Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

Skyler clung to him. It the midst of such a chaotic world, he was a tower of strength– always and ever her rock. «I'm sorry,» she whispered. I couldn't stop myself from going to him. There was such pain. I know pain and I couldn't be the cause.

A slow hiss escaped him. His fingers stroked a caress even as he buffeted her from his fatherly anger. Part of him wanted to shake her hard, the other half wanted to hold her to him and comfort her, keep her safe. You did not think to confide in Francesca-or me? You could have asked us for help in dealing with this, Skyler.

Was there hurt in his voice? Was she destined to hurt everyone who mattered to her? «I'm so sorry,» she said aloud a second time. «I couldn't think clearly.» It was the truth-and the only excuse she had to offer.

«Tell us exactly what happened,» another voice said. Skyler looked up to see Mikhail and Lucian standing close. Both looked grim. «If Dimitri assaulted you, Skyler, you must tell us,» the prince added.

«No!» She shouted the word, a surge of adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream. Everyone was staring at her, crowding close. She could barely breathe, barely speak. «He tried to help me. Why won't you listen to me?»

«If you value your lives,» another voice interrupted, «you will leave my lifemate alone. I can feel her distress radiating through the forest and yet you surround her, pressuring her to tell you tales you should be asking of a hunter.» Dimitri stood tall and straight in the open doorway. His long hair blew in the slight breeze and a few snowflakes dotted his head and shoulders.

Gabriel pushed Skyler toward Antonietta. «I believe I will take you up on your explanation,» he told Dimitri through clenched teeth. «Antonietta, if you would be so kind as take my daughter into your kitchen and make certain she drinks something sweet such as orange juice. It must be natural.»

«Gabriel,» Skyler protested.

Go with her. It is my duty and privilege to ensure your safety and I intend to do just that. We will discuss this later.

«He saved my life,» Skyler said defiantly, looking around at the room filled with Carpathian hunters. «He saved my life.»

Antonietta ignored the small automatic hesitation on Skyler's part and put her arm around the girl. «I think your man can hold his own with this group.» Be on his side, Byron. Please. He seems so alone. She flashed a confident smile at Skyler. «I can see when I work at it. I won't give you something like olive oil to drink instead of orange juice.»

Skyler went with her, but halted in the hallway leading to the kitchen. She looked back, her troubled gaze meeting Dimitri's.

It will be all right, lyubof maya, go with the woman and let me make things perfectly clear to these men-and your father.

Please don't hurt anyone-or get hurt. I couldn't stand that. She glanced at Gabriel. He was watching her-not Dimitri, and he had a frown on his face. She was disobeying him again. She ducked her head and turned to follow Antonietta.

We will come to an understanding, Skyler, your father and I. I thank you for defending

me. And stay away from the boy. He is jealous and capable of starting trouble he cannot conceive of.

Skyler didn't know what to say to that. Josef had acted jealous, but he wasn't enamored of her. She thought it more likely he was lonely-just as she was-and he didn't want to lose a friend.

It was dark in the kitchen and Antonietta forgot to turn on the lights, so Skyler tried to do so unobtrusively. «Gabriel's really angry with me this time. I did go off like an idiot, but my mind was so foggy. I could only think about getting to the wolf.»

Antonietta pulled orange juice from the cooler. «The wolf? Or Dimitri?»

Skyler frowned, rubbing at her temples. «I don't know. I thought Dimitri, but I followed the cry of the wolf.»

«And Dimitri wasn't the wolf?»

Skyler shuddered and shook her head. «The wolf appeared to be trapped in a steel claw, the leg bleeding. I wanted to help it, but then it changed into something hideous and Dimitri came and fought it.»

«That must have been terribly frightening.» Antonietta conveyed the information to Byron so he could tell the others. «It doesn't sound right to me,» she informed Skyler. «Here, sit down. You're still shaking.»

Skyler pulled out a chair and sank into it, shocked that her legs were so rubbery. «I tried to resist, but I didn't call Gabriel or Francesca for help and I should have.»

Antonietta sat opposite her. «It sounds a bit like a compulsion, don't you think? But how could a vampire have targeted you? He would have had to have access to your mind-your thoughts-in order to trap you with something familiar to you.»

«Earlier, I tried to trace a surge of power. It came from the direction of the hotel, so we all thought it was someone there, but whoever was using energy caught me, and maybe they touched my mind enough to know I love wolves.» She bit at her lip. «And that I was worried about Dimitri.»

They did not believe a strike would come so soon-or that it was a vampire. They believed someone from the human society was baiting a trap for her-at least that is the explanation they are giving her lifemate. He is angry and rightly so. He has the right to demand she be protected at all times, sheltered more than any other if they refuse to allow his claim at this time. Mikhail has no choice but to accede to his wishes. Byron exchanged the information with Antonietta, knowing she didn't like to be kept «in the dark» over anything. For so long her family had kept secrets from her. He refused to do so. His lifemate would have whatever knowledge he had at all times. He sent her warmth and love, reassurance that the child wouldn't be harmed.

I can feel her growing fear, Byron. They all need to be gentle with her. She nudged the glass of orange juice closer to Skyler's hand. «Drink. You'll feel better.»

Skyler sent her a small smile. «You're easy to talk to. The others just bellow and no one really listens. Josef was brave to interfere, but he isn't exactly telling the truth. He isn't lying, but he's making it sound as if Dimitri was doing something wrong.»

Deep inside, she shivered, remembering the feel of Dimitri's mouth against her skin, his tongue stroking velvet caresses over her wounds. Heat rushed through her veins, sent awareness into her deepest feminine core. Tiny sparks of electricity skipped over her skin and her breasts tingled. She blushed, grateful Antonietta couldn't see very well.

«Do you like Dimitri?» Antonietta asked.

«He confuses me. For one moment he seemed the most gentle man alive, and then he was like a demon, dangerous and ready to kill in an instant.»

«When he was fighting the vampire?»

Skyler shook her head. «I think I could have been okay with that, but no, with Josef. Josef is-just Josef. He's sweet and funny and way smarter than anyone gives him credit for. He would have fought for me and Dimitri is-big, strong. You saw him. Still, Josef thought to rescue me.»

«He should have called Byron and you should have called Gabriel,» Antonietta pointed out.

«I know.»

«Josef is going through a difficult period in his life. He spends far too much time interacting on the internet instead of with people. He needs better social skills. Meeting you and Josh after so many months of continual communication-it was like he had friends already.»

Skyler found Antonietta more difficult to read than most, but she was certain the conversation was about her and the way she hid from life as well as being about Josef. «Well, at least I won't have to worry about the vampire. He's dead now, so I'm safe and everyone, Josef included, can breathe easier.» She hoped the fact that Dimitri had destroyed the threat to her would keep Gabriel from being so angry.