You look fine. I do not think you need to become vain. You have enough bad habits. Nicolae was laughing at her again, but she didn’t care. There was something new and unexpected in her life. She found she was looking at the world differently. The stars were glittering like gems over her head and she couldn’t help noticing and appreciating them. The wind blew gently over her body like the whisper of a lover’s voice. It cooled her body, ruffled the silk of her hair. Lightened her heart.
For the first time in years, her blood wasn’t burning her from the inside out. For the first time in years, she hadn’t awakened with the thought of killing. She was wide awake, and her mind was filled with Nicolae. As hard as she tried, she could not extinguish the tiny ray of hope growing deep within her.
The church doors were unlocked, and she knew before she pulled them open that Father Mulligan was inside, hearing confession. With her acute hearing she could distinguish soft words and the strangled sob of a woman as she spoke with her priest. In the pew close to the confessional was a big bear of a man. John Paul. His head was bowed, and Destiny could see his big shoulders shaking. Tears slid down his face.
Destiny entered the church suppressing a small shiver of trepidation as she crossed the threshold and slipped into the poorly lit interior. Candles flickered in the alcove and cast strange, shifting shadows on the stained-glass window above it. She studied the depiction of the Madonna and Child, the sweet face and the way one hand held the infant to her while the other was outstretched toward Destiny.
John Paul didn’t look up, didn’t seem to notice her, so Destiny slipped closer, wanting to get a feel for the man. Had he been touched by a vampire? Was that the explanation for his bizarre behavior toward Helena? Destiny scanned his mind, looking for the blank spots that would reveal the presence of the undead.
John Paul was filled with sorrow and confusion. He feared losing Helena and he believed he might be losing his mind. His thoughts were jumbled and mixed with wild plans of carrying his beloved off to a secluded place until he could convince her he loved her and would never harm her.
Father Mulligan and Helena emerged from the confessional, and the priest put his arm around her shoulders. Even in the dim light, Destiny could see Helena’s swollen eye and cut lip. The damage was fresh. She was still crying softly. The priest helped her to a pew and beckoned solemnly to John Paul. The huge man hunched his shoulders as if struck, but like an obedient child, he rose. His tremendous bulk made the slight priest look small and thin and very frail.
Destiny waited until the two men disappeared into the privacy of the confessional before gliding silently to the aisle near Helena, scanning the woman’s memories as she did so. Helena certainly had memories of John Paul attacking her. He was terrifying, a tremendously strong man with hamlike hands and a body like a solid oak tree. Helena believed John Paul was insane. She planned to leave him, fearing for her life, yet she loved him fiercely, protectively.
Her heart unexpectedly twisting in sympathy, Destiny laid a tentative hand on Helena’s shoulder. “Velda and Inez asked me to help you, Helena. I hope you don’t mind.” She wished she were Mary Ann with her gift for saying what Helena needed to hear.
Helena shook her head without looking up. “No one can help me. I’ve lost John Paul. I can’t stay with a man who would do this to me.”
Destiny gently took her chin and lifted her face on the pretense of examining it. She waited calmly until Helena was caught and held in the depths of her eyes. She saw the relationship clearly; Helena and John Paul were nearly inseparable. Two people wholly devoted to one another. I didn’t know anyone could feel as strongly as they do about one another.
You just did not want to know, Destiny.
Destiny scowled, wishing Nicolae were standing in front of her. She sent him a visual just in case he didn’t get the fact that he was annoying. Destiny sighed. She couldn’t let Helena and John Paul lose something so rare and precious. Continuing to look deep into Helena’s eyes, she planted the idea of working things out with John Paul. Helena needed to allow Mary Ann to put her in a safe place until Destiny could figure out what was going on. Destiny would make certain John Paul understood and agreed with her plan.