Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

«Mom! Stop!» There was panic in Joie's voice. «What are you doing?»

Traian had no choice. He was sworn, as all Carpathians, to protect their prince. He circled the strong neck in a half nelson, prepared to break the neck should she persist in her attack on Mikhail.

The jaguar fought, using its flexible spine, but neither male yielded.

«Please, Traian, don't. You can't kill her,» Joie pleaded, rushing forward to grab his arm.

It was enough distraction that the jaguar twisted, nearly getting away from Traian, the claws tearing at Mikhail.

«Enough!» The command thundered through the room as a tall, broad-shouldered man strode in. His silver eyes gleamed with lethal intent. Ignoring Joie and Jubal's pleas, Gregori reached past Traian and yanked the jaguar's head around to stare into its eyes. «I said enough. If you persist in this action I will slay you immediately. You are human enough to understand me. Go into the other room and regain control now.» There was no give, no compassion. He didn't even glance at the others in the room. He simply picked up the jaguar and flung it toward the door.

The cat landed hard against the wall, slid down and lay for a moment, sides heaving. There was a small silence broken only by the jaguar's heavy breathing. Then it turned its head and snarled.

Gregori let out a long slow hiss, eyes glittering. He took one threatening step toward the cat. «I will not tell you again. You attacked my prince and the penalty is death. There are three Carpathians in this room and by all rights you should be dead. Go before I lose what little patience I have.»

The jaguar slunk off, and Gregori reached down and helped Mikhail to his feet. «Next time, if you do not protect your prince, you will answer to me. I do not care who attacks him, or for what reason. It is your duty to see to his safety whether he likes it or not.» His eyes touched on first Traian, then Joie and Gabrielle. «Do I make myself perfectly clear? Because if I do not, I will go in there and break her neck and show you what one does to keep their prince from harm.»

Traian nodded and reached for Joie. Gabrielle kept her face buried against Gary's shoulder. Mr. Sanders rushed into the other room to attend to his wife.

«I was safe, Gregori,» Mikhail said quietly.

Gregori whipped around to glare at the prince. «Do not tell me you were safe. She was going straight for your throat. Do you think I couldn't read her mind? She intended to rip it out.»

This is fine way to begin our first Christmas celebration. Raven is not going to be

pleased.

Raven would not be pleased if that woman had ripped out your throat. This is not finished, Mikhail, and do not make light of it. Traian and Joie have a lot to answer for. I can excuse Gabrielle, but not the others.

«Traian was watching out for me, Gregori,» Joie said. «She's my mother.»

«Traian does not need to hide behind your skirts, Joie. He is an ancient. Born and bred Carpathian and as such subject to the laws of our people. Above all else, we protect our prince. Without him, our species dies. We are extinct. Our first duty always-always-is to protect the living vessel of our people. Mikhail would not have killed your mother to save himself because he is bound to hold our people together. He would have tried diplomacy and she would have ripped out his throat. It was the duty of the three Carpathians in this room to protect him-even from himself.» Gregori turned his head, pinning Traian with his cold, peculiar-colored eyes. «Is that not so?»

«That is so. It was bad judgment on my part and I will not fail our prince again.»

«And you will not fail our people again,» Gregori persisted. He looked to the women. «You must make up your mind whether or not you live as Carpathian. If you do not, I will see to it that you do not live at all.»

Gregori. Mikhail's intervention was calm in the eye of the storm. Enough.

It is not enough. They will protect you or they will answer to me.

«Why did she do it?» Gary asked, pushing his glasses up and rubbing the bridge of his nose. «I swear she was coming for me, not Mikhail. Gregori, I'm certain she tried to kill me. Mikhail moved so fast I didn't see him, and I don't think she did either.»

«Traian needs attention,» Gregori ordered Joie. «See to your lifemate's wounds.»

Traian's snarl rumbled through the room. «I deserve your reprimand, Gregori, but do not extend your orders to my lifemate. I will not allow it.»

Mikhail held up his hand to forestall any further confrontation. «We all forget what is at stake here. Mrs. Sanders is here to celebrate with us and she had accepted Gabrielle and Joie as Carpathians. What we need to find out is what triggered the jaguar into attacking.» He gave his second in command a hard look. «And then we're all going to make peace because nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to ruin this night for Raven.»

Gregori bowed slightly. «Of course.» He exchanged a ghost of a grin with Traian. He is afraid of her.

She has him wrapped around her finger.

And both of you can go to hell.

Gabrielle sank down onto the couch with Gary on one side of her and Jubal on the other. Joie and Traian shared a chair. Mikhail stood in the corner nearest the door and Gregori stood, arms folded across his broad chest, his body between Mikhail's and the rest of the room.

Mr. and Mrs. Sanders came out together holding hands. She had been crying and was obviously reluctant to face them all. When she saw the marks on Traian's chest, a fresh flood of tears began.

«Mom, it's okay,» Joie said. «Please don't cry anymore. Let's just figure out what's wrong and fix it.»

«Is it me?» Gabrielle asked. «I don't want to upset you anymore. This is Christmas night and we're supposed to be together as a family. I don't want you upset by what happened to me.»

Mrs. Sanders shook her head. «Not you. Never you, baby.» Her gaze touched on Gary, and slid away. She gripped her husband's hand tighter. «It's him.» She nodded toward Gary. «He's not what you think he is.»

«Gary?» Gabrielle looked shocked. Everyone stared at Gary.

«What do you mean, Mrs. Sanders?» Mikhail asked.

«He's jaguar. I can smell his blood. The stench is all over him. He is a jaguar male. They are deceptive and capable of great cruelty. I don't want him anywhere near my daughters. Either of them.» She raised her chin, suddenly looking regal. «What I did was wrong, I should have controlled the cat better, but it was such a shock. I haven't encountered a jaguar male in years. I thought that door was long closed. It took me by surprise and brought back painful memories, but I'm under control now. He cannot stay anywhere near them.»

Gabrielle gripped Gary's shirt hard. «You're mistaken, Mom. Gary is the sweetest man I know. Kind and good and brilliant. He isn't a shape-shifter. He's human.»

«He is jaguar,» Mrs. Sanders said harshly. «And he is deceiving you if he has said differently. I am pure jaguar and none can escape my detection.»

«Gary?» Mikhail asked, already probing the man's mind.

Gregori had exchanged blood with Gary and could read his thoughts, and did so often. He had never found any evidence of shapeshifting. He looked at Mikhail and shook his head.

«Mrs. Sanders, it is possible Gary shares a bloodline. Many of the women here do, including your daughters and son. But he cannot shift and, in fact, does not know of his

lineage. Gregori has shared blood with him and can easily read his thoughts, and many times Gary has volunteered to allow me to do the same. He cannot deceive a Carpathian who has taken his blood.»

«He is a jaguar,» Mrs. Sanders persisted. «He is not welcome here nor can he be near my daughters.»

«Your son is jaguar. Should he be banished as well?» Mikhail asked.