Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

«Aren't you angry with me?»

«Because you are not yet ready for my claim?» He took her hand, his fingers warm and sure when she was so uncertain. «Of course not.»

Snow plopped down from the nearest tree and both turned toward the sound. Branches swayed as a small owl took to the air, wings outstretched, body wobbling as it launched itself into the air. The screech owl dove straight at them.

Dimitri leapt to place his body between the creature and Skyler. He timed his attack, swatting the bird from the air even as she yelled, panic evident in her voice.

«No! It's Josef. It has to be Josef.» She tried to get around Dimitri, her protective tone raising the hackles of the wolf, triggering the response of his beast at the idea that she would shield another man. He moved without seeming to do so, keeping her from rushing

around him.

The owl shook, the movements jerky, arms breaking through where wings had been. It fell into the snow and a young man sprawled out, all arms and legs, looking slightly shocked and very scared, but determined. He scrambled to his feet, balled his fists, and glared at Dimitri. «Leave her alone.»

Dimitri might have overcome the instinct of his species, but he felt Skyler's response to the stranger, the instant flash of amusement tinged with admiration. He bared his teeth, a snarl rumbling deep in his throat, a challenge to the other male. At once the small clearing was ringed with the pack, the wolves pacing, eyes glowing, answering his snarls with agitation and aggression to match his own. Fire burned in his mind, his heart, raged in his soul and was reflected in his eyes, now a fiery red.

Skyler tried to push past him, but he caught her arm, his grip like steel. «Who is this man to you?»

«My friend. Don't you dare hurt him.» She would fight for Josef when she couldn't fight for herself.

The wolf pack bared teeth, edged closer, narrowing the circle. Skyler could make out the large shaggy animals, all in good health, all focused on Josef.

«You do not need to have male friends,» Dimitri bit out, his strong white teeth flashing, showing a hint of his lengthened canines as well as incisors. His muscles rippled beneath his skin, crackling and popping as he fought off the change.

Frightened, Skyler began to back away from him again, sensing the wild rage rising, the animal taking over. But something, maybe desperation, pain, sorrow, something gave her pause. She touched him, her palm flat on his chest, looking up into his eyes. Even in the guise of a wolf, his eyes were always going to be blue, and right now they were turbulent and stormy. «Dimitri. He's a friend. Not a boyfriend.» She shouldn't have to make excuses, but she couldn't stop wanting to soothe him. The need was every bit as urgent and strong as the desire to run.

He caught her hand, carried it to her lips and waved his hand to the slavering wolves. The circle opened reluctantly. «Go. Go now,» he bit out, «while I'm still in control.»

«I'm sorry,» she whispered.

Skyler and Josef ran, careful not to touch each other, Skyler with a heavy heart and guilt clawing at her. She ran with tears streaming down her face wondering where they came from, feeling inadequate and a coward. She ran from Dimitri's pain and her own fears. Was there never going to be a safe refuge for her?

Chapter 10

Music filled the small confines of the room, spilled out into the hallways and drifted outside. Antonietta Scarletti-Justicano turned her head toward the sound. Two pairs of footsteps approaching. She sniffed the air, easily distinguishing the familiar scent of Josef and the unfamiliar scent of his companion. Female… young… and very distraught. It took a second to get past the girl's radiating fear to feel Josef's matching alarm. She lifted her fingers from the ivory keys and turned toward them.

«Josef? What's wrong?»

Skyler realized instantly Antonietta couldn't really see them. It was almost unheard of for a Carpathian to be anything but perfect physically. She tried to recall what she knew of Josef's aunt. She'd been a famous pianist before Byron had claimed and converted her and she'd been blind most of her life. Skyler moved closer to her in an attempt to make it easier for her. «I'm Skyler Daratrazanoff, Francesca and Gabriel's daughter.» She didn't make the claim often, but she loved saying it out loud.

«It's lovely to meet you, cara,» Antonietta said, her voice as musical as her fingers. «Please tell me what is upsetting you both.»

«A vampire attacked Skyler,» Josef burst out.

Antonietta reached out toward her. Instinctively, before she could stop herself, Skyler stepped back.

«I'm all right. Dimitri killed it.»

«And then he touched her. Licked her.» There was disgust in Josefs voice. «We barely got out of there alive. He had a wolf pack with him and the wolves would have killed us.»

Byron! Antonietta summoned her lifemate immediately. «Josef, are either of you hurt in any way? Have you called Gabriel?»

«No!» Skyler protested. «Please don't do that. Neither of us is hurt. Vampire blood splashed over my hands and burned through my gloves. Dimitri was healing the burns when Josef saw him. Josef misunderstood.»

«I didn't misunderstand him baring his teeth at me, Skyler,» Josef snapped. «You didn't see him. There was death in his eyes when he looked at me.»

«He saved my life,» Skyler declared.

«Your heart is pounding very fast and loud,» Antonietta pointed out. «I think you were far more frightened than you wish to admit.»

«Of the vampire,» Skyler insisted.

A tall handsome man strode into the room. «Vampire?» He glanced from his nephew to

his lifemate, and circled Antonietta's waist with his arm.

At once Antonietta could see the others in the room. Most of the time, when she wasn't tired, she could see shadows on her own, enough with her other heightened senses to know who and what was around her, but sometimes she simply didn't bother. She was used to a world without sight, and unless Byron provided her eyes for her, it was difficult to continually remember and maintain her vision. A vampire attacked this young lady and Josef seems to think Dimitri, her rescuer, then behaved inappropriately, although she claims he was healing her hands.

Byron immediately reached out to the other Carpathians on their common telepathic path of communication to spread the news of a vampire attack. Gabriel's answer was sharp and instant. «Your father is on his way,» Byron announced aloud, even as he reached for Skyler's hands, grasping her fingers before she could pull away and raising them up for inspection. Old scars crisscrossed the skin, running up her forearms in what were obviously defensive wounds. The sight of such abuse on a young female sickened him. On the backs of her hands were newer marks, recently healed, faint, but telltale.

Skyler jerked her hands away, visibly trembling. «I told you, he healed the burns.» She put her hands behind her back, out of sight. «It was awful.»

Gabriel materialized in the room without preamble, reaching for her, yanking her against him, his hands sliding over her checking for damage. «You have a lot to answer for, Skyler Rose.»

«She's had a terrible fright,» Antonietta said, interceding.

«Some stranger was all over her,» Josef said, frowning in disapproval. He drew himself up to his full height. «I followed her because she was acting funny and a vampire attacked her. Before I could do anything…»

«Such as call for me?» Byron interrupted. «I don't recall a summons or a cry for help.»

«I did not get one either,» Gabriel said, retaining his hold on his daughter. «The threat of a vampire getting his hands on you, Skyler, is enough to put gray streaks in my hair. What were you doing out in the open without protection? You were warned earlier that you were in danger, yet you chose to ignore it? You ignored a direct order from your mother and me.»