Carpathian 08 - Dark Legend

went up. She scanned the area quickly but found no one who could be considered an enemy. There was no taint of power, no voids to indicate an evil one was near. Whoever or whatever was reaching out to Skyler was powerful enough to elude Francesca's search. "What do you mean he was here? Lafitte? One of the others? Tell me, Skyler."
    Skyler shook her head. "The one like you. The one that was here before and stayed quiet while you healed me. He touches my mind when my memories are overwhelming. He makes me feel safe."
    "Gabriel?" Francesca had thought he'd gone into the city looking for evidence of Lucian. He had read the newspaper, given a quick exclamation, and was gone before she could ask. When she picked up the paper there was an article about an unidentified man found in an alley with his throat slashed. He had been found in a part of town where few decent people ever went. Francesca was certain she would have recognized Gabriel's touch in Skyler's mind. She reached for Gabriel and found him at once.
    "You are safe?" She asked it softly, a little hesitantly, knowing from his deep concentration he was in the middle of something important.
    "He was here. Lucian. This was his kill. He is still in the city. I do not know why he was not waiting for me as he should have been."
    "Were you here with us just a moment ago? Skyler says she felt the presence of another while we were talking."
    There was a moment of silence. Gabriel examined Francesca's memories of the conversation she had had with the teenager. "It was not me, sweetheart. This worries me. Lucian is extremely cunning and he likes games. If he is aware of Skyler, he would be aware of you. He would not pass up the opportunity to use either of you to get to me. You must be very careful. He is killing now, leaving his prey for me to find."
    "Why would he comfort Skyler?"
    "I cannot say. Perhaps to use her against you. I do not know, Francesca, but we cannot underestimate Lucian. We must assume he has found Skyler and is aware she is linked to me through you. He is extremely powerful and sensitive to the smallest hint of power. We both were vulnerable to his detection last rising. I should have been more careful."
    "Would you feel him if he had linked with us while we were with Skyler? She says she felt a third presence. She definitely felt another male, not you, and he held her, yet was not present physically."
    Again there was a long silence. "I do not like this, Francesca. It had to be Lucian. Only he is capable of slipping in and out of my mind without my knowledge. You are in great danger, you and Skyler. He is up to something. This kill was deliberate. A message to me that he has opened the game and it is my move."
    "How do you know?"
    "His victim is one of the men from Skyler's memory."
    Francesca bit her lower lip hard enough to bring a dot of ruby-red blood welling up. She let her breath out slowly. Now it was Skyler who reached out to comfort her. "What is it? Why are you upset?"
    "I don't know who this man is, the one who came to you this morning. It was not Gabriel as I had hoped. There is one in this city like us, with the ability to connect without his physical presence, yet he is not like us. He is dangerous." Francesca tried to keep the fear out of her voice. She knew what the vampire was capable of. He was a ruthless, merciless killer who played with people and their emotions for his own amusement. The undead could appear to be handsome and courteous, friendly and gentle, when in fact they had only dark, demonic thoughts. Lucian was the most powerful Carpathian alive other than his twin. Now that he had chosen to lose his soul he was doubly dangerous. He had been feared before; now he was considered the most menacing enemy of all time. It was a frightening thought that Lucian might be stalking them for his own deadly purpose.
    "He didn't feel evil," Skyler said softly. "I'm always afraid of men. Even the doctor makes me nervous, but for some reason this man's different. He almost feels like Gabriel, sort of safe. I've never had a safe feeling before so I'm not certain."
    Francesca nodded. "I hope you're right, sweetheart, but I want you to be cautious with this man. Very cautious. Now tell me about your talent."
    Skyler's eyelids were drooping. "I'm already tired, Francesca. It isn't exactly a talent, it's just knowing things. And I can sometimes read people's thoughts, just like you can. Like Gabriel and the other. I prefer animals to people. I