Rewriting this turned out to be much harder for me than I thought. I should be back on schedule with updates this Saturday.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Reasoning is a robust source of hope in a world darkened by murky deeds."
- Amartya Sen
___
"Neve mentioned something about the ice caves," Izzy said uncertainly. "She said it was because of them was how she found Serenity and me by that lake. But what are the ice caves?"
"Xavier's hideout," Razvan said gravely. "They are the perfect representation of his magic, and his evil. The ice caves are a vast networking inside the Carpathian Mountains themselves, and they are filled with dark magic. Very few can go near them and live."
"But we have," Natalya cut in. "And we survived. It's uncertain how active the magic of these caves is with Xavier dead, but we mustn't let our guard down."
"And Neve really took Serenity to that horrible place?!" Izzy cried out.
"There can be no other explanation as to where Serenity is," Gregori said. "Neve must know that we would find them both anyplace on Earth. But, we are wary and exercise caution in regards to the ice caves. She must know this, so this would be the best place to conduct whatever it is her allies and her are planning."
Silence filled the room for a long moment. Marach tightened his arms around Izzy. She was safe at that moment, but his heart was uneasy. And it wasn't just because Serenity had been taken. He'd failed his lifemate yet again in the face of danger, and it almost killed her. What kind of hunter was he? Rather, what kind of Carpathian was he if he continually allowed his lifemate to be put in danger?
Izzy felt his distress. If possible, it was stronger than her own. Not knowing what else to do, she shoved down her own unease and sent reassurances to him. "It's okay, Marach. I don't feel like you failed me. This is just a crazy situation, that's all."
Marach sighed, and smiled. This was truly a blessing. Having Izzy with him made everything worth, no matter the mistakes he made. "Thank you, dragă."
"I believe," Mikhail said suddenly. "That the time has come. This has to end tonight. We will get Serenity Crane back, and we must eliminate Neve. I am aware," he spoke quickly as Izzy opened her mouth. "That she has a child at home. That as a mage she might very well have a lifemate waiting out there for her. I do not like making this decision, but it is clear that Neve is working quite meticulously to kill us all. She is very powerful in her own right, and we've seen that trying to control her doesn't work. Killing her might cause future problems, but I'm afraid we're going to have to take this risk."
"I don't like making a child motherless," Ivory said. "But I agree. Neve's too dangerous to leave alone, and there's no telling what will happen if we try to help her. We've spared her numerous times in the past, and she's only come back at us with furor. Besides, she's an underling to Xavier. Should we expect any better behavior from her?"
Izzy closed her eyes. These guys didn't understand. They hadn't heard Martha's voice when she called. This girl's life would be horribly affected by her mother's death, and Izzy had a feeling Martha didn't know the kind of work her mother did. But what would stop this girl from coming after all of them later on to avenge Neve? Would they kill her too?
"I am sorry, Isabel." Marach brushed his lips over her hair. "I truly wish there was another way. But, this doesn't seem possible. And you have felt your sister, haven't you?"
She did. Serenity felt very weak at the moment, and that probably had nothing to do with distance. What was happening to her sister at that moment?
"Everyone, get ready!" Mikhail announced. "We will all be leaving shortly for the ice caves! Razvan, Ivory, and Lara will guide the way!"
Izzy felt a jolt. Leaving…they were leaving now. The final battle in this horrible mess was going to commence. What was going to happen? She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Her parents…she hadn't called them back since Gregori broke her phone. What could they be thinking at that moment? Most likely the worst. And the worst could happen…
"Isabel." Marach let go of her enough to only hold onto her arm. "Come with me."
Izzy allowed him to pull her from the room and into the hallway. Before Izzy could ask any questions, Marach pressed something into her palm. "Call your parents."
It was a cell phone. It looked identical to her other one, but it was obviously different. Izzy flipped it open and saw a very strong signal, but she couldn't see what carrier it was. She didn't bother asking questions and started dialing her father's cell phone.
But, before she pressed the final number in the sequence she faltered. She remembered that the others were suspicious that he had mage blood. And he was deeply scared of vampires…how could she possibly explain this situation to him?
"You can, iubita mea," Marach told her. "He loves you. He'll understand."
Izzy sighed, but closed her cell phone and flipped it open again. "I'll call Mom."
Marach said nothing to this as Izzy dialed up Mrs. Crane's cell phone. After a few rings it went to voicemail. But Izzy wanted to talk to her mother in person and tried again. And again, it went to voicemail.
After the third try she was ready to throw the phone against a wall. "Why won't she pick up?!" she fumed. "I don't want to talk to a machine!"
"This is an unknown number," Marach reminded her. "She doesn't know it's you."
It was a good point, but Izzy still felt frustrated. "I'll try one more time. We have to leave shortly anyways."
The ring rang once more. Pick up, pick up, please pick up! Izzy tried to will her mother into picking up the phone. If anything happened to her, this would be the last time they spoke!
It went right back to voicemail.
Izzy held her breath at Mrs. Crane's cheerful greeting, and continued to hold it at the sound of the 'beep'. With Marach's encouragement, she spoke. "Hi, Mom!" Oh God, this was so hard! Why couldn't her mother have picked up the phone?!
"I-I just wanted you to know," she forced herself to continue. "That Serenity and I are all right. I'm sorry I haven't called you before now, but I…lost my cell phone. And so did Serenity, so we're fish out of water at the moment. But don't worry," she added very quickly. "We're all right. S-Serenity kind of ran into a roadblock with her treatment and so this'll take a little longer than we thought. But I promise you she'll be coming home to you." 'She', and not 'we'. Izzy's heart clenched. She didn't know if she could ever go home again.
"Of course you can, Isabel," Marach soothed her. "It'll be difficult to travel as we are, but I assure you that you can go home if you want to."
It was somewhat reassuring, but tears still stung Izzy's eyes. "So don't worry," she continued. "Everything will be fine. And I…I love you guys so much!" she had to bite down on her lip hard to stop the sob from choking out. "I-I love you, and I swear I'll bring Serenity home safe and sound!"
Izzy slapped the phone shut and pressed a hand over her mouth. It was all so scary. Blood would be shed today, and she prayed that none of it was Serenity's. But Neve…she had a family at home, like Izzy did. How could any of this be avoided?!
"Dragă." Marach pulled her into his arms and showered her sorrow with love and comfort. "Everything will be all right. We'll save Serenity, and…if we can somehow disable Neve long enough, perhaps we can save her. But most of all, we'll save Serenity. I swear to you we'll bring her home."
His feelings helped to make her feel much better, and it pushed away the tears in her eyes. She couldn't help but relax in his arms. She felt, as a new Carpathian, that she could finally understand this idea of lifemates. Of this man who forced himself into her life but gave of himself unconditionally, without ever asking for anything in return…
"We must go now," Marach said abruptly, loosening his hold on her. "The others are ready. Are you ready, iubita mea?"
No, she wasn't really ready. But Izzy knew she had to be ready for what was to come. "Let's go get Serenity back."
___
The Dragonseekers led the way towards the ice caves. They didn't want to drain their energy by assuming the form of mist, so they flew through the sky as fast as they could.
Izzy's heart was hammering fiercely in her chest. Though she could regulate her body temperature, she was taken off-guard by how cold the air grew. After flying a little while longer, it began to snow! It was the middle of summer and it was snowing! Was this because of the high altitude, or because of the influence of the caves?
"A little bit of both, iubita mea."
Izzy smiled a little. Marach's resolved had been renewed by her reassurances, and his calm nature was helping her in keeping calm. We're coming, Serenity! Please hold on until we get to you!
Serenity was still alive, but that was all Izzy knew. When she tried to reach for her sister, she felt an incredibly weak conscience. They would definitely have to hurry if they were going to save her in time.
Even though she'd only heard of the vile nature of the ice caves, Izzy knew when they'd found them. A massively steep cliffside greeted them from the whirlwind of the snow. To her surprise though, they didn't descend upon the mountain. They veered around it and into a nearby grove of trees. She was confused, but she followed suit. She remembered that Marach had mentioned that the mountain was laden with deadly traps, both inside and outside the caves.
"The openings we've seen before are gone," Ivory announced stiffly. "They must have sealed up after we gained access to them."
"Xavier has surely left other means for us to get in," Gregori said. He looked at all the warriors who had gathered, men and women alike. "Search the mountain for any means inside, but do not enter on your own! Dead or not, Xavier's magic lives on strongly in this mountain and we mustn't take any chances!"
The Carpathians took off into the sky and swirled around the mountain. Izzy remained behind, because she had notice Marach hadn't moved to leave, either. "Is something wrong?"
Marach turned to her and cupped her face in his hands. "I failed you, dragă, and one too many times. I will not fail you this time. I will save Serenity and I will restore peace to your life."
Izzy closed her eyes and nodded. "I know, Marach. I know no matter what, you're going to try to keep this promise to me. There isn't anyone I know who's done as much for me as you have."
Marach leaned down and kissed her face lightly. "Fél ku kuuluaak sívam belsö. I love you, Isabel."
Izzy felt a jolt in her chest. Love…he loved her. She'd never had any doubts about it, and he'd told such to her before. But to hear it now so openly, and not under the guise of another language, stirred her.
And she knew…it'd been such a long, hard road to get to this point, but she knew she loved him back. She almost wanted to laugh out loud. She loved him! Oh, she loved him so much! Her heart had always been pulled towards his, and she knew that she would love nobody else the way she loved him.
But…she couldn't say it. The words were in her head, on the tip of her tongue, but they wouldn't be produced. Why? This was such a pivotal moment! They might very well be rushing to their deaths! Still…she couldn't. She was chickening out. And maybe…maybe she just didn't want to face the reality that they could die today.
But Marach said nothing to her silence. He smiled and released her. "Shall we go, then?"
They took off in search of an entrance. Izzy felt horrible about not saying anything, but she tried to distance herself from it. Now was not the time to brood. They had to find Serenity…and Neve.
Then, they found it. They'd flown around the face of the mountain when Marach spotted a hole in the ground. It was less than a foot wide, and snow was collecting upon all sides. But no snow was falling into the hole, whether it be from the ground or the flakes falling from the sky. "This is an entrance?" Izzy asked warily.
"It might be," Marach said. "Gregori! We've found something!"
"Be cautious!" Gregori called out to them. "I'll be there shortly."
Marach and Izzy touched down upon the ground a few feet away from the hole. Izzy winced as the touch the ground, almost expecting a trap to spring up. None did, and she let out a shaky breath. They approached the hole cautiously, knowing if this was an entrance that any multitude of black magic could attack them. Izzy reached for Serenity again, and to her excitement she could feel her sister very close by. "Marach!"
"I know, Isabel. But we must wait for Gregori before we can act."
"Vermin!"
Izzy's heart leapt into her throat and she quickly looked up. A vampire she didn't recognize was flying towards them. "Marach!" she screamed aloud.
Marach saw the vampire and growled in fury. He launched himself into the air and met the monster mid-lunge. They began to fight furiously, and Izzy was sickened by the vampire decrepit state. He wasn't even trying to shield his decomposition anymore.
Izzy heard a 'hiss' from nearby and turned her head. All she saw was the hole, but…what? The hole looked different! Or rather, it wasn't so small anymore!
Or so far away.
Izzy turned to run, but her feet wouldn't move. She looked down, but she couldn't see anything, as the snow had buried her feet to just below her knees. "Uh—Marach!"
Marach knocked the vampire down and into the snow, and another body fell upon the vampire—it was Gregori, and Marach turned to help Izzy—
But it was too late. The hole suddenly expanded to resemble as large pit, and its edges reached for Izzy. She tried to fly away, to get away from it, and Marach tried to reached her in time, but there was no stopping the hole from capturing Izzy, and forcing her to tumble down into it.
Izzy screamed, but only briefly, and her body slammed into the freezing ground at the bottom of the hole. A few feet above her, the hole shrank once more and was quickly sealed over by ice.
It took several long moments for Izzy to regain her bearings. She could feel Marach's panic strongly in her mind and she looked up. She saw the ice encased over the hole; it was either too thick or it was enchanted because she couldn't see Marach beyond the ice. She knew he was there, she could sense him, but she couldn't see him.
"Isabel, hold on!" Marach told her. "I'll get you out of there!"
Izzy groaned, unable to muster a reply. She slowly sat up and observed her surroundings. If she wasn't so terrified she might've enjoyed the beauty of this place. The walls were a crystallized blue, although incredibly cold, and they seemed to shine even without light down there.
Of course, the splendor of her surroundings didn't last. She knew what this place was; it was part of the ice caves. "Marach—"
"I'm coming, iubita mea." Marach sounded a lot calmer now and that in turn allowed for Izzy to calm down. "Just hang on. We're trying to devise a spell to break this ice, but we'll get to you! Just be careful, these caves are very dangerous!"
It may as well have been an omen. No sooner did Marach give this warning that Izzy noticed something. She was at a dead-end in what seemed like a long, icy corridor. Further down the hallway she saw…something. A shadow of some sort. Was her imagination playing with her?
Then she saw another shadow. Or rather, shadows. They flickered across the icy walls like shadows on a lit wall. She yelped and pressed her back against the wall behind her. "Marach, there's something there!"
"Something?!" for a moment he sounded alarmed. She felt him touch her briefly, and felt him see the shadows through her eyes. She felt him relax and that made her calm. For a few seconds. "Oh. Those might be the ice spiders."
"ICE SPIDERS?!" she screamed aloud, and winced when she heard another 'hiss'. "Marach, you never said anything about ice spiders!"
"Isabel, they're harmless if you're friendly to them. Just don't bother with them or draw attention to yourself."
"How can ice spiders exist, anyways?!" But Izzy knew that was a stupid question. Vampires existed, as did mages and a platitude of other supernatural things. Why did the prospect of ice spiders shock her?!
But another 'hiss' reverberated the hall, and she heard a soft scratching across the floor. She swallowed thickly, and her body trembled as she first caught sight of a bony limb. She tried to take deep calming breaths as a single white, hideous spider came into view. It seemed to pause in its path when it saw her.
Izzy coughed, and the sound seemed too loud, and tried to smile. "H-Hello."
The spider suddenly reacted. It seemed to sprint across the icy floor, right at her, and she screamed with alarm as it suddenly crawled over her feet. She shook out her legs violently. "Get off, get off!" She gave a huge swing of her leg and the spider abruptly let her go, it's body flying back down the corridor. Despite her fear, she winced when she heard the impact of its body against the floor.
"Isabel." Izzy could hear the reprimand in his voice, but she didn't have time to respond or apologize. More hisses suddenly filled the air, and she heard more of those legs scratching against the icy floor. She pressed herself harder against the wall as the spider returned. But it wasn't alone. Behind it was a massive band of spiders, at least two dozen of them, and more of them were gathering.
"Marach…oh God, what do I do?!"
"Isabel, you must—"
Marach could barely give out the warning before they were upon her. Izzy screamed as the tiny bodies crawled all over her. The spiders seemed to hiss at her, the bony limbs clinging to her tightly. She ripped them off her and threw them away from her, but that only seemed to incense them. She could see their fangs in their ugly faces, and that only fueled her panic.
"Isabel, calm down!" Marach commanded her. "Do not engage them! It will only make them angrier!"
There were just too many of them, their bodies scraping across the ice and piercing her clothes. Were their claws poisonous? Or their fangs?! Why wouldn't they leave her alone?!
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Surprisingly, that seemed to do it. The ice spiders froze in their attack on her, and slowly but surely climbed off of her. One by one they filed down the corridor, single-file, and away from her. Izzy watched all of this gapingly. It was only when she could no longer hear their legs upon the ice that she sagged against the wall in relief. She didn't know what had caused them to leave her alone, whether it be her Carpathian powers or her supposed mage powers. But they were gone, and she was alone.
But her current situation hadn't improved.
"We're almost there, iubita mea," Marach told her soothingly. "Ivory and Razvan are preparing a spell to—ISABEL, RUN!"
His sudden shout of alarm scared her, especially since the ice spiders hadn't fazed him at all. She looked down the dark icy corridor, not knowing where she could run, but she knew she had to run and hide. Somewhere. Hopefully safe.
Izzy didn't get far, though. As she rounded the bend she was blindsided on her left side. Her head exploded in pain and she collapsed to the icy floor. She clutched at the side of her face, which felt warm and sticky. She was bleeding.
"So your blood doesn't hurt me anymore."
Izzy quickly looked up. She couldn't see very well out of her left eye, but she knew who was standing over her. "Parn…"
Parn looked down at her emotionlessly, looking every bit of the vampire Marach and the others tried to convince Serenity he was. "Neve's waiting for you." He paused for a very long moment and then said something that shook Izzy.
"I'm sorry."
Before Izzy could react further he raised his foot and kicked her hard in the head, sending her world into darkness.
___
"Icy shields working hard/
Know you have no need to guard/
Open your gates to the ones of good stole/
So that we may retrieve what the bad ones stole."
The thick sheet of ice cracked underneath the pressure of the spell, and Marach wasted no time. He crashed through the barricade to the cavern floor below, his body and mind tense. "Isabel!" he shouted, his voice echoing.
But she was gone. He'd known she was gone. Parn had attacked her viciously and had taken her away. He could smell her blood in the air. A short walking distance found a spray of blood upon the icy floor and slightly upon the wall, and the ice seemed almost ready to absorb it.
"Marach." Falcon was at his side at once and grabbed her arm. "Be calm. We will find them."
"Her capture might work better for us," Gregori said neutrally. "You are still linked with her, and these caverns are vast and full of deadly traps. Through your connection we will find Isabel, and undoubtedly Serenity and Neve."
Marach tried to remain calm, but the reality of failure weighed heavily upon him. How much would his lifemate and her sister have to suffer because of his inadequacies? Why couldn't he ever protect her on his own? What kind of warrior was he if he couldn't protect his own lifemate from the barest of dangers?
"Marach." Now Gregori's tone was harsh. "Do not feel guilt over something beyond your control. Right now we must concentrate on finding those women! If you feel you fail your lifemate, then triumph for her by rescuing her!"
"…I understand," Marach said finally. "And I will save her no matter what."
"Gregori!" there was a shout from above. "Vampires have converged upon us!"
"Engage!" Gregori commanded. "We will press forward to find Isabel and Serenity!"
"I have an idea of where they might be," Razvan said tersely. He looked at his surroundings with open derision and fear. Years of torment and abuse, suffered within these frozen walls, was all coming back to him. "But it is a distance from where we are."
"Then we'll work together," Marach said. "I will find Isabel with my link to her, and you can guide us safely through her."
"It is impossible to tread through here safely. Only Xavier could do so. I imagine Neve had previous problems going through here as well."
"Let's not waste anymore time," Ivory said, wielding her knives in both hands. "Let's stop these dogs of Xavier once and for all!"
Many of the Carpathians stayed behind to fend off the vampires. Only Gregori, Ivory, Razvan, and Marach pressed onward through the dangerous caves. Marach held Izzy in his mind tightly, though he could sense she was still unconscious. And Razvan reached out with his mind, and his memories, to try to avoid the traps Xavier had placed.
As would be expected, their trip was not without incident.
They came to a fork in the ice caverns, spreading out into two long corridors. Marach could sense Izzy from both ways, which made him believe both paths led to the same location.
But as the Carpathians examined the path, the ice shifted once more. Before anyone could react, a massive ice wall shot out of the floor and slammed into the ceiling, blocking one of the paths, where Gregori had been looking. As the Dark One turned around, another ice wall shot up in front of him, closing him off from the others.
"Gregori!" Ivory shouted, running to the wall. "We'll get you out of there!"
"Never mind me, go on!" Gregori shouted at them. "This magic will hardly stop me! I'll follow shortly!"
Ivory paused for a moment before she punched the ice in frustration. A slight dent was made. "You'd better make it out of there! You have your daughters waiting at home for you!"
"I'm well aware of that!"
Nobody wanted to leave him behind, and alone, but they knew that this was a deliberate attempt to keep Gregori away from whatever Neve was doing. They knew they had to press on quickly, and did so.
They unfortunately ran into another problem as they ran into a room.
"I cannot let you go any further."
Marach froze, and gritted his teeth. This was the mage who'd attacked him just earlier that day. He'd broken quite a few of this man's bones though, including crushing his hand. But the mage didn't look injured anymore. Turquoise eyes stared at the three of them with a calmness and open contempt.
Ivory immediately stepped forward. "I won't be defeated by a weak human! And certainly not by a crony of Xavier!"
The man didn't seem fazed by her outburst. Marach had touched his mind during their fight, and had found a blank slate. His mental shields were incredibly powerful, and all he could glean from him was a name. 'Eis'. But this was not his real name.
"I am not a weak human," Eis said emotionlessly, folding his arms over his black cloak. "Do you think you can insult me, Ivory Malinov? You, an egotistical idiot who not only rushed off to her death, chasing the need for power, but condemned her entire family to the darkness with her actions?"
"My brothers chose their path!" Ivory shouted. "My brothers chose to forge an alliance with the vampires who brutalized me! I have no sympathy for them! And I don't need to explain myself to a bastard weakling like you!"
Eis unfolded his arms and calmly waved to Ivory. "Show me how weak you are then."
"Marach, go on ahead," Razvan cut in. "The room in question is not far off now, and I'm certain you can still sense your lifemate."
"I can," Marach said. He looked at the pair briefly. "Thank you for your help."
"We will stop this mage. You get the girls and stop Neve."
"You can't stop Neve," Eis said plainly. "But you're welcome to try."
Marach almost found his confidence amazing, if not stupid. He was but a mere mage ready to face off with one of the greatest female Carpathian hunters, and a master mage directly descended from Xavier. But he showed no fear and was confident in his success.
Eis didn't falter, not even as Razvan and Ivory led a double-team against him. Marach wasted no more time and fled the room, following Izzy's link. He reached for Serenity, too. The other woman felt so incredibly weak, and Izzy wasn't faring much better. He needed to hurry.
"Going somewhere?"
Marach froze, and then jumped back at purple tentacles jumped up from the icy floor and reached for him. He could smell the blood the emulated from this and knew it was vampire blood that fueled it. But, he didn't need to know the root of this spell to know a vampire casted it. He recognized the voice very easily.
"Cassander."
Cassander grinned at him, eyes blazing with humor and hate. Izzy and Serenity were just beyond where Cassander was standing, and the vampire's placement in this path was very telling. "I think we've come to a point that we should stop avoiding each other, Marach." A hiss reverberated the icy hallway. "Prepare to die."
Marach squared his broad shoulders. This was a moment he'd been dreading; killing his former best friend. But it needed to be done to keep the world safe. Especially his lifemate. "Let's finish this."
___
As Izzy regained consciousness, she could feel air moving through her lungs and revitalizing her body. She could feel the coldness of the air, and her body dropping temperature to accommodate the chill. She could feel her face. It didn't feel as swollen as it did when Parn struck her. She could flutter her left eyelid; it was healed, even if partially.
And…she could feel her limbs. They were so sore, and…she couldn't move them.
Izzy's eyes flew open and she gasped. This ice room hardly looked different from the rest of the place, but it looked brightly lit. It was a wide room too, and circular, and very little furniture occupied the space. She looked down at herself to see icy shackled snapped around her wrists and connected to the floor. To her growing horror, her feet were submerged in the icy floor! She couldn't pull them out!
When she looked up again, she saw Serenity. "Oh my God, Serenity!" her sister's physical state was appalling. Serenity's complexion was very white, and was unmoving. As Izzy's feet were stuck in the floor, Serenity's arms were inside the walls and inside the floor. Even if she was conscious she wouldn't be able to move. But what was most shocking was the ice surrounding Serenity. Small patches were bright purple in comparison to the blue, and in some parts she could clearly see red.
She…she's bleeding out into the ice! Izzy struggled violently against her binds, but they didn't budge at all. Panic settled in quickly. "Marach, Marach! Help me, Serenity's bleeding to death!"
Marach didn't respond to her, but she could feel him strongly in her mind. Izzy reached for him, and quickly saw he was nearby. Nearby, and fiercely fighting Cassander.
"Hmm."
Izzy withdrew from Marach and looked towards the center of the room. Neve was kneeling over a high table; Izzy hadn't noticed her beforehand. The mage's full scrutiny was on a large plate that looked like a petri dish. There was a red mass on the plate. It almost looked like…an organ.
"What are you doing?!" Izzy demanded.
Neve finally looked up, and looked at Izzy as though she hadn't noticed her before. "Oh, you're awake."
"What are you doing?!" Izzy repeated. "And what the hell is that?!"
"This?" Neve indicated the mass. "It's a kidney."
"A-A—wh-what?!" Izzy cried disbelievingly. "A kidney?!"
"Amazing, isn't it? I took some tissue samples from Serenity's own kidney and mingled them with her own blood cells and Xavier's. And look! Just a few hours time a whole organ was produced!" she breathed out a sigh. "I knew success was eminent, but never to this extent!"
Izzy gaped at her, and quickly looked at Serenity. Serenity would be able to heal quickly, even from that, but what else had this monster subjected her to?! "You…you did…" she shook her head and struggled again. "You bitch! Who the hell do you think you are?! Her kidney…why are you doing this?! What have you done this?! Why won't you leave us alone?!"
"I can't leave you alone," Neve said coldly. She left the kidney on the table and approached Izzy. "My work is important and you two are important for it. Or rather, Serenity is important for it. You have betrayed your kind by converting yourself."
"If you hadn't tried to kill me, then I wouldn't be like this!" Izzy shrieked. "Take some personal responsibility, you bitch! And if we're 'your kind', then WHY are you doing this?!"
"It's very simple." Neve looked back at the kidney. "Some time ago, my master was brutally murdered by your kind. Without him, we have a lost cause and there are…" she faltered before she continued. "We need him back. Xavier was smart to separate his soul into parts, and we can bring his body to life with these shards. His physical being, though deteriorated through the years and was dissimilated by the Carpathians. Before we can bring him back to us, we have to reconstruct him."
"But you… you want to…"
"Yes." Neve turned back around. "We're using your regenerative antigens to recreate a body for Xavier."
___
Cassander was no longer shielding his vampire nature; that was evident now. Gone was any vestige of his Carpathian self. In its place was a true monster, whose body had been twisted by the evil in his heart.
And he was strong. Very, very strong.
Marach could feel Izzy's distress strongly in his mind, but he couldn't do anything to relieve it. He was only too focused on the fight at hand.
"Are you going to just stand there?!" Cassander roared with hideous amusement. His handsome features were gone, replaced by rapidly peeling skin and razor sharp teeth. He no longer even had arms; they were cylindrical appendages, disgusting sores rising and burst upon the surface, and they stretched out to Marach like a rubber band, striking at the icy walls and sending ice shards flying everywhere. "Fight me you coward!"
"I'm no coward, old friend!" Marach shouted, barely dodging another strike. "You are the coward for the path you chose!"
"I am UNSTOPPABLE!" Cassander yelled. Saliva was oozing out of his open mouth. "Even the vampires who have aided me have fallen! And…there!" he shouted again. "The last one was just killed by a hunter! Only Parn and I remain!"
"Is that anything to be proud of?! LOOK AT YOURSELF?!" Marach shouted angrily. "You're a disgusting mess! Your physical being is deteriorating under the force of your own darkness! You don't even have a body anymore! THIS is what your chosen path has reduced you to!"
"What do I care," Cassander snarled. "For what I look like?! I can still KILL you hunters! I can feast upon the blood of the peon humans! For I will be the terror of their nightmares! I will rip their throats apart and drain them until they are near death! Oh!" his eyes rolled into the back of his head. "If only you could understand, Marach! The feeling, the puttering of a dying heart! To feel it straining, fighting to live! There is no greater pleasure than this!"
"Then you know nothing of pleasure." Marach's tone had calmed, as did the rage in his heart. All he could feel was pity for his friend. "True pleasure is the feel of your lifemate against your body, inside your head, and nestled to your heart. And true power comes from giving your life for them. You know NOTHING of true strength and power! You are blind, and I was blind to never sense the turning of my best friend!" Marach readied himself. "But I will fix my error now."
Suddenly he saw a shadow across the icy walls just beyond Cassander. Marach tensed as a newcomer became more visible down the hall.
It was Parn.
"Enough talking!" Cassander shouted. "Prepare to die!"
He lunged forward, and Marach did the same. He no longer concentrated on dodging. The image of fire formed in his head, and he focused on Cassander's chest…and the heart beating underneath…
Cassander took a wild swing at Marach. Before the blow could strike though, a burst of flames erupted from his chest. Cassander screamed in pain and fell backwards as his body became consumed in flames. It was difficult for Marach to harden his heart at this scene, at seeing his closest friend burn before his eyes.
Burn…but no! The flames were going out! Still, Cassander's mutilated body was a charred mess, and he looked as though he couldn't move.
"PARN!" Cassander shrieked in between his screams. "PARN!"
Behind him, Parn faltered. But to Marach's surprise, the other vampire didn't move from his spot.
"Parn, help me! HELP ME!" Cassander screamed, seeing Marach advance upon him. "Help me! I'm your frate! Save your frate, I'm going to die! Help me!"
It was the first time Marach ever heard fear in Cassander's voice. He watched Parn as carefully as he did the other brother, but Parn still wasn't moving.
"Esti un prost Tampitule!" Cassander cursed violently in Romanian. "Don't you DARE leave me to die now! You have saved me before, SAVE ME NOW!"
"No."
Marach faltered in his steps. Parn had spoken, though he didn't open his mouth. But he heard that simple word clearly.
"We don't belong here anymore, Frate. We must atone…you must atone."
"For what?! What great crime have I committed?! I have found the seed of LIFE! I am an all-mighty powerful being! I have done NOTHING WRONG!"
"We've killed people," Parn said very quietly. "And you…have you forgotten what you did to me?"
Marach felt uneasy by his words, but he focused on Cassander again. He could feel Izzy's memories and knew Parn had attacked his lifemate, and delivered her to Neve.
But now he was speaking of atonement?! What game was he playing at?!
"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have met your whore!" Cassander was starting to gurgle in his own blood, but he continued to spout venom. "You would've died without me! You…I've had to deal with SO MUCH because of you! I had to be the strong one because I'm older! I had to shoulder so many of YOUR burdens! No wonder I turned to the darkness when I had nothing but YOU in my life! I bring you power and THIS is how you thank me?! I should've killed you when I—"
Marach could stand no more. He concentrated on fire again, and on Cassander's heart. Flames erupted from his chest once more, but this time the fire burned inside his heart, causing the organ to implode from the inside out. Cassander slumped against the floor, but the fire spread through his inside, igniting his other organs and his foul blood. Moments later the fire burned out through his pores and his body exploded, splattering tainted blood all over the walls, ceiling, and floor.
Marach jumped back to avoid the spray, but Parn didn't and was hit somewhat. For a moment the vampire stood there motionless, looking at the remains of his brother. A shiver overcame Marach's body. He did it. He finally slew Cassander. He was relieved to have slain the vampire, but it did little to help the emptiness engulfing his heart.
…No. Cassander had chosen his path. Marach had Izzy, and he had no reason to be empty. But…for Parn…
Parn had knelt down, hovering a hand over the messy remains of his brother. He seemed almost speechless by what had occurred. Marach was ready though, and moved to strike him as well…
And stopped. A single, bloody tear ran down Parn's cheek as he stared at Cassander's remains. No evil or maliciousness marked his face. Only grief. Raw, ugly grief.
"Frate…" Marach was suddenly frightened. Parn sounded so sad…but it had to be a ruse. Vampires didn't have feelings like this, but it looked like Parn was mourning his brother. And it looked and felt like real emotions, too; not an illusion. How had Parn become so powerful? Was he then the most dangerous vampire in this group?!
"Forgive me…" Parn's fingertips dipped into the foul blood. "Forgive me."
There was a sudden 'whoosh' and in a flash Parn was gone. Marach became furious at himself for being distracted by the illusion, but he calmed. Parn was the only vampire remaining. And all else that stood in his way was Neve.
"Isabel, I'm coming!"
___
Izzy stiffened as she heard Marach's voice in her head. He was coming. He'd stopped Cassander. No…he'd killed Cassander! "Are you all right?" she asked him.
"I will be fine, iubita mea," he answered her. "Just hang on, I'm coming!"
Izzy looked at Neve, who'd turned back to her work. "The gig is up!" she cried. "Cassander is dead! All of your vampire allies are dead! You have nothing, and Marach is on his way here to stop you!"
"I'll kill him," Neve answered smoothly, though she looked up from the kidney. "And anyone else who comes here."
"You have no chance!" Izzy screamed at her. "You have nowhere to run, and they're going to kill you!"
"No, they won't. I'll kill any Carpathian who stands in my way." Neve left her station to walk over to Izzy. "This is the decreed of Xavier, and I shall follow it. None of your kind deserves to live."
"Why?! Why do you hate Carpathians so much?! What the hell did they ever do to you?!"
Neve's brown eyes darkened as she narrowed them, and Izzy was almost afraid she would cast a spell at her.
To her surprise though, Neve began to speak. "Why don't I tell you a story?" she asked. "Of a thirteen-year-old girl in Surrey who was thrown out of her apartment by her mother because her boyfriend didn't want kids hanging around?"
Izzy's stomach twisted. She immediately took a hint and knew that Neve was talking about herself.
"Two years," Neve continued. "She lived on the streets. Slept in the streets, ate in the streets. Nobody cared about her, not her family, not her friends, not even her school. Two years she lived alone, outside, without a real home. But then everything changed."
There was something about Neve's tone that caught Izzy's attention. Because of it, she knew that the 'change' Neve experienced as a teenager wasn't good.
"She was leaving a nightclub one night, just fifteen years old." Neve began to pace around the room slightly, her body tense. "When she caught the eye of a suspicious fellow. Once this man saw her, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. In the same notion, he couldn't stand her.
"He took her with him because something in him told him he needed her. But, every time he looked into this girl's face, he became enraged and sick and would strike out at anything and anyone, most particularly this girl." Neve paused for a long moment, and her features softened very slightly. "He did horrible things to this girl. Think of the worst way you could treat a girl, a child, and you'll see exactly what he did to her. He held her hostage, chained to his side for six months. He hated her, and yet her felt for her. But somehow, just looking at her reminded him of what he truly was, and he would beat the truth out of her."
This sounded familiar, too familiar to Izzy. "…He was your lifemate?" she asked quietly.
Neve didn't seem to hear her. "He was a vampire." She almost hissed the words. "And though he couldn't be without this girl, he made her life hell. Every day he forced her to beg for her life, to scream for help, and even to ask for the abuse and torment he gave to her. She did all of these things. When he slept she would try over and over again to escape him. She knew she was special, not like other people, and she tried to use her powers to summon help to her side. But she was young, inexperienced…untrained. And nobody, nobody." She emphasized the word harshly. "Ever came for her. Except for one person.
"One day the vampire…slipped. And within the chamber he'd held this girl captive suddenly a man appeared. Nobody had heard this girl's cries for help, no human and certainly no Carpathian, but this man did. He saw what was going on, and the girl was so afraid. Of the monster who'd enslaved her, and of this stranger. But the stranger…was so strong. And with no effort whatsoever he destroyed the vampire."
Izzy knew that this stranger must've been Xavier. Marach and the others had described as a horrible brutal monster, but he'd saved Neve's life.
"It was not without a price, though," Neve said, her tone suddenly quiet. "For the vampire was her…lifemate." She said the word as though it were a curse. "And because she was his lifemate, he had felt entitled to do as he wished with her, as seems to be the decree of all Carpathian males. With him gone, he could no longer torment her. But he…" she faltered, and swallowed thickly. "With his death, the girl was sentenced forever to a half-life, and she suffered through agonizing pain, worse than the pain the vampire had dealt her, and she longed for death. But the stranger wouldn't allow such a thing to happen. With his powers, he froze her pain, her emotions, and she could no longer feel it. Then, recognizing the potential in her, he trained her vigorously in the art of mage craft. For as he said, there were many, many others like this vampire preying upon people, and the girl knew she couldn't allow anyone to suffer as she did.
"And Xavier…this man gave her life again. Through him she could become a dispenser of justice, to help rid the world of this vile creatures—"
"But Carpathians and vampires are nothing alike!" Izzy cried out.
"—And I have made it my mission to kill all of you." Neve turned angry eyes upon Izzy once more. "And I was just fine with my life. I have the family I longed for, and I even forgot about the pain brought upon me by my lifemate's death. But that wasn't enough for your kind, was it?! No! You had to murder the very man who saved my life! Who gave me my life back! Who blocked out all the pain, the destitution, everything! With Xavier dead, the magic has faded and now I feel the full brunt of all my trauma, day in and day out! But it didn't occur to you parasites that killing your greatest foe might have negative effects on persons other than yourselves, did it?! Of course it didn't! You are a vile and disgusting race, and you kill wantonly and ONLY for your own benefits!
"Because of you…" she jabbed her finger at Izzy, but Izzy knew Neve spoke of her as a Carpathian and not as a person. "I have to fight the urge to commit suicide every single day! Why do you think I don't talk to my daughter?! Because I could hurt her with my trauma! So believe me, you spoiled little tart, I know exactly what your sister feels because I have carried it with me for almost twenty years!"
Izzy hung her head. She could feel sympathy for Neve because she knew the suffering Serenity had to deal with. And to deal with it at such an early age? No wonder Neve was as twisted as she was. Without realizing it she reached for Neve's mind. All she did was a simple mental brush and her senses exploded into chaos. Dear God, the pain! Oh, she really did suffer so much! Izzy could sense her strength of resolve behind the pain, but it was being overpowered by unshielded chaos. Was this was what Serenity was feeling?!
Still…there was no excusing her crimes. And her story made her intentions even clearer. "So…your main goal in reviving Xavier is to regain that shield he put on you?!"
"When my master is revived," Neve said coldly. "It will be easier to get rid of your kind!"
"But…" Izzy shook her head. Nothing seemed to make any sense. Why did the shield on Neve's trauma fade with Xavier's death? Why didn't the magic remain instilled in her forever, just as these ice caves remained active?!
Unless…was it on purpose?! Did Xavier deliberately make her shield weak so she would always be dependent upon him?! He would do that to his own ally?!
"Why didn't you seek Gregori out?!" she shouted suddenly. "Why didn't you tell the Carpathians what happened?! Even with your crimes, they would understand your intentions! Gregori could've shielded your feelings for you, and I can guarantee the shield sure as hell wouldn't fade if he ever died!"
"I will never ask ANYTHING of you!" Neve shrieked at the top of her voice, her tone vibrating in the room. "You, you disgusting parasites that have committed genocide against my people?! Against my ancestors?! You, who curse the world with your immortality and superiority and your accursed lifemate principle to enslave women to be your BREEDING CATTLE?! No!" she shook her fists in raw fury. "I will never do it! It would be the greatest shame I could ever cast upon myself!"
"Then be happy with your half-life!" Izzy shouted, though she was inwardly afraid at Neve's fury. "Go ahead and try to revive the man who half-assed your previous mental shield! Throw the world into chaos! You think you're the only victim here?! I've seen what the Carpathians have suffered through Marach and it was THAT MAN'S fault! Even if you are successful, what do you think will happen when he revives?! More people are going to die! For God sakes Neve, think this through! Do you think you're going to succeed?! The Carpathians are here and you're grossly outnumbered and they will KILL YOU! Think of Martha! Think of what will happen to your daughter if you die!"
Neve seemed to have calmed down. Her breathing evened out and her face relaxed. Still…Izzy knew she was unmoved, and wouldn't be swayed otherwise from her task.
"Everything I do…" Neve slowly turned away from Izzy. "Is to protect her. And I will do everything I can to make her safe, even if it means I have to kill all of you."
Izzy knew what she meant. Martha must possess the same mage traits Neve did; which meant Martha most likely had a lifemate out there. And Neve's prejudice against Carpathians was fueling her resolve even more.
"But…" Izzy struggled against the chains binding her. "What if you succeed in doing that? What if the next person you kill is her lifemate? Then you'll be condemning her to the same hell you're suffering!"
"I will take care of her…and so will Xavier."
"With what?! A half-assed mental shield that fades with the caster's death?!"
"Enough." Neve's tone grew harsh, and her eyes turned towards Serenity, and her work. The solid masses on the dish were squirming around, and Serenity was still unconscious. "You've wasted my time. I still have a lot of work to do."
Suddenly, the ceiling exploded. Izzy screamed and ducked her head, unable to cover herself with her bound arms. After a moment, she realized the ceiling hadn't caved in and quickly looked up. Four holes marred the beautiful icy ceiling, and the ice itself shifted and groaned, as though trying to reseal its wounds.
Then Izzy looked down. Four Carpathian women stood on alert in a wide circle around Neve, who didn't look the least bit intimidated. Izzy had only briefly met all of them, but she knew through Marach what their names were; Natalya, Lara, Jaxon, and…Ivory.
And Neve's eyes immediately lifted to Ivory. "So," she said, her tone disinterested. "Ivory Malinov. You are who I have to thank for the death of my boss." With a casual grace she took up a fighting stance. "I intend to repay the favor."
Ivory smiled, but it lacked humor and was full of malicious intent. "I'd like to see you try."