Dark Celebration

"What is that terrible racket?" Mikhail said in greeting as Aidan Savage opened the door to the large cabin. Mikhail hadn't seen him in several years and he couldn't help smiling as he clasped Aidan's forearms in a warrior's greeting.

Aidan's unusual eyes glittered like two ancient gold coins. "You honor us, Mikhail, with your presence."

"Please tell me Byron's nephew, Josef, is not already here visiting." Mikhail hesitated in the doorway, the lines in his face deepening in disapproval.

"This seems to be the place to gather. Josh has a new video game Alexandria designed and everyone wants to try it. Josef is definitely here," he added in warning as he stepped back to allow Mikhail entrance.

Mikhail paused, one foot in the air. "Perhaps we should have Byron send for him immediately."

Aidan smirked. "You say that as if he's a vampire."

"I would rather face a vampire. I was hoping he might stay in Italy. Byron probably brought him along as a practical joke."

"He is rather entertaining once you get past his exuberant manners," Aidan said.

Mikhail's dark eyebrows drew together. "He draws attention to himself, and does not practice the most basic of our skills."

"I did see him take a plunge off the roof this evening and when he shifted shape, he only made it partway."

"You sound amused," Mikhail said with a sigh. "He is in his twenties. We can no longer afford for our children to take so many years to grow up."

Aidan shook his head. "He's a mere teen in our years, Mikhail. We have lived far too long in the world of humans and have begun to think as they do. Our children deserve a childhood, Mikhail. I enjoy watching young Joshua grow. Josef is happy and healthy..."

"Joshua is human. Josef is not. And the world has become a much more dangerous place for our kind, Aidan," Mikhail pointed out. "We are surrounded by enemies and our women and children are the most vulnerable. We need Josef and in order to ensure his safety, he must learn the ways of our people. Can he even weave his own safeguards?"

Aidan nodded. "You are right, of course. I have been concerned ever since the concentrated strike against us, since the assassination attempt on you-that our enemies will decide to strike against our women and children. I will speak to Byron about Josef's training, make certain he is being schooled adequately to prepare for an attack."

"It has occurred to me that our women must be prepared as well." Mikhail lowered his voice, taking Aidan by the arm and leading him to a quiet corner away from the ruckus in the living room. "We have always protected the women."

"They are of the light," Aidan said. "They do not have the darkness needed for the kill."

"So we all thought, but self-preservation and dwindling hunters may bring new needs.

Times change, Aidan, and frankly, we are facing extinction. We can no longer rely on the old ways. We have to be prepared to face the new challenges with new ideas."

"The ancient ones may not like your progressive thinking."

A small smile softened the hard line of Mikhail's mouth. "I think the ancient ones are far more progressive and flexible in their thinking than we are. However, I do have some concerns with this Christmas party Raven has insisted on."

"Alexandria thought it was a good idea as well," Aidan said. "It gives her a chance to meet with the other women. She also feels it will aid Shea in giving birth. With so many of us here, there is a better chance the child will survive."

"Shea is close, this night or the next. Raven, like Alexandria, feels the party will create a feeling of family among the Carpathian couples and give hope to the remaining males, especially with the female children and Shea having a successful birth."

"Alexandria is in the kitchen. Joshua and Josef invented a high-speed mixer to help her prepare the dish she is making for tonight's event. I think they wanted out of peeling potatoes. You will have to come in and meet her, although she's a little anxious about meeting you."

"Me?" Mikhail scowled. "Why would she fear meeting me?"

"I have heard you can be intimidating," Aidan said with a small grin.

Mikhail's smile was slow in answering. "These women." He shook his head, then paused, looking suddenly hopeful. "Unless it was Josef..." He watched the furious battle taking place on the television screen. Alexandria's brother Josh, curls bouncy on his head as he used a controller, laughed aloud as his character did a backflip over Josef's character. Josef, directing his character with his mind, had the man whirling around so fast he nearly tripped over his own feet.

"Alexandria came up with this game? It is good practice for Josef-for any of our people," Mikhail said. "How did she think of such a thing?"

"Josh and I like to play video games together and we make poor Alex watch us all the time. She still does graphics for a video company and when she realized I could direct the characters with my mind, she came up with this game for Josh and me as a Christmas gift."

"She is a very intelligent woman. Are you thinking of marketing these games?"

"Yes. So many of the others have seen it and wanted it. Alexandria already has ideas for a couple more of them. Because we have Josh, who is human, and Falcon and Sara have the seven children they adopted, she is planning to set the game up to be able to use controllers if necessary. It gives us one more thing we can interact with and appear human. We'll be able to play online with one another as well."

"It is a wonderful idea. Hopefully, it will help bring us all closer when we live such distances apart." Mikhail rubbed his jaw. "I need to speak to your brother about Dimitri. As I recall, Julian and Dimitri were fairly good friends in their youth."

"Yes they were," Aidan said. "Is Dimitri here?"

"He has come from the forests of Russia to join us, yet he remains in the form of a wolf most of the time and is prowling the woods. If you see Julian before I do, have him make contact. I believe he knows Dimitri better than any other Carpathian. They may have even exchanged blood after a battle. I want Dimitri monitored while he is in such close proximity to our women."

Aidan's head went up alertly. "You are concerned that Dimitri has turned?"

"We can no longer count on reading minds and feeling the disturbance of power or evil. The vampires could very well send an enemy into our camp. I do not believe Dimitri has turned, but I am concerned that he is struggling. With so many women close to him, it is possible he will have the necessary hope to continue his struggle, or it will push him in the wrong direction. It is just better to be careful."

"He has long battled the vampires alone in his area," Aidan agreed. "Too many kills so often take its toll on the hunter."

Mikhail sighed. "I cannot save them all, Aidan."

"No, but you do what is necessary for saving our people, Mikhail, and that is all you can ask of yourself. Come meet my lifemate."

Mikhail followed Aidan down the long hall toward the kitchen. "Raven asked me to play Santa Claus. St. Nick. You know, the character in the red suit with the long white beard."

Aidan halted so abruptly that even with his graceful, flowing strides, Mikhail nearly ran into him. "You are going to play Santa Claus?"

Mikhail shook his head, wicked amusement gleaming in his eyes. "That is what my son-in-law is for."

"Gregori?" Aidan's white teeth flashed. The clouds shifted and the light from the moon spilled across the Carpathian turning his hair and eyes to an ancient, antique gold. "I have to be there when you tell him."

"I suspect his house will be overrun with spiders, mice and a few birds," Mikhail said with evident satisfaction. "I would enjoy meeting your very talented lifemate. Lead the way. Just the thought of Gregori in that ridiculous getup has lightened my mood considerably. Alexandria will not find me in the least intimidating."

Aidan hesitated, his hand on the door. "Alexandria first knew of our race through the

vampires. She was captured along with her little brother. The vampire chained her and fed on her, wanted her to kill her brother and both would feed on him. She still has nightmares. I catch echoes of them when she is in between our sleep and waking. Joshua no longer remembers, but she doesn't want to hide what we are from him. And that means he has to know we are hunted. It was courageous of her to come here-to put aside her fears and meet the other women."

"Have you discussed having children?"

Aidan shook his head. "Not yet. She is well aware of the mortality rate of our infants and she lost so much so young."

Mikhail nodded. "Gary has mentioned that it is possible that the closer the birth of the baby is to conversion, the less likely it is that we will lose it. He thinks the longer the women are Carpathian, the more likely miscarriages will occur and the less likely there will be female children, but why that would be we have no answers, especially as Francesca had a daughter."

"At least we have Joshua, who is more of a son than a sibling to Alexandria. So far she has been unable to conceive, so there has been no choice for us one way or the other."

Mikhail continued to look at him, straight in the eye, a relentless, driving command. Aidan sighed. "I will discuss it with her."

"You do that. Our people need every child, every female we can possibly get at this point. Our hunters are desperate, Aidan."

"I was one of the desperate hunters, Mikhail," Aidan said quietly. "I know my duty to our people."

"Aidan!" Joshua come up behind him and tugged at his arm. "Aren't you going to play with us? Josef put the game on pause so we could wait for you."

Aidan affectionately ruffled the boy's hair. "In a minute, Josh. Alexandria hasn't met Mikhail yet. He is the leader of our people, a very important man."

Josh's eyes widened and he stared up at the prince.

Mikhail looked down at the boy with his slight build and head of curls, at Aidan's hand tugging at a curl, and he felt a sudden ache in his chest. He wanted another child. One that looked at him the way the boy was looking at Aidan. He wanted a village filled with children, with their laughter and their bright eyes and hope shining on their faces.

His gaze rested on Josef who had followed Joshua, and for the first time he felt kindly toward the boy. Josef had gained a few inches in height, taking on more of the look of the Carpathian male with broad shoulders, but he was still gangly, as thin as a rail, and with his black hair cut into spiky sticks with the tips dyed blue, he looked like a bizarre scarecrow.

"Hello, Josef. It is good to see you again."

The boy looked scared for a moment, and then he flashed a cocky grin. "You too, Your Royal Highness. Are we supposed to bow?"

Aidan smacked him on the back of his head with a low warning growl, and Mikhail scowled, his black eyes glittering with sudden menace. The house pulsed with sudden energy and the walls undulated.

Josh pushed open the kitchen door and ran. "Alex! There's someone here."

At the fear in her younger brother's voice and the danger shimmering in the room, Alexandria whirled around with preternatural speed, her body a blur. The high-speed, souped-up mixer was in her hands, still on. Garlic-cheese mashed potatoes splattered onto the walls and ceiling. One glob hit Mikhail squarely on his left cheekbone. Alexandria gasped aloud and stood frozen, holding the mixer upright-sending more potatoes flying around the room. Her horrified gaze remained fixed on the prince.

For a long moment there was only the sound of the mixer and the potatoes striking surfaces all over the room-and the prince's wide chest. Josh giggled. Josef let out a strangled cough, and both boys grabbed their midsections and doubled over laughing. The sound galvanized Aidan into action. He waved to knock the power out of the mixer, and moved across the room with dizzying speed to remove the appliance from Alexandria's hands, placing himself between his lifemate and his prince.

For a moment there was only the sound of the boys' laughter. Alexandria twisted her fingers in the back pocket of Aidan's jeans. I cannot believe I did that. Whatever is he going to think of me?

It was obvious she was trying to hold back her own laughter even though she was mortified.

Aidan turned slightly to brush his knuckles down the side of her face gently, all the while keeping a wary eye on the prince. It was a small accident, nothing more, he assured her. He could feel his own laughter bubbling up. It was difficult to stand still and keep a straight face with gobs of cheesy garlic potatoes speckling the prince's clothes and his left cheek.

Mikhail's mouth twitched and he covered his lips with his hand. "It is unnecessary to stand in front of your lifemate as if I might incinerate her on the spot for decorating my clothing, Aidan."

"Is that how I look?" Aidan's eyebrow quirked upward.

Josh nodded, still laughing. "Like you're going to hit someone."

Aidan held up the mixer, aiming it toward Josh. "I am thinking about it."

"Point it more toward Josef," Mikhail suggested.

Alexandria cleared her throat, trying to sound sincere when she really wanted to laugh. "I'm terribly sorry," she said aloud to Mikhail. "The mixer got away from me."

"You look a great deal like your brother," Mikhail pointed out as he calmly brushed the potatoes from his face and chest. "Fortunately, I am Carpathian and these things are of little consequence-other than to provide amusement for our younger children." His black eyes narrowed, turned dangerously green-yellow-a wolf's eyes-glowing as his gaze settled on Josef. A low growl rumbled through the room, impossible to tell where it came from-but distinctive all the same.

Josef swallowed his laughter and straightened up, moving away from Mikhail. The prince kept his face like stone, although amusement welled up, threatening to spill over. How long since he'd heard the sound of young children laughing? He needed to spend more time with Falcon and Sara's adopted children. The young always brought hope and the ability to see with fresh excitement the world around them. He needed another child in his home, clinging to his leg and looking up at him the way Joshua was looking up at Alexandria.

Mikhail. Skyler wishes to go home. Do you come back to escort her, or should I? Raven's voice interrupted his thoughts. He had much to do, but so did Raven. "I had hoped to speak with you some more, Aidan, but Skyler is in our home and needs escorting back to her home. I will return as soon as I am assured she is safe."

"I was about to go over to see Desari," Alexandria said quickly. "I can get Skyler safely home. I'd like to walk in the fresh air anyway. I'm a poor cook..."

Joshua snickered. "She's always been bad. Burns everything."

Alexandria tugged on one of his curls in retaliation, laughing softly. "Sadly, it's true. I'm a terrible cook, but perhaps you and Aidan can rescue the potatoes."

Mikhail's hand stopped in the act of brushing the last of the white globs away. "Me? Cook?"

"I can do it," Josef said. "I've wanted to try out the mixer. Watch this, Josh." He waved his hand and the bowl of mashed potatoes rose in the air. The bowl jerked awkwardly as it made its way past Aidan toward Josef and Mikhail, almost head level with the prince.

Aidan caught it before it could get more than halfway across the room. "Alexandria worked hard on this-ah-stuff."

"Stuff?" Alexandria echoed. "And it was Josh and Aidan who were supposed to rescue the potatoes."

Mikhail stepped back and turned to glare at Josef. "I hope you were not thinking to drop

that on my head."

Joshua erupted into another fit of giggles. "If Alex made it, stuff is a good word to use, Aidan."

"Hey now!" Alexandria produced a mock glare. "Pipe down or you'll be doing the cooking."

I can escort young Skyler back, Aidan offered.

I need some peace, Alexandria told him. I love Josh, but the video games, mashed potatoes and Josef are a little much right now. Her mind brushed up against his with love and warmth. I'm perfectly fine. It wasn't altogether true. It was impossible to hide anything from her lifemate, and Aidan was well aware she had faced coming to the Carpathian Mountains with trepidation.

My only love. I will come with you.

You will stay and entertain the prince. I really need some alone time. She loved Aidan with all of her heart, every cell in her body-her very soul, but it was sometimes difficult for her to accept that he could know her every thought. It was bad enough that she felt inadequate at times, and very leery of the other Carpathians-it shamed her. She hated that Aidan knew her smallness.

Not smallness. You have every right to fear for Joshua's safety. Few have been captured by a vampire and survive. Aidan leaned down to press a kiss against the back of her neck. You are my world.

As you are mine.

Alexandria flashed a small smile toward the prince. "It's an honor to meet you-even covered with mashed potatoes. Please stay and talk with Aidan. He's been looking forward to some time with you. I'll see that Skyler gets back safely." Before either man could protest, she smiled brightly at Josh. "Would you like to come with me?" She resisted the urge to send a compulsion against walking with her. She really needed the quiet of the night.

"Josef and I are playing the new game, Alex," Josh said. "It's really cool."

"I'm so glad you like it! I thought you would."

"Alexandria..." Aidan's voice trailed off. He didn't want to further embarrass her by protesting her going alone. It was a short walk to Mikhail's home, and since quite a few Carpathians had returned and were scanning continually for enemies, she should be safe¨C but... Aidan sighed. He didn't like her out of his sight. "I do not mind walking with you."

I just need a little air. I don't know why I'm so nervous around everyone, but I am. I need

to work things out on my own this time-please, Aidan-understand. Alexandria sent him a flood of reassuring warmth.

She loved Aidan with all of her heart, but she had always been so independent. In San Francisco, he had seemed more relaxed and easygoing, but since making the trip to his homeland, he'd been on edge. Joshua and Alexandria both were having nightmares, Josh in his sleep, Alexandria just as she was waking. The terrifying dreams were heightening her own fears and that was rousing Aidan's protective instincts, making him try to hold them even closer. She nodded to the prince, blew Aidan a kiss and skirted around the boys, donning her jacket and gloves as she hurried out the door before Aidan could change his mind.

Alexandria dragged in a lungful of cold, crisp air and turned her face up to the sky. Small snowflakes fluttered down, floating with lazy whirls, turning the sky white and muffling the sounds around them. She held out her hands and opened her mouth to let the flakes drop on her tongue. Life with Aidan was unbelievable. He treated Josh like his own son, and her like a queen. She had no idea why, since coming here, she felt sad and inadequate.

Even worse than that was her growing fear. It was silly and very unlike her, but sometimes she found herself looking into shadows, her heart lurching with dread. It had to be the nightmares, the revulsion she felt whenever she remembered the feel of the vampire's touch, the way his tongue felt rasping on her skin and the pain of his teeth as he tore at her neck. She pressed her hand to the spot burning in her throat. He was dead. Aidan had killed him and he would never be coming back. Not for Josh-and not for her. So why was her throat throbbing in the exact spot the vampire had torn open?

Alexandria shook her head to clear her mind. This was Christmas and they were going to have a beautiful one. She didn't get snow in San Francisco and Joshua was thrilled with being in the Carpathian Mountains. He'd met so many of the men online and couldn't wait to see them in person. She wasn't going to ruin it for everyone because of silly nightmares.

Determined, she pushed the too-vivid memories away and began to walk along the faint path leading to the prince's home. She knew the way, had seen it a hundred times in Aidan's head and had memorized every step. He had wanted her to feel comfortable in his homeland and he had shared every memory with her, giving her a virtual map so that she could move around with ease.

The wind touched her face with gentle fingers, flakes coating her hair. She should have drawn up her hood, but she felt free, excited to be walking in the night surrounded by the thick expanse of forest, breathing in fresh, crisp air, peace stealing into her at last.

Skyler was waiting impatiently on the porch. "I think it's ridiculous that Gabriel and Lucian don't want me walking around by myself," she said. "I managed to make it over here all by myself, before anyone noticed I was gone. No one makes Josef wait for an escort." She wrapped her scarf around her neck and tossed the ends over her shoulders with a small dramatic sniff. "I am so not ever going to have someone telling me what to do all the time.

Gabriel and Lucian are the worst."

Alexandria frowned. "Josef contacted you and teased you about this, didn't he?"

"He called me a baby. I walked over here by myself and I certainly can walk back by myself." She dashed her hand across her eyes.

"Josef can be most annoying, can't he? I think you should make it a priority to ask him to show you how he turns into an owl."

Skyler regarded Alexandria with a suddenly thoughtful gaze. "Really? You think I'd enjoy that?"

Alexandria nodded. "I think it will make your day."

A slow smile lit up Skyler's face. "Thanks for the tip. Raven says hello. I think her turkey gravy wasn't coming out the way she wanted."

"Neither did my mashed potatoes. At the moment, the prince is wearing them."

Skyler halted abruptly and blinked up at Alexandria. "Wearing them? The potatoes? Did you throw them at him?" A slow smile transformed her face. "I wish I could have been there."

"I wish I hadn't been there. Josh ran to me frightened and I turned around, forgetting I had a high-speed mixer in my hand, a mixer Josh and Josef had revved up for me. The potatoes splattered all over Mikhail."

She met Skyler's gaze and they both burst into laughter. The sound drifted through the forest, rising upward to meet the floating snowflakes. Somewhere an owl hooted, the sound lonely. A wolf answered, the howl long and drawn out, as if he might be calling to a long-gone pack.

"Alexandria," Skyler said, and abruptly fell silent.

Something in her voice caught Alexandria's immediate attention. "What is it?"

Skyler shrugged, attempting to look casual. "A silly question really. Do you ever hear the earth screaming?"

"Screaming? The earth?" Alexandria echoed.

"I know it sounds crazy. I shouldn't have said anything, but sometimes"-she wasn't about to admit how often since she'd been in the Carpathian Mountains-"I hear screaming."

Alexandria shook her head. "I've never experienced that. Have you talked to Francesca

about it?"

Skyler shrugged. "I'm probably being silly. I do that a lot, sort of a leftover childhood thing."

The wolf howled again, and this time another answered it. It sounded like a challenge. Alexandria glanced into the darkened forest interior, a small shiver running down her spine. She began to walk faster.

"I played your new video game," Skyler said. "It was awesome. Josh and Josef and I play late at night online. Some of the men join in too. I'm just as fast as Josef. Gabriel thinks it's because he and Francesca gave me their blood, but I think it's because I can focus so well. I have the ability to just go into my mind and it's like I'm in the game. Josh told me you were working on something special for us. Is it finished yet?"

Alexandria pressed a hand to her burning throat. The nonexistent wound throbbed as if it was still raw and the cold affected it. "Almost. I was hoping to give it to Josh for Christmas, but I wanted to tweak it a little bit. The graphics are almost too real. I think I may tone them down a bit. Do you play with others beside Carpathians on the internet?" She knew Joshua wanted to, but she didn't allow him the contact with anyone on the internet other than the Carpathians Aidan knew.

"Josef does. He plays all sorts of games with people from all over the world. He has a really high ranking. He's really good on a computer too. He can hack into anything-at least he says he can. Once he hacked into some Russian site he swore was a message center for a group of assassins for hire."

Alexandria frowned. "Is he telling these stories to Josh?"

"Probably. Josh really looks up to him because he's so good at video games."

"Great. That's my fault."

Leaves rustled and branches hit together with a muffled clack. The sound sent a shiver down Alexandria's spine. The path to the house where Gabriel and Francesca were staying was little used and much more overgrown than the trail leading to the home of the prince. Alexandria tried to watch the forest, but there were rocks and long stems from wild bushes making the ground uneven and treacherous. If Skyler hadn't been with her, she would have taken to the air and returned home.

"Josef is going to get himself into trouble. Hackers can be traced."

"I told him that." Skyler deliberately stepped on several small puddles so that the thin ice crunched beneath her feet and cracks veined out toward the expanse of snow-covered ground. For good measure she jumped onto the next one, splattering ice and dirt out onto the snow. "He thinks because he's Carpathian he's invincible."

"Well, he isn't." Alexandria tried not to look at the spreading mud over the pristine snow. It looked too much like the long shadowed arm reaching for her-reaching for victims-in her nightmares. She took a deep breath, trying to push down the familiar dread building. Movement caught her eye and she glanced once more toward the forest. She was sure she saw a large wolf slinking along parallel to them.

"What is it?" Skyler asked. She had gone suddenly silent as well, her gaze sweeping the forest as if she too sensed an enemy.

"I don't know, honey, but take my hand."

Skyler swallowed hard, staring at the gloved hand. "I'm sorry. I can't. I never touch people. I feel everything they're feeling and I overload."

Alexandria dropped her arm to her side. "I'm the one who is sorry. Don't look so distressed. I should have remembered that about you. Just stay closer to me. Has Gabriel or Francesca ever flown with you before?"

"Of course. I'm not afraid of it. I like to fly. Did you see something?"

"I'm not certain, but if I did, I want to be able to get into the air fast."

Skyler took a careful look around. "I don't see anything."

"Neither do I-now? Aidan. I'm a little uneasy. I thought I saw a wolf, but I don't know for certain. I'm going to get Skyler to safety, but meet me at Gabriel's house. I don't want to come home alone. I will be there. Aidan's voice was warm, reassuring. Do not take chances, Alexandria. Gabriel or Lucian will be coming to meet you.

I don't know them. She sent her preternatural senses out into the region around her, trying to ferret out anything that might be the scent of an enemy. Wolves were abundant in the forest, but stayed away from the Carpathians. Many of the men had a preference for shifting into wolves. Seeing one shouldn't be enough to trigger her alarm system, but it was shrieking at her.

"We challenged the males to a paintball game," Skyler said, continuing walking toward the cabin. "It was Josef's idea and should be fun, but Josh and I can't shapeshift and neither can the other children. I told Francesca we need rules. Like no shifting and no communication between the males; otherwise, they have too big of an advantage, don't you think so?"

Leaves rustled again, just a whisper of sound. A twig broke. Alexandria turned her head toward the sound. "There's no wind. Something or someone is moving in the trees just to our left, Skyler. I think we should take to the air. I thought I glimpsed a wolf again through the trees. He was quite large, and moving at our pace, but it could have been my imagination."

"Well, then, we're both imagining the same thing," Skyler said, moving closer to Alexandria. "I sometimes can feel things near. Let me just..."

"No!" Alexandria said sharply. "You have no way of knowing if it is a friend-or monster. If you open your mind, you might lead him right back to you. I've called Aidan to us and he is sending Gabriel as well." She spoke as Skyler stepped into another ice-covered puddle. The crunch was loud in spite of the snowflakes, and muddy water spurted out in a long spray.

A shadow fell across the snow, a dark stain looking all too familiar to Alexandria. An arm reaching-stretching obscenely-growing as if made of rubber. Insubstantial-shadow only-yet she could see it reaching toward Skyler, slithering over the rocks and through the shrubbery like a snake. If it hadn't been snowing she would never have seen, but with the white background, the fingers of the hand appeared bony and gnarled, an old hand with talons for fingernails.

To her horror, the dirty water from the puddle moved as well, ringing a tall tree like a dark noose, cutting into the trunk as if it were a garrote.

"Skyler!" Alexandria leapt forward even as Skyler instinctively jumped back. The tree splintered and cracked, the earth rocking beneath them. Alexandria could have dissolved into vapor, but she refused to leave the teenager exposed. She hurtled herself at the girl, intending to use her blurring speed to sweep them both to safety, but the shifting ground split, taking Skyler from her grasp. The best she could do was shove Skyler as far from her as possible, hoping to keep her from being smashed by the tree toppling down.

Even as the tree trunk groaned and splintered and the earth rolled, there was a terrible sound as the tree broke in half, knocking the top from the tree and driving the large, heavy branches straight down on them. Alexandria felt the blow to her head, the branch that picked her up and swept her down with alarming force. For one moment she thought she heard voices murmuring in a foreign language quite close, but she couldn't make out what they said. She tried to turn her head, to see where Skyler was, but the movement brought on pain, a haze of stars that faded away to leave a black, yawning void.

"Alexandria?" Skyler tried valiantly to control the tremble in her voice. Gabriel! Francesca! She called her family to her, a shattering cry that swept across the night. They're coming. She was pinned down under a heavy branch, her legs trapped, one hurting so much she had to fight back nausea.

Baby. We are coming. Hold on. That was Gabriel, his voice strong and vibrant, a rock to lean on.

You're hurt. Francesca's tone was gentle and soothing. Tell me how bad.

They were trying to reassure her, distract her, but Skyler felt danger surrounding her, pressing in on her with a suffocating presence. Her leg was bleeding, spilling bright red

blood across the snow. If she moved, bones rubbed together with excruciating pain, radiating through her entire body until she broke out in a sweat.

Something moved in the bushes quite close to her. She couldn't turn around to see what was creeping up on her. Hot breath exploded on the back of her neck and she cried out, trying to fling herself out of reach. Fur brushed her face as a huge wolf pushed through the maze of branches to inspect her wound.

Skyler froze, held her breath as the animal turned to look at her. The eyes were a brilliant ice-blue, startling in the midst of thick black fur. "I know you," she whispered aloud, her heart in her throat. "I've seen you before, haven't I?"

The wolf shifted. The heavily muscled, furred body gave way to a tall, broad-shouldered man with shining black hair streaming down his back. His face was harshly sensual, a carving of stone with lines etched deep and a strong jaw and masculine mouth. His eyes were so blue they seemed to burn over her.

"Why would they allow you to come out alone?" he asked. "It was foolish of them. If they do not guard you better, I will no longer allow you to stay with them."

As he spoke, his gaze held hers, but she could see he had separated himself from his body, becoming a strong dominant spirit. She felt his presence the instant he entered her body. She wanted to scream, to fight, to evade his spirit. He moved through her with speed and purpose, repairing the damage to the nick in her artery, the bone, and lastly the flesh. All the while she shared his mind. Knew his memories, his implacable resolve.

Dimitri. Relentless hunter of the vampire. Protector of wolves and lifemate-to Skyler.

"No!" She shook her head vigorously in denial. She wouldn't be anyone's lifemate, least of all this man with his burning eyes and his dominant nature. She couldn't conceive of being with a man so hard, so utterly certain of himself. Emotions poured into her, colors vivid and bright, so bright she feared she might go blind-or maybe it was his fear, his colors, his emotions. She couldn't separate herself, as if by entering her body to heal her, he had wrapped himself around her insides, burrowing deep to find her soul.

His mind opened to hers, a dark place of haunting sorrow and hundreds of years of dealing death without remorse. He acted swiftly, violently-with absolute resolve. If those deaths were a part of his aching loneliness and terrible sorrow, she couldn't tell. This was not a man to be swayed from his path. He followed his enemies with tenacity and ruthless, unrelenting persistence. Violence was his world and she would never-never-go back to that kind of life. She wouldn't survive. As it was, just brushing his mind and finding the darkness, the coiled demon waiting-and willing-to strike, was so terrifying she wanted to retreat to that safe place inside her where no one else could go.

"You will not." He made it a decree, pulling out of her body and back into his own. "You need blood."

She shook her head. "Gabriel and Francesca will give it to me."

He turned his ice-blue eyes on her, his look so cold it burned her skin. Skyler shivered, unable to look away from him, so frightened-of what-she wasn't certain. That this man would change her life for all time. That he would consume her, swallow her whole. That he was harsh and unyielding, a man without compromise. Skyler had fought hard to belong, to come back to life when she had retreated so far. Dimitri wasn't evil, not like her father, but he was a man of violence, of strong emotions and passions, yet capable of turning it all off so that he felt nothing at all.

She shrank away from him when he reached for her mind. Skyler felt the steady, relentless pressure and tried to build a wall, thick and made of steel, impenetrable, but he was too focused and too strong. She raised her arms up defensively as he reached to draw her close to him, a small sound of fear escaping before she succumbed to his control.

Dimitri drew her into his arms, allowing pleasure to burst through him, comfort-even peace. In hundreds of years he had never expected to find her. Necessity had made him cold ¨Cbrutal even, but the warmth of her body, the sound of her voice, the softness of her skin brought hope where there had been none. He could barely see with the colors so bright¨C barely think with emotions he hadn't experienced in centuries.

He bared his chest and whispered a command. His blood would replace that which had been lost and it would encourage rapid healing. He sensed the others coming with all speed, but he closed his eyes and gave himself up to the ecstasy of her mouth moving over his skin, taking what he offered her, forging an even stronger bond between them. Because he had so little time, he bent his head to her neck and took what was rightfully his-not enough to convert-enough only to always find her, always be able to reach into her mind.

He raised his head and looked into the eyes of Gabriel Daratrazanoff. Legend. Swift, merciless killer.