Chapter 16

Pierce and Samuel had never felt such anger that coursed through their veins. Pierce had tracked the license plate number and both had immediately sensed when Carissa's connection was once more opened to them. When they'd found where she was being held, they easily streamed as mist through the cracks in the doors. They quickly turned into gusts of wind, driving Carissa back from a male who towered over her. And when both took shape into human form, the twins were astonished and enraged to find a vampire in her very presence. Her face was bruised and blood had trickled down her cheek. Even worse, she only wore a ripped blouse. The thought that she may have been violated catapulted the twins over the edge of what was left with any self-control.

Samuel let out a loud growl and circled to the right of the vampire as Pierce moved around to the other side. This was a master vampire, and it would take both of them to destroy him. Carissa, run.

Tyrell hissed as he was surrounded by the twins. His eyes narrowed and his incisors lengthened. "Step away," he warned.

Samuel gave a huff. "Do you dare to think you can even try to escape from us?"

The vampire's eyes narrowed. "And do you dare to try attack someone who is by far older than either of you? I am an ancient, with power that vastly outweighs you."

"But not both of us," replied Pierce in a low voice as he circled in unison with Samuel, both of them sizing up their opponent.

"Don't be so sure of yourself, boy. Your confidence may be your downfall."

Samuel bared his fangs. "And an ancient may underestimate how slow and old he is as a vampire."

Tyrell braced himself for the attack, shifting in his stance. And just when the twins were about to attempt their first blow, Carissa's voice broke the tension.

"Wait!" she cried. "Please. You can't hurt him!"

Pierce looked over at her while Samuel kept a firm eye on Tyrell. "Carissa, this is a vampire. His soul is already lost."

She was looking at both of them, still confused as to why she was seeing double of Pierce. But she couldn't let them destroy Tyrell. "But he saved me!"

Samuel clenched his jaw while still looking at Tyrell. "Really? Then care to explain the bruises on your face or why your clothes are missing?"

Carissa tugged down the blouse. "There was a guard…he did this to me. Tyrell was chained to the wall. He broke free to come after me and killed the guards."

"He's a vampire," insisted Pierce. "Of course he saved you. He wants you for himself!"

"No, he's different," she insisted. "They had something…some king of minerals that controlled him. It gave him emotions. I-I think we destroyed the minerals but he still can feel."

"How convenient," said Samuel with heavy sarcasm, "a vampire with emotions. I'm sure that really helps."

"And you are not helping the situation," snapped Tyrell. "The longer we stay, the longer you place your lifemate in danger." He paused and glanced at Carissa. "Or is the other twin your lifemate?"

Carissa bit her lip. "I…didn't even know he had a twin."

A slow smile crossed Tyrell's lips as the twins looked with guilty faces at each other. "Oh, now, isn't that interesting? How many more lies will you tell this poor female?"

"Lifemates do not lie!" hissed Samuel.

"Lack of information isn't any better," laughed Tyrell. "Are you her lifemate, then?"

"It's not your concern, vampire."

But Carissa wasn't saying anything. Which one was her lifemate? She had a strange feeling when she looked at both of them. Wouldn't she be able to tell if she had a connection to one of them? The twins glanced her way.

Carissa, we will discuss this later, said one of them.

We need to make you safe, said the other.

Dear God! They even sounded identical! Looking back and forth between both of them, Carissa was starting to feel scared, sensing something was very wrong. She backed away.

"Why does she seem so frightened?" mocked Tyrell. "Or is the truth really that you've both turned vampire yourselves?"

"Stop it," said Pierce in a low voice. He looked at Carissa. "Please, if it means building trust once more, than I trust you with what you are saying about this vampire. I will honor your request and we will bring him no harm." Unless he dares to try and touch her again.

"Are you insane?" snapped Samuel.

"When it comes to her trust, and hopefully her protection with what he says , apparently I am," he replied.

Tyrell was silent for a moment, before slowly looking at Carissa. "Then he must be your true life mate. I don't know any other Carpathian who would say such a thing when standing before what was once a vampire."

"Was?" asked Samuel. His voice was still heavy was sarcasm.

"I don't know what I am," replied Tyrell in an even tone. "But if you want to help your brother, you will listen to his lifemate."

I'm her lifemate as well, grumbled Samuel privately to Pierce.

We don't need to bring up the details now, he replied in a calm voice. If this vampire believes I am her lifemate, then let it be for now. We need to focus on getting Carissa out of here.

And the vampire?

I don't know what happened, but you cannot deny he appears to have emotion. Otherwise, he would have attacked us by now. He seems to actually care about what may happen to Carissa.

Because he wants her for himself!

If that were the case, he would have tried to find a way to take her hostage or at least threaten her life in front of us. It makes no sense.

Tyrell sighed. "Are you done having your conversation?" He smiled at Carissa. "I hope, my dear, your lifemate really did make most of the Carpathian fortune by using his brain. Because it doesn't seem to be functioning at this moment in time."

Samuel actually took a threatening foot forward but Pierce stepped in front of him. "Enough of this. Carissa, will you please come with us?"

When she hesitated, Tyrell's eyes softened. "I was only jesting about them being vampires. Go with them so you can be safe."

"What about you?"

"I need to stay here. There are a few humans that I must first bid farewell."

Carissa swallowed hard. "I need to find Kylie."

Tyrell looked at the twins and shook his head. Corner.

Samuel frowned but slowly walked to the corner of the large room, while Pierce positioned himself closer to Carissa. She picked up on what was happening and gasped as she watched Samuel walk over to the table with the body.

"No!" she cried. "That can't be her!" But Samuel didn't have to confirm it as soon as she saw his eyes when after he looked at the corpse. Carissa covered her mouth, feeling sick and dizzy from not only the stress, but the lack of food. Pierce quickly swept her into his arms when she swayed.

"Get her out of her," demanded Tyrell. "They are coming."

As if on cue, all hell seem to break loose when they suddenly sensed a dozen humans approaching fast. Tyrell launched himself at the first man who came to the door, breaking his neck and throwing him aside. Samuel managed to stop the next one, but two more burst threw another door and began to fire their guns.

Carissa screamed in terror while Pierce moved with blurring speed, carrying her out another way. She held onto him and was disoriented until she realized they were outside. She shivered as the wind whipped around her and then suddenly the next thing she knew, he was pulling up a blanket over her. She was home! In her own bed. Cujo barked, running at Pierce until he skidded to a halt.

Pierce looked down at the dog. "Protect her while I'm gone."

"Wait!" cried Carissa sitting up. "Where are you going?"

"I have to return for my brother." He wanted to add that Samuel was also her lifemate, but there was certainly no time for that conversation. "I'll have SafeGaurds in place. No one will harm you." He touched her face. "You're safe now."

Before she could protest any further, he raced out into the night, traveling as fast as he could to get back to the research center. When he reached the place, he was alarmed to find the building on fire. The skin on his arm was burning and when he looked down, Pierce realized his flesh was black.

Samuel!

His twin's answer was faint. About damn time.

Pierce didn't hesitate and raced inside the building. By now, flames had engulfed most of the walls and dead humans were everywhere. Sensing his twin, Pierce transformed into mist and made his way deeper inside. He finally found Samuel trapped under a beam that had fallen and was astonished to see Tyrell trying to free him.

The former vampire was weak, as he'd taken a bullet in the shoulder and was bleeding. He struggled in trying to lift the beam and when he saw Pierce convert to his human form, Tyrell gave out a huff of air. "Feed him! He's too weak to transform and he won't take my blood."

Samuel coughed. "Exactly. Who knows what the hell is in your blood. And no way am I contaminating my lifemate with whatever you might have."

"You don't even know who she is yet," snapped Tyrell.

"Whatever," muttered Samuel, not wanting to go into details about Carissa.

Another ceiling beam snapped and crashed behind them. Pierce scored his wrist with his fangs and held it out to his twin. "Drink!"

Samuel took the offer, drinking just enough until he finally had enough strength to dissolve into mist. When he took shape next to Pierce, he watched as Tyrell sat down on the floor. "Are you coming or not?" he demanded.

Tyrell gave a low laugh. "Am I not meant to die here?"

"So that's it? You destroyed this place and all the Morrison humans. Now your life is over?"

"Amazing how when we first met earlier, you only wanted to kill me. And technically, there are many more humans from the Morrison Center around the world that must still be killed. But more specifically, one must be found."

"Who?"

"Sebastian. He's the leader, the mastermind behind this place. But chances are, he's already been swept away by those who would hide and protect him. There are far too many who know about us by now."

The heat was becoming unbearable, the building ready to collapse. Seeing that Tyrell wasn't going to move, Samuel raked his hair with a hand in frustration. "Fine. Tell us anything you can and we'll hunt him down."

"No."

"No?"

Tyrell struggled to his feet. "He's mine. It is my right to hunt him."

Pierce held out his wrist but his twin stopped him. "Samuel-"

"You will take only enough to escape. And so help me, if you commit any further crimes, we will find you. We will hunt you down on behalf of the Carpathian people."

They were shocked when Tyrell bowed his head. "So be it."

Carissa couldn't sleep after Pierce had left. Cujo whined when she got out of bed, but she had to take a shower as she was desperate to get clean. She was weak so she had to hold onto some of the furniture as she made her way to the bathroom. But about a half hour later, Carissa was relieved to be clean. Looking in the mirror, she touched the bruises on her face. Pierce didn't have time to heal her. She thought about Tyrell and hoped he was okay. And what about Pierce's twin? She didn't even know his name. And why didn't Pierce volunteer his brother was a twin? If he really did have any mental sickness or was turning vampire, wouldn't it be helpful to know that information in case he tried to come after her?

After drying her hair and putting on a robe, she got out some vegetable soup and warmed it up, then sat down at the table. Her stomach flipped and she realized there was no way she could keep it down even if she tried. She remembered now she'd found out back at the theater there had been two blood exchanges. Kylie didn't understand why she'd been so sick…

Kylie.

Carissa couldn't help the tears which started to fall. Kylie had been a long time friend and business partner. Not only that, she'd been the only real family she'd ever been close to having. What about her husband? How would he find out? Carissa put her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands.

Carissa.

There voice was like a caress, trying to soothe her pain. When she looked up, she gasped, as both twins were in her kitchen. She stood up and backed up against a wall, holding herself.

"I am sorry, we did not mean to frighten you."

Trying to hold herself together, Carissa drew a deep breath and wiped away her tears. "It's…okay. I mean I'm glad you're both okay." Her eyes widened as she saw both of their right lower arms had burns. "Oh, you're burned!"

The twins only briefly glanced down at their skin. "We'll be fine," one of them assured her. The skin seemed to begin healing before her eyes. "We're more concerned about you."

"What about Tyrell?"

They both frowned but one of them answered. "He is alive, but we still do not trust him. While he hates our enemies, we are unsure if our collaboration goes any further. We admit he is different, but you must not forget he has already committed crimes against our people."

She nodded. They were both dressed similar and she certainly couldn't remember whatever Pierce was exactly wearing when she saw him earlier as there'd been too much shock and stress. With them standing before her now, she still couldn't tell them apart. "So…I'm sorry, but which one of you is Pierce?"

The one on the left smiled. "I am."

She returned a faint smile. "Okay," she breathed, "so this is your brother."

"I am Samuel," murmured the twin on the right.

"It's nice to meet you." Feeling a little conscious that Samuel was watching her so closely, she stepped closer to Pierce and took his hand. So why didn't you tell me you have a twin?

He squeezed her hand back reassuringly, but then she was surprised when he led her back over to the table and had her sit back down. "We need to tell you something."

Her stomach tightened. "Um, okay." They seem to hesitate for a moment, so she wiped more of her tears away, scrubbing her face with her hands. "I've been through so much already, I can't see how anything you're going to say will make it get any worse."

Oh, that makes me feel even better, muttered Pierce to his twin.

I'm her lifemate as well. We can't hide this any longer.

Pierce sat down next to her. "It's Samuel that first met you."

Her face turned to confusion. "You mean, in the garage? That first time?"

"Yes."

"But, you, wait, I mean he said we were lifemates."

Samuel stepped closer. "I am."

"You mean, Pierce isn't…" She looked at him. "Samuel is my lifemate?"

Pierce shook his head. "No, Carissa."

She gave a nervous laugh. "Okay, so what? You're trying to tease me now?" But she became quiet as Pierce grabbed hold of her hand.

"No, Carissa. I mean that we are both…your lifemate."