Dark Wolf(76)

"She's with him now, in the ground," Francesca asked.

Skyler nodded. "I think everyone fears if Zev wakes he'll think we  buried him alive. He's Lycan more than Carpathian, at least in his mind.  I know what it feels like to think you're buried beneath the earth and  can't get out." She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Maybe your father and I did you a disservice by allowing you to remain human."

Skyler sent her mother a smile. "No, I think you raised me exactly  right. Dimitri's teaching me everything I need to know, and Ivory's been  helping me as well. She and Razvan have offered us wolf pups. We're  both very excited to be able to have them and become a pack with them."

Francesca's eyes widened. "How amazing. Ivory and Razvan are very . . .  elusive. I'm glad he's reaching out to you and sharing your life a  little more."

"It was me more than him that kept a distance," Skyler admitted. "The  idea of having mage blood was repugnant to me, until I needed it.  Suddenly I was more than grateful to have it. I realized the blood and  lineage had nothing to do with whether or not I chose to use my gifts  for good or evil. That is my choice and my responsibility."

Francesca smiled at her. "I'm so very proud of you. The things you've  accomplished already are far beyond your years. Dimitri is lucky to have  you."

"I'm lucky to have him. He's so good to me and patient. He never once  pushed me for anything. He just was this constant in my life. A rock.  Always there, expecting nothing from me. How could I not fall in love  with him?"

Francesca took her hand. "I think the flower ceremony would be good for  you, Skyler. Are you able to be with him intimately without panicking?"

Skyler nodded. She had become used to the open way of Carpathian  communication and even with her mother, or maybe because she'd always  talked things over with Francesca, talking about making love to Dimitri  didn't embarrass her. "So far, so good. He's very gentle with me and  patient. I love him all the more for that."

Francesca nodded. "I'm grateful he's your lifemate. He is a good man and  a fierce warrior. He'll protect you always. It's nice to know he's so  capable. Gabriel was telling me that just last rising." She suddenly  lifted her head. "Oh, dear. I do believe your friends have tracked you  down, Skyler. I love them dearly, but tonight their exuberance will be  just a little too much for me."

Skyler gripped her hand, suddenly comprehending. Francesca was very  pale, and she hadn't come to help save Zev, although she was a  tremendous healer. "You're pregnant, aren't you? You didn't want to tell  me because of this silly worry of mine."

Francesca leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Yes, I'm pregnant. With  all this going on, the fighting, the scare with you, I've been a little  exhausted. Gabriel wants us to go home so I can rest, but he's needed  here and I don't want to leave until I know you're safe."

"Mom, you should have told me right away, instead of letting me go on  and on about whether or not I could have a baby. You have to know I'm so  excited and happy for you and Gabriel-for us all. I love babies. Tamara  is the cutest, best sister in the world. Have you told her yet?"

Francesca shook her head. "We thought it best to see if I carry. You know it's always so scary during the pregnancy."

Skyler frowned. "Have you had trouble?"

"Just a little bit, while I was traveling. I've been spending most of my  time with Sara. She's on bed rest so we've kept things as quiet as  possible with everything going on. She's very near term while I'm just  starting out."

Skyler let her breath out. She could hear Josef and Paul running across  the field toward them, Paul whooping enthusiastically and Josef playing  leapfrog over him.

"Francesca, let Gabriel take you home. Have him call in Darius and  Julian." Darius was Gabriel's younger brother. "They'll come. You know  they will. They can take his place. I'll be fine. I've got tons of  protection. I can't turn around without stumbling over Carpathian men,  watching that no assassin creeps out of the woodwork to do me in."

Francesca sighed, her fingers once more stroking lovingly through  Skyler's hair. "If we go, you know Lucian and Jaxon will go with us.  Lucian still watches over Gabriel like a hawk. Gabriel thinks it's  funny."

"Go, Mom," Skyler encouraged. "Mikhail would tell them all to take you home." She leaned over and kissed her mother.

"You're on some kind of a hit list."

"Go. Really. I'd be on that list whether you were here or not. I'd  rather know that you and the baby are out of harm's way and that you  have a good chance to carry this little life to term. If it comes to me  never being able to have a baby, I'll have my sisters and brothers." She  hugged Francesca hard. "Go home for me, Mom."

Pounding footsteps announced the arrival of Paul and Josef.

Francesca smiled at Skyler. "That's my cue. I'll talk to Gabriel. I know Ivory and Razvan are staying close to watch over you."

"Aww, Mrs. D.!" Josef skidded to a halt and bowed low, sweeping a jaunty  black fedora from his head. "Have no worries about young Skyler Rose.  I'm here to save the day."

"Thank you, Josef. Now that I know she's safe, I'll go find my lifemate.  Hi, Paul. It's so good to see you again. The two of you take good care  of my girl."

Paul threw his arm around Skyler's neck and pretended to strangle her.  "She's safe with us," he growled in a threatening manner, winking at  Francesca.

Skyler ducked her shoulder and threw him in a smooth, rolling move. Paul somersaulted and landed on his feet.

"I see that you boys have this under control," Francesca said. She blew a  kiss to her daughter and was gone, shifting into vapor and streaming  away.

"Nice move, hotshot," Paul said admiringly. "I let you show off for your mother."

Skyler laughed. "You're the one who taught me that move so don't pout."  She flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "How are you  feeling? You're the only one of us who couldn't go into the ground to  heal properly."

Josef snorted. "Don't go giving him any sympathy. He's been basking in  it ever since he arrived here. He's got that sister of his and four  aunts to fuss over him as well as his uncles, who don't dare give him  the lecture he so richly deserves because they'll face the wrath of  their lifemates. He's milking it."

Paul's grin turned a little sheepish. "There could be some truth in  that. Better to have them all fuss over me than Zacarias and Rafael  boxing my ears or something equally as nasty."                       
       
           



       

"Now he has a point," Skyler said. "I'd take the sympathy over those  two, or any of the De La Cruz brothers for that matter, lecturing me."

"And you didn't fare so bad either, my man." Paul poked Josef in the  ribs. "Don't think I didn't notice you basking a little yourself."

Josef smirked. "My mom and my aunt did a little fussing, I'll admit. And  Byron and Vlad aren't nearly as intense as Zacarias and Rafael. It was  kind of nice being spoiled after I thought I might get flayed alive over  our little adventure."

"We did the right thing," Skyler said, sobering. "Thank you both.  Without you, Dimitri would have died. There's no question about that. I  couldn't have gone after Dimitri alone, and you both came through for me  when I needed you most. I'll never forget it."

"We made a pact a long time ago to stick together," Josef said. "That's forever for me."

Paul nodded. "I'm in. I might not have forever like the two of you, but . . ."

"I'll convert you myself," Josef said. "Of course you have to be  converted. Why wouldn't you? You have enough Carpathian blood in you to  be Carpathian."

Paul shrugged. "I'm not certain my psychic gifts are strong enough to  allow me to survive the conversion. Ginny's might be, but we don't know.  I would never take chances with her, and neither would Colby, so we're  just waiting to see what happens in the future."

"You're psychic enough," Josef declared.

"What's it like, Skyler? Going through the conversion? It looked horrible. I was terrified for you."

"She was dead," Josef said. "She probably doesn't remember it."

Knots formed in Skyler's stomach. She remembered every convulsion, that  endless wave of pain that tore through her body, destroying everything  human and reshaping to give birth to Carpathian. "I remember," she  admitted in a low voice.

She shivered, her body cold, reacting to the memory. She couldn't  imagine how anyone would go through it without help. Dimitri had taken  the brunt of the conversion by taking over her body and riding it out,  shielding her as much as he could from the pain wracking her physical  body.