Christine Feehan - Dark Destiny (Dark Series - book 13)

With her dark hair blowing in the wind, enfolding her body like a living cape of silk, he thought she looked like a mysterious, ethereal witch worshiping nature. She turned her head to look at him, and at once he was drowning in her blue-green eyes.

“I worship you,” she said softly. “I shouldn’t and I don’t want you to let it go to your head, but for this one moment in time, I do.”

A slow smile curved his sculpted lips. “I do not think there is much of a chance of anything going to my head.” Nicolae held out his hand to her.

Destiny shook her head. “I was so absolutely certain the culprit had to be a vampire. For so long I had it in my head that what I had become was a monster and humans were good unless something evil such as drugs took hold.”

His hand curled around the nape of her neck, his fingers beginning a slow massage. “Monsters come in all shapes and sizes and species. Not all Carpathians turn into vampires. They are just people attempting to survive. As all humans are simply people struggling to live the best life they can. You were robbed of your childhood, Destiny, but you are a survivor, and you managed to carve out a life for yourself.”

She leaned into him. “You were always there for me, Nicolae. I always had you.” She turned up her face, blatantly inviting his kiss.

He bent his dark head to hers and took possession of her mouth. The earth beneath their feet shifted. His arms wrapped her up, strong and tight, and drew her against the hard length of him.

“I’m afraid you can’t do that sort of thing here,” Father Mulligan pointed out as he came out of the church and regarded them with a twinkling eye.

“Don’t you ever go to bed?” Destiny asked him as Nicolae reluctantly broke their kiss. “Isn’t there a priest curfew or something?”

Father Mulligan’s eyebrow nearly shot up into his scalp. “My dear child. A priest is like an angel without wings, one who may be called upon at any time of the day or night.”

Destiny burst out laughing. Nicolae felt his heart turn over. There was no sound as beautiful as her laughter. “You are terrible, Father. Would you like to come to Velda’s house with us? We’d like to make certain she’s all right.”

“Of course I’ll come. I’ve been visiting daily. Velda took to her bed, and no one seems to know how to help her.”

“Maybe I’ll be able to help,” Destiny said.

They followed him in silence down the block to turn onto Velda’s street. “You look much happier, my dear,” Father Mulligan said. “It’s good to see.”

Destiny slipped her hand into Nicolae’s. It wasn’t all that long ago she had come to the church, ashamed of what she was, thinking herself a monster, and the priest had left the doors unlocked for her. “It’s good to feel happy.” And at peace. She would never be rid of the trauma she had suffered, but she could accept those memories as a small price to pay. She had a life. She had a home and friends. And she had Nicolae.

Inez opened the door to them with a small, falsely cheery smile. “Velda is still not receiving visitors,” she greeted. “Come into the kitchen and sit down. I’ll see if I can get her to come out of her room.”

“Let me go in,” Destiny said. “I think I can help her.”

Inez hesitated, then nodded, leading the way through the small but neat house. Velda was sitting in an armchair, staring out the window with blank, empty eyes. She didn’t look up when Destiny entered and closed the door behind her.

“Velda. Please look at me.” Destiny knelt in front of the chair, took the weathered hand in hers. “You are not alone. You will never be alone. You have Inez and Nicolae. And you have me. I can barely remember my mother. My childhood was hell. Most of it was violent and frightening. I have no social skills. No trust. I don’t know how to express my feelings to anybody. You accepted me and gave me hope when I couldn’t accept myself. Don’t go away from me so soon. I need you here with me.” She stated the facts sincerely. “I do, Velda. I need you.”

Velda blinked back tears and pulled her gaze from the empty future stretching before her. She looked at Destiny’s face. “Child, you’re such a wonder to me. I look at your aura and it is light and beauty. You have no need of a burned-out, empty old woman. Your life is all ahead of you, and mine is behind me.”

“You’re a woman of courage and compassion and most of all, wisdom. I have a great need of you, and so does this community. Please, Velda. Allow Nicolae to help you separate more. It won’t take away the pain, but it will lessen it so that you can bear it. Stay with me now when I need you so much.”

Velda studied her face for a long time before sighing softly. She patted Destiny’s cheek. “Take me to this miracle worker, dear. If I am to survive, he will have to work some kind of magic. I feel empty and lost.”

Nicolae? Are you listening? Help her now, while she consents. She knows it is manipulation but she can’t bear the pain.

There was a small silence.

It is done. She will remember, but the pain will be even less. Her love for you is great enough to sustain her.

Destiny felt her love for Nicolae so strongly, she couldn’t contain it. It spilled from her mind and into his so that, sitting in the kitchen, he was shaken by the force of it. He wanted her, wanted to be alone with her. Wanted time with her.

He held out his hand to her when she entered the room with Velda, standing as he did so out of respect for the older woman. He bent to kiss Velda’s cheek. “It is wonderful to see you, Velda. I hope you are better?”

She nodded, managing a smile. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

Father Mulligan had risen too. “I did call Mary Ann,” he told Destiny, indicating that her friend had arrived. “Nicolae said you wouldn’t mind.”

Mary Ann hugged Velda and Destiny. “He said it was a town meeting.”

They sat around the table and talked long into the night. Nicolae and Destiny listened quietly to the story of the doctor’s unexpected confession and suicide. Blythe was already home with Harry, although she was very withdrawn and refused counseling. Mary Ann was hoping eventually she would come to her. Helena and John Paul were once more together and seemed happy. Tim and Martin said little about what had happened, but Father Mulligan was keeping a close eye on them.

Destiny looked around the small, comfortable kitchen, listened to the murmur of voices, inhaled the scent of tea as Inez served the others. She studied Nicolae’s dark, sensual features.

Have I told you lately that I love you? Because I do, very, very much.

Her heart was so full, she was afraid it might burst. She had never dared to dream she would have a home and a family. She had never conceived of having friends. Life might never be perfect, but she had Nicolae, and he would always understand those terrible moments when the memories crept out from behind the doors in her mind. He would be there to hold her and help her.

You are my everything, Nicolae.

Have I told you that, although I enjoy all these wonderful people, I have had enough of visiting and I want to go home and spend the rest of the night making love to you?

A very good idea. Destiny was in complete agreement.

There’s this one thing that you do...

They stood as if by mutual consent, hands linked, murmuring a hasty goodbye, and hurried out. When Father Mulligan looked out the window, all he saw was a comet streaking low across the night sky.

I live in the beautiful mountains of Lake County California. I have always loved hiking, camping, rafting and being outdoors. I’ve also been involved in the martial arts for years—I hold a third degree black belt, instruct in a Korean karate system, and have taught self-defense. I am happily married to a romantic man who often inspires me with his thoughtfulness. We have a yours, mine, and ours family, claiming eleven children as our own. I have always written books, forcing my ten sisters to read every word, and now my daughters read and help me edit my manuscripts. It is fun to take all the research I have done on wild animals, raptors, vampires, weather, and volcanoes and put it together with romance.