Carpathian 13 - Dark Destiny

humor has warped over the centuries."
    "I did not know I had a sense of humor." Vikirnoff studied the lines of strain in his brother's face. "You are arrogant and you do not even realize it. You do not even seek to hide her resting place from me."
    "I trust you."
    "You do not trust me with her life, Nicolae. I am in your head just as you are in mine. You know how strong you are; you believe I am not a threat to you because you know you can protect her."
    Nicolae raked a hand through the black silk of his hair, leaving it more disheveled than ever. "I believe in you, Vikirnoff."
    Vikirnoff shook his head. "You believe in yourself. She has no idea how dangerous you are. How strong you are. After you connected with her you shouldered part of her physical pain, lessened her emotional pain, all the while going from continent to continent hunting for her. You battled the undead where you found them and avoided all contact with our people as Vladimer requested. You went on her hunts with her, helping orchestrate them, feeding her your own strength and power from great distances and shielding her from that knowledge. I know of no other Carpathian who has accomplished such a feat.
    Why do you hide your strength from her? And why do you allow this?" His hands gestured toward the bed of soil where Destiny lay, bruised and torn. "Why do you not forbid this behavior and simply put an end to your suffering? You are a Carpathian male. This is hell for you."
    There was no reprimand in Vikirnoff's voice; there never was. He was mildly curious about behavior he couldn't fathom. Vikirnoff clearly found it incomprehensible that a Carpathian male would allow his lifemate to live in constant danger.
    Nicolae shrugged his broad shoulders. The simple movement sent a ripple through his powerful muscles, a subtle warning to those who might see only his unfailing elegance. "She is my lifemate. I will do what is necessary for her, no matter what the cost. Destiny needs to be in control of her life more than she needs my protection."
    "That makes no sense. We have few women. She is needed, alive and capable of giving birth to a female child. Why would you allow such unnecessary danger to her? Take her to our homeland where she belongs."
    "A vampire robbed her of her life, forced his domination on her. Should I do the same?" Nicolae shook his head. "You know she would never stand for such a thing."
    "You can take control of her. Once she is healed—"
    "Vikirnoff, she will never be completely healed, you know that. What was done to her is there in her mind for all time. She must come to me of her own free will."

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    "The cost to you—"
    "Does not matter. Will never matter. The physical danger to her is nothing in comparison to the danger of losing her to her own demons. They are more real and more lethal than any vampire she chooses to fight.
    I know you cannot understand, but you and I have stood together for centuries. You know me. You know my strength. There is no danger of my failing her by turning vampire. If she chooses another world, another time and place, I will follow her."
    "Do you remember all those years ago when our Prince called us to him? We were already aware our lifemates were not in the world with us. Most of us had already fought battles and had seen brothers and friends turn to a corrupt existence. We accepted that we would not have our lifemates, that something had happened to prevent their birth or that they had died before they had a chance to grow." Vikirnoff casually tugged at his wrist with his teeth.
    Nicolae would never leave Destiny unprotected while she lay helpless in the healing sleep he had commanded. Not even with Vikirnoff to guard her.
    Nicolae accepted the offering just as casually, nodding before bending his head to his brother's wrist.
    "I have given this situation much thought," Vikirnoff said. "We accepted our lives as guardians of the world. We asked for nothing in return, and we did our duty and upheld the honor of our people."
    Vikirnoff glanced at the woman lying so still, her body battered and bruised, the tears in her skin still ragged. "This is not right. She should never have suffered like this. It is the very thing we gave our lives and our hopes to prevent. Of all people, it should not have happened to your lifemate. The undead should never have touched her."
    "And yet he did," Nicolae said with resignation, closing