Dark Slayer(132)

Evil burned through her veins, eating at her so that she was rotting from the inside out. The filth tainted her, stained her soul. She could feel the very flesh peeling from her bones. Xavier's face swam in front of her vision, his sly laugh echoing through her mind as he pointed a bony finger, the sharp, bloodstained nail directing her.

Slowly, reluctantly, Ivory dared to turn her head. The twin girls, tiny infants, lay lifeless-corpses, their bodies blackened like her soul. She opened her mouth to give a soundless scream of utter horror.

No! Razvan merged with her, poured his strength into her. Keep going. You must finish this. He cannot win.

Ivory took a deep, shuddering breath, her legs trembling, rubbery, barely able to support her. She needed Razvan's arms around her, his presence close. His mind moved in hers and she summoned her last strength, praying it would be enough.

Give to me the power to right this wrong, Clearing all from this earth that we may continue on. Clear the body, cleanse the soul, Heal the mind and make us whole. Give us once again the gift to raise our young so that we may continue to live.

She shouted the words in defiance. Power surged and swelled, filling the room. Electricity crackled. Their hair raised and waved in the bands of energy. A whip of lightning snapped above their heads and then jumped to enfold Ivory. She glowed with white-hot energy, sparks now flying from her fingertips. Her tone changed, booming through the room with absolute command.

The babies convulsed again, their tiny bodies slamming hard into their father's hands, their breath coming in ragged, torn gasps. Both glowed a bright, hot red as temperatures soared beyond what they could endure.

"Hurry, Ivory. For God's sake, hurry," Gregori implored.

Reverse this spell, I send it back. I call for justice, let this fall upon Xavier's back. I command thee to take him, Bind him, seal him, Let nothing be left or remain. Bring forth your light encompassing this prize As your radiance burns this darkness to light.

The room flashed with light. The flames on the candles leapt higher. Wind rushed through the room, whirling around in a twister motion, spinning through the soil, touching each corner of the protective circle and then subsided as if it had never been, leaving the candles flickering and the room smelling sweet and pure.

Ivory slumped in the center of the circle, and collasped to one knee, exhausted. Bloody sweat coated her body and made her tendrils of silken hair curl around her face. Skyler blew out her white candle. Natalya blew out the red one. Shea followed suit with the blue one. Syndil was last, blowing out the final one, allowing the smoke from the green candle to rise into the air, joining the smoke of the others to mix with the incense and purify the room.

The chamber went silent. Only the sound of breathing filled the room. Savannah struggled away from her father, her desperate gaze on her lifemate and their daughters.

Gregori closed his eyes and then opened them to look down at the tiny infants lying beneath the palms of his hands. Slowly, with great care, he lifted his hands away. His twin daughters stared back up at him with enormous, solemn eyes-eyes that had seen far too much already. Their skin was a healthy pink. Their fragile limbs kicked and pumped the air. Both breathed on their own. His breath burst from his lungs and his body sagged in relief. His silver gaze met Savannah's violet one. She cried out, her joy bursting through the room.

Gregori sank to his knees beside Ivory, reaching for her, not bothering to wipe the crimson tears from his face. "Her spirit is lighter. We can help her fight for life now. There are no words to give thanks. None."

She rolled over and looked up at the ceiling. "Razvan?" She was nearly translucent. She needed him desperately. Razvan. She couldn't face this crowd alone, not feeling so weepy and vulnerable.

He was there in an instant, reaching to draw Ivory into his embrace. Take my blood, fel ku kuuluaak sivam belso-beloved. As she wearily accepted and buried her face against the warmth of his neck, Razvan looked over her head to the prince.

"The night is nearly over; Ivory must go to ground. The ritual has drained her of strength."

"You are welcome here," Mikhail said.

"Thank you, but no. I will take her home where she can rest. We will return when she is stronger. In the meantime, Gregori must teach the ritual to some of your most gifted people so they can protect themselves until the life-form in the uncontaminated soil has a chance to spread and we can destroy Xavier and his unholy factory."

"But-" Mikhail began a protest.

Razvan swept his arms around Ivory and simply took her away, flying them from the chamber.





CHAPTER 19



Razvan woke with the pack curled around him and Ivory cuddled into his body as if she sought shelter there. He opened the soil so he could look up at the stars on the ceiling, a sense of peace stealing over him. This was the moment he loved. Waking in the early evening when the prisms of the gems embedded in the opening allowed the moonlight to spill into the chamber and across Ivory's face.