9

Bright painful light was the first thing Russ detected as his lungs filled with air and he squeezed his eyelids shut tight. He smelled flowers, and heard the sounds of moving water, like a creek or stream flowing over rocks. It was peaceful, serene, and yet he was afraid to open his eyes.

"Russell, I have waited so long for this day," a sweet voice too long from his ears said sweetly. Her lips brushed his and he opened his eyes to see the most beautiful sight, Zania's violet eyes smiling at him.

Russ wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss, her eyelids fluttered dreamily and closed as she moaned. How long had it been since she'd been in his arms like this? He pulled her down onto his chest and relished in the feel of her body pressed against him. She was so soft, so wonderful, so sexy… Until she braced her hands on his chest and tried to pull from him.

"Russ, wait," she interrupted in a breathy voice, "We have to leave this place. The war has started and the palace is under siege. Carthach is working with vampires. I don't even know how that is possible, but he is killing every fairy he finds out in the open. Mother is holding the Mísióg off for the moment, but they will be overrun soon."

"Shhh, baby, Merlin has already warned us, and Zoe's Protector is with her now. Everything will be okay," Russ tried to reassure her.

"Protector? What Protector?" she demanded.

"The Carpathian hunter, Tariq, they are Lifemates," Russ told her.

"But he is one of them, a blood drinker! How could you entrust the safety of our daughter, a sióg princess, to an evil, violent, blood drinking…"

"Enough!" Russ snapped as he sat up and glared at her, "Do you trust my gift?"

Zania dropped her eyes, clearly remorseful over her outburst, "You know that I do."

"He is meant for her, and he would sacrifice his life to keep her safe. There is darkness in all Carpathian males, but in this one, there is honor, not evil. Do you think I would allow her to be placed with just any Protector?" Russ pulled her onto his lap and hugged her close. "What can we do to help your people?"

"They are your people too. Our people are going to have to fight, but you and I need to hide for now. We need help to defeat Carthach with his new allies at his side."

Russ sighed, "Then we must go now. My coming to you here will leave a surge of power they can track. I hope you have a good hiding place."

"Oh, yes. I know a great place," Zania smiled and laced her fingers through his. "Hold me close, and I'll take you there…" A warm glow surrounded them, and they vanished.

King Carthach watched in dissatisfaction was the Queen was led in chains out of the throne room. She refused to open the portals, and at the moment he had not gained the proper leverage to gain her compliance. Most of the important council members were dead or accounted for. All that remained was the heir, Princess Zania. She was missing; and no one knew where she had gone. Very soon the interrogations would begin, and with them the divine sounds of fairy screaming. But even the thought of torture could not ease his mind about his new ally. Though Ruslan Malinov was no longer of the human realm, he was very useful in the Idir. But at the moment he did nothing, and it annoyed Carthach immensely. "You have yet to prove your worth to my cause, Malinov. I begin to wonder if I should have ever aided your escape from the Shadowlands."

Ruslan never turned, or even shifted expression to indicate he heard the Dark King's words. After a long silence he finally said, "You waste your resources here, King. That which you seek is on earth, a power yet unimaginable in any realm. The Soul Caller, she is the one you need." She was the one that would restore him, and all of his fallen brethren to the earth. With such a surge in numbers they would finally be able to destroy Mikhail and all Carpathians that refused to join them. These Fairies will have served their purpose once the Princess was located.

Carthach knew this creature was not to be trusted, but then… neither was he. "You are well informed of many things, vampire. Perhaps your interest in her is more for your own cause than for mine," Carthach insinuated with a cocked brow.

Malinov turned to him and his red eyes bored into the Mísióg King's with fury, "Your cause is of little consequence to me. I merely offer in bargain that which you ask in order to gain what I desire. Your people can war yourselves into oblivion for all I care; only the woman matters."

"As we both are in need of her, I wonder how we will manage to share," Carthach said with a smirk.

Malinov frowned. He didn't do sharing very well. "Once you use her to kill the Queen, you will no longer need her. In fact, as she is in line for the throne, she will be a liability that I will be happy to take care of for you." Fairies were not overly bright.

Carthach felt the hair on his neck bristle. This vampire would betray him at the earliest opportunity. Unfortunately, the defense rings around the princess' home were not vulnerable to fairy powers. He needed the vampire's help to get to her. "I have assembled my most skilled shades to bring down the protections around her home. What of your promised forces?"

"I have four assembled on earth, in the area you mentioned. There are another six waiting to be released from the Shadowlands, more than we need," Malinov said with irritation. He only needed her location, but this King would not give anything away.

Carthach sighed, "Very well." The Queen locked the portals; he would have to find a way to open them. He needed the Soul Caller to break her, and then to kill her. The Queen was too powerful to be killed by a normal Fairy.

Tariq strode into the kitchen and found Merlin sitting at the table and Luna, the blue pixie, sitting on the lid of the butter dish eating a chocolate chip. She had to hold it with both hands but managed to nibble at it. She looked up and frowned, "What's he still doing here?"

Merlin smirked, "He's Zoe's protector, and her mate."

Luna nearly dropped her chocolate, "But he's not fairy!"

Tariq sighed, "Do we have time for this?"

Merlin's expression sobered, "No, we don't. The Palace has been taken, Zoe's mother is missing, and that evil bastard King Carthach is plotting with the undead to try to take Zoe. Our time is running out."

"Do they know where she is?" Tariq asked quickly.

Luna perked up, "I don't know, they were trying to force the Queen to open the portals, but she is too powerful for them to harm. They can't threaten her directly, but could use someone she cares for, with less power, to coerce her to do it. I think that's why they wanted Zania."

"They want Zoe, because she could kill the queen," Merlin said flatly. "Zania is leverage for Zoe, not the Queen. That old battleaxe would gladly sacrifice anyone."

Luna smirked, "Aye, she would at that. She sacrificed half the council already."

Merlin frowned, "What a mess."

Tariq crossed his arms across his broad chest, "Can they attack in daylight?"

Merlin shook his head, "Faeries are strongest under moonlight. With the added vampires to their cause, I doubt we are looking at a daylight attack."

Tariq released the breath he was holding, "Good. I will fill in the others as to the danger then take my rest. I need to be strong, for Zoe."

Merlin looked at Tariq with scrutiny, "What of Zoe? How is she?"

"She sleeps; I have insured a peaceful rest without grief. She needs time before I fully bring her into my world. The conversion is painful and will require recovery time. I am not at peace with bringing her this pain, it feels so selfish. And I don't think we can afford for her to be in a vulnerable recovery at the present."

Merlin frowned, "It may very well save her life, Tariq, focus on that. But you may be right, now may be too soon. We don't know how becoming Carpathian will affect her gifts, and they may be needed."

"Most of our women, who had gifts as humans, retained them and in fact the abilities grew as they became Carpathian. I have no reason to believe it will be different for Zoe," Tariq reassured him.

"Zoe is not human," Luna said flatly. She was fighting mad, glowing brighter in her ire. "Zoe is destined to be Queen, not some Carpathian's girlfriend."

Merlin glared at her, "You are naught but a pixie; you know nothing of anyone's fate."

Luna threw the remainder of her chocolate on the table and flew up to glare back at Merlin, "I know you killed my friends, innocent pixies tainted by a dark spell. I know that you treat Fairy Laws as a joke and do whatever you please in both worlds. And I know that you are the one responsible for the Mísióg escaping. Your magic passes through the portals often, and it has been gathered over time and concentrated into a potion that broke their gate."

Merlin felt a sharp pain in his chest, "Who?" He was afraid of the answer.

Luna shook her head, "Nemu still hates you. She found the perfect revenge, don't you think?"

Tariq looked at the stricken expression on Merlin's face, "Another enemy?"

Merlin cringed, "Nay, she's the Lady of the Lake, another part fairy… beautiful, powerful."

"She's his ex-wife," Luna said bluntly. "It didn't end well."

"Go keep watch in the garden, blue menace. And you," Merlin said, turning to Tariq, "Get your rest. I have things to prepare."

Tariq frowned, "I'll see you at sunset." And with that, he took his leave, heading for the basement. His mind reached for Zoe, but she slept deeply without dreams, as he had hoped. He didn't like this threat that hung over her. Unknown enemies worried him. When will the attack come, and how are these dark fairies to be defeated? As he allowed the rich soil to envelope him, his thoughts were still on the coming battle. Finally, he focused his thoughts on Zoe and the memory of her selfless surrender to him as he succumbed to the sleep of his people.

Zoe heard voices drifting through her mind, softly entreating her to listen. Some sounded sweet and kind, some grated on her mind like sandpaper. She tried to focus on the sounds of sweetness. A woman's voice, one that should be familiar to her yet was unknown. "You must prepare, my Zoe. You must be ready for they will come…" Zoe sat straight up in bed and gasped, "Máthair."

It was still daylight outside. She glanced at the clock and it was only four in the afternoon, a couple of hours to nightfall. She tried to respond to her mother's call, "What must I do? How can I prepare? What can stop them…?" She paused before continuing, for the real question was hard to say aloud. "How do I …kill dark fairies and vampires?" The voices were silent. How very unhelpful to wake her with warnings and offer no advice. She threw the covers back and got out of bed. Tariq would know what to do. She needed Tariq and she needed him now, but he was out of reach. She sighed, went to her closet and grabbed her sleeping bag and a yoga mat. On the way out her door she grabbed a pillow and headed to the one place that might offer her comfort.

It was near sunset when Tariq stirred beneath the soil. He immediately scanned the cavern he rested in and was shocked to find an intruder mere feet from him. How had Zoe awakened without his call, and how had she gotten through his safeguards? He carefully displaced the soil and cleaned and clothed himself as he rose to the surface. After filling his resting place and assuring himself that all appeared undisturbed, he knelt beside his beautiful lifemate and gazed at her sleeping form. She was no longer sleeping untroubled. Her face looked worried, pained even. He reached for her mind and suddenly heard her shouting in her dreams.

"How do I stop this? How can I save anyone? Mother please…" There were tears in her eyes as she wandered between the stones of her lifelong home. Sharing dreams was new to him, but he could not leave her in her grief. He materialized beside her and gathered her in his arms.

"Zoe, it is not for you to worry about this battle. That is what I am here for," he said soothingly as he held her. She clung to him, and the feel of her vulnerability pierced his heart. She had come to him for comfort in the night, and they had been separated by the soil. He ached for the pain she'd felt without him to reassure her. "Shhh sívamet, your tears are breaking my heart."

"I heard my mother calling me, warning me. I needed her help, but when I woke up, the voices stopped," she gasped out between sobs.

Tariq picked up on one word in her confession that worried him, voices… plural. "Who else did you hear besides your mother?"

Zoe's crying quieted and she leaned back to look at Tariq with dawning confusion. She had heard other voices. "I don't know. I heard only a sweet sounding voice at first. But then I could hear a droning, grating murmur. I'm not sure it was even one voice. I focused on the first voice and heard my mother telling me to prepare for their coming."

Tariq frowned, "It was chanting?"

Zoe gasped and hung her head, resting her forehead against his broad chest. "It was chanting, like a dark fairy spell. I am so stupid."

Tariq lifted her head and kissed her firmly before replying. "You are faced with a great unknown and frightening enemy. He is trying to get into your head. Most girls cling to their mothers. In your time of need you came to me. I am sorry I was not able to hear your call to me when you were in such need."

Zoe shook her head, "No, Tariq, no. Don't apologize, I didn't try to call you, you were sleeping. I just wanted to be near you."

Tariq hugged her close again, looking around at the meadow beyond the stones and it suddenly struck him that they were in a dream. How safe was this place? Had she wandered beyond the stone boundary in a dream, would she then be vulnerable somehow? Zoe, when you dream, is it magical in some way?"

Zoe frowned, "I don't know."

Tariq leaned back and cradled her face between his hands, "Zoe, awaken." He would take no chances.

Zoe found herself in her sleeping bag with Tariq kneeling beside her. He was looking into her eyes and smiling.

"What?" she asked, only mildly annoyed by his enormous grin.

"You came to me," he said simply, then frowned, "No one should have been able to reach you while you slept."

"Welcome to the wonderful world of fairy magic, good and bad. I should have thought of such a thing sooner. When I was a little girl, sometimes my mother would visit me in my dreams. It was a way to watch over me I guess," Zoe admitted.

"So your dreams can be accessed by this in between world where the fairies live," Tariq needed to understand if he was going to protect her.

Zoe sat up and there was obvious fear on her face, "I don't know how it works. I think we need to talk to my grandfather."

Tariq frowned at the thought. Merlin was another mystery to be solved. He obviously loved his family, but could he be completely trusted? "Come, you can get dressed and I will speak to Merlin."

With the setting of the sun, the time to seek the Soul Caller had come. There would be no need for a coordinated battle with these strange fairy creatures. They had their orders and the advantage was to be theirs. The strength of her powers would help them find her. If that failed, they had only to seek the hunter that protected her. The vampire burst from the earth and sought the others. They would join him and together they would search the forested foothills for their salvation. They would be whole again; there was no other outcome possible. As the vampire searched the skies for his minions, he heard the distinct sounds of birds of prey. The hunters were coming. He sneered as he cloaked himself from their senses. They would all die, and the Soul Caller would be theirs.

Irish Gaelic Translations

anseo - here

ar aghaidh - next

athair - father

athair céile - father-in-law

banphrionsa - princess

daid - father

dorcha - dark

dubh - dark

dúghorm - dark blue

idir - between

le do thoil - please

leasathair - Step father

máthair – mother

mí- (prefix) - evil

Mísióg – evil fairy

ná - do not

scoir - quit

seanathair - grandfather

sióg - fairy

Carpathian Translation

csitri - little one (female).

o köd belsö - darkness take it.

päläfertiil- mate or wife.

päläfertiilam – my lifemate.

sívamet - my heart.

Story Notes

Tariq Asenguard (Minor Character: Dark Curse, & Dark Slayer)

André Vlad (Minor Character: Dark Curse, Dark Possession, & Dark Slayer)

Lojos, Mataias, and Tomas (From Dark Slayer)

Darius Daratrazanoff (from Dark Fire; Minor Character: Dark Challenge, Dark Melody, Dark Celebration,& Dark Curse)

Julian Savage (From Dark Challenge; Minor Character: Dark Desire, Dark Fire, Dark Melody, Dark Guardian, Dark Celebration, & Dark Curse)

Carthach: the Mísióg king

Ruslan Malinov (Minor Character: Dark Secret, Dark Possession, & Dark Predator. Mentioned In: Dark Peril)

The Ritual Words

Te avio päläfertiilam. -You are my lifemate.
Éntölam kuulua, avio päläfertiilam. -I claim you as my lifemate.
Ted kuuluak, kacad, kojed. -I belong to you.
Élidamet andam.-I offer my life for you.
Pesämet andam. -I give you my protection.
Uskolfertiilamet andam. -I give you my allegiance.
Sívamet andam.- I give you my heart.
Sielamet andam. -I give you my soul.
Ainamet andam. -I give you my body.
Sívamet kuuluak kaik että a ted.-I take into my keeping the same that is yours.
Ainaak olenszal sívambin.-Your life will be cherished by me for all my time.
Te élidet ainaak pide minan.-Your life will be placed above my own for all time.
Te avio päläfertiilam.-You are my lifemate.
Ainaak sívamet jutta oleny.-You are bound to me for all eternity.
Ainaak terád vigyázak.-You are always in my care.