Carpathian 11 - Dark Descent

the threat of the vampires. You must go, Joie.
    Oh, now you're going to tell me you believe in vampires. I just picked up that thought from Gabrielle. You aren't real, so be quiet and stop trying to frighten me away. I'm not leaving until I know for certain.
    You already know; you just cannot admit the truth. I am trapped and will not be able to rescue you should you come upon them.
    "Rescue me?" Joie nearly shouted the words, her dark eyes flashing with indignation. She turned her head to smile in reassurance at her brother and sister.
    Gabriele and Jubal exchanged a long, amused glance, used to Joie and her ramblings when she was on the scent of a new cave. Few people were as adept as their sister at discovering magical worlds below the surface.
    Rescue me? She hissed it into his mind. You can just bite me, Traian. Do you have any idea how annoying it is for someone like me to be treated like a ditzy little woman who can't fend for herself?
    I would not mind biting you . This time his voice purred with sexual innuendo. But another time would be better .
    Joie shivered in spite of herself, yet heat curled deep inside her. If you keep this up, my brother and sister are going to figure out I'm crazy and have me committed.
    Then where will you be? Strands of dark hair blew across her face, hiding her expression from her siblings. And just for your information, Sir Galahad, I am not the 'in need of rescue' type, so get over that one fast. Sheesh. First it's vampires and now it's rescuing. Will you just be quiet and let me figure this out? I don't suppose you want to tell me, give me a hint or two, if you're really down there and know where the opening is.
    Jubal leaned back in the tal grass with his hands behind his head, studying the cloud formations. He didn't want to look at the unusual tendrils of mist that seemed to wind around Joie's legs as she walked carefuly around the outcropping. "You're like a hound dog on the scent of a criminal, Joie," he said. "You would have made a great detective."

    "She would have," Gabriele agreed with a little grin. She concentrated on the bright blue flowers with their symmetric petals. The beautiful masses of flowers were unusual, yet something sinister seemed to lie beneath the ground, just inches from the soft petals, an obscene, malicious presence. Staring at the flowers, Gabriele swore the ground rose up an inch or so as if something were tunneling beneath it. The wind rushed over the mountainside. She sat up quickly, blinking rapidly.
    "What is it?" Jubal asked.
    "I don't know. For a moment I thought I saw something moving beneath the soil. This place gives me the creeps."
    "Joie, come on. We're getting out of here," Jubal decided, reaching a long arm to gather their gear. "The sun wil be down in a couple of hours anyway."
    Joie examined every inch of the outcropping and the niche on either side. The rock was grown over with scrub and grasses. Wildflowers lifted their bright heads toward the sun. Joie narrowed her gaze and stepped up as close as possible, focusing completely on the jutting surface and every crack and shadow. "I've never felt so driven in my life. I don't think I can leave without finding it," she admitted honestly. "I'm sorry—if you two want to take off, go ahead. I'l come along as soon as I can."
    Jubal and Gabriele exchanged a long, knowing look. "Sure thing, sis, we'l just leave you up here al by yourself. Knowing you, you'd disappear into a cave and mate with a trol," Gabriele said.
    "Ha ha," Joie answered.
    "What's the name of this mountain range?" Jubal asked idly, but his gaze was on Joie as she scanned the rock surface. "The bogs are even beautiful. If it wasn't so freaky up here, I could live in this area." When Gabriele arched a black eyebrow at him, he laughed. "I could. I don't need to live in a city. I've got the same genes as the two of you. I just like to have money, you know. I need it for the two of you, to bail you out of al the trouble you get into."
    "You idiot," Joie said affectionately, although she didn't look at him. "You have enough money to retire from that sily job of yours and do something useful with your life.
    Something humanitarian. There's a smal crack running the length of the rock here. There's something funny about this, Jubal. Come look at it. It just isn't right the way it is."
    "My humanitarian contribution to the world is looking after you two thril seekers," Jubal pointed out as he got lazily to his feet. "Without me