mind was his answer. He could tell that Gregori was playing it safe and searched his mind to see who had disturbed him.

Nicolae….old friend what has you troubled. And why are you disturbing me so close to sun rise? Impatience wove a pattern into his words and made Nicolae shiver with fear.

The renegades have formed a group here in Pittsburgh and I am too weak to fight them. I am afraid my life mate has drawn them here without her knowledge. We are both in danger as well as the humans in this area. I fear we will not survive another attack in my weakened state. He paused and waited for a response. Another stir encompassed his mind and he relayed the information of their ordeal with him.

You have not turned her… why? That was Gregori for you. You have a problem and he has an answer. No matter how complicated a situation is, he will always see it as black and white. There are never any gray areas in between. You protect the ones you love and worry about feelings and emotions later.

She fears the life style and the ways of our kind. I forced her into the binding and she tried to kill herself. I am afraid I can't force her to make this decision. I want her to come to me fully on her own. With no strings attached.

Gregori snorted and laughed coldly to him. You know you will grow weaker without her turning. She will eventually wither and weaken along with you. You will not be able to protect her as you should. You must turn her now.

Another voice entered into the conversation. It was a feminine voice. Pure. Honest. Kind. So unlike the deep purr of Gregori's. He knew that she must have been Gregori's life mate, Savannah.( She was the prince's daughter and fled to America to find a way to escape her destiny with Gregori. About 4 months ago they reunited and have been working out differences ever since.)

Nicolae……… I have heard much about you from my father. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am afraid you have disturbed my life mate at a time were he is too cranky. We will come straight to you as soon as it is possible.

Nicolae could hear the growl deep in Gregori's voice before he spoke. We will make our way to you when the sun sets. We will be there soon. In the mean time try to keep you mate as safe as possible. We don't need anymore of our women destroyed…and…

Oh Gregori can it and get some sleep! Quit playing God with everyone. Nicolae we will be their as soon as we can. Just be gentle and caring to your life mate and when we get there maybe you can teach mine some manners.

A smile played on Nicolae's face as he heard the two act like old married hens. He could only hope he would have the same fate as them. I thank you both.

With that said and done he wandered back to the bed and rested a hand on her small face. His little mia was so innocent and seemed to carry the world on her shoulders. How he marveled at her strength and courage. It must have been hard for her to run back in the arms of danger when her first instinct is usually to run. Even with her fear blinding her path she had made it back to him and saved his life.

This life mate business was getting harder by the minute. He wasn't sure his heart would take it if anything should ever happen to her. He stroked back a piece of her silky hair and rested himself behind her. One arm protectively around her waist, he shut down his heart and drew his last breath. Do not wake until told mia…I will see you after sun down.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She was dreaming. Sweet dreams of Nicolae and his strong arms around her. He was teaching her how to change into an owl. She felt the bones crack and her feathers start to sprout. The feeling was exhilarating. She took flight with him and soared into the foggy night. Moisture collected on her face and she laughed deep in her mind. She was so glad that she changed. This was nothing like she had ever felt before……she was actually…happy.

She looked to the trees and then to the left and the right. Something was wrong she shouldn't be there. Glancing back for Nicolae, she realized that he was gone and her body was back at her desk at work. The sun beating on her face told her it was close to lunch time.

She picked up her case files on her desk and started to work. But they weren't of the 4 women she was working on. These were new. Her breath broke out of her lungs in a gasp as she saw the first photos in the file.

It was Chief Burns. His body laid on his desk and blood splattered on the empty pizza boxes on the floor. His eyes were open and a frozen face held the expression of death and fear. Who could do such a thing?

Her memories of him flashed before her eyes and she remembered how he had taken her in as a foster child after her parent's murder. Remembered when he and his kind wife helped her through her tough adolescent years of visions and boys, homework and college. How could this be happening? Heart attack. Gun shots. Even death by suicide. She had worked so hard to keep him safe from everything. She couldn't lose the one man that made her feel sane again.

His eye glasses lay in a paper bag attached to the file. Blood splattered the corner of the ear pieces that were chewed to nothing when he was deep in thought. She picked them up slowly and welcomed the vision that followed.

He was eating dinner with his wife when he got a call from someone telling him that a break in the case was made and he needed to come down to the office right away. He hung up the phone and kissed his wife goodbye. "They think they found Elena honey. I have to get down town right away and help."

He smiled deeply at his wife and wiped away a tear of hope. He jumped into his 69 Chevy and headed to the municipal building.

The interior lights of the building were off when he pulled up to the curb on the corner of 9th ST. and French. He thought for only one moment to grab his cell phone and decided that he needed to get inside to see what news his team brought of Elena.

The door to his office crept open and he found no one was there. Not a soul was found in the deserted building. He scratched his head and Elena could only watch as a man struck him in the head. A second man came from the shadows and fed on the neck of her once savior. She winced at the sight and tried to bring herself out of the trance. Her vision began to fade and she forced herself to wake.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She blinked once, twice, and tried to sit up. The hangover feeling was almost too much to take. She felt sick and turned to find Nicolae sleeping beside her. At least she had to remind herself that he was sleeping. He looked as if he was dead.

His skin was translucent and his breathing was nonexistent. He is not dead…he is not dead…he is not dead. He is only asleep. Remember what you saw in his mind.

She had to find Chief Burns before it was too late. No doubt Nicolae will be furious that she left without his permission but she had to try. And besides it was still daylight… no vampire can harm her in the light. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed some clothes Nicolae had set aside on the edge of their bed. She smiled at him…he had kept her favorite jeans for her. She thought she had lost them long ago.

Stay focused! Alright; now to find a way back into the city. If her memory served her well she remembered that the lake she was at earlier this evening was part of a state park. Her father had taken her fishing to that lake once when she was playing hooky from school. And if that was the lake then she was only about 23 miles from the city.

She glanced behind her one last time to Nicolae and said goodbye. I will be back love. Trust in that. Leaving with a heavy heart, she started for the mouth of the cave ready to face her worst nightmare yet. Ready or not dick head, here I come.