Carpathian 00 - The Scarletti Curse

forward.
    The guards were shaking their heads when she went upstairs, straight to the bedchamber shared by Maria Pia and Sophie. Again she had the same strange shadowed feeling of evil. She stared at the wall relief. They were very similar to ones in the downstairs room. "Look at this," she said to the nearest guard. "Obviously the artist was a very violent man." She touched the tip of what looked like a razor-sharp talon.
    Nicoletta sat on the bed and stared at the mural, wishing she could see the artwork in the two rooms side by side. Something moved under the coverlet, brushing her fingers. She jumped off the bed, so surprised she let out a small cry of shock. Immediately the guard closest to her jerked her behind him.

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    "What is it, Donna Scarletti?"
    The second guard, Francesco, thrust her farther behind him, almost shoving her out of the room.
    Nicoletta tried to peer around him as the first guard caught the edge of the coverlet and pulled it from the bed. At once a ball of scorpions fell to the floor, a wriggling, boiling black-and-brown mass immediately scattering into different directions across the tiled floor.
    Nicoletta stared in horror at the hideous creatures as the guards gave chase. The poisonous insects were fast. It was a frightening thought that someone had dumped such a swarm of them in the bed in which Maria Pia and Sophie slept. "Why?" She asked the question aloud.
    "Look out!" Francesco yelled, shoving her none too gently into the corridor, slamming his boot heel down hard on a scorpion that had crawled far too close to Nicoletta's bare foot.
    Nicoletta stumbled backward, trying desperately to regain her balance. The guard leapt to steady her.
    Another hand snaked out to drag her to safety. She was pulled up against her husband's hard body.
    "The tower is looking better and better," he murmured, his dark eyes slashing at the guard and the poisonous creatures spreading out across the marble floor. Don Scarletti swung her up into his arms, holding her far above the danger as he aided her guards in dispensing with the scorpions.
    Both of his brothers were soon there, too, stamping on the creatures, Vincente going through every inch of the room. "Sophie cannot stay in here," he announced, his body trembling. "Something must be done, Giovanni! This cannot continue." His tone was accusing, his expression dark and dangerous.
    Nicoletta's heart went out to him, knowing he must be afraid for his daughter and angry that someone had done such a thing. She couldn't blame him for his anger. His child had been placed in danger on more than one occasion. "Why would anyone want to hurt Sophie? She is just a child." She voiced what the others would not.
    "The curse," Antonello said softly. "We are cursed to lose all our women." It was an ominous warning, and his eyes were on Nicoletta when he uttered them. Giovanni's arms tightened around her like twin bands, threatening to cut off her air. "The curse is ours, Antonello, not that of our women, and I refuse to allow it to rule my life. This was no 'curse.' " He gestured toward the dead and dying scorpions. "A human gathered and brought these things to this room." She could feel the fury running through his body, a rage that refused to give in to the superstition that dominated their lives. "I want every servant questioned. Every single one. Get to the bottom of this." His black eyes pinned Antonello.
    Antonello nodded silently.
    "They were beneath the coverlet, Don Scarletti," Francesco announced. "Donna Nicoletta nearly placed her hand on them."
    Giovanni gave her a little shake, as if she were responsible for the near tragedy. I am seriously considering chaining you to my bed. "We cannot risk that even one escaped, Vincente. We must move Signorina Sigmora and Sophie to another room immediately. The poor child will soon feel she has no home."
    "Better to be safe," Vincente said. "I will search the chamber myself. I do not want any of her things taken to a new room when one of those poisonous creatures may be carried along."

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    Giovanni nodded and turned with Nicoletta in his arms to carry her down the hall to their bedchamber.
    A rush of excitement heated her blood, and she relaxed in his arms. "I did not find the scorpions on purpose to provoke you," she informed him.
    "How do you manage to get yourself