Carpathian 08 - Dark Legend

impossible to move. Behind Brice a man moved out of the shadows. Skyler's bodyguard stood at the bottom of the stairs with his arms folded. Brice swallowed his rage and stepped away from Santino. "Skyler, get out here. You're coming with me. I mean it. If you don't come now, I'm going straight to the judge and insist you be placed in my custody immediately."

    Skyler buried her face in her hands with a small moan of fear.
    Beneath the earth in the secret chamber lay two bodies, as still as death. A single heart began to beat where before there had been only silence. Gabriel felt the strength of the girl's fear and it had awakened him. Instantly he felt his twin's presence. At that moment they were one being with one thought. Someone had threatened a child under their protection, and this wasn't to be tolerated.
    Gabriel could not explain such a phenomenon to Francesca. This was what made Lucian unique. It was what made it so difficult to condemn and hunt him. Lucian merged with him and at once they were bonded, strong and lethal, of one mind on the hunt. Whatever his motive, Lucian was as determined as Gabriel that Skyler not be further intimidated. Gabriel could no more close himself off to his brother than give up protecting the women. At that moment, they were truly one being.
    Gabriel disconnected with his body, his spirit rising above his body and moving swiftly through the earth upward toward the main house. It was a peculiar wrenching feeling to be out of one's body, disorienting and yet strangely exhilarating. Gabriel was at his lowest point of power in the afternoon, but he could travel without his body and he did so now, moving swiftly through the house until he was in the room where the disturbance was occurring.
    Light was streaming into the room despite Santino's large frame blocking the door way. Gabriel flinched from the sunlight although he was without his body and the light could not blind him. He went to Skyler's trembling figure huddled so small on the couch, forlorn and lost without Francesca and Gabriel to protect her from the world. He flooded her with warmth and a feeling of safety, while Lucian lent his own strength and power so that she was instantly soothed.
    Skyler lifted her head and looked around her, puzzled that she should sense Gabriel's presence even though he wasn't in the room with her. She glanced at Drusilla to see whether she felt anything. She wasn't going to go with Brice no matter what any of them said.
    "Of course you won't, honey." It was a distinctly masculine voice, soothing, comforting, filling her with confidence. "Neither Santino nor I will allow anyone to take you against your will from this house. Brice is ill."
    Skyler felt the presence of Gabriel, strong and powerful, in her mind. She recognized the touch of the other one, the one they all seemed to worry about, just as strong and powerful as Gabriel, his strength pouring into her along with Gabriel's. Skyler knew she would be protected. She had never felt part of a family before. It was a strange and even unnatural feeling to her, yet she wanted it desperately. She wanted to believe that Santino, Drusilla, and the bodyguard, Jarrod Silva, would protect her and be loyal to her in the same way she knew Gabriel and Francesca would. She had reservations about the other, only because she knew Gabriel and Francesca both were wary of him.
    She couldn't fathom why, although she had given it much thought and had even tried to "read" the couple when they touched her.
    Skyler attempted to reach out to Gabriel, felt frustrated for a moment, then laughed softly at herself. All she had to do was think a reply in her head. "I told Francesca something was wrong with the doctor. He doesn't feel the same as he used to feel. I am more afraid for Francesca than for myself. I think Dr. Brice is nuts."
    "You must have faith in me. I would not allow Brice to harm Francesca." Gabriel knew what her fear was, knew Skyler was afraid that Brice would hurt Francesca, would somehow separate them. "It will not happen, no one will take you from us." His voice was reassuring, so perfectly tranquil and soothing that Skyler regained her confidence immediately and was able to peer around Drusilla to smile a little impertinently at the doctor.
    "I think you are frightening Skyler, sir," Santino said more softly than ever. There was the merest hint of a threat in his voice this time.
    Beside him, Gabriel stirred, a cold breeze washing over Brice,