[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.There seemed to be so many souls wailing with grief and crying for justice.She knew whatever the knife needed to show her had to have occurred farther in the past before her father's death.He had to have hidden the book and spilled blood on the knife.My father wouldn't have sacrificed someone to leave behind the information.The reenactment would be much fainter than the ones with more violence.That would explain how I missed it the first time.Slow down.You are moving so fast I cannot catch even glimpses of what has occurred.I feel the level of violence and know it is not what I want and I don't want to know what else Xavier has done or whom he killed? Her voice trailed off and she halted abruptly to find herself in the crystal cave.She looked around her carefully.What is it?Razvan.I feel him.His presence is strong in this time period.Vikirnoff inhaled sharply, wanting to tighten his arms protectively around Natalya and order her out of there.How long ago was this?I can't tell.Recently, I think.I haven't felt the presence of my father yet.Vikirnoff's instincts shrieked at him.This is unnecessary.You do not need to witness any violence Razvan commits.Keep moving, Natalya.She wanted to see her brother.She wanted to witness with her own eyes his betrayal.It seemed the only way to make herself believe that he had gone over to the side of the vampires, to Xavier, was to see the extent of his betrayal.Stubbornly she watched as her brother sauntered into the ice chamber.He carried the ceremonial knife in his hand and his eyes were glittering with some fierce emotion.You cannot.Vikirnoff inserted a mild push into his voice, not wanting to take command of her, but the taste in his mouth was bitter with warning.Razvan looked far too much like Xavier in his youth; a madman bent on accumulating power over others.Xavier had grown in power and stature very quickly with his natural talent and he became convinced that he was destined to rule the world.The corruption of a once-great sorcerer was complete when he discovered the rush of power the taking of life gave him.Furious that the Carpathian race seemed to be immortal, something he was not, he grew to despise them with a fanatical hatred that fed his own ego and determination to stamp them out once he had gained the secrets of their blood.Razvan wore that same, smug, contempt-filled expression.The ice chamber was the same, yet not the same.Fewer orbs lit the cavern and the ice formations were less abundant.On the far wall, the dragons were frozen in time, encased behind layers of ice.They weren't there before.Natalya read his mind.They are now in the hall leading to the main chamber, remember? Something terrible will happen here.Vikirnoff felt Natalya's heart pounding through her body, in her veins, threatening to burst, as Razvan turned and beckoned someone toward him.A young girl emerged from the shadows, a child really, forced forward by compulsion.The girl had bright green eyes and a wealth of copper curls.She shook her head as Razvan caught her arm, jerking her closer to him.Don't! Natalya tried to pry her fingers from the knife, but something much stronger than her will held her there, mesmerized.He wants her blood.He's taking her blood.She winced as the ceremonial knife slashed across the little wrist and Razvan pressed the open vein to his mouth.He's seeking immortality just the way Xavier did.That poor child.Vikirnoff felt sick, wanting to close his eyes against the abomination that Razvan had become.The child looked very much like Natalya must have looked as a child, yet Razvan had no feeling for her.Her use to him was that of a blood bank.He wanted to stay young.He had children for the sole purpose of finding the ones with the necessary gene to carry the bloodline he needed.How old would she be now if she had managed to stay alive? Natalya whispered it in her mind, desperately needing the connection with Vikirnoff.This time period cannot be long ago.Maybe fifteen years, twenty at the most.She cannot be more than twenty-five or thirty now.He has a daughter named Colby.I met her a couple of months ago.She didn't have any memories like this.Natalya drew in a shuddering breath.She must not have had the right blood for him to want to use her this way.I met her, too.She was very lucky, Vikirnoff said.But don't you see? He is still impregnating women.If he has turned into a vampire, how could he do that? Colby was younger than this child would be now.How can this be? Have you ever heard of a vampire having a child? Yet look at her.Her eyes have changed color, her hair as well; she is of our family blood.I have never heard of a vampire who did not kill his victims, women or children.I certainly have never heard of any capable of having a child.And what of the blood? Razvan's blood cannot be infected with the microorganisms or his children would be infected.Did Colby have parasites in her blood?Colby had no such parasites in her blood.Vikirnoff frowned as he watched Razvan's careless disregard for the child.He didn't seem to be aware of her as a human being, a person in her own right.He didn't take her blood with care or respect, but treated her as human cattle.It sickened Vikirnoff to watch the child struggle to get free.There was determination on her face.She reminded him of Natalya, that same fierce iron will.I am willing to bet she is still alive.Even at her age, she is thinking of how to escape.See how she grows quiet, her gaze moving through the room? I believe she has your natural talent with spells.Natalya stiffened.That is Xavier.She whispered the revelation telepathically, even though she was in his mind and no one could hear.An older man came out of a chamber, his robes rustling as he moved.His features were indistinct, blurring as he shuffled across the ice floor, but Vikirnoff had the impression of great age and snow-white hair and beard.A wrinkled hand stretched toward the child.She shrank away from the older man and Razvan jerked her out of the dark mage's reach
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]