He cannot. Nicolae didn’t send her waves of warmth and reassurance. His words were simple and calm. Completely confident. The terrible rolling in her stomach subsided.
“My lifemate, Destiny.” Nicolae took her hand, drew her to him, his arm sliding around her waist possessively.
Gregori bowed low, an elegant courtly gesture she recognized from watching Nicolae. “You have had a difficult time of it. It is my privilege and honor to meet a woman so courageous.” His gaze shifted around the room. “My lifemate should be here. That woman is always late.” If he had tried to instill impatience into the beautiful tones of his voice, he failed utterly. He sounded so loving, Nicolae smirked and Vikirnoff raised an arrogant eyebrow.
There was a tinkle of laughter, and a small, dark-haired woman shimmered into form at Gregori’s side. Nicolae knew immediately that Gregori had insisted on her safety, not allowing her to appear until he had ascertained for himself that the surroundings were perfectly safe for his lifemate. It was exactly what Nicolae would have done. He was grateful to the healer for choosing to put Destiny at ease by implying his lifemate was late.
Gregori gathered the petite woman beneath his shoulder. “My lifemate, Savannah, daughter to Prince Mikhail and his lifemate, Raven. Savannah, this is Destiny, her lifemate, Nicolae, and his brother, Vikirnoff.”
Savannah wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think it’s necessary to give my pedigree, for heaven’s sake.” She rubbed her palm lovingly over Gregori’s strong jaw. “It’s such a pleasure to meet all of you. And such a wonderful surprise to know you’re in the world with us. Our race needs every single one of us.”
“Thank you for making the journey,” Nicolae said. “We do not know if it is possible to remove the tainted blood from our veins, but we hope that you will try.”
Gregori’s face was an expressionless mask, but his voice was as gentle as a breeze. “I will confess I have never run up against exactly this problem. Aidan, one of our hunters, has a lifemate who was forced to take the blood of a vampire. The undead did not completely convert her, and the amount of blood was small as he was attempting to starve her to get her to voluntarily take his blood, but Aidan was able to cleanse her. If you have been able to fight off the effects of the blood all this time, then I have to think it is possible to remove it from your system. Your soul is intact.”
Destiny’s breath left her lungs in a long rush of relief. She held the healer’s words close to her. Her soul was intact. Turning her face up to Nicolae she simply smiled. I love you.
His breath stilled in his lungs. His body went still. Now? You are going to tell me now?
I think it best.
We have to work on your timing. Nicolae’s arm tightened possessively.
Destiny laughed aloud, the sound spilling out of her mind and heart to fill the small cave with joy. Velda and Inez would be disappointed with me.
He bent his dark head to hers. “I am not.” He whispered the words against her lips. His kiss was loving, tender.
“Try not to notice them,” Vikirnoff advised. “It is the only way. He has lost all sense and there is nothing to be done.”
“I think it’s great,” Savannah declared, hugging Gregori closer.
“We have much to tell,” Vikirnoff hissed softly at Nicolae.
Nicolae finished kissing his lifemate with leisurely unconcern for his brother. He lifted his head reluctantly, his hand sliding through her hair. “Vikirnoff is a man of few words. There is news that is important for our Prince to know.”
Gregori sat on the largest of the flat boulders, drew Savannah up next to him. “We would very much like to hear, and we have information in trade.”
“A trap was laid for Destiny by a vampire who goes by the name of Pater. He not only had several lesser vampires with him, but they were well coordinated and aided each other. He even offered his blood to one of them.”
Destiny watched Gregori’s reaction very closely. He was a powerful, dangerous man, much like her lifemate. His mouth hardened perceptibly. “An unusual phenomenon.”