Dark Lycan (Carpathian)

As Fen regained his feet, Vikirnoff could see blood pouring from the deep punctures on his back. Just as he was certain he would lose so much blood that the vampire/wolf cross would have the advantage in spite of the broken ribs, the wounds in Fen’s back appeared to close and the blood stopped flowing.

Abel and Fen crashed together again, this time, Fen spinning Abel around to slam him face first into the side of the tunnel. The walls of the tunnel had grown thick crystals, thousands bursting out of the rock. The mountain shivered. The force Fen used to drive Abel into the wall was so enormous the crystals shattered into thousands of razor-sharp pieces.

Abel pushed back, slamming his head into Fen’s forehead. Fen staggered back, giving Abel room to turn. His face was a mask of hatred and blood. Fen looked cool and confident, no expression, not of anger or pain. They both moved with breathtaking speed, Fen firing several rapid punches into Abel’s face, driving the crystals deeper into the flesh so that Abel wore a mask of bloody gems.

The two combatants moved so fast Vikirnoff found himself standing a few yards away, his bow lowered and his mouth opened. Not only were they blurred, but they were also changing the landscape around them into weapons so fast he could barely catch it all. As fast as one would create a weapon, the other would neutralize it.

Vikirnoff, fall back. You and Natalya join me.

Vikirnoff hesitated. He had one purpose in that moment—to protect his prince. He had been assigned a position by the prince’s primary guardian . . .

Now. You can both serve me best from behind our safeguards.

There was pure command in Mikhail’s tone. Vikirnoff abandoned his position and hurriedly made his way down the corridor to the prince. Natalya joined him. Both could still see the furious fighting taking place.

Mikhail brought down the last and most intricate of their safeguards to allow Natalya and Vikirnoff through. Immediately he resurrected them again, all the while watching the two Sange raus’ furious battle.

“Fen is slowly moving his opponent backward. It’s slow,” Mikhail pointed out, “but clearly he’s trying to get him out from under the mountain. There’s a disturbance outside as well. I can feel a second battle taking place.”

“The man fighting with Fen is Abel, an ancient. I believe he’s connected to your family in some way,” Vikirnoff said. “It took a few minutes to place him.”

The mountain shivered again as Fen and Abel crashed into the ceiling. Great spikes of spun silver burst from the walls, burning into Abel’s body from every direction. Abel screamed with pain. Fen was on him instantly, driving one of the stakes deep into the chest by using his fist. He grabbed Abel’s shoulders and hurled him out of the corridor, back into the early morning sunlight.

“I can see why the Lycans have forbidden the cross of blood between Lycan and Carpathian,” Mikhail mused. “There seems to be no stopping them. Abel didn’t slow down, not even when he was pierced with silver stakes.”

“I feel like we should be trying to help Fen,” Vikirnoff said. “But I’m not certain how we can go to his aid.”

For the first time he knew what Mikhail, as the prince of their people, must feel like when he couldn’t go out and join in a fight. Carpathians were warriors. It wasn’t in their nature to sit back and watch another battle, especially if that person was one of their own. He had never considered how Mikhail must feel when he was relegated to the sidelines, always having his people standing between him and danger.

Vikirnoff knew he was the prince’s last protection, but still, everything in his body, mind and very soul needed to be out there helping Fen. He felt cowardly, crouched behind a safeguard while another hunter was outside alone with a killing machine.

“You’d just be in his way,” Mikhail pointed out, reading his mind. “He can’t look after you and fight this monster. Besides, it appears as if Fen is a killing machine as well.”

Vikirnoff nodded. Natalya moved up beside him, close, not touching, but offering him comfort, fully aware of his frustration. He was grateful to her. He couldn’t help feeling better when she was near. “Still, there should be something we can do for him.”

“He’ll need blood,” Mikhail pointed out. “The patches he applies when Abel tears him open appear to be temporary.”

“Gregori needs to see this.”

“He’s busy at the moment trying to make certain we don’t lose Gary, but I’m passing on to him everything about the Sange rau that we observe.”

Fen was aware of the unease of his fellow Carpathians, but grateful that they used good sense not to join in the battle. He couldn’t watch out for them and anticipate Abel’s moves and react at the same time. As it was, part of him was engaged in the battle taking place outside.