MaryAnn laughed softly. “I don’t know, Destiny, I rather like his manners.” She withdrew her hand and looked up at Nicolae. “What brings you here to see me besides wanting to make Destiny crazier than usual?” She went very still, put a hand defensively to her throat. “Is something wrong?”
“Don’t encourage him, MaryAnn. He’s already puffed up beyond belief.” Destiny made a face, determined to keep the worry from her friend’s face.
“I was wondering if you’ve had any visitors lately, MaryAnn,” Nicolae said easily. “Destiny and I are looking into this business with John Paul and Martin.”
“Oh, that’s good, Nicolae. I’ve been worried about them.” MaryAnn looked confused, rubbed her temples as if they were suddenly throbbing. “Somebody was here earlier, right before you came in, Destiny. A very nice gentleman. He asked me a lot of questions and seemed very interested in our sanctuary.”
Destiny exchanged a long look of alarm with Nicolae. She carries no visual memory of this man. She remembers the conversation, but not his appearance. He did not seem to ask questions about you or me. Nicolae gave a barely perceptible shake of his head, warning her to remain silent as he turned the full power of his voice and gaze on MaryAnn. “Had you ever met this man before?”
A slight frown tugged at MaryAnn’s mouth, put little lines around her eyes. “I don’t think so, Nicolae. I can’t remember—isn’t that strange? But I keep notes. He must be in the notes. He wanted something…” She trailed off again, looking more bewildered than ever.
She has the classic signs of memory tampering. Every time she tries to picture him, she feels pain. Nicolae waved MaryAnn back to her chair, soothed her with his touch alone, trailing his fingers along the top of the desk so that she followed the hypnotic gesture.
“What did he want?” Nicolae sounded casually interested, but there was a hidden compulsion in the velvet tones of his voice.
Destiny scowled at him. She can’t remember him. It hurts her to think about him. Don’t push her like that. She thumped the desktop, her fingernails tapping out a rhythm of warning.
Nicolae reached out and gently laid his hand over Destiny’s, stilling her nervous fingers. You know this is necessary. I will protect her from pain, little one. I can just imagine you with our children. I would never dare to correct their behavior.
Destiny’s heart thudded. Her eyes widened in shock. No one said anything about children. She hissed the words at him. You never said a single word about children. There was panic in her voice, in her eyes.
MaryAnn leaned back in her chair, but neither Carpathian looked at her. Their gazes were locked on each other.
That would be a natural progression, I would think. Nicolae pried Destiny’s fingers from the desk and placed her palm over his heart. I am beginning to realize that you have more fear of what is natural than you have of the undead.
Destiny didn’t dare answer him. She didn’t know how to answer him. He was in her mind, reading her every thought. He knew the idea of home and hearth and family was terrifying to her. Her eyes flashed at him, daring him to be amused.
MaryAnn saved him. “He was looking for someone. A woman with a special talent. He wanted me to call him if she happened to show up here. She was traced here, to Seattle, but she’s disappeared.” MaryAnn opened a drawer and removed a business card to hand it to Nicolae.
He leaned close to Destiny so she could read it with him. So she could inhale his masculine scent and feel the brush of his skin against hers. Her tongue traced her suddenly dry lower lip, and the action immediately caught his attention. Destiny lowered her gaze from his sculpted lips to the card.
“The Morrison Center for Psychic Research.” She read the words out loud. “Have you ever heard of them, Nicolae? MaryAnn?” She turned the card over. “They have several addresses in several cities, none here in Seattle. Why would they be following a woman into a sanctuary for battered women? Did she run away from them?”