Christine Feehan: Dark Legend (Dark Series - Book 8)

Gabriel nodded. He merged with Francesca to “see” her memories, not wanting to ask questions in front of Lucian. Skyler didn’t know she had allowed their enemy entrance into their home. Lucian, a powerful ancient, had easily changed his thought patterns and aura to those of his twin. He hadn’t revealed his true identity to Skyler and neither had Francesca. Francesca had put her under compulsion to sleep in an attempt to save her from what was to come.

“Did he touch you, harm you in any way?” “He asked me questions.”

Therewas a note in Francesca’s voice that Gabriel couldn’t define.

“Personal questions about myself. He did not come near me, but stayed in the shadows where I could not see him ortouch him. He did not attempt to take my blood or the blood of any residing in this house.”

“I trust your greetings are satisfactory and are over now,” Lucian said in his beautiful voice. It seemed to send out a wave of purity and goodness.

“You are welcome in our home, brother,” Francesca said suddenly, softly. “Please come in and sit with us for a visit. It has been long since you and your brother have had an occasion to visit in a tranquil setting.” She gestured toward a chair, her movements graceful.

Francesca had a way about her—her voice, the way her body moved, her very presence—that soothed and made those near by feel at peace. She was wielding her magic now, her greatest gift, in an attempt to reach Lucian. She knew it was hopeless. Once a Carpathian male had chosen to give up his soul, he was lost for all time. There was no going back. Even Francesca, with her great healing powers, could not do the impossible. Gabriel ached to gather her in his arms and hold her to him, both as comfort for himself and for her.

“You wish us to be civil before our battle.” Lucian looked around the room. “This does seem a place of peace rather than war.” He lowered his voice so that it became a compulsion. “Come here to me then, sister, and share your strength with me.”

Gabriel inserted his body between his twin and his lifemate immediately. He crouched low, his stance that of a fighter. Behind him, Francesca watched with sorrow-filled eyes as the tall, elegant man approached them. He came out of the shadows, looking what he was, a dark, dangerous predator. His black eyes glittered dangerously. They were graveyard eyes, eyes empty of all emotion. Eyes of death. He moved with an animal grace, a ripple of power.

“Stay back, Lucian,” Gabriel warned softly. “You will not endanger my lifemate.”

“It was you who brought her to danger, Gabriel,” the voice said softly. “You should have done what you vowed so many centuries ago. Now you have brought more pawns into our game. I did not have anything to do with that.” The voice was sweetly reasonable. “I see you are injured. I trust that will not prevent you from doing your duty and destroying me.”

“You were the one who destroyed the ancient undead.”

“What do you mean? Lucian killed the vampire?”

Francesca’s voice was in his head, her voice thoughtful.

Instead of answering her mind-to-mind, Gabriel chose to throw Lucian off guard with his answer. “Lucian prevented the vampire from injuring me further and he used his voice to weaken him. I could not hear the murmuring, but I know he was there. He created a massive storm and eventually it was Lucian who destroyed the undead while I took to the air above the battle scene.”

Lucian shrugged his broad shoulders and turned his empty black eyes on his twin. “You made me a promise, Gabriel, and you will now carry it out.” The voice was a whisper of velvet, a soft command.

Gabriel recognized the hidden compulsion even as he leaped forward to strike, closing the distance to Lucian so fast even Francesca could not see him moving. An eternity too late, with his lifemate’s cry of denial loud in his mind, he whipped his razor-sharp clawed hand at his twin brother’s throat, even as it registered that Lucian had opened his arms wide in acceptance of the kill.

Lucian had given him a direct shot at his chest and jugular.

No vampire would ever do such a thing. The undead fought with their dying breath to kill everyone and everything around them.

To sacrifice one’s life was not the act of a vampire!

The knowledge came too late. Crimson droplets sprayed the room, arced over the heavy curtains. Blood poured in a steady stream from the gaping wound. Gabriel tried to go back, to reach his brother, but Lucian’s power was far too great. Gabriel was unable to move, stopped in his tracks by Lucian’s will alone. His eyes widened in surprise. Lucian had so much power. Gabriel was an ancient, more powerful than most on earth. Until that moment he had thought himself Lucian’s equal.

Gabriel looked helplessly at Francesca. Her eyes were drowning in tears.

“Help him. Save him for me. He will not allow me to aid him.” “He wants to end his life. I feel his resolve.”

Francesca moved, a slow subtle glide of grace and tranquility. “You must allow us to aid you,” she said softly. Her voice was crystal clear, soothing. She had a tremendous gift for healing; if anyone could prevent Lucian’s death, she could. “I know what you have done. You think to end your life now.”

Lucian’s white teeth gleamed. “Gabriel has you to keep him safe. That has been my duty and privilege for many centuries, but it is ended. I go now to rest.”

Blood was soaking his clothes, running down his arm. He made no attempt to stop it. He simply stood there, tall and straight. There was no hint of accusation in his eyes or voice or in his expression.

Gabriel stood very still, his eyes alive with pain and sorrow for his twin. “You did this for me. For four hundred years you have deceived me. You prevented me from making the kills, gave me no chance to turn. Why? Why would you risk your soul this way?”

Small white lines of strain were beginning to appear around Lucian’s mouth. “I knew you had a lifemate. Someone who would know told me many years ago. I asked him and knew he would not tell an untruth. You did not lose your feelings and emotions early, as I did. It took centuries. I was a mere fledging when I ceased to feel. But you merged your mind with mine and I was able to share your joy in life and see through your eyes. You made me remember what I could never have for myself.” Lucian suddenly staggered, his great power draining away with his life.

Gabriel had been waiting for the moment when Lucian would weaken and the hold on him would loosen. He took advantage, powering through the barrier, leaping to his brother’s side, sweeping his tongue across the gaping wound to close it. Francesca was at Lucian’s other side, her small hand on his arm, gentle and soothing. She slipped her hand into Lucian’s to connect them. “You think there is no more purpose to your existence.”

Lucian closed his eyes tiredly. “I have hunted and killed for two thousand years, sister. My soul has so many pieces missing, it is like a sieve. If I do not go now, I may not go later and my beloved brother would be forced to hunt and destroy a true vampire. It would be no easy task. He must remain safe. Already I could not walk quietly into the dawn. I relied on his aid. I have done my duty on this earth. Allow me to rest.”

“There is another,” Francesca whispered softly. “She is not like us. She is mortal. At this moment she is very young and in terrible pain. I can only say to you, if you do not stay she will live a life of such agony and despair as we cannot imagine. You must live for her. You must endure for her.”

“You are telling me I have a lifemate.”

“And that her need of you is great.”