Dark Legacy (Dark 27)

"It must be nice to be Carpathian and be able to clean everything up after a battle with a wave of your hand."

He laughed softly and brought her hand to his mouth, nibbling on her fingertips. "Emeline, you're Carpathian. Everything I can do, so can you. Picture it in your mind and you can do it. We'll work on the things you want most."

She'd forgotten that. Color swept up her neck into her face, but she didn't care. She loved the idea that she could do so many things by thinking of them. "I want to fly and then fly a dragon. The minute we have some breathing room, teach me."

"I should have known that would be first on your list. Of course. That's easy enough."

"I thought the children lived in the house over there." Emeline indicated the smaller house close to the water.

Dragomir shook his head. "Tariq and Charlotte want them living with them now. They've officially adopted them in the human world. In our world, they were already theirs. I think Tariq believes they're going to have to convert Amelia soon. He doesn't think she can get through this otherwise. The trauma has been too much for her mind. First the terror of what Vadim did in the underground city and then his using her to harm those she loves. They want the children close to them."

Emeline shook her head. "She won't convert as long as Bella remains human. We talked about it several times. She's been looking after her little sister since the day she was born. She doesn't want someone else to do it now."

Dragomir shrugged. "I am not Tariq. These are his children and he has the right to do as he sees fit."

"What does that mean?" She looked up at him, the knots in her stomach tightening.

"Just that I do what is best for my child regardless of what she believes she wants. If she needs to be converted, I would do so in a heartbeat. If Bella were mine, I would convert her as well. That way, when I rest, so do they, and I don't have to worry they are up to no good."

"And Danny?"

There was a small silence. "Danny is a problem. I wouldn't have thought so, but I look at Gary and realize turning a male isn't the same as turning a female. The male must be imprinted with the ritual binding words. The ancestors must accept him. The line must go back centuries. Danny would have to be accepted by Tariq's ancestors. There would be a risk to him. It isn't a small one."

"What kind of risk?"

"I told you what happens to the male Carpathian when he loses his lifemate. All emotion and color is ripped from him. Going from that light to the ugliness of darkness so fast, without all the years of fading gently, causes a thrall. Insanity. That happened to the healer. From what the others have told me, it took the prince of the Carpathian people and his second-in-command, Gregori, to keep him from turning."

"You think that could happen to Danny?" The thought was terrifying. "He's only a boy."

"I don't know what would happen. In my day, there was no question of converting humans. It wasn't done. I've never heard of a male child being converted. Our children remain so until they are fifty years. Danny is a baby in our world. He would have to die and be reborn Carpathian. His soul would split, and somewhere in the world a child would be born with the other half of his soul. If I was Tariq I would be consulting the prince and any other who might have knowledge to share on what would happen to the boy."

"I can't imagine Amelia converting if she knew any of this. She would stay with him."

"Again, I wouldn't give my child the choice. I would do what was best for her."

Emeline pressed her hand over her stomach protectively. She would do the same for her child. Wouldn't every parent? She sighed. Amelia was human, and Tariq and Charlotte were Carpathian. If they converted all the female members of the family, but not Danny, what would happen then? Eventually there would be a division.

"Don't think about it, sivamet. Tariq is a wise man. The reason the others follow him, the reason I stayed when I knew I should go, was because of Tariq. There is something compelling about him, and I found myself wanting to protect him and what he's trying to build here. He's intelligent and he's found a way to bring the Carpathian people into this century. He is loyal to our prince and makes certain to keep in touch with him at all times. Trust him to find the solution for his family, just as we will find solutions for ours."

She liked that. She liked that he felt respect for Tariq and that a part of him wanted to stay and protect him and the others. With Dragomir came the brotherhood. They were loyal to him and to one another.

"I don't understand why Vadim doesn't just give up and go away when there are so many ancient hunters here. Tariq has an army of humans with weapons that can kill vampires. Why doesn't Vadim find another empire where there aren't any hunters?"

Dragomir opened the door and stepped into the foyer. She hung back. "We should knock."

"I called ahead and let Tariq know I was bringing you. He said to go inside and up the stairs to the first bedroom."

She found herself smiling. She wasn't certain she would ever get used to the Carpathian telepathic way of communication. "I would like to buy land near here. Bordering Tariq and Charlotte's. Maybe even on the lake, although the water scares me."

His gaze jumped to her face. "Why?"

She shrugged, unwilling to sound like a frightened child. "Dreams. Bad dreams since I was a child. I blamed not learning to swim on opportunity, but Blaze's father would have taught me. I didn't want to learn because that meant getting into the water."

Dragomir stepped in front of her on the stairs, reaching behind him for her hand. He did that a lot, sheltering her. She wasn't used to it, but she liked it. She had always tried to imagine what it would be like to have a man want to protect her. To love her. To put her first. No one had ever done that. Blaze and her father were wonderful to her and she loved them both, but always they had each other. She knew if she wasn't perfect, Blaze's father wouldn't have thrown her out, but she still feared it and went out of her way to always be on her best behavior.

Tariq paced in the hall, a small frown on his face. He swung around as they reached the top of the stairs. "Emeline. Thank you for coming. Not even Gary can reach her. We thought for certain Liv would be able to, but she said Amelia had gone too far. I'm not certain we'll get her back. If you can't do it, then I'll have no choice but to convert her. Gary isn't certain if that will work, either."

"I'll do anything I can to help her, Tariq, but I'm no healer. I don't know how to do the things all of you do to heal one another. It's a tremendous gift, but I'm not certain I can do it."

"I'll be with you," Dragomir assured.

Emeline wasn't certain that would be the best thing for Amelia. The teenager was afraid of Dragomir. All the children were. She knew Amelia in particular was because they'd discussed it. Once, when he had stridden by, his long hair flowing like a waterfall to his waist and his golden eyes alive with heat and danger

, Emeline had waited to speak until he took to the sky, using two running steps and then he was gone. He had been breathtaking. Her body had reacted despite the pain racking her, and she'd turned to find Amelia staring at the same spot where he had taken to the sky.

They'd stared at each other and then laughed, agreeing he was hotter than hell and someone to stay away from. She had seen the shy admiration in Amelia's eyes, but also the fear. He was big and bad and just plain scary. He scared Emeline, too, so she hadn't tried to persuade Amelia to feel any differently.

"Let me just sit with her for a few minutes," Emeline said. She started past Tariq, but Dragomir caught her hand and pulled her back to him.

"What scared you about the water, sivamet?" he asked softly.

Her stomach rolled. Knotted. She felt slightly nauseous. Forcing a smile, she shook her head. "I was a child, Dragomir."

He looked as if he might object and force her explanation, but in the end, he caught her chin in his fingers and forced her head up. "Kiss me."

She would anywhere, anytime. She leaned her body into his and gave herself up to his kiss. He always was hungry. Commanding. He tasted like sin and sex and love. So much love. She kissed him again and again, wishing they were alone, and then abruptly pulled away to glare at him. "You're distracting me."

"So you're thinking of something you love rather than something you fear. Go be strong for the both of you. You were born for me," he said, "but also for this. For children like Amelia who need a strong, courageous woman to guide them when they're lost. Do what you do best."

She hadn't thought she did anything best, except maybe dance. But that wasn't something others needed. She looked at Tariq, at the lines of worry in his face. Charlotte came out of the bedroom, her eyes red from crying, her arm around Liv, who also was in tears. Valentin was their shadow, his features grim. Hope had been lost. She could see that.