Carpathian 11 - Dark Descent

black with smoke and whirling clouds. It was impossible to tel where the vampire was. He was experienced enough not to give away his presence by blank spots in the air. He chose to blend into the chaos of his surroundings, sidestepping further battles now that he was wounded.
    Traian tried one last tactic, knowing the vampire would disappear for many years, avoiding al contacts with hunters in order to survive. There was one last chance to cal him into the open, and Traian used it, risking revealing his position to send a summons into the night. His cal was pure and commanding, his voice that of an ancient in ful power ordering the vampire to ground.
    For a brief moment the hideous creature was outlined in the sky, a ghoul as evil and sinister as centuries of deviant behavior and kiling for the sake of watching others suffer could make him. He stared down at Traian with hate-filed eyes, his jagged teeth snapping together in defiance.
    A sound burst in Traian's head, sweling in volume, a counter-command of death and destruction. Every cel in Traian's body reacted. He was a jangle of nerve endings, paralyzed, forced into the open.
    I am your master . The echo reverberated through Traian's muscles and tissue, through every organ.
    No! Joie's whisper was a soft, sensuous counterpoint to the poisonous command. He took your blood. He's using that as a weapon against you. Shut out his voice. He has no dominion over you, over us. I don't care how strong he is, Traian, or what he is. We're stronger. He can track you through your blood, but he cannot command you.
    Foolish woman. I am in his mind, I own his mind. He is my puppet, and soon all the others will be too. He cannot touch me, but I can find him anywhere. And through him, I can find you and your pitiful family. Join with me. I will one day rule both Carpathians and humans alike.
    Joie deliberately laughed, the sound like a breath of fresh air, ripping the dark dread from Traian's heart and clearing his mind. You are the foolish one. There is only one for me. We will destroy you because you're nothing but a rotten, empty shell. And you're just nasty, if you ask me.
    Traian felt the monster's rage, bursting in his head, in his veins, as if his blood boiled, but he was free of the terrible paralysis. He clapped his hands together and spread his fingers wide, arms outstretched toward the vampire, which was dissolving into the sky. Lightning forked and sizzled. The vampire screamed once, and a putrid smel poluted the night air.
    Kill her. Kill all of them. Thunder splintered the sky. The earth roled and bucked and the storm raged, a wild hurricane slamming into the forest and vilage.
    They throw tantrums.
    This time there was fear in her voice. Traian was already racing to the inn, doing his best to countermand the kiling storm. Valenteen is dangerous beyond belief, Joie.
    Whoever this master is, he commands Valenteen, and that is both shocking and terrifying. I have never seen two masters run together, nor one command another.

    Hurry, they're breaking through the door. Joie's heart was pounding so hard she was afraid it would burst through her chest. It might not have been such a good idea to tell him I thought he was nasty. The entire inn shook, the wals swaying as if from the shock of an earthquake. The door to the verandah sagged, splintered again as something struck it with tremendous force. Whispers filed the room, soft, insidious whispers made with sweet voices.
    Gabriele cried out and put her hands over her ears. She took several steps toward the door, nodding her head, her lips beginning to move. Gary leapt to her side, dragged her back, his hand over her mouth. He put his lips against her ear. "They're trying to command you to invite them in. You must not listen to them."
    The door burst in the middle. A black swarm of insects flew into the room with the rain and wind. The dense cloud of stinging bugs attacked exposed flesh, biting viciously.
    Gary threw a blanket over Gabriele's head, wrapping her face and arms to protect her from the worst of the bites. Jubal cursed and beat at his face and neck in a frantic attempt to keep the insects off him.
    Joie stood stoicaly facing the monster outside her door. His smile was a terrible parody, as was his bow. He looked smug as he watched the black horde of insects biting the occupants of the room. Joie knew she was staring at something far more foul than the creature she had knifed in the cave. He beckoned to her with