Chapter 38

Pierce stiffened as one of the vampires moved forward and gave him a smile full of yellow, rotting teeth. He approached casually, holding his arms out to his sides with his palms up, as if in a mocking peaceful gesture.

"Young one," said the vampire in a ragged voice, "why do you stand in such a state of defense?"

"Back away," warned Pierce.

His laugh in response was more like a howl. "Or what? You will kill all of us? We are by far more experienced. Therefore you do not need to stand so defensive as you won't have any time at all. Why bother trying to defend yourselves or your Prince when we will strike you down before you even know what is happening. Come now, and let me give you a quick death." He tilted his head. "Or try and fight and you will know the agony I shall give your Prince before you die."

Samuel reacted so quickly, Pierce didn't have a chance to stop him. His twin surprised the vampire by coming in low, flying toward his legs. The vampire reacted just as Samuel predicted by trying to fly upward to avoid the attack. This gave Samuel the advantage as at the last second he sharply mirrored the vampire and caught him. Taken off guard, the vampire lost his momentum with flying into the air and was pulled down. In the blink of an eye, Samuel broke through his chest and grabbed its heart. Shocked, the vampire could only helplessly look down at Samuel's face.

"The only agony," said Samuel in a low voice, "is what you feel in this moment as a traitor to your people." He wrenched out the vampire's heart, tossing it onto the ground.

Mikhail immediately brought down the lightening and incinerated both the heart and the vampire's body. The Prince raised his head to meet the angry stares of the remaining vampires. "You have all been condemned for your crimes. Come before me and allow yourself an honorable death."

There was clear hesitation among them, but none left or came forward. Pierce connected privately with Samuel and the Prince. This is not good, Mikhail. At least one of the younger ones would have either suddenly attacked or been scared off. They are being controlled.

In other words, grumbled Samuel, their being fed emotions to keep them here.

We have to use these sudden emotions to our advantage, said Mikhail.

Pierce raised his voice. "Are you surprised that we, who are so young, took down one of you?"

A vampire with short, jet black hair hissed. "He was weak."

Another vampire laughed. "He was only the decoy."

Before they could register their words, an attack came from behind and above them. Samuel and Pierce both blocked Mikhail, taking the brunt of the blows. Pierce turned to mist, dissolving when the vampire was about to strike at him again. But before it could go after Mikhail, Pierce struck hard from behind. The vampire fell to his knees and Mikhail gave no mercy as he punched through the chest wall and extracted the heart.

But Samuel faced an ambush once he brought down the vampire attacking him. Two more vampires had quickly surrounded him and ripped open his shoulder and neck. As Samuel fell to the ground, so did Pierce.

Mikhail watched as a wound appeared on Pierce's neck and blood seeped through his shirt at the shoulder. Turning, he saw Samuel with the same wounds. The vampires attacking Samuel were momentarily confused when his twin fell to the ground. At first they stepped back, thinking Pierce had purposefully fallen to the ground to crouch in an attack position. But when they saw identical wounds appear on both twins, comprehension soon began.

"How fascinating," sneered one vampire as he reached down and picked Samuel up by the neck. He extended a long, sharp fingernail and slowly cut Samuel's cheek. Another vampire had pulled Pierce up and was astonished to see the same thin line cut from Samuel now appear on his face. The remaining vampires approached, partly astonished that the twins were so connected and also relieved that they found an easy weakness.

"Let them go," said Mikhail. His voice was actually soft and mesmerizing. But it also had a hint of confidence, his eyes carefully watching each vampire.

Pierce realized he and his twin had lost their strength from their wounds. He was angered by the fact that sharing a soul made them so vulnerable. The vampires were closing in, ready to deliver fatal blows. Pierce knew the hunters were still too many miles away and would not reach them in time.

I am with you, whispered Carissa.

Pierce remembered what Shea had told him about her being the missing part of their soul. Carissa, join with both Samuel and I.

What? I don't understand.

Merge with us. Feel both of us!

"Wait," said the one holding Samuel. "Let them watch their Prince die."

"The Albino wants him alive," hissed another.

The vampire who wanted to kill the Prince tried to argue back but his expression changed. He seemed to struggle for a moment. "He still controls us," the vampire said in a growl. His eyes darkened as he looked at Mikhail. "We can still justify that he has to be weakened," he finally spat. "Make them watch while he suffers!"

Three of them came forward to surround Mikhail. But just as the Prince prepared to defend himself, a strange, invisible force seemed to pass through all of them. The vampire holding Samuel suddenly shrieked and they all turned to see its heart falling to the ground. Samuel slowly stood, his wounds healing right before their eyes.

And then Pierce wrenched himself free from his own captor. The vampire didn't have a chance as the twin struck him down. Pierce walked next to his brother, both of them now completely healed.

"No Carpathian with those type of injuries can heal so fast!" hissed one of the taller vampires.

Another growled. "They must be unified with some damn wizard."

The twins both smiled. "Or a lifemate who empowered us," said Samuel.

It made sense to both of them now. When Carissa became a part of both of them, the twins soul was complete and their power far exceeded even their own expectations. It was as if the three of them together combined their powers, causing them to have more strength and healing abilities than any known Carpathian. While there were still too many vampires, they were now confident they had the ability to buy the hunters enough time.

They attacked the vampires head on. Time after time, the vampires managed to strike the twins, causing wounds with deep gashes. But each time the twins simply healed right before their eyes. Desperate, the vampires switched tactics, trying to go after the Prince to use against the twins. But Mikhail turned to mist and the twins raced to get ahead of the vampires who tried to go after him. They succeeded in bringing down two more vampires, but one had managed to track Mikhail.

The Prince held his own, blocking the vampire's repeated attacks. Pierce launched himself after Mikhail's attacker, aiming for the vampire's chest and slammed into him. The vampire was hurled away from the Prince into a nearby tree.

Watch out!

Samuel's warning was too late as another vampire attacked Pierce from behind. Pierce attempted to shift into a hawk, but the vampire punched his fist right into Pierce's rib cage. The twins heard Carissa scream as Pierce fell to the ground. He grabbed hold of the vampire's wrist, trying to stop him from reaching his heart. Samuel desperately tried to reach him, but his chest opened and he also fell to the earth.

Writhing with pain, Samuel could only helplessly watch as the vampire gave Pierce an evil smile. Mikhail raced to his defense, but the remaining vampires anticipated his action and grabbed him. The Prince managed to deliver a few fatal blows, but in the end, the largest vampire viciously tore into his arm. Mikhail tried to throw him off, but another vampire attacked him from the other side.

With what little strength he had left, Samuel staggered to his feet and charged after them. He managed to pull off the one on Mikhail's arm, but his twin's injury had caused excessive bleeding. The vampire fell with him and its claws raked Samuel's face.

The Prince shoved away the vampire who had been on the other side of him and turned to help Samuel. But Mikhail's compassion to help the twins cost him the opportunity to avoid another attack. The vampire he'd shoved away came at him with such force, Mikhail was knocked to the ground and trapped with the vampire's claws at his throat. The Prince had never seen such ferocity in a vampire's eyes. It was clear the vampire wanted nothing more than to kill him, but his claws shook as he was held back by something or someone.

A groan caught Mikhail's attention and he turned his head to see Pierce losing his battle with the other vampire. Pierce was now barely able to hold off the vampire's claws from extracting his heart. The Prince grabbed hold of the vampire's wrist above him, attempting to get free just enough to transform into mist. The vampire snarled and apparently was allowed to sink his claws into Mikhail's skin. The Prince ignored the pain, focused on still trying to help the twins.

Do not, said Pierce on Mikhail's private link. He will not kill you. Not much longer and the hunters will be here.

Do not risk yourself, added Samuel who felt his own strength fading. The vampire on top of him had caused so much injury to his face, he could barely see. Carissa by now was unconscious and he was grateful so she no longer could feel their pain.

Mikhail did not care. He did not want the twins to sacrifice their lives for him and continued to fight.

You know they are right. It was Gregori. He was getting closer, Mikhail could feel it. But it would not be enough time to save the twins. Give them honor. If you struggle any further, we don't know what may happen. They don't intend to kill you because the Albino is controlling them. But if you anger them further, we don't know for sure if those dark emotions will overpower what control he has over them.

Mikhail closed his eyes, knowing his oldest friend was right. But he struggled as he spoke privately to the twins one last time. It is I who am honored by your sacrifice. The Prince felt his chest grow tight. Be at peace with your lifemate.

Something in the wind shifted and Mikhail opened his eyes just as the vampire holding him shuddered and fell to the ground. At first, the Prince thought it was Gregori, but instead a tall, black figure slowly unfurled and stood tall over him. Mikhail recognized it was Tyrell and swiftly got to his feet. He prepared himself for an attack, wondering if Tyrell was simply getting rid of the vampire so he could be the one to kill the Prince of the Carpathians.

But to Mikhail's astonishment, Tyrell immediately turned and attacked the vampire who had been only seconds away from extracting Pierce's heart. The vampire roared with pain as Tyrell slashed his throat and delivered a fatal blow. Mikhail quickly turned his attention to the vampire attacking Samuel. Within moments, the Prince had dragged the vampire to his feet and punched through its chest. After extracting the heart, Mikhail once more called down the lightening and disposed of the vampire's remains.

When he turned back around, the Prince found Tyrell blocking the path of two more vampires who were ready to attack.

"Why are you doing this?" asked the Prince.

Tyrell's eyes remained on the vampires. "Because of her."

Mikhail knew he was referring to Carissa. For whatever reason, she had reached the depths of Tyrell's heart and he felt compelled to save her lifemates…and maybe his very own soul. He watched as the former vampire launched himself at their now common enemy. And then Gregori was seen taking out another vampire, then Lucian, followed by Gabriel, Julian, and several more hunters. Mikhail rushed over to Pierce who was fading quickly. The hunter had lost far too much blood and the Prince was uncertain if he would be able to recover.

A loud hiss made the Prince look up and it was then he realized all the vampires except Tyrell were now gone. His hunters had surrounded him and Tyrell was preparing to defend himself.

The Prince stood and raised his hand. "Do not!" he sharply commanded. The hunters froze and looked at Mikhail with confusion. "He is not to be harmed. Gregori, the twins need your help."

Mikhail's second in command glided over to him. His silver eyes narrowed as he reached out to first examine Mikhail.

"No," protested the Prince. "The twins first."

"Mikhail…"

"Now."

There was such authority in Mikhail's voice that even Gregori bowed his head. The healer dropped down to inspect Pierce who was barely alive. Armando soon arrived and immediately went over to Samuel who was painfully trying to communicate. despite the fact that his throat had been torn open.

"Lie still," commanded the SongMaker.

Carissa.

Armando nodded at Samuel's request. "Jacques," he called out to Mikhail's brother who had just arrived, "bring their lifemate."

Gregori by now had closed Pierce's wounds and had opened up the earth. After giving him a great deal of blood, the healer carefully placed him in the soil while Armando did the same with Samuel. Jacques soon appeared and lowered Carissa into the ground, placing her between both twins. They curled around her, drawing her close to their bodies.

Thank you, whispered Samuel. It was the last thing he remembered before the soil closed in over him.