ion. i can stop that by converting you, but then you would have to rest in the earth with him. choose now. he needs care immediately."

"if i have to make an immediate choice then i have to stay with my brother and sister and see to their safety," colby said. there was challenge in her voice.

"you will grieve for him. you will believe he is dead and you will feel a strong call to join him. you cannot harm your-elf, no matter how desperate you feel. reach for me and i will aid you should it become necessary." nicolas reached down and easily gathered his brother into his arms.

"wait!" colby said frantically. "what about paul?" her brother could no longer stand, but had to be supported between his two uncles. doubled over, he sagged helplessly, groaning in pain.

"i will return to take the poison from him. know this, sister kin: in doing so, he will be tied to me for all time."

it sounded like a warning to colby, maybe even a threat. her hand went to her throat in self-defense. "should i wait for rafael?" she kept her gaze fixed on his, refusing to be intimidated, wanting the truth.

"that is up to you." he cradled rafael in his arms, almost as if his brother were a small child instead of a very large and dangerous man.

colby reached out to touch rafael's face. he felt cold. lifeless. a scream welled up in her mind, but she forced it back down. "he's alive?"

"i will not allow him to die. do i return this night?"

colby looked at her brother's face, saw the twisted hatred in his eyes, and shuddered. "please," she whispered, looking away from paul. "hurry."

"traitor! whore!" paul threw himself at her, his fist raised, his expression demonic.

julio caught him and dragged him away from her. "shall we take him to the house, senhorita?"

paul fought his uncles, growling and snapping his teeth at them. then he suddenly subsided, looking around him, blinking his eyes to clear his vision. "colby?" he sounded young and confused. "what's happening to me?"

"you're ill, honey." she tried to comfort him, but tears were clogging her throat and burning behind her eyes. she could no longer touch rafael's mind. she felt the loss deeply, as if someone had ripped out her heart. she could barely breathe, let alone think. she wanted to scream and claw at the earth, dig her way down to where his body would rest. instead, she lifted her head to find the chevez brothers watching her with compassion. "let's get him home," she said wearily.

"juan will see to the cattle," julio said. "i'll watch over you and paul and ginny."

colby stumbled after him. she could see better in the darkness than she'd ever been able to see, yet she was off center, feeling blind and deaf. "does this kind of thing happen often?" what were those terrible creatures and how badly was he hurt, nicolas? he was so torn up, lost so much blood. she hadn't kissed him. hadn't tried to hold him to her. what if nicolas was more monster than man?

i am more monster than man, nicolas confirmed. his voice was soft in her mind, distracted. she could hear a chant repeated, old ancient words with a soothing rhythm of power. i am healing him, giving him more blood, and then i will put him in the arms of the earth to heal.

julio glanced back at her as he propelled paul forward. "do you need my help, colby?" when she shook her head, he continued, "yes, i've witnessed many battles between the vampire and the hunters. this vampire is not like the others. he is much more powerful and cunning."

colby wrapped her arms around her waist as she walked along the trail back toward the ranch house. rafael had walked this path with her, holding her hand, making her feel the most beautiful and desired woman in the world. when he focused on her, nothing else seemed to matter. she tried to replay what nicolas had said about conversion, but her mind was too scattered.

"do they often get hurt?" colby asked.

julio shook his head. "vampires are all different. the hunters are very powerful, very experienced. rafael is a great fighter-together with nicolas, or any of his brothers, they rarely sustain injuries. this one"-he shook his head-"this is one they call a master vampire, an ancient who has escaped justice many years. zacarias, the eldest of the de la cruz brothers, thinks a master vampire is an ancient of their kind. one long in the world and experienced in battle who finally succumbs to the dark call. the master will not stand and battle, but he'll use human puppets to do his bidding. he'll call lesser vampires to him and use them as pawns. and he mutates other species into evil incarnate. you saw a sample of his work."

"you're very nervous. what aren't you telling me?"

julio looked at her with dark, worried eyes. "nicolas can take the blood and help with the pain, but until the vampire is dead, paul will be connected to him. he can still try to use paul. nicolas will be the only one standing between paul and what the vampire wants from him. nicolas is powerful and ancient, but he is very close to the end of his time. he also must rest during the daylight hours. it is dangerous for him to do this thing you ask. if he does not, paul will eventually die and you will be thankful."

colby pressed her fingers to her pounding head. she needed rafael's reassuring touch. he is safe beneath the soil. i have fed and will meet you in the barn. i do not want the child to see what we must do to aid her brother. you must be certain. he can and will harm you if the vampire reaches him and programs him. i can run interference, and i can remove the pain, but i cannot break the tie between them.

he was offering to kill her brother. it was his voice, so flat and empty, that made her ill. made her feel rafael's barren existence starkly. she could almost see the darkness creeping inside of him, staining his soul, taking him over. she closed her eyes but she couldn't block out what was in her mind.

i will watch him until you have a chance to kill the vampire. she made her decision.

rafael has much to answer for. there was a bite to nicolas's voice.

rafael has tried to give me time. is that truly such a terrible thing? tears burned in her heart. had she caused all of this? was it her fault rafael lay as the dead beneath the earth?

i feel his love for you. it has sustained me, yet it cannot soften me. he has given me hope by sharing his feelings for you. his emotions are intense and difficult to manage. he is uncomfortable with the presence of other males near you, myself included, yet he tries to ignore those dangerous emotions and allow you the space you need to come to him.

is it my fault? she persisted.

silence answered her question as she pulled open the door to the barn and faced nicolas and his black, merciless gaze.