Dark Celebration

Gabriel let out a long, slow hiss of anger. "How dare you touch her. She is a child and under my protection."

Dimitri slowly shifted the weight of his body, whispering a command to stop his blood from flowing into Skyler. He rose to his full height, his lifemate in his arms. "She is no child, or she would be unable to restore colors and emotions. She is my lifemate and subject to the laws of our people."

"She is human-a teenager, barely sixteen," said Francesca. "It is true they mature faster than our children, but she is too young." Francesca brushed aside Gabriel's restraining hand and held out her arms. "Give her to me before you bring her out from under your enthrallment. I don't want her to wake frightened."

Gabriel stepped forward, his black eyes glittering with lethal menace. "I remember you, a boy who ran from us many long years ago."

Dimitri turned his head to look at the legendary twin, blue eyes clashing with black like sharpened rapiers. "I am no longer a boy nor do I run from anything-or anyone."

The earth shuddered, rolled slightly. "Have a care, Gabriel," Mikhail snapped materializing with Aidan beside him. "Alexandria is trapped beneath these branches." He searched frantically through the branches of the fallen tree for a glimpse of Alexandria.

Aidan simply burst through the labyrinth, pulverizing the wood into dust until he reached her. She lay still and white, her face turned toward him, blood trickling from her temple to streak her blond hair.

Aidan's heart nearly stopped beating. For a moment there was silence, as if the world itself stopped breathing. Images of Alexandria filled his mind. Her smiling at him, gaze filled with love, her voice teasing him, the touch of her fingers on his skin when he first woke and faced that moment of memory of his life before her existence.

He raced forward like a madman, breaking through branches as if they were mere twigs, his throat tight and his heart pounding. Her skin looked translucent, cold, her lips blue, and she was utterly still, so much so he couldn't detect breath or heartbeat. She had to be dead. He halted abruptly, his hand on his own heartbeat. No air moved through his lungs. His chest refused to rise and fall. His own heart stuttered.

He could not go on without her. There was no life without her. No happiness. Nothing but endless nights that dragged into a black empty void. He couldn't do it again-go back to the place he'd been before he found her.

"Aidan!" Mikhail caught his arm and gave him a little shake. "You look as if you are in a trance. We have to lift the heavier branches off her."

Alexandria moaned. The sound was barely discernible, but it was enough to throw off the chilling fears that haunted Aidan. He leapt forward to smash his way to her side, waiting for Mikhail so they could easily float the remaining branches from her body.

Crouching low, Aidan swiftly moved his hands over her, grateful that she responded to his touch with her eyelashes fluttering. Her lids suddenly opened and he found himself mesmerized by her gaze. "Aidan. I knew you would come. Is Skyler safe? I tried, but..." She trailed off in an attempt to turn her head toward the teenager, but she groaned and her lashes fluttered down.

Once again, Aidan's heart reacted, faltering, his breath catching in his lungs.

"She has a concussion," Mikhail said gently, laying a restraining hand on Aidan. The man seemed about to come apart. "Easily fixed, Aidan. Francesca is here with us, one of our greatest healers, should there be a problem." Mikhail struggled to keep from racing

away to Raven, certain now his worst fears were confirmed. Their enemies were attacking their women and children. It took centuries-old discipline to remain where he was. He was slightly shocked that Francesca had not hurried to them, offering her services as a healer, rather than blocking Dimitri's path and trying to take the girl from him.

Aidan stroked back Alexandria's hair. "I will heal her myself." He wanted no other to touch her. He had failed to protect her, his greatest and most cherished treasure, and he needed to merge with her, hold her close to him. He needed to watch her closer and see that no harm ever came to her.

Aidan glanced over the top of Alexandria's head to the two men standing so close, the heat of the argument shimmering in the air around them. He closed his arms protectively around Alexandria and allowed his body to slip away, leaving only white-hot energy, pure selfless spirit. He streamed through her with a quick examination before finding the bruise, already swelling, blood pulsing and pushing to leak out. He repaired the damage, making certain that she was completely healed before once again coming back to his own body and the furious argument taking place so close to him.

Aidan held Alexandria in his arms, rocking her gently back and forth all the while keeping a wary eye on the two combatants.

Gabriel took another aggressive step toward Dimitri. "Would you like to tell us exactly how this happened and how you came to be here at the same time?"

Dimitri bared his teeth. "Push me too far, Gabriel, and I will take her with me now."

Gabriel's hand shot out, fingers locking around Dimitri's throat. "Do not threaten me or my family."

Dimitri didn't so much as flinch beneath the crushing fingers. His gaze focused on Skyler's face. "You are my lifemate." His voice came out husky, but it came out all the same.

"Stop! Stop, Dimitri. Gabriel, let him go now." Francesca tugged at Gabriel's arm. "He has a blood bond. Before you could kill him, he could take her with him. Please, Gabriel. Show some sense."

"Gabriel." Mikhail's voice was calm. He stood beside Dimitri. "Release your daughter's lifemate. Of course you are protective of her, but this is the man who is the other half of your daughter's soul. If you kill him, you condemn her to a half-life. Be reasonable."

Gabriel didn't feel reasonable. He wanted to tear out Dimitri's throat. The man was stealing his child. The demon rose swift and fast, roaring to be set free. He could feel Dimitri's rising rage in direct proportion to his own.

"We all need to calm down," Francesca said. "Dimitri, give her to me. She's my daughter now, and you have no idea of the things she's suffered."

Dimitri's face rippled with anguish-with torment-for just a split second, and then seemed a stone carving once again. "I know exactly what she's been through. She is my other half and when she cried out in fear, in rage and in desperate need, I tried to follow the path to her, but I was too far away and she was merely a child and didn't know I was trying to help. She fought me, blocking my every effort. When she suffered, believe me, I was well aware she was suffering and my torment-my humiliation that I must bear for all time is that I was unable to aid her."

Men touching her. Abusing her. Hurting her. Her fragile spirit retreating until even he couldn't find her. The memories would haunt him for eternity, worse than any kill he'd ever made-his failure to protect the one being who it was his duty-his privilege-to protect. He had been so certain that Gabriel could see to Skyler's safety while he stayed away, making certain not to trigger the demon's need for a mate, but Gabriel had failed in his duty as well. "You did not protect her adequately," he said accusingly.

Gabriel and Dimitri stood toe-to-toe, Skyler still cradled in Dimitri's arms, held high against his chest. "What happened here?" Gabriel demanded.

"You think I did this?" Dimitri asked.

"Didn't you?" Gabriel countered. The branches around them trembled and the air thickened.

"I did not. Her leg was broken and she was losing too much blood. I healed her as quickly as possible and gave her the necessary blood to replace what was lost-not that I owe you an explanation."

"Please," Francesca begged again, struggling not to cry. Her tears would set Gabriel off as nothing else could. The situation was explosive. "Let me have my daughter."

"Do not make her ask again," Gabriel said.

Dimitri's face darkened. "You think to keep her from me?"

The earth rolled and the trees around them shuddered. Small red flames began to flicker in the depths of Gabriels eyes. "She chooses not to be with you."

"She is too young to know what she wants. It is not a matter of choice and well you know it. If you persist, Gabriel, I will claim what is mine now and bind her to me."

Francesca drew in a sharp breath. "Dimitri, no. She cannot go with you and she would suffer more without you. You cannot be that cruel."

"I will not allow you to keep her from me."

Once more, Gabriel's hand shot out and circled Dimitri's neck, fingers crushing in warning. "Give my daughter to her mother." Each word was accompanied with a hiss.

Dimitri didn't release Skyler, but did release the enthrallment so she woke to the turmoil roiling around her. Instantly, she was aware of what transpired.

"Stop it! What's wrong with everyone?" Skyler shouted. She rubbed her wrist as if it ached. "Can't any of you feel it? Alexandria? Francesca? Something is here with us, I can feel the surge of power. Dimitri, put me down now."

Alexandria suddenly pushed Aidan away from her, stumbled and caught herself, one hand pressed to her throbbing head. "Skyler's right. Something is here." She looked around her at the men with their grim, angry faces. "Can't any of you feel it? Francesca?"

Blood still trickled down one side of Alexandria's face as she picked her way through the branches to Francesca. Aidan stayed closed to her, keeping a wary eye on the others, his body posture more than protectively aggressive.

Mikhail crouched low to study the ground around them. He straightened slowly and held up a hand for silence.

The snow continued to fall, soft floating flakes blanketing them. Small rodents rustled leaves along the ground in an effort to find a hiding place.

There was no wind, yet the branches of the trees around them swayed subtly. Gabriel immediately took up a position in front of the women, Aidan on the other side to cage them in. Dimitri handed Skyler to Francesca as if giving her a peace offering.

Francesca lowered Skyler to the ground, holding her close to comfort her. "I feel it too, Gabriel, a subtle power disrupting the natural flow of nature around us."

"The one thing I consistently have nightmares about is the shadow of an arm with long sharp talons reaching for me," Alexandria whispered. "I saw it on the ground, reaching for Skyler."

Dimitri crouched lower in reaction, his eyes flickering with flames. A soft warning growl escaped.

Alexandria shook her head. "It had to be an illusion. What I feared most. I feel the power feeding us, enhancing our fears, our emotions. Gabriel is angry, so is Dimitri, and the energy is feeding that anger."

Francesca nodded, taking a wary look around her. "I can feel it too. It's very subtle. I can't trace it backward. Can you, Alexandria?"

Alexandria shook her head in frustration.

"I feel it now too," Gabriel said, "through Francesca. I will recognize it again if I come across it."

"Could it be one of the children practicing?" Mikhail asked. "We used to make all sorts of mistakes all the time and accidents happened. Although if it is Josef, I intend to box his ears."

There was a small silence. Skyler took a deep breath and clutched Francesca tighter, all the while rubbing her wrist along her thigh. "They're blocking Carpathian blood. It's hard because I carry the blood, but I'm not fully Carpathian. The flow is coming from the direction of the inn and..." She broke off, color stealing into her face. "I'm sorry. They caught me and stopped. I should have been more careful. It was no child. I've been doing this all my life and I can tell you whoever it was is very adept, but I couldn't tell if it was male or female."

"Can you usually tell the difference?" Aidan asked.

Skyler nodded. "The touch is different, but this was too subtle-peculiar." She frowned. "Maybe more than one person."

"Why do you say that?" Mikhail asked.

She shrugged. "Parts of the weave felt different to me, as if more than one hand had woven it or as if the person was split into more than one personality. I'm sorry, I tipped them off and didn't get enough information, but whoever it was is a powerful psychic and they touched me." She glanced at Gabriel. "They knew I was there."

Gabriel spat a Carpathian curse beneath his breath. "We know our enemies have joined, mage as well as vampire. And the society dedicated to kill all vampires has spread worldwide."

"And they can identify you?" Dimitri demanded of Skyler.

She remained silent for a long moment, but the ice-blue eyes burned into her, forcing an answer. "Yes." She backed away from him, her small body trembling. One hand came up to defend herself, and the scars of a lifetime of torture were plain to see, both physical and mental.

Dimitri's face hardened into a mask. Only his eyes were alive, glittering with such intensity Skyler had to look away. "Do not do that," he said. "There is no reason to fear me. We have enemies surrounding us and you have been marked, singled out, yet you turn from the one person who has every right to protect you."

"Dimitri." Francesca said his name aloud to gain his attention. "Now is not the time for this. You are welcome to come to our home and talk about things. I know you have a large wolf preserve and are caretaker of several packs. Skyler is very interested in wolves and probably would enjoy hearing some of your stories."

Francesca! This man is threatening to take our daughter from us. Gabriel bristled, although in truth, he was ashamed to be caught so much in an enthrallment that he had

nearly killed a man. Not just any man-lifemate to his daughter.

And you did not use every means at your disposal to bind me? He is acting on instinct. She triggered his response to her and what can he do but try to protect and bind her to him? You cannot forbid him seeing her. After all, he will be your son-in-law.

Gabriel did the mental equivalent of a snort. Not if he's dead. If he lays one hand on her, I will remove his heart. It was an empty threat now, and he knew it. He couldn't really fault Dimitri, although he didn't think anyone would ever be good enough for his daughter.

Francesca sighed. We should have had boys. He is her lifemate, Gabriel. He healed her leg and gave her blood when it was needed. He did not bind her or touch her inappropriately. Now stop trying to intimidate him.

Gabriel sent her a low, rumbling growl of warning, but remained silent.

"You have no choice but to cancel the celebration tonight," Dimitri said. "Skyler cannot go to the inn when she has been identified. And every one of our women would be in danger."

"Mikhail," Alexandria protested. "You cannot cancel our celebration. The children are so excited. We can take precautions. It isn't like we don't live under a threat every single day of our lives. We don't even know what this is."

"Exactly" Dimitri said. "We don't know what this is."

Mikhail shook his head. "We need to be calm and think clearly. Skyler, if this person or persons uses psychic talent again, will you be able to tell, or can they block you now that they know you are close by?"

"I doubt they could stop me from feeling the disruption in nature, but I carry Carpathian blood as well. I didn't feel it right away when Alexandria and I were walking in the forest. She knew something was wrong before I did."

"Not exactly," Alexandria said. "I felt the effects, and bought into the illusion my mind created, but I didn't realize I was being manipulated."

"Skyler cannot go anywhere near that inn," Dimitri decreed, glaring at Gabriel, his body posture clearly challenging the other man.

Before Gabriel could respond, Mikhail held up his hand. "I'll send Jubal to the inn. He's human and is a very strong psychic. Manolito De La Cruz will go with him. His wounds from the battle are healed, and he is a very powerful hunter. Together perhaps, they can pick up any signs of treachery. We will all be on our guard. As for Skyler, she has Lucian and Gabriel as well as you, Dimitri, to look after her. I doubt with the three of you guarding her, anyone could do her harm."

Mikhail beckoned for the teenager to approach him. "You understand the danger you are in? Because our enemies might be able to find you, everyone in your household is in danger. You must be guarded at all times. Francesca, I suggest you talk to her about what a Carpathian male suffers when he is alone without his other half. She should have some understanding of the situation."

Dimitri, you will learn about this young lady, what she has suffered, the trauma in her life, and you will also avail yourself of Raven's knowledge of human children. Mikhail made it a command, emphasizing what he knew Dimitri was fully aware of. Dimitri had to understand the girl was too young and had been through too much for him to bind her to him. "Skyler is cold and Alexandria needs to get back to her home. Thank you, Alexandria, for your quick thinking in shoving Skyler out of the way. She could have been hurt a lot worse."

Alexandria's gaze jumped to the face of the prince. "How did you know?"

He indicated the ground. "I can read signs just as well as the next person. You pushed her away from the larger branches."

"Thank you," Gabriel said. "We owe you a great debt."

"The debt is to Dimitri," Alexandria demurred. "He saved her life by stopping the bleeding." She leaned against Aidan for support. "Whoever was able to find my fears and amplify them did a good job. I was very frightened."

"What made the tree come down?" Mikhail wondered aloud.

"There was a small earthquake right before it began to crack. I felt the ground roll," Dimitri said. "I did not feel a surge of power. It felt natural to me, but we cannot know for certain."

"I was so scared I think I imagined most things," Alexandria confessed. "I was certain a vampire was hunting us, but Skyler didn't feel it." She couldn't help herself, she had to examine the base of the tree. There was no sign of a garrote, shadow or otherwise. The trunk remained untouched and solid, the top having cracked and fallen in the bitter cold. She looked up at Aidan. "It was my imagination. I should have recognized the flow of power. I feel so foolish."

His hand crept to the nape of her neck. "There is nothing foolish about you. Gabriel and Dimitri nearly came to killing blows and neither recognized the flow of power feeding their anger. And when I saw you lying so still covered by the branches, my emotions swung out of control. For a moment, I wanted to seek the dawn, thinking to join you."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Aidan." She brushed her fingertips down his face. "You thought I was dead?"

"It is my worst fear," he admitted, catching her finger in his mouth. "I always fear I

might lose you."

"Well, you won't. I'm strong, Aidan, and my skills are growing every day. I would have turned to vapor, but I needed to get Skyler out of harm's way. It seems I pushed her right into a compound fracture."

"If she had remained where she was, she would have died," Dimitri said. "The heaviest piece of the trunk fell directly over where she was standing. I owe you much." He bowed slightly toward Francesca. "I apologize for causing you distress. I did not feel the subtle disturbance in nature and should have. I was consumed with the need to protect Skyler."

"Women cannot be put in a bubble on a shelf somewhere, Dimitri," Francesca pointed out. "We have to live our lives as well as you men do."

Mikhail interrupted as Dimitri opened his mouth in what obviously was another protest. "We cannot cancel the Christmas party. If we do our enemies might guess who in this region is human and who is Carpathian. By cooking and 'eating' food, we appear as normal as the villagers around us. Now that we know there is danger close at hand, we will be able to keep our loved ones safe."

Dimitri's fangs glistened as he bared his teeth and took a step toward Skyler. "She has suffered enough at the hands of human men. I will not allow this."

Skyler pressed closer to Francesca, gathering her courage to defy a man who seemed too tall, too strong-too invincible with his hard face and burning cold eyes.

Do not rouse Gabriel's anger against Dimitri, Francesca cautioned. Let us handle this. She smiled at Dimitri. "Every child looks forward to a celebration such as this. Surely you can watch over her with us and give her this opportunity to relax and enjoy meeting the others as she has looked forward to doing for so long. She needs every good memory, every chance at laughter and a childhood she can have. Remember, Dimitri, she was robbed of that when she was young."

"There is no chance I will ever forget," he bit out between his teeth. He turned the full intensity of his glittering eyes on Skyler. "This is important to you? It is not an act of defiance because your lifemate does not want you to attend?"

She sucked in her breath, feeling the impact of his gaze all the way to her toes. She could never be with this man. She wanted to scream her denial. She wouldn't be a lifemate to any Carpathian, least of all this man. He terrified her. Desperation filled her with panic.

At Gabriel's soft warning growl, Francesca squeezed her shoulder.

Skyler forced air through her lungs and clutched Francesca's hand tighter. "I would very much like to go." She wouldn't ask permission. She had done enough begging from men. As a child, she'd had to perform vile disgusting acts for food. She'd had to seek permission to sleep, to go to the bathroom, just to speak. Her life had been hell and she would not return

to that-she'd rather be dead.

Never, baby. Francesca's voice whispered through her mind. A pure love, unconditional, a promise that would always be kept. No one will ever hurt you like that again and live. I am your mother now and will protect you with every fiber of my being. Dimitri seems cruel and unfeeling, but in truth, his emotions are too overwhelming for him to control, so to protect you and all of us, he has to push his feelings aside and become a ruthless warrior. It is what he knows.

And who he is, Skyler said. He's violence personified. I've seen into his mind. He merged with me and I could see him killing without thought, without remorse. He thinks to control me. To make me do as he says.

All Carpathian males think that way. They are control freaks. Even our beloved Gabriel. You are too young and although his every instinct is pushing him to take you now, Dimitri is trying to hold back and give you what is yours-time.

"I will confess I do not like it, but I am probably being overprotective. I cannot bear to see-or feel you suffer." Dimitri bowed slightly from the waist in an old-world gesture. "Then you shall go."

Skyler bit back her retort. She would have gone anyway. She didn't need him-a virtual stranger-telling her what she could or couldn't do.

"I was on my way to see Julian," Mikhail announced, deciding it was time to ease the obvious tension. "I know he loves a good time and I wanted to alert him to tonight's main surprise."

"There is a surprise?" Gabriel sounded wary.

"Raven wants St. Nick to show up, dressed in red," Mikhail said smugly. "The children will be expecting it."

Francesca bit her lip, suppressing a sudden smile when Gabriel actually stepped behind her as if for protection. Big baby.

Mikhail is up to something. I am not going to play dress-up in red tights.

Francesca burst out laughing. "Santa Claus does not wear red tights, you nut."

Mikhail flashed her a smile. "Do you think Gregori is aware of that? He is, after all, my son-in-law, and has a duty to do as I ask. Red tights might look good on him."

"You wouldn't," Gabriel said, a slow grin spreading across his face.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. "Gregori? The bogeyman of Carpathians?"

"He'll scare the children, Mikhail," Francesca objected. "You aren't really going to ask him to be Santa Claus, are you?"

"Yes, of course."

"I want to be there. I think Lucian and I need to go visit our younger brother," Gabriel said. "Be certain to let me know when you are going to his house so I can drop by at the same time."

"That's just mean," Francesca scolded laughingly. "And don't you dare tell him Santa wears red tights. Just the idea of Gregori in red tights is enough to scare everyone."

"There are benefits to being prince after all," Mikhail said.

Skyler cleared her throat. "This is a joke-right?"

Mikhail looked smug. "A fine joke on Gregori, little one. I had better go. I have too many things to do. I have sent the word, Dimitri, to all the others that our women and children must be guarded at all times, especially our Skyler."

Skyler tipped back her head to look up at Dimitri. In spite of herself, she had to admit he was handsome, with the face of man, not a boy. His eyes were so alive, so deeply blue they could either burn or freeze one. He lifted both hands and ran them through his shiny black hair, pushing it back away from his face. Muscles flexed and rippled. He was standing away from her, but she felt his fingers touch her own hair, sliding through the silky strands in a slow, intimate way. Her stomach did a curious flip. Far off she heard a wolf howl. Dimitri turned his head toward the sound.

"He sounds so plaintive-so lonely," Skyler whispered, the mournful howl drawing her instant sympathy. She wanted-almost needed-to find the animal and comfort him.

"He is lonely," Dimitri said. He pulled a black cord from around his throat. "I ask that you wear this, Skyler. For me."

Skyler took a step back, but her gaze fell on the necklace he held out to her. The tiny wolf was exquisite, head thrown back, fur black and shiny, eyes deep blue, like sapphire gems glowing at her. She hesitated only a moment, her hand slowly moving towards his until their fingertips touched. Heat spread through her body, warming her in spite of the cold.

Instead of dropping it into her palm, Dimitri pulled the cord over her neck, lifting her hair and letting it settle back around her shoulders. The cord was still warm from his skin and the small wolf nestled in the valley between her breasts. Dimitri reached behind her where she couldn't see and immediately enveloped her in a soft red cape. The cold receded instantly.

"Now you look like Little Red Riding Hood," he murmured as he bent down to draw the

hood over her hair.

She inhaled his scent, wild and masculine and unexpectedly familiar. She felt the touch of his lips on her cheek. He left a burning trail to the corner of her mouth, and her body responded with an odd tingling, a heightened awareness, even a reaching toward him. Even as she stood still with his arms caging her in, she felt something within her rising toward him. Before it could break free and respond, he shifted, once more the wolf, springing away from them to run into deeper forest. Skyler caught the small wolf pendant in her hand and held tightly.

She wanted to chase after him. Call him back. Her lungs seized and her heart stuttered. She knew she didn't want a Carpathian male. All of her life she had known what people really felt, really thought-and most of it wasn't good. Gabriel and Francesca gave her respite, provided a safe haven, but Dimitri would take that from her. She took a deep breath and turned away from the path he'd taken.

"I want to go home, Francesca," she said softly, feeling a coward. "Please take me home."

"Of course, honey." Francesca gathered her close, cape and all, and took to the sky, leaving it to Gabriel to shield them from prying eyes.

"Far away," Skyler murmured, "back to Paris." She turned her face up to the snow floating down in endless silence. The world seemed filled with sparkling gems as the moonlight glinted off the ice crystals and snowflakes. She focused on the treetops and the pristine surfaces as they flew to the house, Gabriel close behind them.

"The baby always soothes you," Gabriel said. "Why don't you go see how she's doing?" Their trusted housekeeper-nanny had come with them and was with the children during the day. He kept his hand on Francesca to keep her from stealing away from him.

Skyler kissed them both and, still wrapped in the hooded cape, went to pick up Tamara and hold her close. The minute she was out of the room, he turned to his lifemate with a deep scowl of impatience.

"Did you see that? Did you see him kiss her? Touch her? He did not simply touch her skin, he left his mark on her. I will not stand for this, Francesca."

"Gabriel." She rubbed his arm gently. "He walked away."

"He didn't walk away. He marked her, he gave her blood, he took hers. It may not have been an exchange, but you and I both know he has imparted a warning to every other male to leave her be."

"As he should. As you or any other male would have done with your lifemate."

Gabriel frowned. "She should have a full childhood. He can wait two hundred years just

as all Carpathians did in the past. Sixteen. Who ever heard of such a thing?"

"Savannah was but twenty-three when Gregori claimed her," Francesca reminded him. "It is a different world and Skyler is not fully Carpathian. If he waits two hundred years, she might be dead."

Gabriel scowled. "She will be brought fully into our world. She is our daughter."

"We said it was her decision. The blood exchanges were to help her overcome the trauma, not to take away her choice. You're sounding as bad as Dimitri."

"She is our daughter. I am not about to let her be foolish out of fear. I refuse to lose her to human aging or that inconsiderate lout, who, by the way, is not nearly good enough for her. She is ours, Francesca. I love her as much as I love Tamara, and she is under my protection. All this freedom you keep talking about is ridiculous. We all live under certain rules, and Skyler does as well."

"Dimitri showed great restraint in not doing a full blood exchange with her. He could have taken advantage and did not. Our women, until Savannah, do not become sexually mature so quickly. She is, Gabriel, whether you like it or not." Francesca held up her hand when he would have protested. "Of course she's too young to be bound to him, but that doesn't mean that technically it couldn't happen. She has to overcome her past and who knows if she is going to be able to do that. She has scars in her mind that even I can't erase. I can't even find her memories of her childhood before the atrocities started. He has to know that. He has to be prepared to be gentle and kind and patient with her. It's inevitable that they will be together, Gabriel."

He turned away from her, fists clenched. As he turned, she caught the flash of fangs and he suddenly opened his hands-his fingers curling into lethal claws. Gabriel threw back his head and roared with rage. The sound shook the house and in the next room, Tamara began to cry. He whirled back to face Francesca. "She is not going to be forced by this-this werewolf into anything."

Francesca gasped at the insult. "You're acting like a crazy man, Gabriel. Is this how it will be with all of our daughters?"

"No daughter of mine is going to be forced into anything." He turned back to her, black eyes blazing with anger.

"Like I was?" Francesca pinned him with her gaze.

"That is entirely different."

"Why? Because it was you? Gabriel, you have to be reasonable about this. We have to handle this right for both of them. Skyler isn't going to be able to accept him, especially if you act like a crazy father sharpening your fangs."

"Gabriel? Francesca? Is everything all right?" Skyler stepped into the room carrying the baby. "Tamara is distressed. She's never heard her father upset like this before-and neither have I." She looked about to cry. "Are you fighting over me? You never fight. Never. I'll do whatever you want me to do."

Francesca went to her immediately and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders, baby and all. "Of course we argue, Skyler. Just not out loud. I'm sorry we upset you. Adults often have differences of opinions."

"We wouldn't if you'd agree with everything I say," Gabriel groused.

Francesca rolled her eyes at Skyler and flashed a small half smile. "Ignore him. I'm always right and we both know it. And right now, we have things to do that are fun. Fun, Gabriel." She flashed him a small warning look. "Skyler, come help me make these gingerbread houses for tonight's dinner. Gabriel is going to help us."

Gabriel took a deep, calming breath, forcing the air to move through his lungs, to remove the swirling rage that seemed to boil in his veins and churn in his gut. He breathed it away and tried to find his center. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Skyler further or get the baby crying.

"That's blackmail," he grumbled, but winked at Skyler. He held out his arms for the baby, took her and bent to kiss the top of Skyler's head. "We were not fighting over you, little human chickie, only over what is best for you. And it was not a fight, simply a heated discussion. We are both in agreement. No man is ever going to be good enough for you and you need to stay with us forever."

Skyler's look of alarm faded and she burst into laughter. "Forever?! think by the time I'm eight hundred you would want to throw me out."

"Never, baby," Francesca assured her, brushing back strands of hair from Skyler's face. She touched one of the crescent shaped scars that had failed, even with Carpathian blood, to heal. And Skyler's worst scars were where no one would ever see. "You will always be our beloved daughter."

"You want to lick the frosting bowl instead of giving it to me, don't you?" Skyler teased.

"Too much sugar for you," Francesca said, laughing. "Come on, we don't have a lot of time to put this together. I hope the instructions are easy. I've never actually constructed a gingerbread house before and Raven wanted several to use as the centerpieces for the tables."

"The pressure is on," Gabriel taunted. He kissed Tamara and winked. "Let's see how the female members of the household do."

"Like you're going to get out of helping us," Skyler said, grabbing his hand and tugging. "I'm going to paint your face with frosting while I'm at it. Tamara will love that, won't you,

baby girl?"

The anger was gone, but apprehension at the future had taken its place. Gabriel pretended reluctance as his lifemate and daughters dragged him into the kitchen, laughter bubbling around them and driving away a little bit of the fear of losing them.

Skyler entered the kitchen, inhaling the aroma of gingerbread. The pieces were already shaped into the walls and roof of the houses. They just had to put them together.

There was no warning at all. As she pulled the various colored frostings from the refrigerator, devastating sorrow nearly drove her to her knees. She kept the door open to prevent Francesca and Gabriel from seeing the tears welling in her eyes. Grief was sharp and painful-a blade cutting into her heart. Her throat swelled as the sorrow seemed to expand and take over every cell in her body until she wanted to weep uncontrollably. Rage crept in, dark and terrible, a savage need for vengeance, a need to strike back-to kill. The feeling was so strong, her hands shook and she dropped one of the bowls, shattering it.

"Skyler?" Francesca was there in a moment, wrapping her arm around Skyler's waist and pulling her away from the glass.

The frosting was white, but the bowl had been red and with the shards embedded in the icing, it looked to Skyler like bloodstained snow. She felt the urge to run to the window and check that no one was hurt outside. Her breath caught in her throat and she pressed a hand to her aching heart. Not just anyone-Dimitri. She had connected to him-she was certain of it-and he was suffering.

"Francesca? I have to find him. I have to find Dimitri." Her voice was barely a whisper. She had no idea tears streamed down her face until Francesca touched her cheeks. "He's¨C it's so terrible. I can't explain it. I have to go to him. You have to go to him and ease his suffering."

"I'm sorry, baby, I can only ease your suffering. He has to find a way to live with the emotions he is now feeling. He had knowledge before, but could not feel emotion." She leaned close to Skyler to murmur softly, to ease her burden, "I can provide distance for you and it will help."

Skyler abruptly pulled away. "No." She shook her head. "You and Gabriel always shield me. Not this time. If I did this to him, I want to be able to feel it as well. I need to know these things, Francesca. I am already Carpathian in my heart. I need knowledge as well as emotion."