She ducked her head. The thought of the tainted blood still repulsed her. “I’m glad it’s over. I hope they get rid of that blood; it sickens me to think of it inside me… inside you. I had no idea. I saw the lesions and felt the pain of it, but I never once suspected something living.” She shuddered, “They reminded me of maggots.”
“Most were microscopic.” He didn’t share with her the condition in which the healer had found her body, and it was significant to him that she didn’t look at his memories. It had taken the healer two risings to ferret out every trace of the tenacious blood and reshape her organs and tissue. They had nearly lost her on two occasions.
It had been Gregori’s tenacity and Nicolae’s sheer will that had saved Destiny’s life. Gregori had worked a miracle, and Nicolae was forever in his debt. Savannah had lent her considerable strength and blood along with Vikirnoff and Nicolae. Carpathian soil had been packed around Destiny and she had been left in the ground for nearly a week in the hope of renewing her strength and vitality. In the end, both Nicolae and Gregori were in awe of Destiny’s ability to live and function with her body in such condition.
“Where’s Vikirnoff?” Destiny didn’t want to ever think about vampire blood again. She felt as if she’d been granted a miracle. It was enough for her.
“We thought it best that he start his search for the poor woman being hunted by the vampire organization. It took years for me to find you. We are hoping he finds her before the undead does.”
Destiny sighed. “I wish him the best of luck. Are you worried for him?” She tunneled her fingers in his luxurious hair. “He’s well able to care for himself.”
Nicolae turned his head to kiss her fingers. “I know he is. Often when a hunter close to turning is given a job such as this, it allows him more breathing space. He does not have to kill, and the call of the darkness is not so loud.” He stood up, donning clothes. “Come on, the sky is beautiful tonight.”
Destiny followed him, grateful for the ability to fly. It was her favorite pastime. She laughed aloud. It had been her favorite pastime.
Nicolae caught her thought, and there in the air, as they burst from the cave, he pulled her to him and kissed her until the world spun out of control and they were forced to break apart. The wind blew in their faces and scattered the stars as they made their way to the neighborhood Destiny loved so much.
They stood together in front of the church. Destiny gazed at the building for a long while. It had been a refuge to her; now it was an old friend. “I love this place, Nicolae. And the people. I know you would like to go back to your homeland, and I’ll go with you… I will… but this will always be my favorite place to live. And the people here will always be in my heart.”
“We do not have to live in my homeland, Destiny. In truth, it has been many centuries since I have walked in my mountains. A visit will be enough for me. Perhaps, when you are ready, we can go for a short vacation.”
Her face lit up. “Then you would be willing to make this place our main residence?” She had dreaded leaving the people who had become so dear to her.
“I find myself very fond of this neighborhood, and in particular, a certain chamber filled with various pools. We will have to find a suitable house and establish a home so we can blend in.”
“That would be perfect, Nicolae. And I will go to the Carpathian Mountains with you. Gregori and Savannah were wonderful and very accepting of me. I can hardly be a coward and refuse to visit the Prince. We owe them both so much.”
“No one would ever call you a coward, Destiny,” he said decisively.
She stretched, raising her arms toward the moon and sparkling stars. “I think we should visit Velda. And it would be good to know how the doctor’s death affected our friends after all the problems he caused them.” She liked the term “friends.” She had never thought to have any, and she cherished each of them.