Carpathian 13 - Dark Destiny

with the earth surrounding her, staring up at the star-studded night sky. It was bitterly cold. She was bitterly cold; the blood flowing in her veins like ice water, like acid that burned it was so cold.
    Call me to you. I will warm you.
    She closed her eyes as the voice slipped into her head. He called to her on every rising now. The voice of an angel. The heart of the demon. Her savior. Her mortal enemy. Very slowly she allowed breath to seep into her lungs, her heart to take up its steady beating. Another endless night. There had been so many and all she wanted was rest.
    She floated out of the ground, clothing herself with the ease of long practice, her body clean, where her soul was damned. The sounds and smells of the night were all around her, whispers and scents that flooded her senses with information. She was hungry. She needed to go into the city. As hard as she tried, she could not overcome the need for rich, hot blood. It beckoned and called to her as nothing else could.

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    Other books by Christine Feehan:

    DARK MELODY
    LAIR OF THE LION
    DARK GUARDIAN
    DARK LEGEND
    DARK FIRE
    THE SCARLETTI CURSE
    DARK CHALLENGE
    DARK MAGIC
    DARK GOLD
    DARK DESIRE
    DARK PRINCE
    AFTER TWILIGHT (anthology)
    THE ONLY ONE (anthology)

    CHRISTINE
    FEEHAN
    Dark Destiny

    LEISURE BOOKS
    NEW YORK CITY

    A LEISURE BOOK ®

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    July 2004

    Published by

    Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
    200 Madison Avenue
    New York,NY10016

    Copyright © 2004 by Christine Feehan

    ISBN 0-8439-5050-1

    The name "Leisure Books" and the stylized "L" with design are trademarks of Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

    Printed in theUnited States of America .

    Visit us on the web atwww.dorchesterpub.com .

    This book was written for so many people. First of all, two men who have dedicated themselves to a way of life. George Chadwick, sixth Dan Black, Korean Tang Soo Do; and Roberto Macias, fourth Dan Black, Korean Tang Soo Do.

    For Gayle Fillman, fifth Go Dan, World Aikido Federation, and her unfailing dedication to providing a safe training area and a refuge for women in need.

    These wonderful, dedicated people have always reached out to women in difficult circumstances.
    Without their guidance and continual support I would not have learned the things necessary to help the women whose lives I touched. Thank you for your generosity and caring on behalf of so many you Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    helped and probably were never even aware that you did.

    For Anita, Billie Jo and all the others who rose out of the ashes to become someone special, giving your time to so many in need.

    A special acknowledgment to Judy Albert and my sister Ruth Powell, for sitting up until all hours of the morning, talking shop with me and working out the kinks.

    Thank you all.

    DARK DESTINY

Chapter One
    She woke to the knowledge that she was a murderess and that she would kill again. It was the only reason she continued her existence. It was what she lived for. To kill. Pain and hunger crawled through her body endlessly, relentlessly. She lay very still with the earth surrounding her, staring up at the star-studded night sky. It was bitterly cold. She was bitterly cold, the blood flowing in her veins like ice water, like acid that burned it was so cold.
    Call me to you. I will warm you.
    She closed her eyes as the voice slipped into her head. He called to her on every rising now. The voice of an angel. The heart of the demon. Her savior. Her mortal enemy. Very slowly she allowed breath to seep into her lungs, her heart to take up its steady beating. Another endless night. There had been so many, and all she wanted was rest.
    She floated out of the ground, clothing herself with the ease of long practice, her body clean, where her soul was damned. The sounds and smells of the night were all around her, whispers and scents that flooded her senses with information. She was hungry. She needed to go into the city. As hard as she tried, she could not overcome the need for rich, hot blood. It beckoned and called to her as nothing else could.
    Destiny found herself in a familiar part of the city. Her body traveled the accustomed path before she had even thought where she was going. The small church tucked among the rising buildings and maze of narrow streets and alleyways beckoned