Andre turned fully to him. “This journey you are on with your lifemate. Does it have anything to do with what you learned through your connection to Gary?”
Sandu considered that carefully before answering. He had been directed to this man for a reason. He wasn’t going to answer hastily and not get the guidance he needed. Adalasia’s life was at stake. It was one thing to gamble with his own, but he had a woman to protect now.
“I do not know the answer to that question. I do know I had a very strong urge to leave, and once I found Adalasia, I did not want to bring her to Tariq’s compound. I had no specific reason why. Adalasia’s path is intertwined with mine. Her enemies, she says, are human but more. By that, she believes they have called forth demons to aid them.”
Andre sighed. “Sandu, Gary had to be certain Elizabeta was not in the compound to locate Tariq’s stone. Tariq had to be protected at all costs, as did the others. They guard the Carpathian people. The task may have been abhorrent to him, but he would have had no choice but to carry it out. I know that word was sent to the others to beware and that once it was known that the Malinov brothers had knowledge of the stones and a ruling body, the stones were to be gathered and all power destroyed. They can’t fall into the hands of the undead. Mikhail clearly doesn’t suffer from the same disease his father did. Nor does he rule by emotion. He does not allow his lifemate to sway his decisions. He has fought hard to bring our people back from the edge of extinction.”
Sandu frowned. “That does not mean, in the future, one of his kin wouldn’t suffer the same problems his father did.”
Andre shrugged. “That is not our present problem. Vampires never banded together or used modern technology as they are at this time. We have to get behind our prince and aid him as best we can. If we are to survive, Sandu, we have to get ahead of our enemies, and they managed to get a foothold on technology while we were trying to survive without lifemates. There are so few. The attack on our people nearly succeeded. Young Josef is one of our greatest treasures, with his knowledge of technology.”
Sandu sent Andre a small grin. “I suppose he is. Ferro is quite close to him, which gives me no choice.”
“You like the boy.”
“Again, I have no choice.” Sandu wasn’t owning up, but it was impossible not to like Josef, with his spiked hair and sometimes pierced skin. He was as courageous as he was genius.
“You can only follow your instincts, Sandu. If you believe you should go one way, go that way. Danger surrounds both of you. I can’t see where it comes from, only that it is there. Your family was one of many that fought the undead for our people in regions far from the help of other Carpathians. I was told your family, and at least three others who also had to battle alone, had other allies but also other enemies every bit as evil as the undead.”
Andre turned back toward the house, and Sandu was grateful. He felt even more uneasy that Andre didn’t seem to feel the threat that he did in the forest. The screech owls, with their round yellow eyes, continued to stare at them. He felt he was too far from Adalasia. They had kept the front of Andre’s home in sight the entire time, and his brethren patrolled, but Sandu found he liked to keep his eyes on his lifemate, especially when he had shielded her from his mind during the conversation with Andre.
“Bring your woman into our world, Sandu, and the two of you get as close as possible. You have to be a unit. That is what I feel above all else. I know your family was one that was far from the Carpathian Mountains and all help from the brethren unless one chanced being in their area. I know danger surrounds both of you and will be coming from every direction. Above, below and both sides. It is good you have the brethren with you.”
Andre waved his hand at the door, and it swung open at his command. “I know each pull in the direction you feel or she feels will be the correct one, and you need to follow that instinct. Your intuition will save you. You cannot have an ego or be arrogant simply because you are an ancient. You must listen to your lifemate and the thing she is able to use to guide both of you.”
If that was so, Sandu’s gut was telling him he needed to stay by her side—that something was wrong. The threat to her was already close.
Andre stopped in the warmth of the living room, with its double fireplace and dark hardwood floor covered in thick rugs. “She has a talent unsurpassed, a gift, but it is more than that. I would speak with her again, Sandu.”
“I still feel uneasy, Andre. Strangely, it is not the feeling I get when the undead are near. But I feel as if she is in danger.”