Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

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.»