Carpathian 13 - Dark Destiny

childhood maybe. Perhaps we need to explore your psyche a bit."
    His eyebrows shot up. "I do not think it is necessary. Protecting one's lifemate is as necessary as breathing."
    "Really?" Destiny stood up, pulled him up beside her. "Next time you decide to make a decision like taking tainted blood, you might want to consult me first. I might hit you over the head if you pull something like that again."
    He found himself grinning down at her exasperated expression. "You have problems with authority."
    She tossed her head, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Waves of dark hair spilled around her face and down her shoulders. "Fortunately, I don't acknowledge anyone as an authority, so there's no problem whatsoever." She clothed herself in the manner of the Carpathian people. She did so smoothly, naturally, Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    without hesitation. She had been six years old when she'd been taken from her family. She knew more of the Carpathian way than the human way. "If the Prince doesn't like me all that much, well"—she shrugged—"it's perfectly fine with me."
    He caught her chin, lifted her gaze to his. "You need to perfect the art of lying if you are going to be telling such tales."
    She shrugged, unrepentant. "I'm going to have to figure out what to do with you, Nicolae. I hadn't planned to let you in my life, and you've turned everything upside down. What exactly are we supposed to do? It isn't as if we can have any kind of a normal life. We certainly can't have those children you seemed to want."
    "Why not?"
    Her eyes glittered with sudden fire. "Your blood, thanks to your being so stubborn and impetuous, is tainted . Or had you forgotten?" There was still a trace of accusation in her voice, and for a moment the flames leapt in her gaze.
    He clothed himself in his usual elegant style, turning away from her to hide his amusement. She wouldn't be pleased that he thought her humorous when she was scolding. "I am stuck on the word impetuous.
    Surely that does not describe my carefully thought-out action."
    She did glare at him then. "Don't remind me you weren't overcome with passion; it was the only excuse I had for you. What were you thinking, Nicolae? We don't know what that blood might do to you. It burns and corrupts, and you have darkness lurking in you. I've seen glimpses of it more than once. I'd hate to have to rip out your heart in the early morning hours when you least expected it, but if you give me any trouble and start exhibiting any vamp behavior, you're gone." She said the last with more glee than reluctance.
    Nicolae couldn't help the laughter spilling out of him at her audacity. "I will be certain to watch myself."
    "Seriously, Nicolae, if you thought about it ahead of time and planned it out so carefully, what good did you think would come of it?"
    There was a sudden silence. He made no response, but all at once he seemed different, no longer the relaxed lifemate lounging in his lair. She could feel waves of power, of strength; she recognized the danger in him. And he was watching her with the unblinking stare of a predator. For a moment she stood blinking up at him, her heart jumping in her chest. She found herself taking a step backward, away from him.
    Nicolae reached out to recapture her hand. "Do not look at me with fear in your eyes. You are my lifemate, bound to me for all time. I would never hurt you, Destiny. It would be impossible to do such a thing."
    "We're joking about tainted blood, but what if it's not a joke? What if you turn? I couldn't really kill you.
    I know I couldn't make myself do it."
    His smile softened the hard angles of his face. "I am pleased to hear such a reluctant admission. Never fear, Vikirnoff would take care of such a matter should there be need. I am not worried. If I must live with tainted blood, so be it. I believe the healer can rid us of it, however."

    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    Her stomach somersaulted. There it was. Out in the open at last. "The healer," she echoed. "You keep speaking of a healer. You tried to heal me, but the tainted blood is still there." Nicolae was a miracle worker. She had seen firsthand what he could do. If he was unable to succeed in ridding her body of the vampire's contaminated blood, then no one could do such a thing.
    "Our people have healers much greater than I will ever be. They are born into a line of ancients who