DARK DESTINY By Christine Feehan

Gregori rubbed his dark eyebrows. “I fear trouble is brewing for our people. We must get to our homeland.” He looked directly at Vikirnoff as if measuring him. “If this woman is important enough for a vampire to risk revealing himself, it is just as important to our people to find her. I will put out the word, but I will tell our Prince it is in your hands.”

Vikirnoff bowed slightly. “I will find her. I give you my word of honor I will not choose the dawn until I see to her safety.”

“It could take years.”

“I have Nicolae and Destiny to guide me through dark times. They share their laughter with me, and their hope. I will survive.”

Gregori inclined his head. “So it will be. We must think about this tainted blood of yours, Destiny. You said you would have recognized the stench of Pater’s blood. You are able to detect a difference in each vampire’s blood?”

Destiny nodded. “Yes. If I’ve met them before, I always recognize them and I know they recognize me. That makes it more difficult if I miss the first time when I’m hunting. But it gives me some advantage if they don’t know I’m a hunter, because they identify me as one of the undead.”

“This would be a great tool,” Gregori mused aloud, “but dangerous for anyone without an anchor. And far too dangerous for anyone with a lifemate.”

“You don’t even know if you can rid our blood of the infections,” Nicolae pointed out. “Perhaps you will know more once you have looked. It is much like an acid and contaminates everything it touches. In one wholly evil, it apparently has no harmful effects, but to one of the light, it is painful and dangerous.”

Destiny looked at him quickly, anxiously. “You’re beginning to feel the effects, aren’t you? Please heal him first if you can, Gregori. I’m used to the feeling, and it doesn’t really bother me. Nicolae should never have done such a thing.”

“I would have done exactly the same thing,” Gregori said.

Destiny studied his face. “No, you wouldn’t have.”

Savannah laughed softly. “Oh, yes, he would.”

“If Savannah were infected, I would never hesitate. We are bound, two halves of the same whole. I would not have thought twice,” Gregori said decisively. “Are you feeling the effects, Nicolae?”

Nicolae nodded. “I have examined my internal body, and the lesions are already forming in great numbers. The toxins are multiplying at a far faster rate than in Destiny’s body. I carry a seed of darkness, even with Destiny as my anchor, and the toxins sense it and feed as if in a frenzy.”

Destiny turned on him, her expression fiercely protective. “There is no darkness in you. You’re so silly, Nicolae. You don’t know yourself at all. I’ve seen darkness, I’ve seen monsters. You do not carry even a tiny germ of such evil.”

His arms immediately surrounded her, held her trembling body safe. “We are not all made up of one trait, little one,” he soothed softly. “I know it is hard to think I could have more than one side, but darkness can be many things, including strength. It does not have to be used for evil. One’s very flaws can be utilized for good.”

“This is quite interesting. Aidan’s lifemate, Alexandria, endured a particularly difficult conversion, but he did not report lesions and these things you speak of. We may as well get started,” Gregori decided. “I want to know what I am dealing with. I expect this will take much time and energy, so I will heal Nicolae first.”

“Absolutely not.” Nicolae was resolute.

“Hear me out,” Gregori suggested mildly. “Your instinct is to ensure Destiny’s health first, but that is not the wisest choice. She has carried the vampire’s blood, and indeed was converted by it. Her healing will be much more difficult. I will need much blood to accomplish such a feat. There are only Vikirnoff and Savannah to supply me as my energy wanes. I will have need of you. The surges of power will certainly tip off every vampire in the area to our exact location. There is only Vikirnoff to hold them off. This will be no small struggle, and I will need your strength.”