Aidan was so powerful, she had never really expected him to be injured. She tried to study her sensations, to look for the danger to Aidan. Whatever, whoever, was out there was creating illusions, multiplying, using his ability to confound Aidan and keep him off balance. The attacks were swift and brutal, then gone so quickly, Aidan couldn’t retaliate. She could sense his confusion and growing consternation.

Alexandria probed farther into the darkness. Something was very wrong. Aidan, assaulted from all sides, could not discern the nature of his attacker the way she could from the sanctuary of the house. The illusion the creature out there was fabricating was too thick, too evil. Then she knew what to do. “Aidan.” She whispered his name aloud, everything in her going completely still. She could not allow him to die. She didn’t know why she felt that way, but she knew it in her deepest soul.

She reached again for his mind, waited until she could penetrate the red haze, until she could gather her strength and focus. As she did so, Aidan struck hard and fast at his opponent, and she got an impression of a stream of bright red blood and a howl of haunting fear.

Behind you, Aidan. The danger is behind you. There is another. Get out of there!She screamed the warning to him in her mind but was sure it was too late. She felt the impact as he was struck, the blow meant to kill, raking his throat, his stomach, his thigh. But Aidan hadturned at her frantic call, so that the second attacker could not deliver the mortal blow he expected.

Alexandria could feel the pain slicing through Aidan, but he remained calm and cool under the onslaught. His own speed was incredible, and he used it almost blindly, slashing at his assailant as he turned to face him. His blow was delivered with deadly precision. Even as the vampire fell away from him, flopping to the ground screaming, the first attacker took to the air, clutching his own wounds as he retreated.

“Stefan!” Alexandria called out with surprising authority. “Get the car—now! Bring it around to the front. I can find him.”

“Aidan does not want you leaving the house,” Stefan said as he approached her, but his hand was already going to the keys in his pocket.

“Well, that’s just too bad. His majesty is hurt and unable to make his way home. He can yell at both of us later, but we can’t leave him out there to bleed to death. Which, by the way, is what he’s doing.” Alexandria gave Aidan’s man her coolest stare. “I’m going after him with or without you.”

Stefan nodded. “Of course I will come with you. But he’ll be very angry with us.”

Alexandria flashed a smile of camaraderie. “I can take it if you can.”

Hear me, cara. I cannot make it home this night. Go to the chamber, and I will attempt to come to you tomorrow night.He was trying to hide his pain from her, to cover the fact that he was dragging himself to shelter, trying to find a piece of ground he could safely open to crawl into.

Just stay put, Aidan. I’m coming for you.

Do not! There is great danger to you. Stay in the house!

Give it up. I’ve never been very good at minding anyone. In case my little brother neglected to inform you, I’ve been the boss for years. Stefan is with me, and we’re already on our way, so just stay put and wait for us.

She followed Stefan to the driveway, her eyes jumping to the gun in his hand. He was searching the sky, clearly half expecting an attack from that direction.

“I don’t feel any of them close by, but the air is thickening around Aidan. We have to hurry. One of them is dead or dying, but the other is returning to finish the job.”

“How weak is Aidan?” Stefan did not question her connection to his boss or how she was attaining her knowledge of Aidan’s situation as he drove.

“He’s trying to hide it from me, but I’m not certain he can sustain another attack. He acts confident, but he feels the approach of the other one.” She laughed softly to herself, helping to suppress her own fear. “He’s warning me of. In fact, he’s actually angry. I’ve never heard him anything but cool and collected. That’s so annoying, don’t you think? Always being so in control? If I wasn’t terrified, this would be comical. Go left here. I know this is the way.”

Stefan slowed the car in hesitation. “Let me go by myself. The other doesn’t want me. But if something were to happen to you, we would lose Aidan.”

“You’ll never find him on your own. We don’t have time for this. Come on, Stefan. He’s out there alone.” She didn’t stop to think why it was so important, but she would do anything to save Aidan Savage.

You do not understand, cara. You cannot come here. This one is stronger than Yohenstria, and I am weak. I do not know if I can protect you from him.

You will protect me where you would not protect yourself. He comes now. He is close to you.

You do not even trust me. You still do not know if I am vampire. Why are you placingyourself in danger?He was frustrated with her disobedience; she could feel his impotent rage at not controlling her. But he could not expend the energy it would take and still protect himself and fight the rapidly approaching vampire.

Pay attention to what is happening there. I have a plan.That was the biggest lie she had ever told anyone in her life. And she was becoming more terrified the closer they were to their destination. Why was she doing this stupid, crazy thing? She didn’t like Aidan, didn’t trust him, and she was terrified of him, of what he might be, of the control he had over her. All she knew for certain was that she couldn’t allow him to die.

“We need a plan, Stefan. A really good plan. If you shoot that thing with the gun, will it kill it?”

“No, but if I hit something vital enough, I can slow it down, maybe keep it from going to ground. Then the sun would kill it,” Stefan informed her grimly.

“Okay, here’s the plan. I’ll keep telling you where the creature is, and you keep shooting while I pull Aidan into the car. Then we drive away as fast as we can and hope we leave it behind.”

That is the worst plan I have ever heard.In spite of his dire situation, there was a hint of humor in Aidan’s voice.

Stefan snorted aloud. “That is absolutely the worst plan I’ve ever heard. You aren’t strong enough to get Aidan into the car. And we can’t trade places, because you’ve probably never fired a gun in your life.”

“Well, I don’t hear anything brilliant from either one of you,” she snapped indignantly. “Isn’t it funny how men stick together even when they can’t hear one another?”

“What are you talking about?” Stefan was looking nervously up at the sky, in his rearview mirror, out the side windows.

“Never mind. Turn on this road. He’s near the ocean—no, the other way, down the hill. He’s close by.” She could barely breathe, the air was so filled with evil now. “The vampire is somewhere close also. I can feel him.”

Go back,cara, go back. There was pleading in Aidan’s voice.

He is searching for you, Aidan. I can feel his triumph. He thinks he knows where you are. He’s in the form of a bird— no, something else that flies— but he’s injured. He’s favoring his right side.Alexandria rubbed her temples; the energy it took to communicate mentally was draining. Her head throbbed, her thigh was burning as if she had somehow incurred an injury there.

Go back, Alexandria. He feels your presence. That is why he is triumphant. He has drawn you out of safety. Do as I say!Aidan placed one hand carefully over the deep cut on his temple and pressed the other over the wound on his thigh that was draining away his life-force. He had lost so much blood; the precious fluid pooled on the ground, seeping into the soil.

The smell of the blood would draw the vampire to him. But he could also smell, and the vampire’s scent was as strong as the disturbance in the earth’s natural harmony. He did not need Alexandria’s warnings to know the vampire was close. This one held far more power than Yohenstria, and his ability to create illusions was flawless. Aidan had fought others as strong, but not with such a mortal injury himself. With Alexandria so close, he had no recourse but to fight and win. Even had he gone to ground, the vampire probably would have found him before dawn. He forced his protesting body to move, to climb to his feet. He pushed the pain from his mind. He pushed the thought of Alexandria away. He could do no other than defeat the vampire. He stood very still. Waiting. Just waiting.