Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

Before she could touch her father, Gregori caught her arm and pulled her away from the wound. «I think we will treat this as if it is poison.»

Savannah glared at him. «You're going to go into his body and destroy the poison, aren't you? So big deal if I help my father feel a little better.»

Gregori paused, his black brow shooting up. «It is unlike you to snarl at your lifemate, Savannah. Perhaps you are more upset than you realize that your father has been injured. And you wept over that ridiculous dish your mother asked you to make.»

Color stained her cheeks. «I did not cry over it. I told you that.» She glared at him. Don't tell my father that. He'll tell my mother and then she'll feel bad. And stop giving me orders. I just don't feel like putting up with it today.

Gregori caught both her arms and pulled her into the shelter of his body. «You are near tears again. What is wrong with you? Is it the baby?» His hand brushed over her hair with exquisite gentleness.

«Baby? What baby?» Mikhail asked, shifting position so he could look at his daughter's stomach. Savannah was small, like her mother. Now that Gregori had spilled the news, he could see that she was definitely thicker around the waist and he found himself smiling in spite of the pain.

She gasped and hit Gregori's shoulder with her clenched fist. «You weren't supposed to tell. I was going to tell them.»

«What is wrong?» Gregori demanded, catching her fist and opening it, to place a kiss in the center of her palm. He cast a swift glance at Mikhail. «I can always remove your father's memories.»

«Oh, I'd like to see you try that,» Mikhail scoffed. «And if you're making my baby girl cry, you're going to see what a prince can do when he's angry.»

«I'm having twins,» Savannah announced. «Girls.»

«We only heard one heartbeat, felt one life,» Gregori objected, giving her a narrow-eyed glance. «She's having a baby. A boy.»

«The other was there, hiding behind her sister. There are two of them, both girls and I'm going to be as big as a house. And you re going to be just awful, ordering me around. If you think he's bad about giving you orders, Papa, trust me, he's way worse with me.»

Gregori shook his head. «Not girls, Savannah. We need sons. Warriors. Daratrazanoffs guard the prince.»

«Well I'm sorry to tell you this, but they are definitely girls. Not sons. Daughters. I connected with both of them. There's no doubt.»

Mikhail leaned back with a satisfied smirk on his face. «And you so deserve this, Gregori. You cannot imagine how much I'm going to enjoy watching you survive, not one, but two little daughters.»

Gregori simply stood there looking as shocked as he was capable of looking. «How could I not know? I examined you myself.» He shook his head again. «You must be mistaken. I cannot be wrong.»

«She hid.»

His brows drew together. «That is unacceptable.»

Mikhail laughed. «I'm certain your infant daughter will do exactly as you command, Gregori. And as toddlers, they will really listen to you.»

«Savannah, I am serious. You talk to them,» Gregori commanded. «I cannot have one hiding from me when I make certain they are healthy.»

«Your manner was gruff and you frightened her.»

«I'm her father and I shouldn't frighten her.»

Mikhail sighed. «I'm bleeding and I have to be up and running in good form in a few minutes, so I suggest you get over your shock that the world doesn't do everything you dictate and get on with healing me.»

Gregori swung around, all cool elegance and danger. «You put her up to this, didn't you, Mikhail?»

«Put her up to giving you twin girls? If I had thought of it, I would have, but my imagination doesn't stretch quite that far.» Mikhail shifted his leg and tried not to wince.

At once Gregori was all business. «Savannah, stay away from the blood just in case it is as poisonous as I believe it to be.» He shed his body fast, becoming pure white light, a glowing energy that entered Mikhail's body and moved quickly to the wound. As expected, the poison was a problem. He was thorough, making certain to chase down every drop, push it out of Mikhail's body and heal his ankle from the inside out.

«It is done, but it will be weak for a while. Stay off it as much as possible until you can go to ground and allow the soil to rejuvenate you.»

«Of course.»

«I don't suppose you'd agree to lie down for an hour or two now and skip a small part of the festivities.»

Mikhail felt Raven's light touch brushing in his mind. Perhaps you should do as he says. She sounded anxious.

«No.» I am fine, Raven, just a little tired. I want to come home and hold you for a while. That will do me more good than going to ground.

Then come home.

Did you hear the news? Did Savannah tell you? She carries twin girls.

I heard. She is very excited. Raven didn't add anything more and he knew she was trying to sound happy and brave for her daughter. Carrying twins would be much more difficult than a single child and Raven was fully aware of that. She didn't want the sorrow of losing children for her daughter.

«I need to get home to Raven,» Mikhail said. «Savannah, sweetheart, as always you are so beautiful. I think pregnancy agrees with you. Have you kept this secret for long? To know if they are girls or boys you must be several months along.»

«We didn't want to say anything until we were certain I had a good chance of carrying.» She smiled up at Gregori and once again he leaned down to kiss her.

«Son,» Mikhail said softly, putting a hand on Gregori's back.

The Dark One stiffened and spun around, his silver eyes going molten. «Son?» he echoed. «Since when does my prince address his second in command and oldest friend in this manner?»

Mikhail's lips twitched. Inside, where only Raven could hear, he was roaring with laughter, but he managed to keep his mask intact. «You are family-my son-in-law, and I think of you as son upon occasion,» Mikhail said rubbing his temples as if they ached, looking as pitiful and tired as he could.

«Oh, you do, do you?» Gregori folded his arms across his chest and cast a suspicious look around the room. Colorful flies and beetles clung to the walls and windowpanes. Some crawled from beneath the door to join the others. He glared at the insects and swung his gaze back to his father-in-law. «There seems to be an inordinate amount of bugs invading my home. I think we need a particularly venomous pesticide. Your sudden paternal feelings don't have anything to do with the insects, do they?»

Mikhail groaned softly.

«Gregori!» Savannah scowled at him. «My father is in terrible pain. He's treating you like family and you re not at all being nice. Get him a pillow for his back.»

«Thank you, sweetheart, but I cannot really stay. I need to finish up the details for tonight. I'm certain whatever you made will be fine, and if it isn't, there will be plenty of other dishes.» Mikhail swung his legs back down to the floor and waited a moment for the pain to subside. Gregori was right. He had healed the wound as best he could and removed the poison, but it was tender and raw. He needed to go to ground to complete the process and until morning, he would have to live with the ache.

«Here, Dad,» Gregori said with heavy sarcasm, «let me help you up. Is there anything else you need?»

Mikhail allowed him to help him to the door. «Now that you mention it, son, yes.» He wrapped his arm around Savannah and kissed her cheek. «Congratulations, honey, I will look forward to having granddaughters.» He smiled at Gregori. «I'd like you to play the role of Santa Claus for the children tonight. It's a big responsibility and obviously you're the best choice for the job.» He pulled a red cap topped with a white knitted snowball out of the air and plopped it on top of Gregori's head. «I've brought along the costume, although there's some controversy over whether Santa wears red tights or not.» He waved the tights under Gregori's nose.