Dark Lycan (Dark #24)(81)
Author: Christine Feehan

"We’ve got one of the units," Fen said. "Let’s go."

Eight Carpathian males had agreed to transport the elite hunters to cut down on time as well as the chance of the Sange rau spotting them.

They took the form of giant birds and, although the hunters looked at one another as if they might balk, the moment Fen and Zev stepped forward and swung onto their bird’s backs, the others followed suit. They were hunters and there was a rogue pack to destroy. That job came before anything else, even fear of the unknown.

The Carpathians took them in soundlessly, dropping out of the sky a distance from the cave to allow the elite hunters to get their feet on the ground again. Jacques, Vikirnoff and Nicolae went with Lykaon, Arnou and Fen, spreading out a couple of feet apart to the left. Falcon, Dimitri and Tomas went with Zev, Daciana, Convel and Gunnolf to the right, again spreading out so that they made less noise as they stalked the rogue pack.

Dimitri, the lookout on that side is just a little over nine meters from you, to your left. He hasn’t spotted you yet, Tatijana warned.

Take care that you don’t do anything to tip Zev off that you’re anything but a Carpathian, Fen warned hastily, cursing himself for not maneuvering Dimitri to stay in his group.

Dimitri didn’t answer him. Instead, he held up a clenched fist. Immediately all members of his hunting party dropped low and stayed completely silent. Dimitri went to his belly and shifted to a small squirrel, covering several meters before determining he might give off too much energy the werewolf would pick up.

He halted, assessing the situation. He wanted a silent kill so the lookout couldn’t warn his fellow guard or those hiding inside the cave.

You no longer give off energy, Fen reminded. You haven’t for a long time. After these last two nearly mortal wounds and all the blood given to you, you’re more mixed than Carpathian. He won’t feel you coming.

Dimitri took his brother at his word. The little squirrel easily made his way through the brush until he nearly ran into the werewolf’s foot. Just as the wolf looked down with greedy eyes, Dimitri shifted, driving the silver stake straight through the heart of the rogue. Simultaneously, he silenced any cry the man could give, by simply cutting off his windpipe. He eased the body to the ground.

It’s done. Can you get to the other one, Fen?

I see him. Going after him now.

Above their heads, Tatijana stayed in the clouds. She watched Fen creep forward, easing his body through the brush. She knew there wouldn’t be a whisper of movement and he knew exactly what he was doing, but still, she wanted to plunge down and wipe out the threat to her lifemate. Her bond with Fen seemed to be growing with every passing hour. She didn’t think it could get any stronger, but her love for him just seemed to deepen.

Fen palmed the silver stake. Insects sang all around him, undisturbed by his presence. He took a breath and let it out as he eased closer. He smelled the rancid odor of the werewolf. The rogue hadn’t washed and old decayed meat and blood clung to his fur.

Don’t move. Don’t move. Tatijana’s warning froze him. Dimitri, another coming your way as well. I think the guards are being changed.

Fen allowed his gaze to encompass the pack spread out behind him. Lykaon’s fist was clenched, a sign for them all to freeze. Apparently that had been meant for him as well. He preferred the Carpathian form of communication between hunters. Telepathy made things so much simpler.

Fen, he’s going to walk right over the top of you. Do you want me to help?

I’ve got this, sivamet. No worries. Just sit tight. Dimitri? Can you take the second guard out?

Yes. They’ll come looking when the first two don’t come back, Dimitri pointed out.

That will be to our advantage. Fen glanced around to see if any member of the pack could see him. He would have to use the speed of the Han ku pesak kaikak-Guardians of all-if he was going to kill both guards and keep them silent as they died.

Zev was the only one within eyesight of him to see his blurring speed. Tatijana, have Bronnie distract Zev just for a moment. I need enough time to take both guards out simultaneously. She’d better be quick. I’m running out of time.

He could hear the other werewolf breathing in short, ragged pants. He’d been injured recently and hadn’t completely healed. Fen could smell the wound. He kept his eye on Zev even as he planned the moves out in his mind.

He could reach out and touch the first guard. The second was two steps away, cursing as he got hung up on a thorny branch. The moment Zev looked away, Fen rose up fast, slamming the silver stake through the rancid werewolf’s heart with his right hand, silencing him as he did so. He turned, using his left hand to take out the second guard. The rogue never actually saw him, he was too busy trying to get brambles out of his fur when the stake went through his heart.

He felt Tatijana’s relief. She poured into his mind just for a moment, letting him feel her love before she quickly turned back to her job. Fen eased across the distance separating them until he was beside Zev.

"The others will have to use their swords to cut off their heads. I’m not hacking them off with my knife."

Zev grinned at him. "What a wuss. All this time I thought you were so tough you carried a spare knife in your teeth just for hacking off heads." He signaled the pack forward again.

"I trust you have a plan for entering that cave," Fen said.

"Not exactly. I thought we’d let them come to us."

Fen raised his eyebrow.

"That blue dragon up there came up with an idea and sent it to me through Branislava. She thought it might be fun to fill the cave with insects. The biting kind. If you’ve got your eye on her, Fen, you might reconsider. She’s intelligent and has sass. You’re old enough to know to stay away from that kind of woman."

"Not a bad plan," Fen agreed. His lady did have sass. You could have shared your plan with me.

I had to give Bronnie something real to distract him. He’s too smart for anything else. In any case, I didn’t want you charging in there. You and Dimitri seem to get into trouble every time I turn around. I’m in your mind, wolf man. You planned on leading the charge, didn’t you?

He shared his amusement with her. I’m faster.

You’ve been fighting other people’s battles for too long, Fen, and you can’t stop. You use your body as a shield for the others, and Dimitri is just like you.

That much was true. Dimitri was more like him than he wanted his brother to be. Dimitri was fearless in a fight. Fen would rather have him than any other at his back.

Zev signaled his pack to move forward into place. He nodded to Fen.

We’re ready down here. Do you want to do the honors, my lady? Or should I? he teased, already knowing her answer.