Dark Celebration 17

by Christine Feehan

«Mrs. Sanders, it is possible Gary shares a bloodline. Many of the women here do, including your daughters and son. But he cannot shift and, in fact, does not know of his

  lineage. Gregori has shared blood with him and can easily read his thoughts, and many times Gary has volunteered to allow me to do the same. He cannot deceive a Carpathian who has taken his blood.»

  «He is a jaguar,» Mrs. Sanders persisted. «He is not welcome here nor can he be near my daughters.»

  «Your son is jaguar. Should he be banished as well?» Mikhail asked.

  «Mom! What's gotten into you,» Jubal demanded. «Dad, stop her.»

  «You have no idea what your mother has suffered at the hands of a jaguar male,» Mr. Sanders retorted. «Don't you dare judge her.»

  «Not all jaguar males are the same,» Mikhail said. «Any more than Carpathian males are. Many of our males turn vampire and many jaguar males turn on their women, but not all. I've known many honorable jaguars-your own son among them, and his blood is far more pure than Gary's. Give Gary a fair chance. He has been with my people for some time now and is committed to helping us. Gabrielle has worked with him and knows his dedication. Use this time to get to know him as an individual.»

  Before she could protest, Gregori stirred, drawing all eyes to him. «This is a small thing the prince has requested, Mrs. Sanders. You have attacked him, as well as intentionally harming your own son-in-law. Your intention was to kill one of ours. Gary is under my protection and is my friend. I will be responsible for his behavior. All the prince has asked is that you give him a chance and given your own behavior, I think it is a reasonable request.»

  Mrs. Sanders took a deep breath. «You're right, of course. I was so scared when I scented him. I do apologize for my behavior.»

  Gary squeezed Gabrielle's hand to forestall any comments. «Thank you, Mrs. Sanders. I honestly don't know if what you say is true, but I'll do my best to find out. As far as I know, I have no psychic abilities whatsoever, and I certainly can't shapeshift. However, I have always been interested in legends and myths, and did at one time try to prove there were such creatures as vampires and shapeshifters. Maybe I was drawn to those things because, as you say, it is my heritage.»

  «Perhaps,» Mrs. Sanders agreed noncommittally.

  Mikhail let his breath out slowly. «Our celebration will begin in a couple of hours. I trust you will do your best to work things out so we can present a united front to our guests. And Traian, you will make absolutely certain that our secrets remain safe at all times.» That meant taking the blood of Joie's parents, an unpleasant, but necessary task.

  «Yes, of course.»

  Gregori turned deliberately to Gary in front of the others. «If you have need of me, you have only to call out in your mind and I will hear you. Take every precaution. I will not suffer a second attack on you without retaliation. My justice is swift and brutal as you well know.» He looked at the others in the room. «Nothing will sway me from my set task should harm come to my friend.» He gave a small half bow and followed Mikhail out into the drifting snow.

  «You always did know how to leave with a flair,» Mikhail remarked.

  «I swear, old friend, if you put yourself in harm's way again, I'm going to kill you myself and be done with it.»

  «I like to keep you on your toes. I'll be by later to see my daughter. I'm heading over to see Destiny. I'd like to hear what her friend MaryAnn has to say about Gabrielle. And if she really is as good as everyone tells me, I want to find a way to get her together with young Skyler. The child is amazing, courageous and smart and way too mature for her age, but so fragile, Gregori. We cannot afford to lose her and Dimitri is very close. Too close.»

  «I am keeping my eye on him.» Gregori said. «You will like Destiny and her Nicolae. She is an amazing woman and a very skilled hunter. Francesca and I are keeping a close eye on her to make certain we removed all the parasites from her blood. We have kept some just in case we find a use for it. An astonishing young woman.»

  «I am looking forward to meeting her.»

  Gregori began to shimmer into transparency. «You know there will be trouble over Gabrielle and Gary now that she has been converted.»

  Mikhail sighed. «Even now, when we are supposed to be gathering for Christmas, there always seems to be trouble.»

  Chapter 14

  The inn was beginning to fill up with people. Manolito De La Cruz stood in the corner watching the strange scene unfold before his eyes. Chaos. Stupidity. Why would so many people gather indoors and feel safe?

  Hunger was sharp and terrible, clawing at his gut, riding him hard, and the sound of so many heartbeats, blood ebbing and flowing in veins, only added to his discomfort. Shadows rose in him, the demon crying for blood, for some small spark of feeling, a momentary rush that would give him back life. Just once. He could almost imagine prey beneath him, heart beating wildly, the rush of adrenaline spiking the blood and giving him a high when he consumed it.

  There in the shadows he chose his prey. The man, fit and strong and thinking he was such a big man, telling everyone what to do. Manolito would let him see it coming, death in his eyes, in his heart and soul, and he would sink his teeth deep, feel the struggle for life-

  always life. A life he no longer had and could never get back.

  All around him were Carpathian males who had managed to claim a woman-even two of his brothers. He heard their laughter, felt emotion through them, but it wasn't enough. Too many centuries had gone by. Too many battles. Too many kills. He felt his will slipping into that dark abyss he couldn't seem to drag himself out of. He had stood with the Carpathians against the vampires, had been wounded and had been healed, but rising, had felt the darkness coiled in him, whispering continually every moment until he thought he might go mad-until he thought he would welcome madness.

  His gaze shifted to a woman in heels. Women always welcomed his attentions. He could draw them easily with his dark, seductive looks. He knew what women saw when they looked at him: a handsome man, mysterious, wealthy and very, very sexual. He looked the epitome of the predatory male and women followed him, begging to be taken to bed. He used them ruthlessly, leaving behind the impression of sexual prowess, marking them with his teeth, disgusted by their willingness to throw their bodies at him. If they only knew what he really wanted was to drain every drop of blood from their bodies, to leave them a withered shell just so he could feel the momentary rush of life.

  Temptation was overpowering, triggering a response, so that his incisors lengthened and grew, filling his mouth even as his body craved the power of the kill. Just once. The whispers grew louder, drowning out his thoughts of calling to his brothers for aid. One time only. A taste of life that would have to last him a long while. Just once. Who would know?

  The heartbeats grew louder until they thundered in his ears. He heard his own heart beating and waited for the sheep around him to follow-and they did, slowly, one by one, picking up his rhythm.

  He craved hot blood pouring into his system. He craved the feel of a woman's skin, the thrill of her body submitting to his. Only he couldn't feel it-not for real. His brothers fed him emotions like they would spoon-feed a child. It wasn't enough. Darkness called and he needed to answer. He could almost taste the power in his mouth.

  Abruptly, he turned and strode from the inn, out into the night, where he could calm his heart and try to think with more clarity. Hunger beat at him relentlessly, a dark driving obsession he couldn't shake. The night wasn't dark enough to hide in. The snow lit up the ground and kept the shadows from prevailing. He needed the shelter of the woods. Manolito switched directions and headed for deeper forest.

  «Nicolae, warrior, brother, it is good to have you home.» Mikhail clasped the forearms of the tall, ancient dark-haired hunter, greeting him with the timeless Carpathian tradition for welcoming beloved warriors home.

  Nicolae Von Shrieder stood arm to arm, staring into the eyes of his prince, emotion

  nearly choking him. It was
unexpected and shocking to feel the lump in his throat at the admiration and genuine welcome in Mikhail's greeting. He was home and he had served his people with honor and dignity for centuries. «It is good to be home, Mikhail. I serve at the will of my prince, who is the living vessel of our people, and pledge loyalty to him.» He paid the ancient homage to his prince.

  Mikhail's smile was genuine. «It has been long since I heard those words and felt the meaning behind them. It is truly good to have you home.» He turned to the woman standing beside Nicolae. She looked very apprehensive, somewhere between wanting to run-and fight. She had been through so much, her courage and strength honed in the very fires of hell.

  He clasped her forearms, looking straight into her startled aquamarine eyes, and repeated the ancient greeting, affording her the highest respect he could give her. «Destiny. Warrior. Sister. It is good to have you home.»

  She swallowed hard, glanced at her lifemate and nodded, her hands tightening on his forearms. «It is good to be home. I too serve at the will of my prince and pledge loyalty to him.»

  «You do not have to pledge your loyalty to me,» Mikhail said. «The service you have already done is more than any people could ask of you.»

  «I stand with my lifemate and wish to serve,» she replied.

  «Then I accept your offer on behalf of the Carpathian people.» He let her go, stepping away, his smile welcoming. «I have long wanted to meet the woman who has given and suffered so much for our people. Thank you for coming.»

  «I had forgotten the feel of our soil,» Nicolae murmured. «I cannot get enough of it. Destiny says all I do is roll around in bed, but it is a miracle to me to have the luxury of such richness.» He led the way through his family home. As always, the other Carpathians had kept the home clean and in good shape. The moment he had returned he had modernized it, and was proud to show off the changes.

  They sat near the fireplace, the one Destiny especially loved, and Mikhail imparted to them all the news he could think of, including his most important find, Syndil. «Do you remember anything of the ancient practices, Nicolae? A woman who could heal the earth?»

  «Of course. They were very rare and most honored. She attended all births and healings. The line was old and only the women from that line had the gift. Syndil must be a descendant.»

  «And the only one we have.»

  «There were several earth healers I ran across when I was a young man. There could be more. Rhiannon was such a healer. The gift was passed through her mother. Her father was

  Dragonseeker. She was an incredible talent even as a child. It was a great loss to our people when she was killed.»

  «Syndil is not Dragonseeker; at least I have not heard she bears the mark of the dragon. She is one of the Dark Troubadours, the lost children Darius managed to save. But we do have Rhiannon's granddaughter, Natalya, whom your brother claimed as a lifemate.»

  Nicolae smiled. «And Vikirnoff certainly has his hands full with her.»

  «The two of you have found extraordinary women.» A brief smile flirted with Mikhail's mouth. «Although Natalya did not inherit her mother's gift for healing the earth, she is a talented warrior. I believe you will enjoy her company very much, Destiny. Have you met her yet? She taught herself to be a warrior.»

  Destiny's tongue touched her lips as if they were dry. Once more her gaze flicked to her lifemate before she spoke. «She's a lot of fun. I find myself laughing around her all the time.»

  Mikhail had the feeling Destiny didn't laugh all that much. He glanced at Nicolae. The ancient's fingers were massaging the nape of her neck, a subtle show of support Mikhail often employed when Raven was in an unfamiliar situation and feeling apprehensive. He flashed another open smile at the woman. «She does love to quote old movies. I told Raven we were going to have to start watching them so I can keep up.»

  Destiny managed a small, nervous smile. «She loves old movies. Poor Vikirnoff doesn't know what she's saying half the time, but it's good for him.» She let out her breath slowly. «I've never been around a prince before. I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do.»

  «Most of the time, I'm just an ordinary man, Destiny,» Mikhail confided. He looked around and leaned forward, lowering his voice in a conspiratorial manner, although he sent his comments along to his second in command. «Unless Gregori's around, and then I suppose everyone should genuflect to make him happy.»

  Gregori's retaliation was swift. A clap of thunder shook the house, rattling the windows, and the chair Mikhail was sitting in shifted and bucked, nearly throwing him to the floor.

  Nicolae roared with laughter. «That was definitely a Daratrazanoff growling.»

  «It is not any way for a son-in-law to treat his father-in-law,» Mikhail said. A slow grin lit his eyes. «But he will find I have the last word this night.»

  «You have planned something,» Nicolae guessed.

  «We need a Santa Claus and I think Gregori Daratrazanoff will fill that role nicely.»

  Destiny looked from one laughing man to the other. «Gregori is not going to be happy. In all the time he spent trying to heal me, I only saw him smile at Savannah. Well, once he

  tried to smile at me and it was more a baring of his teeth. The thought of him entertaining a roomful of children is beyond my imagination.»

  «And everyone else's as well it seems,» Mikhail said with evident satisfaction. «How are you feeling? I know you experienced great pain on rising each day with vampire blood in your veins. Was Gregori able to fully heal you both?»

  Destiny nodded. «It seems a miracle every rising, to open my eyes and not feel as if razor blades are cutting through my skin. Gregori kept the blood, and mentioned it might be used to infect a warrior to infiltrate the ranks of the undead.» Her gaze met Mikhail's. «Don't let them do that. It's the worst thing you can imagine to have that blood in your veins every moment of your existence. It's agony, both physically and mentally. I cannot imagine what it would do to a warrior already close to the edge of madness.»

  «Nothing has been decided,» Mikhail assured. «When we are back to normal, we will all meet together. Your input is very valuable to us and we are hoping you will attend.»

  Destiny looked relieved. «Yes, of course.»

  Nicolae slid his arm along the back of her seat. «Destiny has not celebrated Christmas in years. We are going out to get a tree. Would you like to join us?»

  Mikhail shook his head regretfully. «I have a few more stops to make before we all gather at the inn. I was hoping I would have a chance to speak with MaryAnn Delaney. I understand she's staying here.»

  «Yes, she's with a young teenage girl at the moment. Francesca brought her over a few minutes ago and asked that MaryAnn speak with her. We're to take her home shortly.»

  «Young Skyler. Most of the time, a girl her age would not trigger a response in her lifemate, but she is mature beyond her years and we now have an unrequited male running loose and demanding his rights.» Mikhail sighed softly. «Skyler needs protection at all times. If we fail again, her lifemate will bind her to him and I am not certain what Gabriel will do, but it will not be pleasant.»

  «Francesca warned us,» Nicolae said. «Skyler indicated she would like to join us when we get the tree, so we'll leave as soon as MaryAnn has had some time with her. I don't anticipate any problems, but we will be careful. Destiny is a skilled hunter, so young Skyler will be doubly protected.»

  «Do not let her out of your sight,» Mikhail warned. «She has a tendency to wander off. I sometimes wonder why I press Raven to have another child. I have forgotten the trouble they can be.»

  «See!» Destiny made a face at Nicolae. «I told you they were trouble.»

  Mikhail rose. «I am off to see your brother. Is there anything you would like me to tell

  him?»

  «Just pass on that you're going to ask Gregori to play Santa Claus. Vikirnoff will definitely enjoy that news.» Nicolae stood as well to see the prince out.

  «I do not intend
to ask Gregori, Nicolae. I will give him my first order as his father-in-law.»

  Nicolae swept Destiny under his shoulder. «I so want to be there when you announce to Gregori that he will play Santa Claus tonight.»

  «I wish I was there to see Savannah's face. She has such a wonderful sense of humor. I never thought I would become friends with the daughter of a prince. Although, honestly, I think she's just happy she got to fight a vampire so she can have something to hold over Gregorys head.»

  Mikhail's face darkened and all humor left his face. «The moment something happens to my people-in particular my daughter-I am to be informed. But somehow, this small detail seems to have been omitted. Nicolae, perhaps you would be so kind as to explain, as my son-in-law failed to do so.» Gregori, did my daughter fight a vampire? And why wasn't I informed immediately? He sent a hiss of displeasure and the image of bared teeth.

  Color receded from Destiny's face, leaving her very pale. She turned to Nicolae for reassurance. Did I say something wrong?