Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

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.