Dark Wolf(51)

The walls around them suddenly shimmered, nearly folding in themselves.  The ground shivered under their feet and above them, the ceiling seemed  to fall and then recoil back into place.

"We don't have much time," Tatijana said. "We have to leave tonight-soon."

Don't leave your daughter hurting when you know she did the right thing,  Lucian advised his brother. You should be proud of her. She did what no  other could do.

She's my baby. Our baby. Francesca's and mine. Our first. You know what  her life was like. There was true pain in Gabriel's voice. First I give  Francesca the news that she lives, and I promised to bring her home, and  now I must tell her she's gone for all time. We had so little time with  her. I feel cheated.

You feel fear for her. You cannot control her world or keep her out of  harm's way. That's your fear, Gabriel. Every father must face it. Look  at Dimitri. Really see him. You haven't even looked at him. What he went  through-for her. To stay alive for her. What other man would suffer  such a thing?

For the first time, Gabriel allowed himself to look at his son-in-law.  His kin. Dimitri's forehead and neck had the links of chains burned into  his skin, nearly to the bone. He could see one layer that had been  wrapped around the forehead and three loops around his neck.

His entire body bears these marks. Tatijana and Fen told me that inside  his body, every organ and bone was burned as well. He was starved for  over two weeks-hung on meat hooks and swung from a tree. He stayed  alive-for her. She would have followed him and he knew it, Lucian  persisted. This is an ancient hunter of exceptional skill. All know his  reputation. Now you see not only his strength and determination, but his  love for your daughter forever burned into his body for all to see.

Gabriel brushed his hand over his face. He shook his head. He knew he  was being unreasonable. Skyler was in good hands. Dimitri obviously  loved her, it was there on his face. He might not be ready for Skyler to  grow up, but somewhere along the line she'd done so, maturing into her  own woman, gaining confidence and making her own decisions. He couldn't  fault her for that. He knew, as a parent, it was the very thing he  wanted for her.

He stepped up to the couple and clasped Dimitri's forearms, Skyler in  between them. "Welcome, son. And thank you for saving her life. Few  could have accomplished such a thing. Her spirit was so far from us,  neither her mother nor I could find her."

Gabriel looked down at his daughter. "You made us very proud, Skyler. No  one would ever have conceived that you, Paul and Josef could accomplish  what all of us failed to do. Mikhail sent out search parties, but no  one was able to find a hint of the trail."

Skyler circled his waist with her arms and laid her head on her father's  chest, the tension slowly draining away. "I'm grateful you understand  that I had to find him."

Gabriel kissed the top of her head. "I do." He glanced over his shoulder  at the silent couple standing behind him. "I think there are others who  wish to greet you and make certain you're alive and safe. They've gone  hunting this morning and can provide both of you with blood."

Behind him, Skyler's birth father Razvan stood tall and straight. He'd  been the most hated man besides his grandfather Xavier, before it came  out that he was imprisoned as well and Xavier had used his body to  commit unspeakable crimes. He was her father, yet he didn't know her.  Razvan's blood, both Dragonseeker and mage, ran in her veins.

Skyler had inherited her concentrated power from this man. The woman  beside him was Ivory, his lifemate, keeper of wolves. She stood beside  Razvan, close to him, yet able to move easily and quickly should there  be need to fight. Her wolves traveled like tattoos on her body, watching  her back, and now half the pack guarded Razvan as well.

The two were considered skilled, dangerous fighters. They rarely were  around other Carpathians, but hunted vampires relentlessly.                       
       
           



       

Skyler's hands tightened around Dimitri's. She'd always pushed aside  this part of her life, unwilling to face it, subconsciously viewing  Razvan as a participant in the evil Xavier had done. She'd been sold to a  man, both her mother and she, by the high mage. That man had sold her  to others for money.

"You don't have to," Dimitri said.

"No." She lifted her chin. "I do."





14





"It is best if we sit." Dimitri took charge. Skyler was swaying with  weariness. He needed to sit as well. Both needed blood. "But Skyler  wishes to greet her birth father."

Gabriel and Lucian stepped away to give Razvan and Ivory privacy, such  as could be had in the close quarters of the transparent shelter.

Razvan crouched down in front of his daughter where Dimitri had helped  her to sit in the grass. Ivory placed her hand firmly on his shoulder in  support of whatever might happen.

"I was afraid the world had lost you," Razvan greeted.

"You came," Skyler said. "Even though we have barely talked, you still came."

"You are my daughter. I may not have had the pleasure of raising you,  but you will always be my flesh and blood. No one will ever harm you and  escape our punishment. We would hunt them to the ends of the earth."

Dimitri smiled up at Ivory in greeting. "Skyler has Razvan's fierce  nature. She was quite willing to take on all the Lycans after seeing  what they did to me."

The tension drained from Ivory's body and she smiled back at him. "We've  come bearing a gift for you, for both of you, if you would accept it."

"Just coming is gift enough," Skyler said. She pushed back a few strands  of hair that had escaped the thick braid. Her hand trembled.

"You need to feed," Razvan said. "Both of you."

"I'm not certain I can do it by myself yet," Skyler admitted, looking back at Dimitri.

"There's no need," Ivory said. "Razvan can aid you, and I'll give  Dimitri blood. Later, the others can as well. At the moment, the De La  Cruz brothers are hunting. They should be back very soon."

At Dimitri's alarmed look she smiled. "Discreetly. They said they'd be  discreet." She extended her wrist toward Dimitri. "I offer freely."

Razvan didn't hesitate. He waved his hand toward Skyler to calm her, to  distance her from what would take place. It would allow her to take his  blood without real knowledge so she could take what she needed to  survive. She had plenty of time to get used to taking her own food, but  for now, to expedite her healing, it would be better to just allow her  to feed without distress.

Skyler knew the moment Razvan's mind reached for hers and tried to take  control. She'd always known when Josef or her parents had done so. She  knew she needed to allow him to do so, to give her consent. Before, she  never would have trusted someone mage born, not after what had happened  to her, but this man had held out against impossible odds and he hadn't  turned vampire or succumbed to the terrible temptation of power his  grandfather had dangled in front of him. He had endured endless torture  and had accepted the hatred of everyone who knew him with stoic resolve.

He was much like her beloved Dimitri. He didn't ask for understanding or  plead his case. He simply accepted and walked away if shunned, but he  would fight fiercely for those he loved. He was loyal and courageous and  he could always be counted on.

She looked at the man who was her birth father for the first time  through accepting eyes. She let go and allowed him entry into her mind.  His touch was gentle, and it was over in an instant-she blinked and  found herself stronger.

Dimitri had already politely closed the small wound on Ivory's wrist,  giving her a slight bow from the waist, although they were seated in the  grass.

"Thank you both," Dimitri said. "Your blood will aid in our healing."

Razvan smiled at the couple. "We did bring you a present of sorts, a  gift to celebrate your becoming lifemates. We knew the moment we became  aware Skyler still lived," he added by way of explanation. "Although, of  course, it is a responsibility and therefore must be your choice to  refuse or accept with no ill will on our part."

Dimitri and Skyler exchanged a long glance. Skyler's heart began to  pound with excitement. Ivory and Razvan were considered eccentrics among  the Carpathian people. More than anything, they loved wolves and ran  with their own pack-not wholly animal and certainly not Lycan. These  were wolves Ivory had accidently turned Carpathian. Such a thing was  forbidden of course, but she'd taken responsibility for them and kept  them in line.

Dimitri had spent centuries protecting wolves in the wild, advocating  for them and providing land for them to hunt and live without fear of  humans killing them. He had done so in the beginning to provide a  sanctuary for his brother when he was injured in battle, but over the  years, he'd purchased lands in various countries to provide safe  preserves.