Carpathian 17 - Dark Celebration

a man.
    He was fully a Carpathian warrior, his eyes blazing with fury, his mouth drawn into a cruel, merciless line. Muscles rippled in his back and bulged in his arms as he slammed his fist through the vampire's chest and wrapped his fingers around the blackened, wizened heart.
    There was a terrible sucking sound and the shriek rose higher. Blood sprayed in a black arc.
    Skyler's hands protected her face, but this time blood splattered across the backs of her gloves, melting the material and skin instantly.
    Skyler gasped with pain and pushed both hands into the snow, staring in horror as Dimitri extracted the heart and tossed it some distance from the vampire. The undead clawed and bit, fighting viciously, tearing deep lacerations in Dimitri's skin. Acid burns streaked the hunter's neck, chest and arms as he called up a storm and lightning sizzled and crackled overhead.
    Movement caught her eye, and Skyler turned away from the mesmerizing sight of a vampire to see the blackened heart wiggling across the snow-covered ground in an effort to get back to its master. As it rolled along the path back toward its master, the heart drew close to her hands buried in the snow. With a cry of terror she dragged her hands clear, turned away and was sick, her stomach heaving in protest at the abomination.
    A whip of lightning streaked from the sky to incinerate the heart. The lightning separated at the last moment, forming two tendrils to strike at the vampire while it also hit the heart.
    Noxious fumes filled the air and black smoke rose, along with the wailing shriek that faded along with the vapor.
    In the ensuing silence, Skyler heard her heart thundering overly loud in her ears. She lifted her face to meet Dimitri's eyes, and her heart abruptly skipped a beat. He looked so strong—so invincible. His eyes were so cold, so blue, yet they burned through her skin to her bones, branding her. He moved and she blinked, the mesmerizing spell broken. Skyler backed away from him, his anger washing over her in waves. The force was so powerful she hunched, nearly driven to her knees. A sound of distress escaped her throat, instantly drawing his intent gaze to her pounding pulse.
    At once the anger was gone. He held out his hand. "Come here to me. You're injured.
    Don't be afraid, Skyler. I couldn't harm you, no matter the circumstances."

    She swallowed hard and stepped back another step, her mouth going dry as he crooked his finger at her. Why couldn't she scream for Gabriel or Francesca? They were her lifelines when terror invaded and her spirit retreated. Physically, she was incapable of running away from him. She had learned a long time ago that all that brought was swift reprisal. She could be beaten into physical submission, but her mind could go where no other could follow. She could stay safe, huddled far away in a place inside her mind.
    Dimitri could see stark fear in his lifemate's eyes. Every vestige of color drained from her face, leaving her so pale her skin looked translucent. The anger he was holding in check receded as protective instincts he didn't know he had rose sharp and fast. He wanted to gather her into his arms and shelter her there, but he could actually feel her soul shying away from the wild need in his. He had never imagined anyone could be so fragile.
    Approaching her called for a finesse he wasn't certain he possessed.
    "Listen to me, little one." He made a supreme effort to gentle his voice. He was rarely around people and his throat felt rusty. "You shouldn't have had to witness that. The killing of a vampire is always a messy and violent business. I want only to heal the burns on your skin. Will you allow me to do so?"
    She didn't answer, simply stared at him numbly.
    His heart shifted in his chest. "If I frighten you too badly, I will call Francesca to you.
    She is a great healer, but it must be done soon. Vampire blood burns like acid. This one had recently turned or it wouldn't have been so easy to…" He hesitated wanting to avoid the word "kill." "Destroy."
    Skyler swallowed several times. "How?" The word came out barely a whisper.
    He touched her mind, found her hands throbbed and burned. She looked as if she might faint, even felt faint in her mind.
    "It won't hurt. I'll be very careful."
    She took a deep breath as she lifted her chin and forced herself to take a step toward him.
    Her body trembled visibly. He could see the effort cost her dearly, but he was proud of her for the attempt. He