Dark Celebration

Manolito De La Cruz filtered through the trees in a slow, steady stream, careful not to disturb the air around him. There was something exhilarating about being so close to so many hunters, his prey in the middle of their tight circle, and none of them even saw him. He couldn't leave her until he was certain she was safe. He wanted her out of the woods and back in the shelter of Nicolae's house until the party. The ancients were suspicious, doubling back several times trying to figure out where he was-who he was.

Euphoria could be as dangerous as feeling nothing at all. He felt alive, giddy with it, staring in awe at the colors, absorbing emotion that seemed to bombard his entire system. He had waited in vain for so long, living only with his memories, only with honor, and now this woman had given him life. They would not keep her from him, no matter the cost. He had lived centuries risking his life-his very soul-asking nothing in return. Until now. MaryAnn was his, and he would not give her up.

Manolito? Have you a need of me?

His brother's voice stilled the wild chaos in his mind. He needed to be cold and deliberate, planning out his campaign each step of the way. Even as Rafael reached out to him, he felt Nicolae probing, thrusting hard in an effort to catch the unwary's mind open for invasion. It had been centuries since he was able to enjoy himself, to actually feel anything, and playing hide-and-seek, as dangerous as it was, was giving him a rush of adrenaline, a powerful high. He used his hunting skills, playing cat and mouse with them all, not leaving so much as a scent or a hair to tip them off. As a Carpathian male without a lifemate, he would naturally fall under suspicion, but there were several gathering with the couples to attend the celebration. He had to appear indifferent, not so much as brush up against her, not even noticing that she was near.

Manolito. Where are you? Have you need of me? Rafael called out to him again, this time much more insistent, alarm in his voice. His brothers knew how close he was, how the beast crouched and roared and the darkness spread covering his soul.

I checked the inn for our enemies and have scanned the forests. I will be returning as soon as I ensure Juliette and Riordan are safe. I want to double their safeguards. Manolito made certain he sounded matter-of-fact, expressionless, simply a man going about his duty. His brothers, Rafael and Riordan, would definitely help him carry out his plan, but enlisting them would put them in a terrible position with their lifemates-and he didn't altogether trust the women to stay silent. None of them seemed to understand it was a saving of the soul-far more important than a life.

Rafael heaved a small sigh. That is a good idea. Juliette was so upset over her sister and cousin refusing to join us for this holiday. They never come to any of the family functions. Colby says Juliette is so unhappy, Riordan is considering leaving the ranch and going into the jungle where Jasmine and Solange live so she can be closer to them.

Manolito was silent for a moment, weighing whether or not to use this opportunity to plant a seed. He took it. It is too bad we do not have a counselor such as this woman visiting with Nicolae and Destiny. Nicolae mentioned she had helped both Destiny and the young teenager, Skyler. Perhaps Riordan should try to find someone similar near the ranch. He kept his voice as always, flat and uncaring, merely a suggestion to solve a problem. He didn't betray that his heart was accelerating or his eyes nearly blinded by the vivid brightness of the world around him.

There was another small silence. That is a good idea. I hadn't thought of that. I heard Destiny was nearly lost and this woman brought her back. Perhaps Juliette's sister would benefit from counseling as well. See to Riordan and if possible, come back before the party. I do not know if you were paying attention, but the word went out that there is a mage at work.

I have heard. He had seen Natalya do battle, and he'd stayed close to watch over MaryAnn. Now she was finally safe, back in Nicolae's house, and he could relax his vigil somewhat. Twice he had glimpsed the black wolf he knew to be Dimitri watching over young Skyler, and he felt sympathy for the man. Dimitri didn't have the choice to snatch a

child from the safety of her parents. Even Manolito would draw the line there.

He made his way back toward the inn, trying to get a feel for the mage who had attacked earlier. A mage spell such as the one that had been used wouldn't work on a hunter without a lifemate. They had no emotions to play on. This was directed at the women. And that meant all the women were in great danger. Urgency gripped him. He wanted to simply kidnap MaryAnn and rush her back to his ranch in South America. With his four brothers and their ranch hands available to help see to her safety, there would be no chance of anything-or anyone-harming her.

Away from Nicolae's house-and temptation-Manolito shifted into mist and streamed through the forest toward the cave of healing. He knew the safeguards had been woven, but with enemies so close, he wanted to take extra precautions. Maybe he was simply uneasy with so many other Carpathians around. The De La Cruz family was used to relying on one another, and he wasn't taking chances with his youngest brother's life. He had a nagging feeling that just wouldn't go away, and he never ignored those feelings.

He streamed into the cave through one of the narrow chimneys and dropped down to the main floor. There was a network of chambers and pools and instead of going directly to the chamber where Riordan and Juliette rested, he moved slowly through the others, trying to feel with every sense, wanting to rid himself of the plaguing feeling that something wasn't quite right. The mage knew Juilette was injured. He had set her up for the vampire to make the kill. He would know her lifemate would rest with her in the healing soil, and if he knew where the caverns were that were routinely used, wouldn't it be the perfect place to strike? That's what Manolito would have done.

He took his time, hiding his presence as he examined each chamber. He was adept at concealing himself, and he assumed his enemies would be as well. He looked for a small anomaly, a rift in the natural harmony, one small sign of malignancy. To his shock, as he entered the chamber where his brother lay, Mikhail Dubrinsky stood examining the walls and floor of the cavern, a small frown on his face. He turned his head at Manolito's approach, moving into a better defensible position.

Manolito took his human form, striding across the cavern floor, automatically checking on his brother as he did so. Riordan appeared to be resting peacefully beneath the ground with Juliette. "You should not be out here alone," Manolito said. Already he was moving to protect the prince, reaching to Rafael, concerned that their prince was so exposed. "Where is your second?"

Mikhail gave him a faint smile. "I do not need a bodyguard to travel in my home territory, Manolito."

"I disagree and cannot imagine that Gregori would want you traveling alone. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I began to worry that Riordan and Juliette might be attacked as they lay in their resting

place." Mikhail raked a hand through his dark hair. "I suppose I second-guess our enemy far too much."

"I had the same thought. I did not like that the dark mage has sent an emissary or come himself. He uses things we do not have adequate safeguards against." Manolito studied the prince's face. He looked older than Manolito remembered him even the week before. There was sorrow in his eyes, and a trick of the light made him look as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

"We have certainly learned we have to protect below ground as well as above. Our resting places are no longer the safe havens we thought them," Mikhail agreed. "How are you feeling? I know your wounds were quite serious. Has Gregori examined you to ensure that you are completely healed?"

"I'm fine. I have been wounded many times and will be again." Manolito examined the walls of the cavern. "Do you believe Xavier has been able to unite the vampires against us?"

"Whoever has united our enemies, whether it be the Malinov brothers or Xavier and Razvan, doesn't really matter. They have come together and we have no choice but to deal with them." Mikhail added a complicated weave to the safeguard already surrounding the couple in the earth. "I can find no evidence in here, or throughout the network of caves, that our enemy is lying in wait. Have you?"

"No." Manolito admitted with some reluctance as he added his own strands of safeguard, peculiar only to his family, one that would be difficult-and slow-to unravel, with serious consequences if it were done improperly. Riordan would recognize his handiwork immediately. He had found no evidence, but he still wasn't convinced his youngest brother was entirely safe-and that didn't sit well with him.

The two walked together out of the chamber and started down the narrow passageway leading back up toward the surface. Manolito tried to move just ahead of the prince, still uneasy, still feeling edgy, in spite of his examination of the entire cavern.

"I have to see Falcon and Sara, and then head over to touch base with Gregori and my daughter," Mikhail said. "I will be glad when this night is over. Did you check the inn? Skyler has indicated several times that she thinks the surge of power is coming from that direction."

"Yes, but I will go back again. Falcon told me he was bringing the children there in about an hour. I want to make one more sweep before all the women and children arrive," Manolito replied. "Just to be sure they are safe."

His restless gaze moved over the ground, the walls, the roof of the cavern as they walked quickly through the passage. The sound of the water dripping was relentless. It seemed overly loud in the chambers, the endless rhythm blocking out any whisper of sound that

might alert him to danger. He tried to tone down the volume, but the sound only seemed louder, almost booming through the caves.

Manolito halted, placing his body between Mikhail's and the cavern. "I don't like this."

"I haven't liked any of this for a long time," Mikhail answered.

They both studied the passageway. They were only a few feet from the entrance. Light from snow and ice spilled along the opening for several feet as if in invitation. Small formations of ice had formed on the ceiling of the passageway, long, narrow spears of various colors.

Manolito shook his head, holding up his hand. "Let me go first. Just wait here and see if I trigger a trap, or perhaps we can move through as vapor and see what happens."

"If they're here, we want to know it. Your brother lies asleep with his lifemate. One of our women is about to give birth. We have to know if our enemies have invaded our chambers as well."

Manolito nodded and took several cautious steps, keeping an eye on the ice spears overhead. With each step he took, the ice rippled as if a vibration had gone through it.

"Go to mist," Manolito instructed the prince, concern shadowing his mind.

Dirt and ice spewed into the air right at the prince's feet, a geyser of soil spraying high between the hunter and Mikhail, opening the earth where Mikhail would have stepped.

"Go! Get out of here," Manolito ordered, swinging back.

The hole widened and deepened with blurring speed, a yawning crevice cracking beneath the prince even as he began to dissolve into vapor. A clawed hand reached from the dark hole and wrapped around Mikhail's ankle, talons biting deep into flesh. The hold prevented the change and the creature jerked hard, determined to drag the prince beneath the ground.

A collective gasp went up from the Carpathian people. It was Mikhail who connected them together. Mikhail who provided the common path of communication, and it was Mikhail who held the past and future together with the present for the Carpathian people. They all knew the moment he was in trouble-under attack.

Raven's soft cry of distress only added to the alarm and shock.

Manolito ignored it all, dissolved into vapor, sliding through the geyser of soil to the other side. Mikhail struggled to stay out of the gaping hole ripped in the floor of the passageway. The talons had torn two holes in his ankles. Mikhail could feel the razor tips of the vampire's claws meeting in his very flesh. The creature gulped his blood, teeth trying to tear at his flesh for more, all the while making hideous noises, as he wrenched at Mikhail's leg in an effort to drag him below to his lair.

Vampire, yet not. Mikhail sent to Manolito.

Manolito dove straight into the ground, aiming for the creature's upturned face. At the last instant before contact, he shifted form into that of a harpy eagle, the great curved beak, razor-sharp talons curved and wicked. He went straight for the eyes. As he entered the killing grounds of the unknown creature-a mixture of vampire and something hideously evil, he thought of MaryAnn. I am sorry.

For one brief moment he felt her awareness, bewildered and frightened. He touched her mind, one brief caress, and he let her go. Better not to have found her than to take her with him to the grave. And entering the burrow of an unknown enemy was tantamount to suicide. The prince had to be protected and there was no hesitation on his part. If his life was forfeit, his people would still go on.

The eagle ripped at the vampire's red-rimmed eyes, shredding skin over the throat and chest, digging deep and fast in an effort to force the creature to give up its prey. It had no choice, not if it wanted to survive. The abomination wrenched its claws from Mikhail's ankle and stabbed viciously at the eagle.

Go! Go! Get out of here! Manolito shouted at Mikhail as the dirt and rocks began pouring in over his head. One rock hit the eagle hard, knocking it sideways so one great wing crumpled. Manolito switched forms, trying to get a purchase in the soft dirt to get out before the rapidly filling dirt could close over his head. He used his hands to catch at roots to hold himself up as he kicked at the clawing creature with his foot. The dirt and debris rained on his head, filled his mouth so that he spat and closed his eyes, once more shifting to stay alive beneath the dirt.

Mikhail swore as the hole closed, trapping the hunter beneath the ground. He shifted to the body of a badger, plowing his way through the layers of soil, reaching for Manolito, all the while sending waves of tremors through the earth, hoping to disorient the monster.

Both hunter and hunted were blind now, the eagle having done its work. Manolito tried to utilize the senses of the giant mole he had become in order to find his way to the top. He heard the prince digging, felt the earth shake and knew Mikhail hadn't left him. He began frantically tunneling up toward the prince.

It was the mole that sensed the creature coming up behind it, but Manolito went silent, shrinking the mole to normal size, waiting until he felt the hot breath on the mole's face before he struck hard, leaping forward, ripping with his own claws, a savage attack that scored. He couldn't see it, but he could feel the blood burning through his body, heard the horrible howl of pain, and suddenly it was gone, dropping through the soil where Manolito had no hope of following it.

The dirt above him was nearly gone, thanks to Mikhail's efforts. He made short work of it and as he broke through the surface, he shifted once more, throwing himself across the top of the ground, breathing in fresh air.

"Your blood or his," Mikhail demanded.

"Mostly his," Manolito answered, desperately trying to regain his control. He couldn't afford for the prince to realize he'd regained emotion and for the first time in his life, he had experienced claustrophobia. "It feels like vampire blood, it burns like acid, yet he did not act as any vampire I have ever encountered. He didn't seem experienced in an actual fight." Manolito sat up slowly, buying a little more time. "He laid a great trap, but he cannot really fight. He was relying on poison to stop us. It's in his claws."

"Are Juliette and Riordan safe beneath the surface?"

"I don't think he can get to them. He cannot get past the safeguards. Don't you find that strange? He can do so much, yet he falls short when it comes to finishing."

"I fear Razvan was not slain as we had hoped." Mikhail reached out and circled his ankle, inspecting the damage. "He is good at the planning of a battle, but from what I understand he was unable to make up his own spells and safeguards. That would mean he could not unravel them." I am tired, Raven. So very tired.

Gregori comes to you, my love. Her voice was a soft caress. There have been so many battles lately. This is my fault. I should not have insisted on bringing everyone together. The responsibility of their safety weighs on you.

Gregori tore into the passageway, a thundering cloud of vapor, already shifting. He came striding toward them, his silver eyes blazing, his long hair streaming behind him, his face a grim mask. Muscles ran like steel beneath his skin and he moved with fluid grace. He simply bent and ran his hands over Mikhail, looking for every scratch that could have opened a doorway for poison. "Our people are grateful to you, Manolito. We cannot thank you enough for your intervention."

Ah, old friend. Must you treat me like a child in front of the children?

Do not make a joke. How many times is this now that our enemies have set traps for you? Raven and Savannah are both distressed, both in tears. For that alone I could tear out your heart. His hands were extraordinarily gentle as he examined the prince.

"Manolito has several burns and claw marks," Mikhail said.

Gregori eyed his prince warily. Mikhail always responded to his outrageous threats, but this time he didn't even attempt a quip. Alarmed, Gregori went over his body a second time to make certain he had assessed the damage correctly. "I will take you home to Savannah to heal your ankle, if you do not mind, Mikhail. It will do her good to see you and I will be able to spend more time making certain I have all the poison out."

"Whatever is best for you, Gregori."

Gregori's dark brow rose and once again, his slashing silver gaze probed the prince. He

finally turned to Manolito and cleansed the burns from the acid blood, healing the few claw marks on his face and chest, checking to make certain he had pushed all the poison from his body. "You should rest," he advised.

"I will go to ground after the celebration. I think every warrior should be close just in case," Manolito said.

Gregori nodded. "Thank you again for your service to our people."

"The allegiance of the De La Cruz family has always been pledged to our prince," Manolito said. He sketched a small salute and left the two alone.

"Are you all right, Mikhail? Really all right?" Gregori asked.

Mikhail was silent for a few moments. "Yes, of course. I am just tired of so many of my people having to make a decision to exchange their life for mine. It is difficult to live with oneself after a time." He didn't wait for Gregori to reply. He shimmered into mist and streamed from the caverns toward his daughter's home.

Savannah waited anxiously for them, her thick blue-black hair a long rope down her back, anxiety in her deep blue-almost violet-eyes. She threw her arms around Mikhail's neck and held him tightly. "Papa, we were all so worried."

"I know, csitri," he replied. "I'm sorry. I'm fine, just a scratch."

"You've always called me your little girl, but now that I'm grown"-Savannah reached for Gregori, clung to his hand-"you only do so when things aren't very good. How bad are you hurt, really, Papa?" She looked up at her lifemate. "Gregori?"

Gregori framed her face with his large hands, thumbs brushing gently over her mouth. "You know I would never allow anything to happen to your father. He has a torn ankle and I'm going to take a good look at it." His silver gaze slid over Mikhail.

"Do not look at me like that," Mikhail snapped, his hand sliding down to his ankle. The pain was nearly impossible to block. "What would you have me do? Stand by and watch a man who risked his life for me die?"

Gregori waved his hand and a cushioned stool slid in front of Mikhail. "Yes. That is what I would have you do. I would not expect it of you, but yes, I would prefer it. One of these days, you are not going to survive these continual attacks on you. If you cannot think of yourself or your lifemate, perhaps you might think what would happen to your people." His voice was mild as he delivered what was definitely a reprimand.

Savannah ducked her head, flinching a little, her protest dying under Gregori's slashing gaze. She brushed back her father's hair with gentle fingers. "It was courageous of you, but you could have been killed."

"And what of the hunter, Manolito De La Cruz, who risked everything to save me? He went willingly into the burrow, knowing what it was, knowing he probably would die. I am to ignore that? I cannot, Gregori. I will not."

Gregori shrugged his broad shoulders. "I suppose you could not. That is why you are the prince. But in truth, De La Cruz did his duty to his people. He has his honor and he can live with that. It is what we all do, Mikhail, and even you have to live within the rules of our society. We cannot exist without you."

"There is Savannah."

"We do not know if she is a living vessel for our people. And she is female. She is needed to provide children. If she ruled, we could not chance it." Gregori bent to examine the wounds in Mikhail's ankle. "This is very similar to the attack on Natalya's ankle just before the big battle. Razvan attacked her from below ground and injected her with poison using the tips of his claws. How are you feeling?"

"Like he tore a hole through my ankle clear to the bone," Mikhail admitted. When Gregori continued to look at him, he sighed. "The leg is weak and I feel sick."

Savannah went to wipe the blood away, using a soft wet cloth. "This should help a little with the pain," she explained. "I know you're having a difficult time controlling it and I put a soother in the water."

Before she could touch her father, Gregori caught her arm and pulled her away from the wound. "I think we will treat this as if it is poison."

Savannah glared at him. "You're going to go into his body and destroy the poison, aren't you? So big deal if I help my father feel a little better."

Gregori paused, his black brow shooting up. "It is unlike you to snarl at your lifemate, Savannah. Perhaps you are more upset than you realize that your father has been injured. And you wept over that ridiculous dish your mother asked you to make."

Color stained her cheeks. "I did not cry over it. I told you that." She glared at him. Don't tell my father that. He'll tell my mother and then she'll feel bad. And stop giving me orders. I just don't feel like putting up with it today.

Gregori caught both her arms and pulled her into the shelter of his body. "You are near tears again. What is wrong with you? Is it the baby?" His hand brushed over her hair with exquisite gentleness.

"Baby? What baby?" Mikhail asked, shifting position so he could look at his daughter's stomach. Savannah was small, like her mother. Now that Gregori had spilled the news, he could see that she was definitely thicker around the waist and he found himself smiling in spite of the pain.

She gasped and hit Gregori's shoulder with her clenched fist. "You weren't supposed to tell. I was going to tell them."

"What is wrong?" Gregori demanded, catching her fist and opening it, to place a kiss in the center of her palm. He cast a swift glance at Mikhail. "I can always remove your father's memories."

"Oh, I'd like to see you try that," Mikhail scoffed. "And if you're making my baby girl cry, you're going to see what a prince can do when he's angry."

"I'm having twins," Savannah announced. "Girls."

"We only heard one heartbeat, felt one life," Gregori objected, giving her a narrow-eyed glance. "She's having a baby. A boy."

"The other was there, hiding behind her sister. There are two of them, both girls and I'm going to be as big as a house. And you re going to be just awful, ordering me around. If you think he's bad about giving you orders, Papa, trust me, he's way worse with me."

Gregori shook his head. "Not girls, Savannah. We need sons. Warriors. Daratrazanoffs guard the prince."

"Well I'm sorry to tell you this, but they are definitely girls. Not sons. Daughters. I connected with both of them. There's no doubt."

Mikhail leaned back with a satisfied smirk on his face. "And you so deserve this, Gregori. You cannot imagine how much I'm going to enjoy watching you survive, not one, but two little daughters."

Gregori simply stood there looking as shocked as he was capable of looking. "How could I not know? I examined you myself." He shook his head again. "You must be mistaken. I cannot be wrong."

"She hid."

His brows drew together. "That is unacceptable."

Mikhail laughed. "I'm certain your infant daughter will do exactly as you command, Gregori. And as toddlers, they will really listen to you."

"Savannah, I am serious. You talk to them," Gregori commanded. "I cannot have one hiding from me when I make certain they are healthy."

"Your manner was gruff and you frightened her."

"I'm her father and I shouldn't frighten her."

Mikhail sighed. "I'm bleeding and I have to be up and running in good form in a few minutes, so I suggest you get over your shock that the world doesn't do everything you dictate and get on with healing me."

Gregori swung around, all cool elegance and danger. "You put her up to this, didn't you, Mikhail?"

"Put her up to giving you twin girls? If I had thought of it, I would have, but my imagination doesn't stretch quite that far." Mikhail shifted his leg and tried not to wince.

At once Gregori was all business. "Savannah, stay away from the blood just in case it is as poisonous as I believe it to be." He shed his body fast, becoming pure white light, a glowing energy that entered Mikhail's body and moved quickly to the wound. As expected, the poison was a problem. He was thorough, making certain to chase down every drop, push it out of Mikhail's body and heal his ankle from the inside out.

"It is done, but it will be weak for a while. Stay off it as much as possible until you can go to ground and allow the soil to rejuvenate you."

"Of course."

"I don't suppose you'd agree to lie down for an hour or two now and skip a small part of the festivities."

Mikhail felt Raven's light touch brushing in his mind. Perhaps you should do as he says. She sounded anxious.

"No." I am fine, Raven, just a little tired. I want to come home and hold you for a while. That will do me more good than going to ground.

Then come home.

Did you hear the news? Did Savannah tell you? She carries twin girls.

I heard. She is very excited. Raven didn't add anything more and he knew she was trying to sound happy and brave for her daughter. Carrying twins would be much more difficult than a single child and Raven was fully aware of that. She didn't want the sorrow of losing children for her daughter.

"I need to get home to Raven," Mikhail said. "Savannah, sweetheart, as always you are so beautiful. I think pregnancy agrees with you. Have you kept this secret for long? To know if they are girls or boys you must be several months along."

"We didn't want to say anything until we were certain I had a good chance of carrying." She smiled up at Gregori and once again he leaned down to kiss her.

"Son," Mikhail said softly, putting a hand on Gregori's back.

The Dark One stiffened and spun around, his silver eyes going molten. "Son?" he echoed. "Since when does my prince address his second in command and oldest friend in this manner?"

Mikhail's lips twitched. Inside, where only Raven could hear, he was roaring with laughter, but he managed to keep his mask intact. "You are family-my son-in-law, and I think of you as son upon occasion," Mikhail said rubbing his temples as if they ached, looking as pitiful and tired as he could.

"Oh, you do, do you?" Gregori folded his arms across his chest and cast a suspicious look around the room. Colorful flies and beetles clung to the walls and windowpanes. Some crawled from beneath the door to join the others. He glared at the insects and swung his gaze back to his father-in-law. "There seems to be an inordinate amount of bugs invading my home. I think we need a particularly venomous pesticide. Your sudden paternal feelings don't have anything to do with the insects, do they?"

Mikhail groaned softly.

"Gregori!" Savannah scowled at him. "My father is in terrible pain. He's treating you like family and you re not at all being nice. Get him a pillow for his back."

"Thank you, sweetheart, but I cannot really stay. I need to finish up the details for tonight. I'm certain whatever you made will be fine, and if it isn't, there will be plenty of other dishes." Mikhail swung his legs back down to the floor and waited a moment for the pain to subside. Gregori was right. He had healed the wound as best he could and removed the poison, but it was tender and raw. He needed to go to ground to complete the process and until morning, he would have to live with the ache.

"Here, Dad," Gregori said with heavy sarcasm, "let me help you up. Is there anything else you need?"

Mikhail allowed him to help him to the door. "Now that you mention it, son, yes." He wrapped his arm around Savannah and kissed her cheek. "Congratulations, honey, I will look forward to having granddaughters." He smiled at Gregori. "I'd like you to play the role of Santa Claus for the children tonight. It's a big responsibility and obviously you're the best choice for the job." He pulled a red cap topped with a white knitted snowball out of the air and plopped it on top of Gregori's head. "I've brought along the costume, although there's some controversy over whether Santa wears red tights or not." He waved the tights under Gregori's nose.

Gregori snatched the tights from Mikhail's hand and the hat from his head. "Mikhail..." His teeth came together in a loud snap of warning. "You wouldn't dare do that to me." He looked around the room at the insects decorating his walls. "I see now why my brothers have decided to visit." He waved his hands creating a wild wind that blew like a cyclone through the house.

The insects wavered, shifting into men, all laughing uproariously. Lucian clapped him on the back and Gabriel ruffled his hair. "Congratulations, little brother, you drew the short stick."

"You all knew about this?" Gregori demanded. He made a grab for Mikhail, but the prince was already out the door with a cheery little wave.

Darius touched fists with Julian, the pair of them grinning at each other. The others whooped with laughter.

"Out," Gregori ordered. "Every last one of you."

"I wouldn't mind seeing the cap on your head again." Darius wiggled his fingers as if Gregori should spin around and model for them.

"Put on the tights," Jacques encouraged.

"Get. Out." Gregori enunciated each word.

"Sure, sonny boy," Julian snorted. "We'll leave you to practice for your command performance tonight."

Another whoop of laughter filled the house, threatening to take off the roof. Gregori held open the door and simply pointed. The men filed out, large grins on their faces.

Gregori kicked the door closed and turned to his lifemate. "I'm killing your father. I've decided the Carpathian people can do without him just fine."

Savannah pressed her hand tightly over her mouth. "It's really an honor." The words came out muffled as she choked on her laughter.

He held up his hand. "Don't. Do not say another word."

She slipped her arm around his waist and leaned into him. "Is it really so terrible?"

"You saw them. Every single male in the territory was here. Your father set me up."

Savannah was silent for a moment. "Then I guess we have to figure out a way to turn the tables on them all, don't we?"

He wrapped a fistful of hair around his hand and stared down into her upturned face, always so beloved to him. "Just what are you thinking?"

A slow smile lit her eyes. "They want Santa Claus? I'm a magician aren't I? The great Savannah Dubrinsky? And you are Gregori, commander of earth, spirit, fire and water. You call down the weather and make the earth tremble. Santa Claus is going to be a piece of cake. I do wish they had given us a little more time to prepare. But we'll give them the best

Santa Claus ever. No child will be afraid of you and you won't be falling on your face like they all expect."

"Are you certain it wouldn't be simpler just to do in your father and bury his body somewhere in the forest?" Gregori sounded hopeful.

She went up on her toes to press kisses against his mouth. "You are so bloodthirsty."

He placed his hand over her rounded stomach. "There are really two little girls growing inside of you?"

She nodded, placing her hand over his. "Yes. We really managed to shock you, didn't we?"

"I'm a healer, ma petite. I should know what is going on inside your body at all times. How else will I keep you healthy?"

She brought his hand to her mouth, nibbling on his fingers. "I like that we can occasionally surprise you."

"Oh, you do that, Savannah," he assured her. "You always do that."