Carpathian 00 - The Scarletti Curse

son, my father, after our mother's death. Padre only held the title of don for three years, and Nonno never revealed the key to him, so Padre could not give it to Vincente, even though he was his favorite son."
    "Vincente killed your nonna. He strangled her." Nicoletta began to weep again, shaking violently with the aftermath of terror. "And my mother. And my aunt and all the other women; he hurt them on purpose. It was Vincente. He killed your nonna, too."
    Giovanni swept her back into his arms, holding her to him, his mouth fastening on hers in a desperate attempt to comfort her, to comfort them both. "Come, piccola, come into the bath. It will warm you. I will Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    go see to the end of this thing and return to you as soon as I am able." She clung to him, afraid to let him out of her sight. "What of your wounds? Let me at least see to them."
    "There is no need. I must go. Do you wish me to send Maria Pia to you?"
    More than anything Nicoletta wanted the comfort of the older woman, but Margerita was severely wounded and had just lost her mother. "I will go to them after I have bathed," Nicoletta said.
    "Your guards will be at the door. Do not leave without them. I have your word on that?" His black gaze pinned hers.
    Nicoletta found a small smile from somewhere deep inside. She had had enough adventures to last a lifetime. "You have my word, Don Giovanni."
    He bent his head to hers and kissed her thoroughly, completely, his mouth hot and dominant and masterful. Deep within her, the smile blossomed into warmth.
    Nicoletta went gratefully into the room with the deep, sunken tub. Steam rose from the surface of the water. She lit as many candles as she could, letting their soothing fragrance fill the room. The water shimmered invitingly, offering a measure of peace when her entire body was suffering from exhaustion and terror. She tossed her clothes aside and padded down the steps, letting the hot water caress her skin, warming her. The moisture lapped at the bruise forming on her breast, taking away the terrible stinging but not the memory of how it was put there. She was still shivering violently, enough that small waves radiated outward from her, reminding her of the violence of the sea, the violence hidden beneath the surface of a man.
    She wept then. For her mother, her aunt, for Giovanni's mother and grandmother, for his grandfather, Portia, and Margerita, and even for Angelita and little Sophie, who would someday have to know what a monster her father was. She wept for herself and for Giovanni. His father had been a sick man who had turned his jealousy into a corrupt hatred, and he had fed his youngest son the same diet, creating an abomination. She sat in the bath, the water lapping at her chin, and allowed the tears to fall until she thought she would never cry again.
    Finally Nicoletta washed her hair, rinsing out the salt spray, the sea smell, trying to realize she was safe at last. But even the long bath had not taken away the terror in the pit of her stomach, the horrible dread that filled her body, and the taste of fear in her mouth. She needed Maria Pia. And young Sophie. Most of all she needed Giovanni. Sighing, she left the bath and dressed in one of the soft nightshifts Giovanni had had made for her. She dragged on a robe and went to the bedchamber door.
    To her relief, she recognized Dominic, although the other guard was a stranger to her. "Where is Francesco?"
    "He guards Margerita, Donna Nicoletta," Dominic responded.
    "Please take me to them," she said softly.
    "Of course." He smiled at her, his gaze warm. But suddenly his eyes went wide, staring in a kind of horror. A trickle of blood seeped from his mouth to dribble toward his chin. His knees buckled, and he pitched forward to fall facedown at her feet. The back of his shirt was soaked with blood.
    Nicoletta found herself staring at Vincente's smiling face. The sight of his evil smirk made her blood run Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    cold. His fingers settled around her throat, and he backed her into the master bedroom, his body crowding close to hers. "I have a loyal following, you see. They believe in me; they realize I was meant to rule. I know Giovanni thinks Austria will receive our country graciously in the new agreement with Spain—a marriage of convenience so to speak—and he has been working toward that end. But I