Dark Carousel

  "One more thing, Asenguard," Daniel said. "Charlotte Vintage has another friend, Grace. She hangs with Genevieve and Charlotte a lot. She didn't go to Paris and she's never been tested for psychic ability, but they're interested in her as well and they have been watching her. We don't trust any of the other members and we have to stick together in order to be safe. We try to look out for her, but she doesn't make it easy."

  Tariq studied the man for a long moment. Grace had packed up some of Charlotte's and Genevieve's things and driven them over to the house, but she left immediately. He hadn't met her, but Maksim said she was very distracted and wanted to leave as soon as she had delivered the clothes and made certain Lourdes was safe. He nodded at the three men. "I'll look into it." This time he turned and walked away without looking back. The three men would have to decide for themselves, but he hoped they left the state and forgot all about vampire hunting.

  Charlotte finally managed to introduce herself to the older couple living on Tariq's property. Donald and Mary were clearly in love. They'd been together thirty years and still held hands and exchanged secretive, loving glances. She really liked them and was happy to spend half an hour getting to know them.

  Donald liked helping out with Tariq's books, and clearly it made him feel as if he had a purpose, making certain no one cheated his benefactor. Mary liked looking after the children. She had begun to develop a good friendship with them. So much so that Charlotte was fairly certain Tariq was influencing the children to accept the older couple. The children were still enthralled with their stone dragons so she left them with Donald and Mary while she paid a visit to Emeline.

  She had met Emeline in Paris, where the woman had been hiding out. She had witnessed a murder, she recounted, and was lying low because she was being hunted. Blaze's father had sent her out of the country with a new identity, which she was very bad at using. She had stayed with Genevieve and Charlotte for several days, and then she'd gotten the news that Blaze's father had been murdered and she rushed back to the States to help Blaze find the men who had killed him.

  Charlotte had really felt a connection with Emeline, just as Genevieve had. Emeline had lived a tough life, but she was extremely resilient and loyal. To her, Blaze was family, her sister. Blaze's father, Sean McGuire, had been the one constant in Emeline's life and she was equally loyal to him. When Blaze needed her, in spite of the danger to herself, Emeline had rushed home--right into Vadim's trap. Charlotte understood and respected loyalty and commitment.

  The night was very dark with few stars and little moon. The clouds overhead boiled and seethed as if a giant cauldron had a fire roaring beneath it. Occasionally she could see lightning webbing the sky, but it was still far away, so when the thunder rolled, it was in the distance. She loved storms and hoped Emeline did as well.

  The house Emeline lived in was one of the smaller ones on the vast property and it was closest to the main house. Tariq had given that house to Emeline so he could better watch over her. It was beautifully appointed, looked Victorian in design and matched with the larger home Tariq enjoyed. In particular, Charlotte loved the wraparound verandah. From the sprawling, covered deck, Emeline could watch the water and any storms that came in over it. She also had good views of the play yard so she could watch the children play and of the more forested part of the property where she might find some peace.

  Charlotte went through the little gate in the small wrought-iron fence that designated Emeline's personal space. The yard was covered in masses of shrubs and flowers, seemingly growing wild yet very carefully maintained. She went up the steps and knocked on the door, all the while admiring the gingerbread detail at every window as well as the eaves.

  Charlotte heard movement in the house. Slow, measured steps, as if Emeline was having trouble walking.

  "I'm not feeling well," Emeline called through the door, confirming what Tariq had told her--Emeline wasn't seeing anyone.

  "Emme, it's me, Charlotte, from Paris. We met in Paris. I don't care if you're not well--I want to see you. We can sit on your porch if you don't want me in the house. I know you trust Liv and you let her visit. You can trust me, too."

  There was a small silence. Charlotte was certain Emeline was going to send her away just as she always did the Carpathians protecting her. Tariq said only Blaze and Liv were allowed in the house, and Emeline considered Blaze her sister. Very slowly the door cracked open and Emeline peered out at her.

  Even in the night, or maybe because of it, Emeline appeared extremely pale. There were dark smudges around her eyes. She looked gaunt--in need of a doctor she was so slender. She wore a loose housecoat over her jeans and sweater. Even with the robe and sweater, she shivered continually.

  "Honey." Charlotte wanted to pull her into her arms but instinctively knew Emeline would retreat from any actual contact. "Come sit with me." She waved toward the rocking chairs on the small porch.

  Emeline hesitated, looking carefully around the yard. Up on the rooftops, down by the lake, she took in as much of the property as she could see. The night was dark and there seemed to be a faint red glow to Emeline's eyes, much like a cat's eyes in the dark. The shivering was continuous, and Charlotte wondered if she was in pain rather than cold.

  Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Emeline stepped out of her house and slipped into the nearest rocker. "Forgive me for being so strange. I just . . ." She trailed off, all the while searching the sky with its dark, swirling clouds and the dull, almost nonexistent moon they hid.

  "Tariq said the vampires couldn't come in here. They can't get to you. Blaze must have told you that." Charlotte kept her voice gentle, as if she was talking to Lourdes or Bella. Emeline was exquisitely beautiful. She was probably the most drop-dead gorgeous woman Charlotte had ever seen, and that was saying something because she thought Genevieve was really beautiful. Even with her body so thin and her long hair, still thick but without its glossiness, Emeline was extraordinary--but something was clearly wrong with her. She needed a doctor.

  Emeline nodded her head. "Tariq has been good to me. He did say that."

  Charlotte knew Emeline didn't ever open the door to any of the male Carpathians. Danny had visited twice with Liv, and she'd allowed him inside her house both times, but he had reported that she kept furniture between them at all times.

  "Honey, do you need a doctor? A counselor? Something really bad happened to you and . . ." Charlotte trailed off as Emeline clutched the robe tighter around her and shook her head.

  "Don't say it. Don't say anything about what happened. I can't go there yet. I'm sorry, Charlie, but it's too soon. I just need time. I told Blaze when I could talk to her about it, I would. I just can't face it yet."

  Emeline's voice shook almost as badly as her body did. She looked panicked, on the verge of flight, and Charlotte didn't have the heart to call her on it. She nodded. "It's all right, honey. I understand. Fridrick." She paused, because Emeline obviously recognized the name. When Emeline didn't say anything, she continued. "Fridrick murdered my brother and Genevieve's grandmother as well as others we knew and cared about. If it wasn't for Tariq he would have managed to kidnap both of us."

  Complete horror crossed Emeline's face. She reached out with trembling fingers to touch Charlotte's arm. "You can't let them get their hands on you." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You just can't. Their blood is acid. It burns and burns and never stops. He whispers to you. It will drive you insane."

  Charlotte's heart jerked hard. "Can you hear him now?"

  Emeline shook her head. "Only if I fall asleep."

  That explained the dark circles under her eyes. "Did you tell Blaze or Tariq? They've woven safeguards to protect you. If the protections aren't working, they need to know to build stronger ones."

  Emeline tightened the robe around her thin body with nervous fingers. "I don't want to be near any of them. In order for them to weave stronger safeguards, I have to let them in. Especially if he's in my mind--and he is. I just c
an't let another one in there as well. Not yet. I'd rather just not go to sleep at night."

  Charlotte took a deep breath, praying for wisdom. She wasn't equipped to handle such severe trauma. She had a very bad feeling about Emeline. "You know that isn't good for you, Emme. You're going to have to let them help you. Have you spoken to Blaze about hearing him in your sleep?"

  Emeline shook her head. "I know I'm going to have to let them near me--the Carpathians. They're so powerful. And I can feel them, their predatory natures. They scare me almost as much as vampires terrify me." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I can feel their natures. They're almost like the vampires. They aren't the same, but so dangerous, Charlie. So dangerous."

  "But not to you. Not to the children. You should see the stone dragons the triplets made for the children. They would give their lives for you." She went silent for a moment, knowing she wasn't getting anywhere. Emeline just rocked herself back and forth, clutching at the opening of her robe with nervous fingers.

  "Honey," she said softly in her most persuasive voice, "you know you have to let them help you. You can't go on this way."

  "I know. I just need . . . time." Emeline's gaze jumped to the skyline again.

  "At least tell me what he says to you." She kept her tone gentle.

  Emeline's hands crept up, holding the robe around her tightly against her neck as if to keep those jagged, serrated teeth from tearing at her flesh. Her gaze frantically sought out the sky, as if she was certain Vadim would swoop down and take her away. "He tells me I have to come to him."

  The admission was so low that at first Charlotte didn't think she'd spoken, but then the words penetrated and she touched Tariq, needing him to hear.

  "He keeps ordering me. Threatening me."

  "With what?"

  "Liv." Emeline swallowed with difficulty and then went into a spasm of coughing. She gasped for breath and shook her head several times, rocking her body back and forth. "He says, he'll kill Liv if I don't go to him."

  She looked haunted. Terrified. Charlotte couldn't help feeling a little terrified for her, nor could she stop herself from searching the skies just as Emeline had done, or reaching for Tariq, settling into the warmth and comfort of his mind.

  Both of you are safe. Vadim cannot penetrate the safeguards.

  How is he getting through to her when she sleeps? She tried not to let it sound like an accusation, but it was. There was no normal, not even when she tried. There never would be in his world. It wasn't his fault, but suddenly she wanted to throw a little screaming fit where no one could hear her--except, Tariq would always hear her.

  Her fingers curled around the arms of the rocker until they turned white. She hated what Vadim had done to Emeline, and she didn't really know the extent of what that was. She hated what he'd done to Liv, and what he was still doing to both of them. It made her feel helpless and out of control, two states she'd never been fond of.

  "This sucks, Emme," she said aloud. What else could she say? Because it did. "What do you tell him?"

  "That if he harms Liv, or forces her to harm herself, then I'll kill myself." Emeline turned haunted eyes on Charlotte. "I would, too. And he knows it. So far it's worked, but I can tell he's getting impatient with me. I'm worried about Liv. I want Tariq to convert her. Tell him he has to do it immediately."

  The entire time, Emeline whispered, but every word pierced Charlotte's heart. She wanted to hold Emeline tight and keep her safe. She wanted to hunt down Vadim and make him suffer a long time before he died. Or maybe just kill him quickly before he fried her.

  "I will, Emme, I promise. I'm going to tell him everything. You know that. You have Blaze. You know what a lifemate is." She frowned, suddenly afraid. Can vampires have lifemates? Could Emeline be Vadim's lifemate?

  There was a small silence. She knew Tariq was listening to every word Emeline said and he was nearly as upset as she was, but in a different, more predatory, scary way. She knew he would insist on Emeline allowing the male Carpathians to aid her sleep and Emeline was going to resist.

  To become a vampire, a Carpathian hunter must choose to give up his soul. In that moment, he is lost, never to be recovered. If by chance he runs across his other half, he will know and feel regret for a moment, but it is fleeting, and she will be in terrible danger. He cannot kill her himself, but he would not want that reminder alive. Emeline is not Vadim's lifemate. She would know and she would be suffering differently. Vadim took her blood and forced her to take his, just as he did with Liv. More, I think he did at least two blood exchanges with Emeline. If that is so, I don't know how she lives with the acid burning her. She refuses to allow a male to aid her.

  She needs help. She's ill.

  A master vampire exchanged blood with her, Charlotte.

  Tariq sounded patient, as if he were explaining things to a child. That definitely gave Charlotte a target for the pent-up anger she had nowhere to put. I know that, she hissed back, letting him see the edge of her temper.

  Sielamet, beloved. Keeper of my soul. His voice went soft and intimate, caressing her from the inside out. I know this is difficult. To see Emeline that way and not be able to aid her is devastating, but she refuses our aid. Should we force her? Should we be as Vadim is? Taking her will? Even though it is for her own good? We are coming close to having no choice in the matter, but it was agreed we would give her time to make the choice herself. Blaze has tried with her. Amelia has. We are all counting on you. To place such a burden on your shoulders is wrong, I know it is, but we are trying to save her sanity as well as her life.

  She heard the guilt and regret in his voice. He detested her being there more than she did, but it was coming to the point where they would force Emeline to accept their aid, and all of them were afraid if they did so, they would lose her. Charlotte feared they were right.

  Keep her talking. She's telling you more than she has anyone. Maksim is sending Blaze to you and after she gets there, I'll give it a few minutes and then send Genevieve. Hopefully the conversation will end on a good note, not a bad one. She'll feel surrounded by women she can trust.

  She knew he was doing his best, feeling his way just as she was. "Emeline, has Liv said she can hear voices whispering?"

  Charlotte knew what that felt like. Vadim's voice talking to her, commanding her to get out of the tunnels. She'd felt violated that he was in her mind and terrified that he might be able to use her as a spy. That splinter was still in her. As long as she was on Tariq's property she thought she was safe, but maybe she wasn't. She knew that voice. That horrible, sweet temptation. She studied Emeline carefully. It wasn't just the voice. She was in pain. Physical pain.

  Emeline shook her head slowly. "If so, she hasn't told me. I know she doesn't sleep unless Tariq aids her." She sighed. "Maksim and Tariq have done so much for the children and me. The burden on them is almost unbearable. I can't think what it must be like for them to try to know the right thing to do. Liv can't stay in this world as she is. She's connected to Val and feels his every suffering even though he cannot and he's in the ground. I can't imagine what it will be like when he surfaces. All the children suffer, but then what do they do to alleviate that? Should they bring them into their world?" There was an edge to Emeline's voice, as if the last thing she wanted was to be in the world of Carpathians.

  Charlotte took a deep breath and let it out. She wasn't entirely certain what would happen when Tariq finished the transition on her. She only knew that her senses were extremely acute and she was stronger than she'd ever been. She had no idea what it truly entailed to be Carpathian. It was possible Emeline knew far more than she did. She purposely hadn't asked Tariq for too many details, wanting to take her time to process before she made that final commitment. She had to go carefully.

  "Aren't they already in that world, Emeline?" Charlotte asked gently.

  Emeline pressed both hands to her stomach as a shudder of pain crossed her face. Her body shrank into itself, making her look smaller--thinner-
-than ever. "Yes," she whispered. "I guess we all are."

  Charlotte could see her easily in the dark, although she was certain Emeline thought herself hidden. Every breath she drew was shallow. A shudder or wheeze. Lines were etched deep around her mouth. She linked her fingers, still pressing into her stomach as though it hurt, or was cramping. She twisted her fingers together until they turned white, but she kept her face as still as possible, as if they were just talking about the weather.

  "Do you want to talk about it?" Charlotte asked. "I'm not Blaze, but I care about you. I have Vadim's voice in my head. I can't know what it's like to be assaulted by him, not physically, but I do know how horrible it feels to carry a piece of him inside me and know he can use that to hurt others."

  Emeline shook her head slowly. "Talking about him makes me sick. I can't think about him or I want to slit my own throat." She touched her throat with trembling fingers, right over the jagged scar where Vadim had torn her open to get at her blood.

  Charlotte's heart jerked hard. Emeline wasn't kidding. Clearly she'd thought about doing that very thing often. There was resolve in her voice. Steel, even.

  "Honey. No." Charlotte kept her tone low. Firm. "That isn't an answer, and you know that. If you did that, you'd leave the rest of us. You'd leave Liv. She needs you more than she does any of us. We're trying with her, but she doesn't feel the connection with anyone but you."

  Emeline ducked her head and didn't respond.

  Charlotte felt as if she was floundering. She pressed her fingers to her temple realizing she had a headache. Instantly Tariq was there, soothing her, taking away the small pain. Reassuring her. Giving her something she knew Emeline and the children needed as well.

  "Honey, you know what has to be done. I know you're afraid of them, but you have to allow one of the Carpathians to heal you enough to stop Vadim from getting to you. You have to sleep. You have to be able to eat. You can't let him win."