Chapter 16

Tyrell felt the stillness in the air. It was silent, something not very common in the Carpathian Mountains when one could usually hear the wind rustling the tress, or wolves howling at the full moon. Instead, there was a foreboding silence, as if the entire forest was waiting in anticipation of his death.

He transformed into a large, black hawk and took off into the night sky. As he made his way to the coordinates the Dark One sent him, Tyrell began to think about Arianna. She would be safe with the Falkland twins. He'd already make arrangements for a message to be delivered to them within the next day…after his death.

As he soared over the trees, his heart ached as he thought of her. Like Carissa, Arianna was all that he was not. He'd failed her. He'd destroyed a number of Morrison labs over the last five years, even saved Carissa. But he turned vampire, instantly destroying any hope of Arianna having the freedom she deserved while growing up. He should have been there to protect her when she was only a child; to save her parents and her innocence. Pain radiated through him as he was in anguish over what happened in his past.

Tyrell recalled feeling betrayed by Prince Vlad. He couldn't remember all the details. Only that he was sent on a false mission to protect someone he thought was innocent. Prince Vlad had set him up for failure. Whatever happened, it pushed Tyrell over the edge and into darkness.

Warily, he landed in a small clearing, on the edge of a lake. The water was peaceful and sparkled under the moon and stars. He didn't deserve the beautiful scene before him. He was already annoyed that since returning, he had to unexpectedly wait a few days. He'd alerted Gregori the moment he arrived. But the Dark One told him Mikhail was not available.

I do not answer to your Prince, Dark One.

Gregori's voice was eerily calm. You will go into the ground and wait for me to call you.

There is no need to wait. I kept my vow to Carissa. I could have stayed in the United States, forcing you to hunt me down. But I am here. Finish this.

Mikhail commands he be present for the justice you deserve. You will wait.

Tyrell laughed coldly at his words. Then perhaps I shall sample the local humans he cares for so much.

Hunters will be watching your every move, Tyrell. They will protect the local village, but they will also obey their Prince. You will not be killed until he is ready.

Now, a few days later, Tyrell stood by the water's edge. He could have simply ended things and faced the dawn. But every time he thought of Arianna or Carissa, Tyrell knew deep down he owed a debt to the Carpathians for his betrayal. It was their right to carry out justice for what he had done. No matter what Prince Vlad had done, he remembered a time when he prided himself on his own code of honor.

The wind picked up and a swirl of mist came out of the trees. Gregori, the Dark One, shimmered into view. His silver eyes looked at Tyrell, but there was no mistake that he was scanning the area. Tyrell remained silent, waiting impatiently as soon several large owls appeared and transformed into human form. He was now surrounded in a circle of hunters.

The Prince arrived last, flanked on both sides by Lucian and Gabriel. Mikhail Dubrinsky was indeed his father's son. His eyes reflected a quiet, yet powerful demeanor. The same calmness Tyrell once trusted in Prince Vlad.

Mikhail took a few steps forward. Normally, he would either offer a warrior's greeting or the visitor would bow. But Mikhail's hands stayed at his side while Tyrell remained motionless. The Prince spoke in a deep voice. "Tyrell Pankov, you have kept your oath to return after five years. You were successful in hunting down and destroying a number of Morrison laboratories. Do you still claim you did this only for revenge?"

"It was always for revenge."

There was silence for a moment. "And what of the special female you found?" Mikhail asked softly.

Pain hit Tyrell hard at the thought of Arianna. For a moment, he could not find his voice as images of her face came into his mind. "She is safe," he replied in a ragged voice.

"And why did you not bring her here?"

Tyrell laughed low in response and raised an eyebrow. "You trust me to bring a female to you? I am surprised, Prince of Carpathians. I would have thought you ordered her to be taken from me immediately for her protection."

Mikhail placed his hands behind his back and looked at him thoughtfully. "And yet you made sure she was still safe. You, a male who turned and listened to the darkness. Why?"

There was no way he would admit the truth about Arianna. As far as he was concerned, she was none of his business. "I did not come here to discuss the female. My time is at an end."

He swore the prince's eyes seem to soften. "And so you claim there is no hope for your soul."

"If I ever had one, it was lost long ago."

"Then why end things now? Why do you keep this oath to Carissa Falkland?"

Tyrell could not hold his pain inside. It was not Carissa he thought of at this moment. He failed Arianna and deserved to die. When Mikhail's eyes widened, it was then Tyrell realized he was literally shaking. "Please…end my pain."

The Prince glanced at the Dark One and some communication obviously passed between them. And then there was the sound of rustling in the nearby trees, and Tyrell was surprised to see Armando emerge from the forest. At first he was confused as to not only why the SongMaker was here, but also that he arrived on foot. But then a small figure was following him…

Tyrell's chest grew tight and he found it hard to breathe. As the SongMaker approached, he knew in an instant who was following him. When Armando stopped and calmly stepped aside, there stood Arianna. Her long hair was now blowing in the wind, whipping around her face as Tyrell's anger began to surface. Why was she here? She had been left in a safe place!

Mikhail looked at Armando expectantly. "Well?"

The SongMaker's eyes glittered and he stood tall. "This is Arianna Castillo, lifemate to…Tyrell Pankov."

Tyrell hissed, causing Arianna to step back in fear as he bared his fangs at her. "Get her the hell away from me!"

"She is your other half," Mikhail said softly.

Two identical dark owls flew down, and the Falkland twins transformed before him. Then a small, snow white owl landed between them and once more, Tyrell found himself looking at Carissa. Her eyes were sad as she spoke. "Why didn't you tell us?"

He growled in response, as an uncontrolled fury engulfed him. "I want nothing to do with her."

"But she's your-"

"I know what she is!" snapped Tyrell in a voice so low that it made the ground shake. Gregori subtly moved closer to Mikhail while the hunters shifted in their stance, bracing themselves for a possible attack.

The Falkland twins stepped closer to Carissa as she fought back tears. "But why? Your soul could be saved by her."

Cold laughter emerged from Tyrell. "Then you, my dear, have learned nothing."

"But I don't understand…"

Now Tyrell's eyes became black while his skin became a pasty white. Claws emerged from his fingers and his hair became disheveled. When he spoke, his voice sounded raw and no longer beautiful. "See me for what I really am." When he took a step toward Carissa, the Falkland twins moved in front of her.

"I don't care," came a small voice.

Tyrell turned back to Arianna who now stood with her chin raised. The SongMaker, still standing next to her, nodded at him. "She may appear small, but her spirit is extremely strong."

"Her spirit will never be enough," Tyrell replied in a nasty tone.

"I'm right here," Arianna said in a firm voice. "Stop talking as if I don't even exist."

He growled. "You should have never come here."

"But I am here. And I don't care what you are. You saved me."

"Are you sure of that?" hissed Tyrell. "All those years, you spent as a prisoner to humans. You were tortured, raped." When she winced, he took advantage. "Or perhaps you really were on their side? After all, you did help murder vampires. Maybe the truth is you are really here to watch me die."

"No," she whispered, with tears now stinging her eyes.

"I was never loyal to you," replied Tyrell. "I pledged an oath to Carissa, not you."

She began to shake. "Why are you doing this?"

"What?" he mocked, "Telling you the truth? That it was Carissa who held me for the last five years? And not you?"

"That's enough!" snapped Samuel.

Pierce tried to diffuse the tension. "Our lifemate is not the reason you do not want Arianna."

An evil smile emerged from Tyrell. "Ah yes, the twin lovers come to her defense. Maybe I sent her to be with you since obviously you know a way to claim any female."

Carissa pushed aside her lifemates. "Stop it, Tyrell."

He bowed mockingly to her. "Whatever you wish, of course. After all, I serve only you."

Samuel took a threatening step forward and Tyrell beckoned him with his claws to attack. But just before the two could come to blows, it was the SongMaker who stepped between them.

"You are afraid."

For a moment, Tyrell was stunned by Armando's words. The demon within him surfaced and his black eyes became lifeless. "Afraid? I an surrounded by hunters, all of whom want nothing more than to kill me! Let them attack and I will show you just how powerful my dark side is, SongMaker."

But Armando remained still, his colorful eyes never leaving Tyrell's black ones. "You are afraid…of Arianna." The SongMaker looked back at her and extended his hand. "Come here, little one."

Tyrell hissed. "Don't even think about her coming near me."

"And why is that?" asked Armando.

"She is nothing to me."

"She is everything to you. The truth," said Armando in a quiet voice, "is that you are lashing out in the hope it will bring about your end. That way, you do not need to face your one true fear." When Tyrell began to breathe hard from the boiling emotion within him, the SongMaker's eyes flashed, a subtle reminder of the power he had with the mind. "Tell us the real reason you do not want her, Tyrell."

"Back off!" he spat back, "or I will show you the true feeling of pain."

"You cannot hide from her forever. And the sentence of death you seek will not be carried out until you grant her a request."

This sent Tyrell over the edge. In a blur of speed he attacked Mikhail, but Gregori was there in an instant. The Dark One took the blow and then fought back, sending Tyrell to the ground. But Gregori was caught off guard when Tyrell disappeared. Before he could react, Tyrell struck his face, his claws raking down Gregori's cheek. As blood began to pour from his face, Gregori shoved Tyrell away, shifting in his stance but then remaining still.

Breathing heavily, Tyrell let out a roar. "I will take you down, Dark One, and then your Prince!"

"I'd like to see you try," Gregori replied. He showed no sign of pain or emotion.

"Any attack on the Prince is a death sentence," snapped Tyrell.

"I will always follow Mikhail's command."

"At the expense of his death."

Gregori raised an eyebrow. "You have much confidence despite the fact that you stand among a number of ancients."

Mikhail placed a hand on his second in command's shoulder and stepped forward. "I will only release you from this world if you face your lifemate."

Tyrell suddenly felt trapped. Yet he knew any further desperate attempt to get any of them to attack was a futile effort. They had been ordered not to kill him. Even if he tried to escape, there was no way he could outlast so many hunters.

Armando's voice was quiet. "She has but one request."

Shaking, Tyrell turned back to the Arianna.

Gathering her courage, she spoke hard and fast. "I want to follow you."

Tyrell's heart stopped. "Follow…me."

"Yes."

He couldn't help baring his fangs. "You are not bound to me."

"Exactly," she replied softly.

Was the world spinning? Because suddenly he felt dizzy as hell. "You can't possibly know what you are asking."

"I do. It's the only way."

He suddenly had a pounding headache, a familiar pain when he first met her. "You cannot save my soul," he rasped.

"I don't know if that's possible and I don't care. You die, I die. That is what I want."

Tyrell glared at Mikhail. "You can't possibly condone this!"

The Prince answered in a low voice. "You chose this path long ago, Tyrell."

"And so this is the real punishment I face!" he growled. "To be forced to watch the one female I should have saved, now die with me."

"In order to fully bind her to you, the ritual must be completed."

Tyrell wanted to hit something. He'd never felt such anger course through his veins. "It is impossible! I refuse to take her."

Arianna briskly walked toward him, an unexpected action which took Tyrell off guard. He actually stumbled back, suddenly terrified that she would even try to touch him. With tears now streaming down her face, she swallowed hard. "You are right, you know that? All those years and you now just saved me. You should have been there. You shouldn't have chosen this path." Arianna stopped for a moment while she trembled. The SongMaker placed his hands on her shoulders offering his support to finish what she needed to say. Gathering her remaining strength, Arianna spoke in a clear voice. "You can't leave me like this! You owe me my life. Just like you, I want to end the pain. I can't…I can't do this. Please, you have to take me with you. Why will you not do this one request for me?"

By now, Tyrell's head was in so much pain, he was ready to collapse. Breathing heavily, he met her eyes. "Because the SongMaker is correct. I am afraid."

Her heart broke at the pain he was experiencing. "Why?" she whispered.

Tyrell closed his eyes. "Because my soul is black which is why I will kill you before the ritual is completed."

Author's note: Anyone out there still reading? -Anne