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gregori simply disappeared. the powerful jaws closed on empty air. the beast, mortally wounded, roared and shook its massive head from side to side, looking desperately for its enemy. the vampire abandoned the smoking, scorched carcass, rising into the air with a scream of defiance and hatred. even as he rose, preparing to flee, to leave his centuries-old sanctuary and run for his life, he encountered a barrier. he was struck hard, the blow knocking him from the sky to the ground.
the vampire lay breathless for a moment, shocked at the incredible strength in that blow. cautiously he got to his feet, sinking a bit into the dark muck of the swamp.
he had always been larger than legend, larger than myth. now the vampire knew that the whispers, the rumors, were all true. there was no escaping the dark one. gregori had used himself as bait to bring the vampire out into the open. what hunter would do such a thing? believe so much in himself that he would risk his life? the vampire could feel the blow through his entire body. it shook him as nothing else could.
at once he changed tactics, his harsh coldness changing from reptilian to soft warmth. "i do not wish to fight you, gregori. i acknowledge you are a great hunter. i do not wish to continue this battle. allow me to leave this place and go to my lair in the florida everglades. i will stay hidden for a century - more, if you wish it." his voice was beguiling, fawning.
gregori materialized a few feet away. blood dripped steadily from several raw, gaping wounds. his face was impassive, implacable, the pale eyes like steel. "the prince of our people has sentenced you to death. i can do no other than carry out justice."
the vampire shook his head, a grim parody of a smile on his face. "the prince does not know of my existence. you do not have to carry out a sentence he has not commanded. i will go to ground."
gregori sighed softly. "there can be no discussion, vampire. you know the laws of our people. i am a hunter, a bearer of justice, and i can do no other than to carry out our laws." his eyes never left the vampire, never blinked. the wind was rising, and it blew strands of black hair around his face so that he looked like a warrior of ancient times.
the vampire's eyes went flat and vicious. "then it begins." lightning zigzagged across the sky, jumping from cloud to cloud. the wind whipped and roared.
gregori glided, a fluid motion, gentle, lazy, non-threatening. his head tilted, the lightning reflected in the silver sheen of his eyes. blood dripped steadily from his wounds. the vampire caught the scent of fresh blood, and his gaze rested greedily on the powerful, ancient liquid of life. gregori struck so fast, the vampire never saw him move. distracted by the sight of the lush feast of an ancient's blood, the vampire comprehended he was in mortal danger only when he felt the impact of a tremendous blow to his chest.
gregori was already gone, standing tall and motionless some distance away, regarding the vampire with cold, empty eyes. slowly he extended his arm, turned his palm up, and opened his fist.
the vampire screamed and screamed, the sound high-pitched and ugly in the night. it traveled out over the waterways and canals. the undead slowly, reluctantly, looked from the pulsating object in the hunter's palm, down at his own chest. there was a gaping hole where his heart had been. stricken, he took two steps forward before his body crumpled and he fell face down into the muck and slime.
gregori's face paled visibly, and he sat down abruptly. allowing the poisoned, withered heart to fall from his palm, he examined the burns and blisters on his skin from the contact with the tainted blood. he concentrated on gathering energy from the sky, focused, and sent a fiery ball into the vampire's body. the second strike incinerated the contaminated heart. gregori sank back into the muck and lay staring up at the night sky. it blurred and faded. a strange lethargy took over, a heavy, drowsy sensation. he was floating on a sea, disconnected, watching the dawn streaking the dark sky gray.
his long lashes swept down, and he relaxed into the soft mud. he felt the disturbance in the air above him. he smelled the fresh scent dispersing the stale stench of the swamp. savannah. he would know her anywhere. he tried to rouse himself, to warn her the dawn was approaching and it was dangerous to be so far from shelter.
savannah's gasp was audible. "oh, gregori." she touched one of the seeping gouges in his chest. it was a measure of his weariness, the damage to his body, that he could not find the energy to close his wounds. she merged with him and tried to force his obedience in the same way he often did hers. he would close those lacerations, would seek the healing sleep of their people, and leave the rest to her.
she searched in his mind for gary's mental trail, then reached for their human friend.
hear me, gary, we are in trouble. find larue. beau larue. he captains a boat for the bayou tours. tell him to go to the old man alligator's pool. you must come before the sun gets high and get us to a dark place. even if we appear dead, take us there. we are counting on you. you are our only hope.
she searched the area for the most stable stretch of land. working quickly and hard, savannah was able to levitate gregori's body to the small mound, but there was no relief from the sun. as she bent over gregori, she realized he had not put himself into a healing sleep. her heart slammed hard against her chest. her heart stuttered. gregori was too weak from loss of blood to comply, to heal himself. quickly she sealed the wounds herself, once more utilizing the information in gregori's memories. jerking off her jacket, she lay beside her lifemate, covering both their heads with the material. slashing her wrist, savannah laid her arm over gregori's mouth, allowing the life-giving substance to flow into his depleted body, stroking his throat to coax him to swallow.