Carpathian 13 - Dark Destiny

around in his head—the
    'you are my lifemate' words." Secretly she thought the ritual words as beautiful as they were terrifying.
    "How would simple words bind us together or make Nicolae safe?"
    His strong teeth nipped at her palm so that she yelped and glared at him. "You are not to think about that, Destiny. We have plenty of time."
    "I don't believe I was speaking to you," she responded huffily. "There's no talking to you when you're in Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    your ridiculous alpha male he-man mode. Sheesh! All you think about is protecting the little woman. I'm talking to your brother right now." She attempted to lift her chin but it hurt too much, so she suppressed a squeak of pain and had to be content to challenge him with her eyes.
    Nicolae's heart melted beyond repair. She was so brave, so filled with courage. She lay in his arms, beaten, torn apart, her flesh shredded. Pain coursed through her veins and the taint of the vampire stood between them, yet she met Vikirnoff's gaze without flinching. It mattered to her that Nicolae was safe. He read the determination in her mind, her complete resolve, even as he read her fear of what Vikirnoff might say.
    "He must bind you to him so that you will act as his anchor. Once the words are said and the ritual is complete, he cannot turn vampire. Unless you die. You will provide the light to his darkness."
    Destiny stared at Vikirnoff for several heartbeats. A singe sound escaped her. Muffled. Strangled.
    Somewhere between humorless laughter, hysteria and tears. "Are you crazy? I'm supposed to be the light to his darkness? Do you have any idea what you're saying? Nicolae is my light. My only light."
    "Destiny." Vikirnoff's voice never changed. It was soft. Calm. Reasonable. "You have dedicated your entire existence to the protection of others. You think first of Nicolae even as you lie broken. Those are not the acts of someone who lives in darkness."
    "Nicolae lives for the protection of others."
    "He was bred to do so. It is his right and his honor. It is his way of life. It was not so with you."
    "You can't see what's inside me." She turned her face away from him, only to find Nicolae. Always Nicolae. He was there in her mind. There in her heart. He held her safely in his arms.
    "Nicolae sees what is inside you. Nicolae is no easy man to be twisted around a woman's finger. He is an ancient hunter of the undead. A dangerous predator who is capable of destroying more than you could ever comprehend. You could never fool him. Never, Destiny. You are exactly as he sees you. His light."
    "Have you forgotten that you had to warn us I was tainted?"
    "Your blood is not who or what you are. It merely runs in your veins. If a human has cancer growing in his body, does that make him a tainted being? Do not allow this vampire to run your life any longer. He does not own you. He is long gone from this world. Let him stay dead."
    Destiny let her breath out slowly. Her gaze met Nicolae's, and she felt instantly lost. He had to stop looking at her like that. He just had to. Before she could stop herself, her fingertips were rubbing away his frown. She could bear pain better than she could bear his frown.
    "You know he is right," Nicolae said gently.
    She rolled her eyes. "You just had to point it out, didn't you? Couldn't stay quiet. Totally annoying." If she didn't joke she would cry, and that would be too humiliating to be borne. This man had already seen her at her worst. She didn't need to have tears running down her face and her nose all red.
    For the first time, something made sense. Vikirnoff actually had given her something to hold on to. Her blood didn't dictate who she was. Or what she was.

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    She looked across the cave at Nicolae's brother. "Thank you for what you did, Vikirnoff, battling the vampires with us. I know it is hard for you to kill. Had you not been with us, they would have destroyed many people. You look a bit on the pale side, too. Did you give me blood?"
    Vikirnoff nodded toward his brother. "In a way. I gave to my brother." It was easy to see that Destiny was holding on by a thread.
    "Pater seems to be losing all his little children. They're dropping like flies. I doubt if he can father enough to come looking for us. Both of you go hunt and regain your full strength. I'll be fine while you're gone."
    Destiny attempted to