Francesca took her hand. "I think the flower ceremony would be good for you, Skyler. Are you able to be with him intimately without panicking?"
Skyler nodded. She had become used to the open way of Carpathian communication and even with her mother, or maybe because she'd always talked things over with Francesca, talking about making love to Dimitri didn't embarrass her. "So far, so good. He's very gentle with me and patient. I love him all the more for that."
Francesca nodded. "I'm grateful he's your lifemate. He is a good man and a fierce warrior. He'll protect you always. It's nice to know he's so capable. Gabriel was telling me that just last rising." She suddenly lifted her head. "Oh, dear. I do believe your friends have tracked you down, Skyler. I love them dearly, but tonight their exuberance will be just a little too much for me."
Skyler gripped her hand, suddenly comprehending. Francesca was very pale, and she hadn't come to help save Zev, although she was a tremendous healer. "You're pregnant, aren't you? You didn't want to tell me because of this silly worry of mine."
Francesca leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Yes, I'm pregnant. With all this going on, the fighting, the scare with you, I've been a little exhausted. Gabriel wants us to go home so I can rest, but he's needed here and I don't want to leave until I know you're safe."
"Mom, you should have told me right away, instead of letting me go on and on about whether or not I could have a baby. You have to know I'm so excited and happy for you and Gabriel--for us all. I love babies. Tamara is the cutest, best sister in the world. Have you told her yet?"
Francesca shook her head. "We thought it best to see if I carry. You know it's always so scary during the pregnancy."
Skyler frowned. "Have you had trouble?"
"Just a little bit, while I was traveling. I've been spending most of my time with Sara. She's on bed rest so we've kept things as quiet as possible with everything going on. She's very near term while I'm just starting out."
Skyler let her breath out. She could hear Josef and Paul running across the field toward them, Paul whooping enthusiastically and Josef playing leapfrog over him.
"Francesca, let Gabriel take you home. Have him call in Darius and Julian." Darius was Gabriel's younger brother. "They'll come. You know they will. They can take his place. I'll be fine. I've got tons of protection. I can't turn around without stumbling over Carpathian men, watching that no assassin creeps out of the woodwork to do me in."
Francesca sighed, her fingers once more stroking lovingly through Skyler's hair. "If we go, you know Lucian and Jaxon will go with us. Lucian still watches over Gabriel like a hawk. Gabriel thinks it's funny."
"Go, Mom," Skyler encouraged. "Mikhail would tell them all to take you home." She leaned over and kissed her mother.
"You're on some kind of a hit list."
"Go. Really. I'd be on that list whether you were here or not. I'd rather know that you and the baby are out of harm's way and that you have a good chance to carry this little life to term. If it comes to me never being able to have a baby, I'll have my sisters and brothers." She hugged Francesca hard. "Go home for me, Mom."
Pounding footsteps announced the arrival of Paul and Josef.
Francesca smiled at Skyler. "That's my cue. I'll talk to Gabriel. I know Ivory and Razvan are staying close to watch over you."
"Aww, Mrs. D.!" Josef skidded to a halt and bowed low, sweeping a jaunty black fedora from his head. "Have no worries about young Skyler Rose. I'm here to save the day."
"Thank you, Josef. Now that I know she's safe, I'll go find my lifemate. Hi, Paul. It's so good to see you again. The two of you take good care of my girl."
Paul threw his arm around Skyler's neck and pretended to strangle her. "She's safe with us," he growled in a threatening manner, winking at Francesca.
Skyler ducked her shoulder and threw him in a smooth, rolling move. Paul somersaulted and landed on his feet.
"I see that you boys have this under control," Francesca said. She blew a kiss to her daughter and was gone, shifting into vapor and streaming away.
"Nice move, hotshot," Paul said admiringly. "I let you show off for your mother."
Skyler laughed. "You're the one who taught me that move so don't pout." She flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "How are you feeling? You're the only one of us who couldn't go into the ground to heal properly."
Josef snorted. "Don't go giving him any sympathy. He's been basking in it ever since he arrived here. He's got that sister of his and four aunts to fuss over him as well as his uncles, who don't dare give him the lecture he so richly deserves because they'll face the wrath of their lifemates. He's milking it."
Paul's grin turned a little sheepish. "There could be some truth in that. Better to have them all fuss over me than Zacarias and Rafael boxing my ears or something equally as nasty."
"Now he has a point," Skyler said. "I'd take the sympathy over those two, or any of the De La Cruz brothers for that matter, lecturing me."
"And you didn't fare so bad either, my man." Paul poked Josef in the ribs. "Don't think I didn't notice you basking a little yourself."
Josef smirked. "My mom and my aunt did a little fussing, I'll admit. And Byron and Vlad aren't nearly as intense as Zacarias and Rafael. It was kind of nice being spoiled after I thought I might get flayed alive over our little adventure."
"We did the right thing," Skyler said, sobering. "Thank you both. Without you, Dimitri would have died. There's no question about that. I couldn't have gone after Dimitri alone, and you both came through for me when I needed you most. I'll never forget it."
"We made a pact a long time ago to stick together," Josef said. "That's forever for me."
Paul nodded. "I'm in. I might not have forever like the two of you, but . . ."
"I'll convert you myself," Josef said. "Of course you have to be converted. Why wouldn't you? You have enough Carpathian blood in you to be Carpathian."
Paul shrugged. "I'm not certain my psychic gifts are strong enough to allow me to survive the conversion. Ginny's might be, but we don't know. I would never take chances with her, and neither would Colby, so we're just waiting to see what happens in the future."
"You're psychic enough," Josef declared.
"What's it like, Skyler? Going through the conversion? It looked horrible. I was terrified for you."
"She was dead," Josef said. "She probably doesn't remember it."
Knots formed in Skyler's stomach. She remembered every convulsion, that endless wave of pain that tore through her body, destroying everything human and reshaping to give birth to Carpathian. "I remember," she admitted in a low voice.
She shivered, her body cold, reacting to the memory. She couldn't imagine how anyone would go through it without help. Dimitri had taken the brunt of the conversion by taking over her body and riding it out, shielding her as much as he could from the pain wracking her physical body.
Do you have need of me?
Dimitri. The moment he poured into her mind, filling her with warmth and love, she felt different. Unafraid. Paul asked me about the conversion. I remember the pain. And you. You shielding me. What you did was extraordinary.
What I did was possess your body. It is forbidden.
I gave you permission and that makes it different. I don't think I ever thanked you. What you did was save my life and take away pain. I love you more than anything, Dimitri. In that moment, she wanted to reach out and touch him, to stroke her fingers down his beloved face and trace every line and scar.
I will leave this meeting with the prince and the others if you wish me to come to you.
Skyler found herself smiling. He would, too. He would just walk out of an important meeting with the prince to see to her every need or desire. She wrapped her arms around herself and hugged hard. Sometimes she couldn't believe she was so lucky.
I can visit with Josef and Paul while you work. I know that meeting is important.
We have to devise a plan to protect the council
members during the day while we're underground. At this point, no one is certain which Lycans can be trusted. Two council members and a good third of the remaining Lycans have the same little tattoo that was on the assassins.
Did Arno's guard say anything yet? she asked hopefully. Dimitri had made certain he would remain alive so they could question him.
There was a small silence. Skyler's heart jumped. Just tell me.
He's been murdered. At first we believed he'd committed suicide, but we discovered a small needle mark in his neck. Someone poisoned him.
Skyler closed her eyes briefly. Then you know for certain at least one more of the elite guards is dangerous to us all.
Or a council member. We can't rule them out. Arno was pretty outspoken against anyone with mixed blood. In fact, he was passionate about his beliefs.
He worked hard to help save Zev's life.
He doesn't know Zev is mixed blood. Dimitri flooded her with warmth again. Have fun with Paul and Josef. I'll meet you at home shortly.
The low sensual tone moved through her body like thick molasses. The man could make her want him just by looking at her let alone talking in that smooth, sexy voice.
Josef groaned aloud. "Stop talking to that man of yours and ignoring us. You've got your goofy face on."
Laughing, she nudged him with the toe of her boot. "I don't have a goofy face."
"You go all moony and dreamy," Josef accused. "It's sick."
"It's a sickness all right," Paul teased. He clasped his hands to his chest over his heart and fell backward in the grass. "Oh, Dimitri, you make me swoon."
"I'm so telling him you said that, Paul." Skyler gave him a hard punch in the thigh, hoping to give him a dead leg. "He'll be delighted to know you swoon over him."
"He's so manly and everything," Josef added.
"Ow!" Paul rubbed his thigh, glaring at her. "I've been shot, woman. Have some respect for my still healing wounds."
Josef rolled his eyes. "There he goes, looking for feminine sympathy, reminding everyone very subtly he's heroic."
Skyler gave a little derisive snort. "He's barking up the wrong tree if he expects sympathy from me. I was there, remember, Paul? Didn't you get shot in the butt?"
Josef and Skyler burst into a riot of laughter.
Paul glared at them. "I did not get shot in the butt as you well know. Fat lot of good you two are. I've got to milk this thing as long as I can. Having you two howling like hyenas isn't going to serve my cause one little bit."
"He's got a point," Josef said. "We are his best friends. We really should help him out. Zacarias and Rafael are on his butt all the time now."
"And Colby is actually supervising a 'healthy' diet for me." Paul gave a little groan. "I'm a grown man and you'd think, just because I got shot, I've reverted to being a toddler in her eyes. I actually had to sneak out to find you, Skyler. That's how close a watch they have on me."
"Poor Paul, to have to put up with all those people loving you and taking care of you," Skyler teased. "It makes me so sad for you."
Paul scowled at her. "All right, I give up." He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm getting no sympathy from this crowd."
"We could compare scars," Josef offered. "That might make you feel better. I've only got a couple." He sounded disappointed.
"Naw. Skyler would win that round," Paul said. "They riddled her with bullets. They only winged me six times."
Skyler shuddered. "Don't say 'riddled.' You both are a little out there, you know that? Who wants to get shot and compare scars?"
Josef's eyebrows shot up. "You know, woman, you just don't get it. Number one reason--chicks. Chicks love guys with heroic scars."
Paul nodded in agreement. "Totally."
Skyler shook her head. "The two of you are sad, sad, sad. You shouldn't need gimmicks to get girls."
"Are you kidding, Skyler?" Paul said. "We use whatever we can. Look at Dimitri. He suffered death by silver, valiantly staying alive, and did it work for him? In the end, he got the girl."
Laughter bubbled over. "He already had the girl. He didn't need to get hung on hooks with silver winding through his body just to impress me. I was already impressed. And that should teach you both something."
Josef and Paul looked at one another. "That you're easy?" Josef asked.
Skyler smacked him on the back of his head. "Those bullets are nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you."
"Simmer down, little sister," Josef said. "And spill your secret, because you have one and we want to know all about it."
Skyler tried her most innocent face, widening her eyes and looking very sober. "Whatever are you talking about?"
"Whatever is the word," Paul said. "I knew it. You're hiding something. You've been going off with Ivory and Razvan for hours the past couple of nights."
"He is my birth father. I'm getting to know him," Skyler defended.
"In those fancy hunting clothes of yours?" Josef asked.
"You've been spying," Skyler accused.
"Trying to spy," Paul corrected without even a small hint of remorse. "Seriously, those two were on us in a second, and even Dimitri looked intimidating when they sent us home."
Skyler scowled. "Clearly, I have a lot to learn if all three of them knew you were following us and they caught you, sent you away and never even let on. I wasn't even suspicious." She glared at them. "But I should have been. You two are awful."
"Awful good," Paul quipped. "Come on, what's the secret."
"We're getting our own pack," Skyler said. "That is, if I can master the techniques and get the hunting part down. Dimitri has no problem, but I'm always messing up."
Josef whistled. "Totally cool. A wolf pack. I always thought Ivory was the coolest of the cool, but now you're just plain ice."
Coming from Josef that was a huge compliment. Skyler laughed. "In the middle of this horrible stuff happening around and to us, I still feel I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I've got Dimitri, the two best friends ever and now Ivory and Razvan are giving us wolves to care for."
"It's a lifetime commitment, isn't it?" Paul said. "Don't the wolves have to be part of your family?"
Skyler nodded. "We have to be as committed and as devoted to them as they are to us."
"I have to agree with Josef," Paul said, "you're just plain ice."
Dimitri emerged out of thin air, startling all three of them. "Are you two gentlemen being good to my lady?"
"You mean, strangling me, putting me in head locks, and teasing me unmercifully? If so, then yes, they're being ultra-good to me," Skyler said, flinging herself into his arms. Just fitting her body against his made her feel sheltered and safe. "I missed you."
Josef groaned. "Here it comes. She'd got that goofy face again. That's our cue to leave."
"Run like a rabbit now that Dimitri's here." She began to hum an old song Francesca always sang when Skyler was younger. "My boyfriend's back . . . "
"I'm retreating gracefully," Josef said. "It's the only gentlemanly thing to do when you've got that silly look."
"I've got to agree with my bro," Paul said. "You do look a little smitten."
They each waved and began to trot back toward the village. Skyler let them get nearly to safety and then she retaliated by sending a gust of wind blowing a mini-tornado of leaves and debris around them. Twigs and moss covered both, even sticking on the spikes in Josef's hair.
"You just had to show off, didn't you?" Josef called. He spit moss out of his mouth.
"You are such a little believer in revenge," Dimitri accused and turned her in his arms so that he could look down at her face. "A beautiful one, but I am beginning to think your 'angel' title might have to be changed."
"Since you never actually called me angel," Skyler said, "I'm not offended."
"Let's hope I never offend you," Dimitri said. "Those who do, don't fare very well."
She smoothed the lines in his face with her finger. "Have you heard how Zev and Branislava are doi
ng?"
"Fen, Tatijana and I have taken turns giving them blood. Zev, so far, is only responsive when Bronnie pushes him to accept the blood. He hasn't really regained consciousness. Tatijana is worried about her sister. To hold him to us, she wove her spirit through his. Whatever his fate is, so is hers."
"Why would she do that?" Skyler asked. "He's a virtual stranger."
Dimitri shrugged. "Healers heal anyway they can. All of us have gone too far at times to save someone--even strangers. Look at Ivory. She knew she shouldn't save those wolf pups, but she couldn't stop herself."
He gathered Skyler up and took her into the air. She loved flying, by herself or with him, it didn't matter. Just the wonder of moving across a night sky, whether clouds had gathered or the stars were out in force, didn't matter. The feeling was the most amazing thing. The wind in her face, the butterflies in the stomach, and the view, was so different from the one below.
As they moved through the trees into denser forest, she began to open the buttons of Dimitri's shirt one by one, until his bare chest was exposed. Circling his neck with her arms, she leaned into him to trace the heavy muscles with her tongue. The scars were there, but no longer rigid, raw or discolored. The chain links were mere white lines, faded now. She knew she would never be able to make them disappear altogether, but she always traced the patterns over his body, delighting in the way he came to such glorious life under her ministrations.
"Take me to the fertility flower field, Dimitri," she whispered. "Make love to me there. It isn't so much that I might or might not get pregnant, but I've heard the flowers enhance the sexual need for one another. I never want to let you down. Not ever."
He switched directions. "Nothing you do would let me down. When we make love, it's always beautiful. If there's ever a problem, we'll stop and talk it out."
Skyler laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "I want more for us. I want wild, crazy sex sometimes. Not just for you, Dimitri, but for me. Sometimes when we're making love, I see those images in your mind, or maybe they're in mine and I want that for us as well as what we have now, but honestly, I'm scared at the same time."
"We have all the time in the world for wild and crazy sex, Skyler," he said gently. Once again they were out in the open air, making their way up the mountain. "Give yourself time. Sex is all about trust with us. The more you trust me, the more you know absolutely that you're safe with me, the better it will be and the more things we can do together."
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