Carpathian 13 - Dark Destiny

was a child, she thought herself to blame for things she had no control over, but he knew she had to come to that knowledge on her own. The realization had to be more than intellectual, it had to be in her heart, her soul, right where the scars were.
    "Take him away from here. Father Mulligan is expecting you, and the police are on their way. They will not find me in this place." His voice was very gentle.
    Destiny met his gaze. Some of the tension eased out of her. "Thank you, Nicolae. I'm grateful that you're here." She reached out and touched his arm. A mere brush to answer his, but her heart was swelling with joy as she turned away. She couldn't help the way she felt every time she looked at him. There was pride and confidence and chemistry and a curious melting deep inside her. A part of her might always fight to avoid admitting how deeply he had entwined himself around her heart, but she could admit to herself he was a large part of what was good in her life.
    Destiny lifted the boy into her arms. The child circled her neck trustingly, leaned into her for shelter. The childish gesture of trust disarmed her. She tightened her arms protectively and took to the skies. She wanted to give this boy something to counteract the terrible memory of his mother's death. Placing him in a dreamlike state, she flew through the sky, drifting through clouds and allowing the joy of flying to fill the boy's mind and heart. He would always carry the dream with him, always have a sense of soaring free through the night sky.
    Destiny had little else to give him, and it bothered her. She wanted to be able to free him of the weight of guilt. To somehow make him understand that he was a victim, a survivor, that his life could be rebuilt. As she took him around the small church's steeple, she wondered how her life had gotten to this point. It wasn't long ago that she had lived a solitary existence, yet now her life was intertwined with so many people.
    Father Mulligan was waiting for her in his garden. He smiled a gentle greeting as Destiny released the boy from the shield. There was a soothing quality to the priest that even the distraught boy couldn't fail to notice.
    "This is Sam. Sam, my friend Father Mulligan." She hunkered down to the boy's level. His fingers were digging into her arm, clutching at her for protection.
    The boy made a strangled sound as the priest turned his attention on him. He stepped closer to Destiny and her heart turned over. "Nicolae explained?" she asked Father Mulligan.
    The priest nodded. "Sam, you'll be safe here. A friend of Destiny's has spoken with the social service worker, and she has agreed to allow you to stay in the rectory with the other priests and me for the time being. There is a priest here that you will find very easy to talk with. He's waiting for you now. There are Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    also two police officers who need to speak with you about what happened. Just tell them the truth. I will be with you if you like while you explain what happened."
    Sam squared his thin shoulders and nodded, but his gaze was pleading as he looked at Destiny. She smiled encouragingly at him. "Father Mulligan is a priest, Sam. He doesn't lie and he's greatly respected.
    He'll make certain you are well cared for."
    "What if Jerome finds me?" Sam asked anxiously.
    "Is Jerome your father?" Father Mulligan inquired.
    Sam shook his head adamantly. "He moved in with us a couple of years ago. I don't have a father. It's just me and my mom."
    Destiny felt shaken. She had had a mother and a father. She remembered her mother's face. Her smile.
    Her scent. She remembered her father tossing her high into the air so that she squealed and laughed and begged him for more. The memory was vivid and tore at the carefully built locks on the doors in her mind.
    Why is this happening? I put all this away. She turned to Nicolae, the one person she believed in.
    How could you not identify with this child? He had a decent life with his mother until a monster found them. It matters little that the monster was human. The monster found them, and the child could do nothing to change the outcome. He blames himself for something he had no control over. You look at him and you see yourself.
    It was only the complete calm in his voice that steadied her. There was far too much truth in Nicolae's observations. "You'll be okay, Sam. Father Mulligan will look after you, and I'll come