Dark Celebration (27 page)

"You're talking to your lifemate, aren't you?" Skyler guessed shrewdly.

"Byron," Antonietta supplied. "Yes, he's sharing information with me. We have a partnership. He promised me he would always treat me as an equal, and he does even when others think he shouldn't. I am used to a certain way of life and Byron has never asked me to give it up."

"He makes you happy?"

"Very much so. I cannot imagine my life without him. I would have no life without him."

"So what is going on in there? They're all pretty angry. None of them are working very hard to block their emotions." Skyler raised her gaze to Antonietta's. The woman was looking back at her and
seeing
her—seeing more than Skyler wanted anyone to ever see. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

Antonietta's smile was gentle. She shook her head, drawing attention to the thick rope of hair plaited intricately. "It's because they are men. A vampire attacked one of their women and blame must be placed, strategy worked out. Mostly, it is a lot of hunters in close proximity to one another. They should just tell you they are going to have to guard you every moment and leave it up to your good sense to know they are right."

"But—isn't the vampire dead? I saw Dimitri incinerate the heart." Her pulse was pounding again. She was
not
facing another vampire.

"He was too easy to kill. That usually means another sent him out as an expendable pawn. If he got you, all to the good, but it is a distraction to draw our attention away from the real attack."

Skyler took a small sip of the orange juice. It was never easy to eat or drink. Things always smelled good, but her stomach often rebelled. "Thank you for not treating me like a little kid. I'll be very careful. But you know—even though they've twice targeted me, it might simply be because I was convenient. They had a trail back to me. They knew what would trigger a response and they used it. Everyone is hovering around me, but they could be after the prince—or someone else important."

Out of the mouths of babes
. Byron responded when Antonietta relayed Skyler's comment.
We will double our guard on Mikhail. It wont be easy, he doesn't like it
.

"It's hard to know there is so much evil in the world," Antonietta said. "I think most adults want to protect their children as long as possible from that knowledge."

Skyler fiddled with glass, turning it first one way and then the other. "I learned it early and it isn't like I can go back and pretend it all away. I didn't want to do this—this Christmas thing. I've never had a Christmas."

"With a tree and a pageant and Santa Claus coming?" Antonietta was astonished. "It is so much fun. A wonderful reason to bring the entire family together and celebrate life. Any excuse is great, and this is a perfect time of year."

"That's what Francesca said." Skyler leaned her chin into her palm, her elbow propped on the table. "Gregori is going to play Santa Claus. Have you ever seen him?"

"I've met him a few times. Byron and Jacques are good friends and Gregori visits Shea often. She's going to have her baby any time and everyone is very anxious about it. He doesn't seem a likely candidate to play the part."

"That's an understatement." A small smile slipped out for the first time. Skyler made a little face. "Wait until Sara and Corrine hear Gregori's going to be playing Santa. They've been getting all the children prepped for sitting on Santa's lap."

Antonietta burst out laughing. "Oh, dear. That could be bad."

"There's going to be a few crying children tonight," Skyler predicted. She inhaled deeply, for the first time relaxing enough to notice her surroundings. "What is that I smell? It's wonderful."

"My housekeeper gave me the recipe for a wonderful creamy pasta dish." Antonietta laughed invitingly. "Josef and Byron helped me prepare it. You should have seen us. I couldn't really see the ingredients, so Byron read each off and Josef handed them to me."

"Oh, no." Skyler's smile flashed again, this time wider, reaching her eyes. "He probably didn't know what they were."

"Neither did Byron. I didn't think about the fact that they wouldn't know what seasonings or anything else was for that matter. Our first attempt ended up in a hole in the backyard."

"Francesca and I made gingerbread houses and we insisted Gabriel help us. It was fun to see him look so helpless. He's always so invincible."

"That is a good thing, Skyler," Antonietta pointed out. "I think the men are finished with their quiet and well-ordered discussion."

There was a moment of silence, and then both women broke into laughter. Skyler waited a heartbeat and Gabriel was beside her. He held out his hand and she took it immediately. "I'm sorry, Gabriel. I really couldn't stop myself."

"I know, baby. You are not in trouble, although I am thinking of tying you to my side. Francesca needs to see you. She's very anxious."

Skyler nodded. "Where's Dimitri? You didn't fight with him, did you? You really do know that he saved my life?"

"It is difficult for one Carpathian to mislead another. Dimitri spoke the truth. He thought it best if he didn't upset you further." Gabriel flashed a smile toward Antonietta, reached to take her hand and bow low over her fingers. "Antonietta, as always, it is a pleasure to see you. Thank you for looking after my daughter."

"It was my pleasure," Antonietta said. "She is welcome anytime."

"Are we going to hear you play this evening?"

"They've asked me to play. I am not certain the children will appreciate it, but as I hear Gregori is to play the role of Santa Claus, it may be the only thing that soothes them."

Josef raced into the room, tried to skid to a halt and knocked into Gabriel, who caught him by his shirtfront and steadied him. Josef didn't seem to notice. "Skyler! I was afraid you'd already left. Paul and Ginny are expecting us over at their house. We have to hurry. We promised Sara we'd help her with the costumes."

"Skyler will have to meet you there," Gabriel said firmly. "I'll bring her myself," he added before either could protest. "Francesca wants to see her."

Josef scowled. "You don't think I can take care of her."

"No one needs to take care of me," Skyler protested, glaring at Josef. "I'm not a baby."

"He only meant keeping you safe from any outside harm," Antonietta hastily intervened. "Josef, Skyler will meet you there in a few minutes. You be careful as well." She smiled up at Byron as he materialized beside her, having escorted the other males out. He slipped his arm around her ultra feminine, curvaceous figure and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

They followed Gabriel and Skyler to the door to wave. Byron pulled Antonietta into his arms. "What is it? I could feel you becoming agitated, but I couldn't read why." His hands framed her face, thumbs sliding in a caress over her skin. "I'm sorry our house was invaded just when you were composing. I know it's very important for you to have quiet while you work."

"That's not it. And besides, Josef is never quiet." The young Carpathian stayed with them most of the time. He enjoyed Italy and the palazzo where they resided. Mostly, Antonietta thought he admired Byron and wanted to be close to him. There were times he got the exact same expression on his face and imitated Byron's gestures. Byron paid attention to him, worked with him on his Carpathian skills—showed an interest.

He exasperates me no end.

You love him and he feels that. He needs you.

Byron made gave an inelegant snort. "Josef, if you think for even one moment your life is in danger, you call me and every other male in the vicinity You have no business taking on a vampire at your age. You may have the courage, but not yet the skill." He eyed the younger man with a stern eye. "Do I have your word?"

Josef nodded. "Yes." He started out the door, then turned back toward Byron, tears glittering for a brief moment before he managed to control them. "I nearly got her killed, didn't I? I should have reached out the minute I saw the trapped wolf shifting. It all happened so fast." He ducked his head. "I couldn't move. At all. I don't have courage, Byron. I was afraid."

"You are supposed to be afraid. No one does everything right in their first encounter with a vampire. Dimitri is a hunter and a damn good one. He's been at it for centuries with no help, but I can assure you, his first vampire, he most likely froze just as you did."

"Did you?"

A fleeting smile crossed Byron's face. "Jacques and I were together and feeling pretty cocky until the thing came out of thin air and showed us a mouthful of black, pointed teeth. I think we both had a heart attack on the spot." He ruffled Josef's hair. "You did fine. And you did your best to protect her from Dimitri."

"He wasn't just healing her," Josef said. "It was blatant seduction."

"He is her lifemate, Josef. You have to respect that."

Josef scowled and slammed the door. Byron sighed. "So much for being any kind of good parent. I wish to hell my sister would take charge of that boy."

"No, you don't." Antonietta leaned into him, her soft breasts brushing his chest, fingers moving through his hair. "You love being an uncle."

"He drives me crazy. I can't remember ever being that young."

Antonietta twined her fingers through his as they made their way back through the house to the cozy den where they enjoyed sitting in peace together. Their household in Italy held a tremendous amount of responsibility. Antonietta's family resided with them and there was always drama.

"I feel the jaguar, Byron," Antonietta confessed without looking at him. She pressed her hand to her chest. "Deep inside of me, she's there, responding to something in the air. She's—
clawing
at me. My eyesight is worse than usual, but I can see with jaguar eyes."

Byron knew the Scarletti family—Antonietta's ancestors—came from a direct line of jaguar people. The cat had always been strong in her. He leaned forward, took both her hands in his and brought her fingers to his mouth. "When did this start?"

"A few hours ago. At first I just felt restless and edgy, but now it feels more like moodiness, wanting to strike out, a wildness I can't really adequately explain." She looked miserable. "I thought I was through with all that."

"You are Carpathian, Antonietta, and everything jaguar isn't evil. There are some that make it that way, but right now, what's more important is what is stirring up the cat in you." He glanced out the window to the storm clouds. "It's only a couple of hours until we meet the villagers for this pageant and meal at the inn. We have to be ready for any danger coming our way."

She swept a hand through her hair. "I've always been able to control the jaguar, but she's fighting me, trying to escape, and I think…" Her eyes met his. "I think she's dangerous."

"You'd never hurt anyone, Antonietta," he assured.

"You don't understand. She's trying to hurt
me
. I'm not letting her out and she's angry."

Byron's gaze narrowed and he sat up straighten He sent every sense flaring out into the night, scanning, reading, trying to find a subtle strain of power influencing the part of Antonietta that was jaguar. He could feel a small stir in the air, but with so many Carpathians together, it was impossible to tell if the shift in the air was manipulating the cat in his lifemate.

"I heard a rumor that the Dark Troubadours are having trouble with the leopards they brought with them," he said. "The cats attacked one of the band members and threatened several others. They've caged them and they've never had to do that. Even Darius is having trouble controlling the cats' behavior."

Antonietta frowned. "What would do that? And what of the others? Isn't one of the Carpathian males with a woman who is fully jaguar? What's happening to her?"

"Yes, Juliette. There is also Natalya, Vikirnoff's woman. The tiger is strong in her." Byron pulled Antonietta into his arms to comfort her. "Come with me."

"Where?" He was moving her toward the door and her heart fluttered in fear. "Byron, I don't want to chance it."

"The cat will know where the power is coming from. She can trace it straight back to its source."

"But I'm not certain I'm strong enough to control the jaguar." In all her human years with the cat inside her, always fighting to come out, she had never been afraid of the animal. Until now. She shivered. The snow once more was beginning to drift down, but it was fear more than cold that made her shiver.

"We can control it together. Keep your mind merged with mine at all times, even if the cat resists," he said.

For some reason, memories of the conversion washed over her. It had been particularly difficult and painful, the jaguar fighting the Carpathian blood. Sweat broke out. "Byron, are you sure?"

"If you are afraid we cannot control this thing together, I'll call Jacques. Together, nothing will defeat us. You cannot go to the party under an influence we know nothing about."

She reached for Byron's mind with her own, sliding in with ease. It was an extremely intimate thing to do, and as always, her body reacted to the closeness. She was woman enough to enjoy his erotic thoughts and images of her, the way he viewed her full curves with lust rather than wishing for a thinner, more modern woman. He loved her hair, the thickness and color. He especially enjoyed taking out the elaborate braid just before he made love to her.

It took a moment to adjust to two minds vying for supremacy, but they merged naturally and Antonietta reached for the beast, embracing the jaguar, allowing it freedom. It sprang forward, claws unsheathed, with a chaotic need to bound across the snow-covered meadow for the trees. Byron paced easily beside her, ignoring the warnings rumbling from the female. He was not about to let Antonietta out of his sight.

The female jaguar slowed to a walk, placing each paw delicately in the powdery snow, but moving without hesitation deeper into the woods. They were moving in the general direction of the inn, but were still several miles away. To Byron's knowledge, there were only a couple of homes in the direction they were going. Gregori's home was high in the mountains, surrounded by a grove of trees and large boulders. It was protected from weather and enemies on three sides, and even a hiker walking within yards of it wouldn't be able to spot it. Gregori had woven safeguards around it to further distort the image from any potential enemy.