Carpathian 11 - Dark Descent

enthralment.
    Jubal slipped from the bed to sit on the floor. "I take it you have my blood."
    "Yes, thank you," Traian replied formaly. "You have al been more than lucky. Any vampire is difficult to defeat, but master vampires have lived for century upon century, growing in strength and power. They use others as minions and puppets and keep themselves from dangerous battles. They sacrifice lesser pawns and slide away when hunters are in the area. They only fight when they are assured of victory."
    Jubal watched every movement as Traian laid his hands on Joie's terrible wounds. He seemed to be gone from his own body, staring emptily in space. Jubal could see the lines deepen in his face, his color paling visibly as if his strength were slowly being drawn from him.
    Gary and Gabriele burst into the room. Gary set a bowl of rich, dark soil on the floor beside the bed, and Gabriele dumped various herbs into a second bowl. Gary handed candles to Jubal. "Spread these around the room and light them. We don't want any artificial lights on, just the candles. Gabriele, mix the herbs together in the bowl.
    We want the scents to blend." He put his hand on Traian's shoulder. "Joie was a surprise to Valenteen. She was wonderful, unbelievable. She didn't even hesitate. It never occurred to a vampire that a woman would stand between others and danger. And he certainly never thought she would be wiling to plunge a knife into his heart."
    "She used my memories," Traian explained as he mixed healing saliva into the soil and packed the wounds in Joie's throat. "She flattered him and staled him, hoping I would get there in time. And when I didn't, she did what she always does, she courageously put herself in harm's way in order to get close enough to make certain she destroyed him."
    Gary took handfuls of the mixture and packed it into Traian's chest. "Even with al I know, the draw to go to him was so powerful, I doubt that we would have survived."
    "He was a master vampire and he ran with another much more powerful master." Traian lifted his head to look at Gary. "I never saw the other one clearly. He took my blood in the cave, yet I did not remember him. I cannot go near our prince. You wil have to relay to him al information. Until the vampire is found, and I very much doubt that he wil remain in this country now, I wil stay away from Mikhail. We cannot take a chance with his life."
    "He won't see it the same way," Gary pointed out.
    "You know I am right. He should not chance his life by entering into battles in the way that he does. His purpose is to serve and lead our people, not hunt the vampire. We have many hunters and only one leader. His brother is strong and powerful, but he has been damaged by the torture he endured. He cannot lead. If the vampire or humans managed to kil Mikhail, I fear our race would be mortaly wounded." Traian didn't look up at Gary to see if he agreed or not. He gathered Joie into his arms. You must accept my blood, Joie. This will convert you to my race, and it is not a pleasant experience to go through.
    Again he felt her touch, gentle, tender, on his face, yet she lay motionless in his arms. A faint smile appeared in his mind as if she found his warning amusing. He turned his body slightly, not wanting to drain his strength further by masking their presence from the others. The soothing aroma from the herbs and candles mixed with the sounds of chanting in his mind as other voices far away joined in the age-old healing chant. He took the smalest amount of blood possible from her and quickly opened his own vein. She accepted his blood just the way she did everything else where he was concerned, with complete faith. It humbled him that she did so.
    When she had taken enough for an exchange, Traian laid her gently on the comforter. "Perhaps you al should leave the room. She would not want you to see her this way."
    "You need blood and care yourself," Gary pointed out. "You're weaker than you think, Traian. Take my blood and let me help the two of you through this. I know what to expect. Gabriele and Jubal can wait in their rooms."
    "We'l stay," Jubal said decisively. "She's our sister."
    Gabriele watched Traian feeding from Gary. It should have repulsed her, but instead she was fascinated. It seemed such a noble moment to her, one being reaching out to aid another. Gary seemed completely unafraid and matter-of-fact about giving blood, as if it were an everyday occasion. "If it's messy, Traian, Joie would