«You have decided to settle here,» Nicolas said, looking around the warm room.
«Unlike you and your family,» Vikirnoff said, «my brother and I only spent the last few years hunting together and never in one location. Prior to that, we moved from region to region filling in where no ancient was posted. It will be nice to have a home after so long. Nicolae and Destiny are settling here as well. We will be able to help guard the prince and the women and children in the hopes of rebuilding our people.»
Lara was grateful for Nicolas's hand on the small of her back, connecting them. He was also in her mind and it steadied her to face Natalya, who did look so much like herself. If Razvan had looked like her at one time, he no longer did, but Natalya could have been her mother-or sister.
Natalya waved her toward a deep, comfortable-looking chair. «Please sit down. It's amazing to finally meet you.»
Nicolas took her hand as she sank into the thick cushions, his thumb sweeping over her palm in a gentle caress.Will you be all right for a few moments without me ?
Her stomach lurched. When had she become such a coward? Was she so thrown by the scent and sight of parasites and silver eyes that she could no longer cope on her own? Maybe it had been death in those eyes and the scent of decay? Whatever childhood trauma she had dredged up refused to go away. The door had cracked open and she had to deal with it.
She glanced up at Nicolas. He looked so calm, so in control, so at peace while she was churning with doubt. He had to deal with her past as well.
We will do so together. Again he flooded her with warmth, making her feel a part of him and not so alone.
Yes, we will. And I'll be fine. Don't worry about me.
Nicolas bent to brush a kiss across the top of her head.Reach for me if you need me, otherwise, I will keep us separate .
She moistened her lips. Of course he would think to pull his mind from hers to prevent her from «seeing» or feeling what was happening as he took blood. She nodded to indicate she understood, managing a small, reassuring smile.
Natalya watched Nicolas leave the room with Vikirnoff. «Is he good to you?» she asked abruptly. «The De La Cruz family has a certain reputation and they live by their own rules.»
The question startled Lara and she was uncertain how to answer. «We've only just met.»
Natalya nodded. «And he bound you to him, but the ritual isn't complete. Do you know what happens to the man if the ritual is completed?»
Lara shook her head. «I know only what my aunts told me in stories. I was a child and my memories of most of those years are vague, so I'm guessing some of it could be inaccurate as well. I often don't know what is real, planted by them, or my imagination.»
«It must be very confusing for you.»
«Yes, but I'm learning a lot.»
«I'm sorry I make you uncomfortable. I'm extremely happy to meet you, after all, you are my niece. Colby, who is a lifemate to Rafael, is your half-sister. Razvan was also her father.»
Tension locked her muscles and stretched her nerves. Natalya had deliberately inserted the information into the conversation to see her reaction. Lara kept her face carefully blank. «I've been having a few flashbacks that may indicate that Xavier possessed Razvan's body in order to seduce women and get them pregnant, so he could feed on the blood of Dragonseekers.»
Natalya winced. «He wanted to use me that way. Razvan convinced him that I didn't have strong enough Dragonseeker blood to be useful. He protected me my entire childhood and throughout the years after. I didn't realize what was happening to him until recently and then I thought he had somehow turned vampire or was in league with them.» She leaned forward, her blue-green eyes locking with Lara's. «Do you know if that's true? Do you know if he's still alive?»
Lara bit down on her lower lip. What did she really know about Razvan? Her childhood memories had been faulty. She remembered little until the trauma of seeing the parasites. Was he evil? Had he turned evil? Was he even still alive? There were so many conflicting pieces of memories rising now that she didn't know the truth. «I can't help you, as much as I'd like to. I don't have any answers. I see things that indicate to me that Xavier not only possessed Razvan's body, but he injected him with something that took his will-not his mind completely because he tried to resist, but ultimately, it appeared as if Xavier was making him do terrible things and Razvan was unable to overcome the combination of drugs and spells that Xavier wove.»
Vikirnoff and Nicolas came back into the room, catching the last part of the conversation. Nicolas didn't look quite as drawn. He sat on the arm of Lara's chair, his body positioned protectively toward her. «Possession and taking over minds, making people into puppets, was Xavier's forte. No one had his skill and he continued to perfect it over the years. It was one of the things the prince and he disagreed on. Some things shouldn't be done.» Nicolas tangled his fingers in Lara's hair. «Xavier felt the Carpathian people used mind control to get their way and he had every right to do so as well. It was difficult to argue with his logic.»
«Because there was truth in it,» Lara said.
Nicolas nodded. «At the time, I felt we were using our mind control for good, and he wanted to use it to further his own ends, but lately I have learned that I certainly used it for my own selfish purposes. It is much easier and faster when I want cooperation so I just do so without thinking.»
Vikirnoff made a sound of disgust. «To ease someone's fears is not the same thing as making them do things they would never ordinarily do,» he objected.
«Such as give blood?» Lara asked.
Vikirnoff shifted forward aggressively. Natalya put a gentle hand on his arm. «You have scars on your wrists, Lara. I found a ceremonial knife that had been Xavier's and when I accessed the memories, there was one of a young girl Razvan was using to feed from. Xavier came in and tried to take her blood as well and she was able to escape the cave with the help of two dragons.»
Nicolas's hand curled around the nape of Lara's neck. «That was Lara. Her aunts were caught in the form of dragons and were too weak to escape as well. We are going back to the cave to determine their
fate as well as to try to figure out what happened to Razvan.»
Vikirnoff sat up very straight. «That cave is one big trap, Nicolas. We barely escaped with our lives. Xavier left guardians and there were signs that the chambers are still in use at times. We have been watching it closely, but no one goes in there, it is far too risky.»
Nicolas's long, strong fingers began a slow massage on her neck. «We are well aware of the risk, Vikirnoff, but we cannot live with ourselves if we do not find out the answers to our questions. The aunts risked everything to save Lara. And the evidence that Razvan has for centuries-not a few years, but centuries-endured torture. He is Dragonseeker, which means there is the possibility that he could survive.»
«We saw him attack Natalya,» Vikirnoff pointed out. «He was in her head, tracking her, trying to lure her to him, to use her against us.»
«But was Razvan in his own mind? Or was it Xavier possessing or controlling Razvan? Lara and I need to find the answer to that question. And her aunts have been imprisoned long enough. Dead or alive, and we do not expect to find them alive, we want to bring them home.»
Vikirnoff took Natalya's hand. «You knew Razvan better than any person alive. Could this be possible? Could it have been Xavier controlling Razvan?»
She closed her eyes briefly and shook her head. «I don't know, Vikirnoff. I truly don't know. He only came to me in my dreams. How could Xavier intrude on dreams?»
«How can Xavier find a way to imprison and keep from suicide one of the most powerful Carpathian women? Rhiannon's lifemate was murdered, yet Xavier managed to force her to have triplets with him,» Nicolas pointed out. «I knew Rhiannon and her lifemate. She would have followed him if she could have.»
Lara cleared her throat. «The aunts talked about her often. She was held prisoner by Xavier and once she had the children, she stayed alive wi
llingly to help protect them and teach them as much as she could about the Carpathian and mage cultures. She imparted knowledge to them at a fast rate because she knew eventually Xavier would murder her, and he did.»
You didn't tell me this. Nicolas's voice slid into her mind with ease.
I'm getting bits and pieces now. Now they just come to me. She didn't know if she was happy about it or not.
Nicolas didn't like her feeling so confused. In close proximity to Natalya, Lara was already edgy. She hid it well, but she was uncomfortable, her memories still too raw. Twice she rubbed her wrist, although he knew it was habit more than pain, but the gesture served as a reminder of her traumatic childhood.
«I want to go with you,» Natalya said. «To the cave. Ihave to go.»
«Natalya,» Vikirnoff cautioned.
«No, it's Razvan. I have to see if there's a chance we're wrong about him. Maybe we'll find something, a clue to what's been happening.»
Vikirnoff muttered something under his breath. «The cave is a death trap. You were there, Natalya, you
know it is.»
«He kept me away from Xavier. I could be the one with the nightmare childhood. I could be the one he experimented on and fed off. Razvan saved me, Vikirnoff. I love my brother and if I can at least clear his name so his children think better of him, then I owe him that much.»
Vikirnoff shook his head. «It is insanity to go back there. You know that.»
Nicolas understood exactly how Vikirnoff felt. The last thing he wanted to do was to take Lara back to the underground labyrinth that Xavier had created.I have to go, Nicolas. If it was your family you would go .
The problem, he decided, once your heart was involved, all logic went out the window. It mattered little that he knew it was dangerous, but now he understood her needs and that made the decision not quite as easy as it had been when he had no emotions. His eyes met Vikirnoff's, for the first time understanding the difficulties with keeping women safe.
«The caveman method had value,» Vikirnoff stated.
«I agree,» Nicolas said, sighing inwardly.I said I would take you. I do not go back on my word .
«Then we go tomorrow night?» Natalya asked.
«The night after,» Vikirnoff corrected. «I want to do a little reconnaissance before we go and we have to attend the warriors' council. Jacques's baby will be named in the warriors' circle. It is important we all attend to support Jacques and Shea. Should something ever happen to Shea, Jacques could not survive it. Their son would have need of our entire community.»
The warriors' council… where he had intended to support Gregori in their bid to keep women away from fighting. Nicolas nearly groaned aloud. «Have you heard news of the prince's lifemate? I assumed she was having problems again.»
Natalya looked down at her hands, her expression sad. «Not only is Raven having problems, but evidently Savannah is as well. It doesn't look good. Gregori is working with both of them and Syndil has been working with the surrounding soil, but both women are bleeding, their bodies trying to reject the babies.»
A burst of pain in Lara's head had her wrenching her hand free of Nicolas in order to press at her temples. Her mind seemed to splinter for a moment, and a door cracked open. She had a brief glimpse of a sobbing woman, blood on the floor and piles of dirt around her. Xavier stood over her smiling with satisfaction.
«Sometimes we must make small sacrifices for the greater good, my dear. One lost child to ensure that the death of many continues is not too small of a price to pay.»
Bile welled up and she stood fast, pushing Nicolas away from her and rushing from the house to stand outside in the fresh, cold air where she could breathe. Nicolas came up behind her, placing gentle hands on her shoulders.
Lara shook him off, taking a step forward, breathing fast. «Don't. Don't say anything yet.» He had seen that small vignette of her past. She had felt him there at that first burst of pain, before either realized what
was happening.
«You cannot possibly think you are in any way responsible for anything Xavier has done. He wanted immortality and he was angry and bitter that he did not have it and the Carpathians did. He wanted every power our species had as well as his own. When Rhiannon's lifemate was murdered and she disappeared, we knew he had been plotting against us for years. Of course we had no way of knowing the extent of the damage or what he had done. He is a master mage, and undeniably powerful. The seeds of hatred and his descent into madness began centuries before you were ever born.»
«His blood is in my veins.» She gestured toward the house. «In her veins. He set out to destroy an entire species in the foulest way he could think of.» She looked at him then, her eyes sad, shamed. «You know that's what we saw. More experiments. He's done something, has been doing it all along, to make the women miscarry, to make the children die.» She tilted her head in challenge. «You don't know him the way I do. You can't kill him. You can't stop him. He is the most despicable creature on the face of the earth, the most evil.»
Nicolas understood what she meant. Xavier had murdered his own son. Had kidnapped, raped and forced Rhiannon to bear him children and then, after using her blood for years, had murdered her. He had imprisoned his grandson and experimented on him, tortured him and used his children for a blood supply. He had murdered his grandson's mage wife. There was nothing he could find redeeming about Xavier. He'd never liked him in the old days when the mages and Carpathians had a strong alliance.
«It isn't all mages, you know,» she said softly. «My mother was mage.»
«Fel ku kuuluaak swam belso,"he whispered.
Beloved. Was she beloved? Could someone as strong as Nicolas possibly really understand, accept and love someone as damaged as she?
His mouth curved even as he kissed her again. We both know I am not without my faults, as much as I would like to pretend otherwise. You need to eat this night. We will go to the inn .
She nodded. «I want to check on my friends anyway. Let's go.»
Nicolas glanced back at the house. Lara needs a little time. I will take her to the inn to get some food. We can meet after the warriors' council and check out the cave before we bring the women .
A feminine voice gave a small huff of disdain. The women ?
Lara's voice echoed her aunt's. There you go with your women theme. I suspect you have hidden issues, Nicolas .
You have no idea. She was feeling benevolent toward him now, but after the warriors' council, she wouldn't be too happy.
Chapter 12
The inn was bustling with activity when Nicolas and Lara arrived. It was always necessary within the village to keep up the pretense of being entirely human. Many Carpathians often went to the dining room and appeared to be eating dinner. It wasn't difficult for Nicolas to shift into immaculate clothes, giving Lara a long, swingy dress that swished around her ankles.
Lara patted her hair, surprised that it was down in a long freefall of red-gold silk. She glanced up at the tall handsome man who made her feel beautiful. His male beauty struck her, a mixture of danger, animal and pure sensual male. She swallowed the sudden need rising and managed a quick smile. «Did you remember makeup, too?»
He tangled his fingers with hers and brought his hand in a possessive gesture to his chest as they entered the lobby area where even the villagers often gathered for drinks. «Of course.»
As close to him as she was, she instantly felt the difference in him. The moment they stepped inside where there were others, he went from her gentleman to fiercely, primitive male. It happened in a heartbeat. He even smelled different, a combination of musk, spice and wild outdoors. The cut of his mouth was sensual, yet held a cruel, warning edge. His heavy-lidded eyes brooded, drifting over the competition as if marking each man. The hand at the small of her back was distinctly possessive. He even moved that scant fraction of space closer to her, so that he seemed to be everywhere, dominating her space.
Or maybe the difference was in her. She was inten
sely aware of the darkly handsome man prowling at her side, all raw sexuality and power. Women turned their heads and stared at him with greedy eyes. Their gazes followed her with some disdain and a lot of envy. She was certain she didn't look woman enough to handle a man as blatantly sexual as Nicolas.
The moment she thought it, he brushed across her body with warm air, as if he'd breathed on her bare skin. Her nipples tightened and heat rushed through her bloodstream. She glanced up at his face, at the raw hunger in his dark eyes each time his gaze slid over her. She touched her tongue to her lower lip and instantly his gaze was riveted there.
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