Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

«The challenge of it? A dare maybe. Beating Gregori and the ancients protecting MaryAnn?» she guessed.

«And the penalty, if caught, might be death? Certainly, Destiny would kill him. She's extremely protective of MaryAnn. Nor can I see Nicolae allowing such an insult to his house. And if he didn't kill the attacker-I would. MaryAnn saved both my brother and Destiny. She gave Destiny back her life, and in doing so, gave Nicolae life. I will not allow her to be used in this manner.»

«Be careful of what you say,» Natalya reminded him, taking his hand. «Destiny is very edgy when it comes to MaryAnn.»

Both made a long, slow perusal of the area. Were eyes watching? It felt that way, yet for all of their skills, they couldn't ferret out the enemy.

MaryAnn greeted them at the door, her smile genuine. «Vikirnoff. Natalya. It's so good to see you. We've just been putting up the Christmas tree. Skyler is visiting us. Have you met her?» She indicated the young teenager, who stood staring transfixed at Natalya.

Vikirnoff took MaryAnn's hand and bowed low, startling her, his lips touching her skin. He inhaled deeply and allowed her hand to drop away. «You look wonderful.»

Natalya stepped close and hugged her, kissing both cheeks. «You do look radiant. Are you looking forward to tonight?»

She does look radiant. She's always been beautiful, but now she has a dangerous allure about her. And a male has definitely been close to her. Very close. His scent is eluding me; not even my tigress can pick it up. I wont be able to track him. But he isn't vampire. He's Carpathian.

MaryAnn smiled at them both. «Yes, of course. Everyone's been so good to me. We were just about to walk Skyler home. Would you like to come with us?»

Natalya crossed the room to the teenager. The girl stepped back avoiding physical contact. Natalya smiled at her. «It's nice to finally meet you. You must have difficult psychic gifts. Can you read people when you touch them?»

Skyler nodded. «I don't like it.»

«I don't like it either.» She glanced over her shoulder and Vikirnoff took the hint, taking MaryAnn by the elbow and walking with her into the kitchen, leaving Natalya with the younger girl. «You seem a little nervous. Are you really sensitive as well? I often have this

dread that swamps me when something dangerous is near.»

Skyler nodded. «I hate that too. You never know if you're crazy or if something really is out there stalking you.» She glanced uneasily out the window.

Natalya nodded. «It does feel like that. If you tell, people think you're weird, especially if they can't see or find anything wrong. And if you don't tell and something bad happens, you feel like an idiot for not telling.»

«That's happened to you too?» Skyler asked. «It's difficult being here because there's so much energy being used all the time and sometimes I can't tell the difference.»

«Did you feel something earlier, when you were with Nicolae and Destiny getting the tree?» Deliberately she avoided using MaryAnn's name.

Skyler nodded slowly. «Usually I can tell if something is evil, but it just felt dark and like someone was watching us. It didn't feel good.»

«Why didn't you tell Nicolae?»

Skyler looked away. «I didn't want to feel stupid. And none of them felt anything. They're Carpathians-ancients like Gabriel. Shouldn't they know if something is out there stalking us?»

Natalya remained silent for a long moment allowing the teenager to squirm. «That isn't the real reason. Why didn't you tell them?»

Skyler blinked, looked as if she might cry. She turned away, shoving her hands into her pockets. «I thought it might be Dimitri,» she admitted in a low voice. «I didn't want to get him into any more trouble on my account.»

Natalya gentled her voice, knowing the recent problems through the Carpathians' common path. «I know what that feels like too. Wanting to protect someone and feeling like you're the one causing all the trouble for them.» She sighed. «I still don't know how I managed to get together with Vikirnoff. I'm not at all what he wanted.» She waited until Skyler turned back to look at her. «Did it feel like him?»

«It just felt like someone was watching us.» Skyler frowned.

«Do you feel it now? This minute?»

«That's what's crazy. On and off. Like he's here, but then he's gone. Could someone do that? Could someone be watching me even here in the house?» She shivered. «I just want to go home.»

«Well take care of you, honey. Vikirnoff, Nicolae, Destiny and I are all very capable when it comes to vampire attacks. None of us would let anything hurt you.»

«What if it's Dimitri?» Skyler whispered. «He tries to block me out, but I can feel his pain. I caused that. It hurts him so much, but I can't stop it. I can't be what he needs me to be.»

«He's a Carpathian male, Skyler. He'll do whatever it takes for you to be happy.»

«I don't want to be responsible for him.»

«I know.» And God help her, she did. Natalya fought Vikirnoff every inch of the way, not trusting who or what he was. «You don't need to think about it yet. You're a child. Let yourself be one. From everything I've heard of Francesca, she will get you through this, and time has a way of working things out.»

The others came in, drawing on jackets. «Are you ready, Skyler?»

The girl nodded, casting one more nervous look around the house. Destiny and MaryAnn went out with Skyler between them. Nicolae followed with Natalya, but Vikirnoff slammed the door closed and stood just inside the house, his senses flaring out in an effort to find the intruder. Like his brother, he felt something, but he couldn't find it. Whatever, whoever, remained in the house was an ancient and very powerful and skilled.

He turned abruptly and left, slamming the door hard enough to make the windows rattle. Nicolae. I doubt that it is vampire. It has to be a male using her for blood. Is there any sign whatsoever of any kind of other attack on her?

The thought that a male Carpathian would use a protected woman-a potential lifemate –and she would not be aware was distasteful to him.

Nicolae sighed. Many of our unattached males are in the vicinity. There is no telling who it is. I couldn't get a scent.

We have to be dealing with a very skilled ancient.

Vikirnoff moved up closer to Natalya, scanning, not liking the way the clouds overhead began to swirl and darken. The wind rushed at them, kicking up the snow as they moved in a tight group toward the house where Gabriel was staying. Skyler kept shooting anxious little glances toward the deeper woods.

«Have you ever flown with Gabriel?» Nicolae asked her.

«Or run with the wolves?» Vikirnoff added.

«Or a tigress?» Natalya volunteered.

Skyler's gaze jumped to her face. «I love animals. Wolves especially. But I always wanted to be close to a tiger. Is it dangerous?»

«Whoa!» MaryAnn held up her hand. «I know you re not going to do something crazy right in front of me. I'll go back to the house. My heart can only take so much.»

«You wouldn't really like to fly, MaryAnn?» Destiny coaxed. «Or pet a wolf or a tiger? Just once, to say you did it?»

MaryAnn looked at Skyler's hopeful face. She sighed. «Okay, here's the thing. I'm really not adventurous at all. I'm a real city girl, you know, boutiques and girlfriends shopping in a mall, not petting wolves. But if you really want to do this, child, I'll climb one of those trees over there and watch you do it.»

Nicolae slung one arm around Skyler and the other around MaryAnn. «We were thinking more of you riding on the back of one of the wolves.»

Lightning edged the sky, turned the darker clouds to a fiery orange. A whip lashed out and slammed to the ground, rocking the earth and scorching a long streak in the snow. Thunder clapped directly overhead. In the deafening roar, a beast growled a distinct warning, sending the hair on the back of their necks up.