Skyler would have a room designed especially for her, the items chosen as much as possible from her memories of things she had seen and liked. The rest they chose for her, wanting her happiness and comfort. The pattern for her quilt and sheets was a design fashioned by Francesca to aid healing and promote soothing comfort and a feeling of well-being. The room they had decided to give her was a round turret where the intricate stained gla.s.s contained a powerful spell to protect the occupant from outside harm and nightmares.
Francesca smiled up at Gabriel as they settled onto the balcony of her home, once more taking their own shapes. "I had a wonderful night, Gabriel. Thank you so much for sharing this with me. It is much more fun experiencing life with another."
"You are growing used to me, despite your intentions not to," he ventured as he led her down the stairs to the kitchen.
"We have to remember to stock the house with food that will appeal to a teenager," Francesca said, determined not to be drawn into a conversation about their relationship. She wasn"t ready to think too much on the subject.
"Skyler should eat what is the most nutritious for her. She is skin and bones. And you must do something with her hair. She wears it in her face because she thinks the scars make her ugly."
Francesca followed him to the chamber beneath the earth. "I know she does, although I think it is more what they represent, the memories that are so ugly. I can"t wait to bring her home. This house will be so different. Music, noise, a housekeeper, probably guards-our lives will be very different, Gabriel."
He circled her shoulders with his arm, grateful she didn"t pull away from him. He was making progress without her being aware of it. "Change is good, Francesca. My existence was bleak and barren for two thousand years. I welcome change." His hand slipped down her arm, crept around her stomach so that his palm lay over their growing child. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the feel of her, of their unborn child.
She smiled up at him. "The dawn is approaching, Gabriel, you must rest."
"You are the one with child." He opened the earth and floated with her into the welcoming soil, his arms pulling her into the protection of his body. "Sleep, honey, tomorrow we will fix her room for her." His body and soul, heart and mind, were content. She was with him, his arms around her, her scent filling his lungs, and it was enough.
You are the one with child. She repeated those words in her mind, hugged them to her, wondering at such a miracle. Francesca felt his mouth against her forehead, his hand over their child, and she closed her eyes, content to rest.
When she woke, Gabriel was already out, searching for evidence of Lucian"s whereabouts. Their world was fragile and filled with danger as long as his brother hunted in their city. Francesca felt Gabriel stirring in her mind, felt his warmth, yet she shivered as she moved through the familiar rooms of her house. During the day the delivery-men had arrived, leaving boxes of every size and shape. She had forgotten just how many things they had purchased for Skyler the night before.
Francesca enjoyed every moment of arranging the room and placing Skyler"s clothes neatly in the dresser and closet. She took great care working on the heavy quilt, putting love into each st.i.tch as she fashioned it especially for Skyler.
She was beginning to worry about Gabriel now. From Gabriel"s thoughts she learned that already Lucian had struck again; there would be another unsolved murder for the police. She sensed Lucian was deliberately baiting Gabriel, leading him toward a trap of some kind. She moved about the house, taking care of business before her trip to see Skyler. She made calls to various organizations, to members of society, to old acquaintances. It was always necessary to keep up appearances, now more than ever with Skyler as her ward.
The first order of business was to secure a housekeeper they could trust. Aidan Savage in the United States had recommended a trustworthy couple, his own housekeeper"s son, Santino, and the man"s wife, Drusilla. They would move in and protect Skyler during the day. Santino knew Aidan was Carpathian, and Aidan a.s.sured Francesca it would be safe to confide in him.
Satisfied, she made her way to the hospital. Skyler smiled tentatively as she entered the room. "I thought maybe you changed your mind," the girl said. The stuffed animal was in its usual place in her arms.
"No, you didn"t," Francesca corrected with a smile. "You had a panic attack. Things are falling in place, honey. Gabriel and I found your locket for you. It"s in a jewelry box in your room. You have everything you need waiting for you to come home. All you have to do is get better. Are you eating?"
"I"m trying to eat," Skyler answered honestly. "It isn"t easy. I didn"t for so long, I"m never hungry now. Where"s Gabriel?"
Francesca thought it a good sign Skyler had inquired after him. "Out hunting."
Skyler was silent a moment. "Hunting?" she echoed. "I didn"t think he was the kind who would want to kill a living creature." She seemed disappointed.
Skyler obviously had an affinity for animals. Francesca smiled gently. "Not animals, silly. Things."
She brushed the hair out of the girl"s eyes, her touch tender and soothing. The contact gave her access to Skyler"s emotions.
The child was frightened but was making every attempt to be brave. The future terrified her, life terrified her, but not Francesca and not Gabriel. She had made up her mind to try to give life another chance. "I can"t go to school," she blurted out suddenly. "I can"t be around anyone. I don"t want anyone to see me."
Francesca nodded soberly. "I understand, honey. I think it best we stick together for a while, the three of us and our housekeeper. I"m going to hire a couple who will work for us, keep an eye on you."
Francesca took her hand and simply held it, allowing her special gift to flow out of her and into the girl."Now I want you to rest, young lady. I"m going to ask Brice to release you as soon as possible, but you have to do your part. If you have trouble eating, or you"re afraid, reach for Gabriel or for me in your mind. Like you, we are telepathic and we will hear you and come to your aid. Call if you are in need. I expect it, is that understood?"
The girl nodded solemnly. "I"m tired all the time."
"That"s to be expected. You suffered a trauma, Skyler, and you were beaten very badly. Your body and mind need time to heal as well as your spirit. I"ll be back later. For now, rest." With a wave of her hand she pushed open the door and glided out.
"Are you Francesca Del Ponce?" There was a stranger standing outside Skyler"s room. She sensed he had been lurking there for some time. Francesca had scanned him, of course, that was as natural to her as breathing, and she had known he was waiting to talk with her.
She smiled pleasantly, her long lashes veiling the expression of annoyance in her eyes. For a brief moment she considered using a mental "push" on him, but there was something about him that wasn"t quite right. She couldn"t quite put her finger on what it was so she stopped to face him.
"Yes, that"s right. I"m Francesca." She flashed a smile at him, one that caught his attention immediately.
"Barry Woods, Miss Del Ponce. I"m a reporter looking for a good story. I understand you heal people."
Her eyebrows shot up and a small smile curved her soft mouth. "I"m sorry, I must have heard you wrong. What do I do?"
"Heal people. I was told you healed a little girl who had cancer."
Francesca hesitated for a moment before answering him. There was something about the man that bothered her, that wasn"t quite right. A craftiness. Something subtly evil. Perhaps she was mistaken, but he sent a shiver along her spine. She touched his mind very delicately.
At once her breath caught in her throat. She forced a smile to her lips, her large dark eyes widening so that they were as black as night. "I wish I had such a wonderful ability. The truth is, I have no such talent." With her stomach lurching, Francesca made herself touch his mind. Gabriel would need information. This man was not what he seemed on the surface. He was a fanatic, his mind filled with images of vampires and stakes and garlic.
The reporter continually clutched at the golden chain circling his throat. She knew in his hand he held a cross. "My source is very reliable, Miss Del Ponce."
"The doctors here are quite remarkable," she said softly. "Don"t you think it is much more likely they healed the child if her cancer is in remission? I go and read to the children often, but I cannot heal them, much as I would like to. Have you seen them on the cancer ward? They are so beautiful and brave. It"s rather heartbreaking. Perhaps you should visit them. The story would have tremendous human interest, don"t you think?" She buried the subtle compulsion in her suggestion carefully.
The reporter shook his head as if to clear it. "I have to get the story."
She nodded gently, her long hair moving like a silken curtain around her shoulders. "Yes, the story about the doctors here in the hospital and how remarkable they really are." Her dark eyes stared directly into his. "You really must write about their work."
Woods caught himself as he was turning toward the cancer ward. He shook his head hard to clear out the cobwebs. For a moment he was disoriented, unable to remember exactly what he had been doing. Uppermost in his mind was the overwhelming urge to write a story about children with cancer. He shook his head again, certain he had not come here for that reason. A woman was walking away from him, her hips swaying gently. Her hair hung below her waist, thick and rich and shining with high lights. She was so beautiful she took his breath away and he hadn"t even seen her face.
He stood a moment, reluctant to move. He couldn"t think what he was doing. He wanted her to turn so he could see her. He wanted to follow her, but his feet felt like lead. He had come here for a reason, an important reason, but he could only remember that he wanted to write a story on children with cancer. There was a doctor he needed to talk with. Not French, but English. Strange name. Brice something. Woods scratched his head and turned resolutely away from the cancer ward. He felt very lost, very confused. He had no real idea what he was doing.
Chapter Ten.
"How long do you think you can keep avoiding me?" Brice demanded as he came up behind Francesca.
"Don"t flatter yourself, Brice," Francesca said exasperated. "This isn"t the best time to confront me. I just had a little visit from a very unsavory reporter. He was making me out to be some kind of nutcase. I suspect I have you to thank for that."
Brice had the grace to look ashamed even as he tried to shrug her accusation off casually. "I only told the truth. You examined my patient. At the time she was terminally ill. There is no question that was so. It was fully doc.u.mented and I have all the records to prove it. Afterward every blood test came out clean, Francesca. She"s completely cured. I didn"t do it and I have no idea how it was done."
"So you just gave me up to reporters, the freak miracle worker. You made sure my privacy was completely destroyed. Is that supposed to make me look upon you with favor?" Francesca tossed her head, her thick curtain of blue-black hair flying. "I"m busy avoiding your reporters, Brice. I don"t have time for a little chat."
"Francesca, it didn"t happen like that. Come on, you know me better than that. I admit I like to grab the headlines, but it wasn"t me who talked to the reporters." He caught her arm, bringing her to a halt. "Stop running, Francesca, you"re wearing me out. It wasn"t me. It was the girl"s parents.
Her name is Chelsea Grant. Her father is a United States senator. I mentioned you to her mother without thinking. There was no hope for Chelsea. None. Her parents knew that. I wasn"t the only doctor who had examined her. I was only one in a long line of opinions. Mrs. Grant had you investigated. Several former patients were only too happy to be able to talk about you and the miracle you worked for them."
Francesca glanced down at the fingers trapping her arm. There had been a time the brush of his fingers had warmed her heart; now he irritated her. Was she so shallow that her feelings could change so easily, so quickly? Or had she somehow deceived herself about his true character because she had been so lonely? She had wanted to share her life with someone once before she allowed herself to die. Now Francesca could clearly see how important headlines were to Brice, how important pleasing a senator"s wife really was to him. "Important enough to sell me out," she mused aloud. "You wanted her to owe you a favor."
"I"m sorry, Francesca, I wanted the best for my patient. And yes, she happens to have parents who could smooth my way to the hospital I want. A place where my skills can really make a difference."
"I thought you cared about these kids."
"Of course I care about them, I"ve dedicated my life to them. You haven"t learned that it"s okay to want to make a decent living. You have money, Francesca. You have more than enough, although you"re giving it away at an alarming rate. I need to make a living. It"s as easy and as heroic to help a rich sick child as it is to help one that"s homeless."
"Like Skyler," Francesca said softly. "She can"t do a thing for your career. You didn"t want her in your life so you tried to make certain she wasn"t in mine. That is beneath contempt, Brice. That child needs a home and I can provide her with a good one. For you to try to keep me from taking her home was absolutely unforgivable. How could you do such a thing?"
"d.a.m.n it, Francesca. You"re the one who"s changed, not me. You knew I wanted certain things.
This isn"t about me, it"s about him. Gabriel. What is he, exactly? A government spy? A mob boss of some kind? Is he holding something over your head? Over the judge"s? Are you all afraid of him?
Don"t think I haven"t noticed something"s not quite right about him. Was he in prison for a crime?
Where has he been all the years he was gone?""You heard what the judge said. He has all he needs to know about Gabriel. His life is a matter of security. It"s cla.s.sified."
Brice bit back an explosion of swear words. "Is that what he told you? And you just believe him?
Don"t you see, Francesca? He could be a criminal of the worst sort. You"re too trusting. He just waltzes back into your life after dropping off the face of the earth and you accept him. The judge accepts him. Your attorney accepts him. My G.o.d, don"t you see? He"s not like us."
"No, he"s not. He"s good and kind and has no ulterior motive when it comes to Skyler." Francesca"s dark eyes were flashing fire at him. She was so beautiful Brice found himself reaching for her, wanting to take her into his arms. He must have blinked because she moved so fast he didn"t actually see her move, but his arms dropped empty to his sides.
"That"s a h.e.l.l of a thing to say to me. I wanted Skyler to get better. I was the one who asked you to look at her in the first place. Her father had no money. Don"t forget that, Francesca, while you"re so busy condemning me. And don"t think for one minute your precious Gabriel has no ulterior motive when it comes to Skyler. His motive is you. He wants you and he"ll use anyone to get you. Is Gabriel holding something over your head? Are you afraid of him? Is that what it is? You can tell me. I can help you. He can"t be so powerful we couldn"t fight him together."
Francesca almost burst out laughing. Brice had no concept of what power really was. The two of them and an army could not defeat Gabriel. "No, Brice. I"m not afraid of Gabriel, but thank you for asking. I"m grateful you would want to help me."
"Why have you taken him back into your life without so much as a fight?" Brice demanded. "He just showed up on your doorstep and you let him in. Why? Why didn"t you take some time to get to know him again? Don"t you see what a mistake this is? I"m your friend and I can see him more clearly than you. He"s dangerous, Francesca. I mean really dangerous. He"s a criminal of some sort.
He reeks of it."
Francesca shook her head wearily. "I don"t want to fight with you any more, Brice. I can a.s.sure you Gabriel is no criminal. If the judge has information on him and is willing to allow Skyler to stay with him, you must accept that he is a good man. You know he"s no criminal. You"re just angry because I"ve allowed him back into my life. I don"t know what I"m going to do about Gabriel, but it"s for me to decide. I"ve never deceived you, not once in our relationship. I never told you I loved you, I never committed to a relationship with you."
"You"ve always known how I felt. I haven"t changed. I"m sorry I"m jealous. Just spend some time with me." His voice suddenly turned cajoling, appeasing. "Come home with me. Spend the night."
Brice bent over her, his mouth hovering close. His face was suddenly filled with a kind of crafty, greedy l.u.s.t, his eyes flat and unfamiliar.
Francesca"s heart slammed in alarm. It was all she could do not to jerk away from him. She was very aware of his suddenly strong grip on her upper arms as he drew her body into his. He seemed different somehow, a stranger, not at all like the Brice she thought she knew. Could she have been so wrong? Had she been so desperate for companionship that she had overlooked his true character? It didn"t make sense. It wasn"t in Francesca to make a scene and it was ingrained in her to act human at all times. She stood very still, like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding car. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, he coughed, both hands going to his throat as he began to choke. His eyes glazed with instant alarm.
"What"s wrong?" Francesca deliberately touched his arm to read what was happening in his body.
Was it Gabriel? She didn"t feel the surge of power his presence should cause, but he was an ancient. She had no real idea of his true power. All she could tell was that Brice"s airway was blocked. She couldn"t tell what was wrong. His throat seemed swollen, almost as if he was having an allergic reaction to something.
Brice went limp, his eyes rolled back in his head, and his knees buckled so that he began to topple to the floor. Francesca easily caught him with preternatural strength, easing him to the floor, reaching to open his shirt, frantically seeking to find if his airway was open. "Gabriel!" She reached for him almost automatically. "Help me."
He was there instantly in her mind, a soothing calm in the eye of the storm, a.s.sessing the situation. Francesca was attempting to breathe for Brice, but no air could make it through his pa.s.sageway. When she tried to enter his body using pure energy and light, there was some obstruction she could not pa.s.s. Gabriel was grateful that she had suspected him only fleetingly, had turned instantly to him for aid. She was beginning to trust him far more than she realized.
"Lucian, I know you are there." Gabriel was very calm. "You are killing this man. Let him be."
"You do not fight your own battles." It was a taunt, a reprimand. Francesca renewed her efforts to enter Brice"s body to heal him, but the obstruction was like a brick wall. Sharing Gabriel"s mind enabled her to "hear" the exchange between the twin brothers.
"Who is this man that you do not remove him when he causes you such annoyance? You have grown soft, Gabriel. You expect to h.o.a.rd these two women when you cannot even destroy your enemies?"
The voice was beautiful. So beautiful that Francesca had to try to block it out. It was compelling without the vampire even trying to make it so. She was frightened to think what power he wielded so easily. "Hurry, Gabriel."
She whispered it on their own private mental path. Brice had been without air for far too long.
At once she heard the soft, beautiful laughter echoing in her mind. "She is begging for the life of this worthless human. Your woman, begging for the life of another male. What does that mean, brother? You cannot even keep your woman."
It was shocking to discover that the private path used between lifemates had been so easily invaded by the vampire. It was unheard of. Her heart began to beat loudly. She felt very vulnerable and she was desperate now to save Brice. Gabriel, however, remained as calm as ever, completely unruffled.
"Keep this between the two of us, Lucian. You are becoming rather tedious with these displays.
Showing off for women is beneath you. Are you so afraid, then, that I am not paying enough attention to you? I will come to you at once if that is your desire." He was searching for a path to locate the vampire.
All at once, Brice coughed and choked, gasping for breath. Francesca felt the unmistakable ripple of power. It filled the s.p.a.ces around her, vibrated in the air, and then it was gone. She shuddered, sitting back on her heels beside Brice, her hand on his shoulder, her large dark eyes anxious.
"Should I call someone?"
"Water," he croaked, his voice strangled and hoa.r.s.e. His hands groped their way to his neck rather weakly.
Francesca could feel Gabriel"s frustration as he realized that once again the vampire had slipped away before he could pinpoint his exact location. Since there was nothing she could do to help Gabriel, she hurried to find a cup of water for Brice, nearly spilling it as she helped him into a semisitting position.
"It was Gabriel," he accused, his voice rasping. "I felt his hands on my throat strangling me."
"Brice, it was not Gabriel. He is nowhere near this hospital. You were choking. I cleared your airway so you could breathe." She made the suggestion calmly and clearly.
Brice"s eyes flashed at her. "It was Gabriel. I even smelled him. It was his hands around my throat and he tried to murder me. I saw him. I know I did and you"re trying to cover up for him.""There is no use trying to persuade him otherwise, Francesca." Gabriel said it softly, matter-of-factly, not bothered by Brice"s opinion of him. "Lucian is far too powerful for you to overcome the compulsion he has buried in this man. I have seen him destroy an entire army. When we hunted together he often ordered a vampire to rid the world of its existence using only his voice and it was done without a fight. The vampire ended his existence without so much as a struggle. You know vampires will do anything to continue their life, yet Lucian is able to control them with only his voice.
You have no idea of his power. Allow Brice to think what he wishes. I will have established a perfect alibi with the judge. It will not be hard to do so."
Francesca climbed slowly to her feet, turning her full attention to the problem at hand. "You may think anything you wish, Brice, but remember when you accuse Gabriel of this terrible crime, you are also accusing me of aiding him by my denial. I was here with you, I helped you. What motive would I have for lying to you?"
Brice shook his head, rubbing his sore throat and neck. "I know he"s evil, Francesca, and I know you have to do as he tells you. I know you wouldn"t want me hurt. He"s making you say and do the things you"re doing. You"re afraid of him, aren"t you? You probably did save my life, but you"re covering up for him because you"re afraid. If you"d just tell me what he"s holding over your head, I could help you."
Francesca sighed, swept a hand through her long silken hair impatiently. "I thought you knew me, Brice. Really knew me. If I was afraid of Gabriel and thought him capable of outright murder, if he was threatening me in some way, even with so trivial a thing as blackmail, do you think for one moment I would expose Skyler to such a person? Never. I could never, under any circ.u.mstances, be persuaded or induced to place her in jeopardy. If you know nothing else about me, you should know that. And if Gabriel had tried to strangle you, you would be dead. I would not be able to fight him off, nor would anything induce me to protect him if he had attempted to murder you."
"I don"t know what he"s done to you, but you can expect a visit from the authorities, because I intend to press charges against him." Brice ma.s.saged his neck and throat, coughing several times.
"Do whatever you think you have to do, Brice," she said softly. "Obviously you think me capable of being an accomplice to murder." Regally, she turned and swept down the hall toward the double doors, leaving Brice to stumble unsteadily to his feet by himself.
"I do not know where Lucian is, Francesca." Gabriel"s voice was as calm as ever but she was beginning to know him well enough to hear he was worried. "Do not leave the hospital until I am once again with you. I am on my way."
"What if that"s just what he wants? What if he is using me to lure you out where he can harm you?"
There was real fear in her voice.