Chapter 9

When Arianna let the vampire into her mind, something changed. A sadness cascaded over her like she'd never known. For years, she'd always felt lonely with no one who cared about her. It was an emptiness which consumed her to the point of her hoping for death. But this feeling was entirely different. That emptiness was nothing like the severe sadness which now grabbed onto her very soul, dragging her down into a despair she never knew existed.

She also felt a flash of pain in Stefan's mind at the same moment he fell to his knees. He was severely hurting, but in a different way. For whatever reason, her open mind created physical pain for him. She tried to reach out to him and see inside his mind, but she found it tightly blocked. Slowly, Arianna sank to the floor. Whatever just happened, she knew she'd never be the same again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

She looked up to find Derrick standing over her, his hands on his hips. She realized tears were streaking down her cheeks, even though she had no idea what was causing it.

The other scientists were beginning to move forward to look at Stefan who was still on his knees, his head now almost to the floor. He held his face within his hands and she swore she saw his large body actually tremble.

The scientists were still talking all at once, confused as to what was happening. When the men got too close, Arianna could actually feel what was about to happen. She began to shout a warning, but it was too late. With lightening speed, Stefan grabbed one of the men. He screamed in terror but the sound was quickly cut off as the vampire snapped his neck. Terrified, the other scientists ran back to the cell door.

Which slammed shut by itself, locking them in the cell.

Arianna's heart began to hammer, as Stefan's eyes glowed red, his fangs now fully showing as he growled deep. He began to rise, his huge frame beginning to tower over all of them. She shrank back against the wall as he easily grabbed another scientist and sank his teeth into screaming man's neck.

Tyrell was no longer in control. The darkness within him had been unleashed

after seeing into Arianna's mind and recognizing she was his lifemate. It was as if the realization sent him over the edge, the demon rising up hard and fast to ensure she would never be allowed to join his soul. Logically, he knew he should not attack, but he was now helpless to fight against what was happening, even though he was not fully embracing the darkness. He had memories of similar feelings when this happened before…

It was coming back to him now, flashes of memories when he served Prince Vlad. Tyrell's stubborn determination to hold on and not face the dawn. His intentions were honorable, but the bloody wars in protecting humans and his people had taken their toll. There was so much death. It had been nearly impossible to escape the feeling of power which was the only emotion he felt.

And then he recalled the darkest moment in his existence, a memory so painful he now knew why he was sent over the edge and unconsciously embraced becoming a vampire. Pain ripped through him as he recalled being betrayed, resulting in the torture and death of the one he was assigned to protect by Prince Vlad.

Now, the scene playing out before him was one where he felt like two personalities. The logical side of him fighting to gain control, while the demon within him would not allow it. Tyrell knew no amount of anger or darkness would save him in this situation. While some of the formula had worn off, his powers were still not at their fullest and he could not transform to escape the chains which bound him. His mind, however, was powerful enough to move objects. He'd locked the scientists in with him, as the demon roared to find a way to kill them all.

Derrick glared at the remaining scientists who were frantically trying to escape. "Grab the damn formula!" he yelled. Their hands fumbled around in their oversized lab pockets, one of them withdrawing another syringe.

Tyrell dropped the scientist he was feeding from and did not even look down as the man's body slumped to the floor. His eyes narrowed at the syringe and he made it fly out of the other scientist's hands, stop in mid air, then turn around to strike the man in the neck. The formula was pushed into him and the scientist gasped, before falling straight forward onto the floor.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tyrell saw Derrick roughly grab the female, forcing her to stand. Derrick wrapped his arms around her chest and waist, pulling her back against his chest. "If you want her, back off now!"

Tyrell gave a low laugh, the feeling of power thickening with each passing moment. "I want nothing to do with her," he replied. His voice was so deep, it was warped, an ugly, rough tone even he no longer recognized. The demon inside him was not even looking at the her, and instead was only thirsting to kill Derrick, when he needed the man alive to see into his mind. Tyrell heard Arianna gasp as Derrick shoved her so hard, she fell forward and stumbled.

Instinctively, Tyrell caught her in his arms. But when she looked up at him with wide eyes, he felt the darkness rise up again, and his hand wrapped around her throat. She desperately tried to pry his fingers loose, but he had lost control. The burning anger returned, the demon furious she was in his way when trying to kill Derrick.

It was furious she was trying to interfere with the darkness in his life.

Life…

She was his…life.

Tyrell could see the blood draining from her face, as she fought for oxygen. But his hands refused to let go of her, continuing to cut off her air.

Panic hit him hard. She was innocent. He could not break his vow to Carissa. Tyrell helplessly looked into Arianna's blue eyes. Help me stop it.

She blinked, most likely amazed he'd finally connected with her. But her eyes were becoming less realized she was too far gone to think straight or even connect with him. Now he was downright terrified. The monster within him didn't care if she was his lifemate. His soul was lost to the darkness and it wanted her to die. If she died, nothing would stop him from returning to a full fledged vampire.

He was now desperate. Carissa! Find me.

For a few moments, there was nothing. And then suddenly his chest burned like fire, and he yelled out in pain, loosening his grip on Arianna. She collapsed onto the floor, coughing and desperate for air.

But it wasn't over.

As Tyrell looked down at her, the darkness resurfaced, ready to feed and drain every drop of her blood. He loomed over her, hungry to take her life…

A gun fired and a dart struck him in the neck. Tyrell hissed and lunged for Derrick who was holding the gun. But blackness overtook him, and he fell, right on top of Arianna.

Carissa cried out as the center of her hand was on fire. She had returned to the office area to retrieve a few files when a chill had gone through her.

Carissa! Find me.

She'd been stunned to hear his voice so clearly and in such a panic. Tyrell, the one who was so arrogant and confident. When she concentrated and reached out to him, Carissa was shocked to find emotion that was pure terror. But before she could even speak to him, her hand burned with pain as soon as she touched his mind.

Hearing her cry, the twins were there in an instant. "What is wrong?" demanded Samuel. Seeing she was holding her hand in agony, he grabbed it before she could stop him.

There in the middle of her palm was the mark Tyrell had made with his blood almost five years earlier when he'd swore an oath not to harm the innocent while he tracked down Morrison. It had faded after that night, and the twins never even knew it was there. But now, it was an angry, red sore in the middle of her hand.

"What is this? How did you hurt yourself?"

Carissa knew they were going to be upset. "I-I didn't hurt myself."

Pierce frowned. "That needs to be healed." She could feel his touch within her, a warm glow in her body and then in her hand. But after a few moments, he withdrew, his frown deepening. "Carissa…what is that?"

Samuel hissed at his brother. "What do you mean 'what is that?' It's a serious wound and you didn't heal it!"

Pierce shook his head, still looking at Carissa. "No, it's more than that. It's as if it is a permanent mark and I cannot heal it."

"What?" Samuel pulled her hand closer for his examination.

Carissa sighed. Even though the mark was still there, it didn't hurt anymore. She knew her lifemates were definitely not going to be pleased. "Tyrell put it there."

Both of them stared at her.

"Look, I know I should have told you…"

"What do you mean he put it there?" snapped Samuel in anger.

"We haven't seen it before," growled Pierce.

Carissa pulled her hand away from Samuel. "It was there briefly after he made the vow not to harm anyone innocent."

Samuel narrowed his eyes. "You mean when your hand touched his bleeding chest?" When she nodded, he hissed. "Carissa! How do you know he didn't do something to put you in harm's way if he broke that vow?"

"He wouldn't do that."

"And how do you know for sure? Do you even recall what his words were to you? That you should never forget what he is?"

Carissa shook her head. "I don't know how to explain it, but the mark he left wasn't meant to specifically just hurt me."

"And yet that's exactly what it did," pointed out Pierce.

"But not on purpose…"

"Then explain it because I'm having a hard time understanding," interrupted Samuel in a dangerously low tone.

"I think it was meant to connect me with him if something happened."

Pierce raised an eyebrow. "You mean if he broke his promise?"

She faltered in her response. Did Tyrell harm someone innocent? No, she couldn't believe that. The emotion from him was terror, as if he was going to do something to break his oath. "I think he reached out to me in a desperate attempt to make sure he wouldn't harm someone."

"And so he brought you pain as a result? Somehow I doubt that stopped him." Samuel crossed his arms over his broad chest, the muscles in his shoulders flexing. "The next time I see him, I'm going to make sure he knows what real pain feels like."

"If we see him again," murmured Pierce much to Carissa's dismay.

"When I touched his mind, the connection somehow helped him," she insisted.

"I'm still going to beat the hell out of him," muttered Samuel.

Carissa's eyes stung with tears. "I don't know what's happening to him. I wish you didn't hate him so much."

Samuel drew a deep breath. "Hate is a very strong word. Let's just say I don't like what he does to you."

She wiped away a tear. "But you want to beat him up."

He eyes softened while he gave a slight smile. "Well, at least smack him around a bit. Come on, he made you experience pain. Even he'd admit I'd have the right to return the favor."

Carissa couldn't help but give in and laugh. "That's not funny."

"Yes, it is," he replied with a gleam in his eyes.

Her face grew serious again. "I'm scared, Samuel."

He cupped her face with one of his large hands. "We've talked about this. You can't help him."

Pierce moved closer, his fingers reaching out to stroke her hair. "Think about what he wants for you, Carissa. He wouldn't want you to be like this."

"Listen to Pierce," agreed Samuel. We're so worried about you. Even though I know you don't want to think about it, if Tyrell chooses death, then he kept his promise before turning again."

"And if turns vampire?" she asked with a shaking voice. "What if he comes after me?"

The twins glanced at each other. "You know the answer," said Samuel softly.

She nodded sadly, and then held onto both of them.

Back in the Carpathian Mountains, Gregori's face was dark. Something was wrong. There was no connection to Tyrell. He didn't think the former vampire was dead, at least, not yet. But he felt the stirring of something unexplained which happened. It was a disturbance he'd not felt before.

"Gregori? Did you hear what I said?"

He looked over at Gary Jansen who was standing in a lab coat swirling a small test tube filled with the formula they'd created. "I'm sorry, I was distracted."

"I said this batch is ready to test. Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Grimly, the healer nodded. "Do you think you have the mixture in the same amount for one dose?"

"It's hard to say, given that Tyrell gave you the ingredients so long after he'd been injected. I've been studying for the last hour how its molecules break down, trying to judge its strength. Unfortunately to do a true test, we may need to wait a few more hours."

Gregori shook his head. "We can't wait."

"But dawn is nearly upon us. We are ahead by nearly eight hours in comparison to the United States. Even if you did find a solution, what good will it do him if the sun is high there? Why not wait and make sure we have it right first?"

"He's right, Gregori." The Prince walked into the lab, overhearing the conversation. "You do recall that trait of patience you have learned more than a few times over the last few hundred years?"

Gary and Mikhail were right of course. There was something driving him to work faster, like he knew Tyrell was on borrowed time. Normally he wouldn't care, but the female Tyrell found gave reason to pause and make sure the former vampire had a chance to do one last honorable act, even though it would never save his soul.

He drew a deep breath and nodded at the two of them. "Let's focus for now on the limited layout of Morrison's lab that I saw in Tyrell's head. That will buy some time for us to ensure the correct dosage of the formula while we find an advantage for him to escape with the female. Once his power is returned, any additional doses will still slow him down, giving them an opportunity to restrain him with other methods."

Gary nodded and went back to a microscope, while Mikhail walked closer. What is it? he asked on their private communication.

I don't know. Something is wrong with Tyrell.

Mikhail's eyes looked knowingly at him. He is running out of time. When Gregori didn't answer, the Prince tilted his head. You think he will not keep his oath?

We always knew there was a possibility he would not return.

Yet, deep down, something had you believing he would do the honorable thing in the end.

The Dark One frowned. He is so loyal to Carissa, caused by a strange link with the minerals and their captivity together. Yet he was also protective of the twins as a result. It seemed as if he was holding himself to a higher standard, even if he did not want to admit to it.

Mikhail nodded. You cannot deny the hope that there is a link to those minerals and something opening a dark soul. But I still think it greatly depends on the individual.

Gregori folded his arms across his chest. And he was a traitor to his people long ago. He may have decided his fate already in that one moment of his existence.