Chapter 40

"What do you mean he's gone?"

Mikhail was exhausted. Not only had it been a night of fighting vampires and worrying about the Falkland twins staying alive, but he now discovered Nikolai had left.

"He wanted to leave. I couldn't stop him. Mikhail, I'm scared. It sounded like he meant he wasn't going to return."

Mikhail cursed under his breath. "Nikolai is far too young to be on his own. I'm going back out to find him." As Raven looked at him with concern, he tried to reassure her. "Don't worry, he couldn't have gotten far."

"And I'll be right behind him," said Gregori gliding into the room.

Mikhail sighed. "I do not need a bodyguard."

"Right. And how many vampires attacked you and the twins tonight?"

The Prince paused. "Tyrell may have arrived in time, but if it wasn't for the twins…"

Gregori nodded. "For two very inexperienced hunters, they showed great courage and skill. I would find it hard to believe anyone would now question their loyalty."

"We owe them much," agreed Raven, grateful that Mikhail was kept safe.

Mikhail sent his lifemate waves of reassurance. "They are worthy of the greatest respect. Facing that many vampires at the same time…they knew there was no way to survive such an attack, even with the advantage of Carissa adding to their power." The thought of vampires turned his attention back to Nikolai. "It's too soon for another attack. If there are any left, they will need to regroup."

"Or seek out the Albino, if he's the one controlling them," pointed out Gregori.

Mikhail grimaced. "Possibly. Perhaps Tyrell will find him or the master vampire before they have any chance to plot again."

"You have far more faith in him than I do. And he has yet to make that oath to Carissa. For all we know, he may be leaving this area as we speak."

"You underestimate his loyalty to her."

"Is it loyalty or a tempting darkness that is calling him to take her from them?"

Mikhail disagreed. "Even with the ancients surrounding him, Tyrell never once took his eyes off them; ensuring they were being healed. He's protective of her, even the twins, but acts as if he doesn't care."

"He needs to be watched."

"While I am more than willing to debate Tyrell, we are wasting time. The night is slipping away and Nikolai must be found."

"I will find him, Mikhail. You should stay here with Raven and your son."

"He's my nephew and my responsibility."

Before Gregori could argue, the SongMaker's voice broke into their minds. Janelle is in labor. It was the first time they'd ever heard his voice shake.

We will come at once.

Mikhail tried to hide his frustration. He desperately wanted to find Nikolai. Yet the SongMaker also needed his support during this difficult time. The child was not due for another several weeks. If things did not go well with Janelle's labor, they may have to call upon Ivory and Razavan to work a spell which would hopefully keep the child alive. The SongMaker's child was to be the first born in the condition of what once was so long ago when infants could not only feed from their mothers, but also sleep in the ground. Yet ever since Armando took blood from another Carpathian, Janelle had slowly lost her appetite for human food. On the positive side, she still could actually eat without becoming ill. But they were fearful she was no longer immune to some of the evil parasites that infected others. She'd been examined repeatedly and none were found, so there was still hope.

Mikhail quickly kissed Raven and their son as she looked at him with worried eyes. "I'll send word to the ancients to begin the search for Nikolai."

"And I'll make sure Shea knows Janelle is in labor," she replied. Raven would also reach out to the other women, alerting them in the event they might be needed for the spell. She hugged her son tightly as she watched Mikhail, then Gregori dissolve into mist and stream out into the night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Armando!" Janelle cried out as another spasm ripped through her.

He was there in an instant, chanting words in the Carpathian language. The pain was still intense, but his voice soothed her. She grabbed his hand, trying to breathe as she waited for the contraction to pass. But she couldn't seem to get enough air and began to panic.

"Look at me."

Janelle looked into her lifemate's glittering eyes. He was so calm. "I'm so afraid!" she gasped.

"Listen to my voice, Janelle." Armando began to sing, the notes like floating crystals that reached her very soul. Her mind cleared and she began to breathe again.

As Armando continued to sing, he masked his true feeling of fear for her sake. It took every ounce of discipline he had to push down his emotions so he could focus on her peace of mind. When the contraction passed, Armando felt her body begin to relax and she drew a deep breath. His ended the song, his voice fading while her labor weighed heavily on his mind.

"Thank you," she whispered. Her eyes filled once more with fear. "It's too soon. This shouldn't be happening."

He bent down and kissed her forehead. "Gregori and Mikhail are on their on their way."

"Will Gregori be able to stop the labor?"

Armando could not lie to her. "I do not know. But you are still several months along, so she will be fine."

"Can you communicate with her?"

"No," he replied. "I sense her spirit is strong but she has closed herself off."

"That can't be good."

"Actually, at least in my experience, during labor the child usually closes off their mind. They are too focused on what is happening."

"So her lack of communication…it could be normal."

"Indeed." He tried to give her a reassuring smile. "There is no doubt she will have too much strength for her own good."

Janelle trembled. "Armando, you're hiding what you really feel. I know what you are thinking…"

Armando's head turned away. "Mikhail and Gregori are here. Let me greet them. I will return shortly. Do not hesitate to call me when the next contraction begins." Before he lost the ability to maintain his composure, he quickly left the room. He strode down the hall and waved a hand to unravel the safeguards around his home. The Prince and Gregori streamed in as mist. Once they were in human form, the SongMaker could not hide his emotion.

"This should not be happening," Armando said while he clenched his jaw. "She should have at least another six weeks."

Mikhail came forward and made a point to briefly clasp the SongMaker's shoulder. "Whatever happens, we are here with you."

"I am the cause of this."

"Excuse me?"

Armando's mental state was very suddenly breaking down. "I lost control when I took Janelle. I made her pregnant without her consent."

Mikhail frowned. "You are the oldest known Carpathian. It was a miracle you had any control at all."

"It was because of Javier. The emotions he fed me are the only reason I sustained my life to fulfill your father's command."

"Yes," answered the Prince, "but you also had it within you to wait, even after those emotions became distorted and faded after the wizard's death."

Armando gave a bitter laugh. "You give me credit for thinking I had strength. I was weak, just as I was when…"

When the SongMaker's voice trailed off, the Prince knew this was about Anna.

"I cannot watch another child die, Mikhail. I cannot…survive this."

The Prince understood. Armando's mental state had already been compromised with the death of Anna. No doubt he believed losing his own child was a direct punishment for what he had done in his past, even though the Prince knew Armando's crime was because of a wizard's control. "You cannot believe this is related to what happened in your past. You must think of Janelle and the other children who need you."

The SongMaker bowed his head, too overcome with emotion to speak.

Gregori, despite their differences, spoke in a gentle voice. "You are needed for the survival of our species. No matter what happens, know that your gift in freeing so many children has saved the future lives of many unattached males."

When Armando looked at him, Gregori hid his reaction. The Dark One had never seen the SongMaker in such a state. It reminded him of when his own daughters had been born. No parent could bear to endure the death of their own child. But it was even worse for Armando who was the protector of children.

"How far apart are the contractions?" asked Mikhail.

"Several…minutes," Armando answered in a broken voice. "But the intensity has been increasing. I can no longer block the pain."

Gregori raised his eyebrows. "We have always been able to block the pain."

"Not from my time. I suppose this is yet another difference in our women today."

"Then perhaps that is a good sign, despite her pain," replied the Prince.

Armando!

The SongMaker sharply turned away and returned to his lifemate. Janelle was already having another contraction.

"They're getting closer!" she cried. When Gregori entered the room, Janelle pleaded with him. "You have to stop it. She can't be born this early. Please!"

Despite his concern, the Dark One remained calm and glided closer to her. Leaning down, he touched her face. "I will do everything in my power to protect her."

Tears began to stream down Janelle's face. "I'm not ready…she's not-" Janelle gasped in pain as the contraction became more intense. While Armando did the best he could to comfort her, Gregori straightened and immediately left his own body to examine the infant still inside her. He entered her body and immediately surrounded the child with white light. But he was surprised when a strange force pushed him away. Gregori tried again, working to bathe the child in his healing light. She was not responding to him at all. And once again, something pushed him away. He tried everything from various healing chants, to attempting to merge with the child's mind.

But nothing worked.

Exhausted, he finally withdrew and returned to his own body. Shea was now in the room and she looked at him anxiously. But Gregori slowly shook his head.

"No!" Armando. "You must keep trying."

The healer sighed. "I cannot be sure, but it's as if she is the one pushing me away."

"You or something else?" asked Shea.

"There is always that possibility. I have sent for Ivory and Razavan."

Armando's nearly swayed. "Do we need to move her to the healing cave?"

As another contraction began, Gregori frowned. "There isn't time."

Realizing there was nothing else he could do, the SongMaker bent down to Janelle. She managed to touch his cheek while she endured the pain. "Don't leave me…no matter what happens."

"Never," he whispered.

"No…I mean…if she dies…"

"Do not!" said Armando in a sharp voice. "She will be fine!"

Janelle suddenly grew calm, her eyes meeting his. "I'm going to pray that she will be okay. But Armando, I cannot lose you…the children cannot lose you. Promise me if something happens that you will not let your guilt over Anna take you away from us."

The SongMaker dropped to his knees next to the bed. With trembling hands, he stroked Janelle's hair, but he looked away. He was unsure of his strength. His main purpose was to protect and teach all Carpathian children. Yet Armando had committed the most unthinkable crime in taking an innocent child's life. No matter how many times others said it was due to the wizard's control, Armando could not shake the thought that he should have been stronger. He was the oldest Carpathian, the protector of children. And yet he was not strong enough to prevent his dark side from taking a child under a wizard's control.

And now the death of his child could be the very punishment he deserved. If she died, Armando knew that in the back of his mind, the pain may send him over the edge of insanity. It was ironic that his voice in the gift of song could heal the minds of others, when in reality, he was the one who needed it most.

"Armando," said Mikhail softly. It had taken a long time for the SongMaker to accept that he was rightfully meant to be part of their world today. The Prince knew the death of his daughter may just unravel all the progress he'd made. "You blame yourself for not being strong enough in your past."

The SongMaker closed his eyes.

Mikhail's voice became firm, now knowing what he had to say so he could reach Armando. "Then prove to me that you have the strength to face the possibility of your daughter's death and will continue to serve me. You fulfilled my father's direction. Now you must carry out my request to stay with us as long as I need you. Only then can you retain your honor."

Armando opened his eyes and looked up at the Prince.

Mikhail's chest grew tight, but he held onto the SongMaker's eyes. "Will you continue to serve me? Do you accept that I am your rightful Prince today?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Armando fully bowed his head. "My duty is to serve my Prince. I vow to fulfill your request and swear my allegiance to you, Mikhail Dubrinsky." He turned back to Janelle. "I am sorry. I will accept whatever God decides."

She smiled at him through her tears, before her face suddenly went white and the pain made her scream.

Author's note: I think there is just one more chapter in this story...