Dark Celebration (8 page)

"Yes they were," Aidan said. "Is Dimitri here?"

"He has come from the forests of Russia to join us, yet he remains in the form of a wolf most of the time and is prowling the woods. If you see Julian before I do, have him make contact. I believe he knows Dimitri better than any other Carpathian. They may have even exchanged blood after a battle. I want Dimitri monitored while he is in such close proximity to our women."

Aidan's head went up alertly. "You are concerned that Dimitri has turned?"

"We can no longer count on reading minds and feeling the disturbance of power or evil. The vampires could very well send an enemy into our camp. I do not believe Dimitri has turned, but I am concerned that he is struggling. With so many women close to him, it is possible he will have the necessary hope to continue his struggle, or it will push him in the wrong direction. It is just better to be careful."

"He has long battled the vampires alone in his area," Aidan agreed. "Too many kills so often take its toll on the hunter."

Mikhail sighed. "I cannot save them all, Aidan."

"No, but you do what is necessary for saving our people, Mikhail, and that is all you can ask of yourself. Come meet my lifemate."

Mikhail followed Aidan down the long hall toward the kitchen. "Raven asked me to play Santa Claus. St. Nick. You know, the character in the red suit with the long white beard."

Aidan halted so abruptly that even with his graceful, flowing strides, Mikhail nearly ran into him. "You are going to play Santa Claus?"

Mikhail shook his head, wicked amusement gleaming in his eyes. "That is what my son-in-law is for."

"Gregori?" Aidan's white teeth flashed. The clouds shifted and the light from the moon spilled across the Carpathian turning his hair and eyes to an ancient, antique gold. "I have to be there when you tell him."

"I suspect his house will be overrun with spiders, mice and a few birds," Mikhail said with evident satisfaction. "I would enjoy meeting your very talented lifemate. Lead the way. Just the thought of Gregori in that ridiculous getup has lightened my mood considerably. Alexandria will not find me in the least intimidating."

Aidan hesitated, his hand on the door. "Alexandria first knew of our race through the vampires. She was captured along with her little brother. The vampire chained her and fed on her, wanted her to kill her brother and both would feed on him. She still has nightmares. I catch echoes of them when she is in between our sleep and waking. Joshua no longer remembers, but she doesn't want to hide what we are from him. And that means he has to know we are hunted. It was courageous of her to come here—to put aside her fears and meet the other women."

"Have you discussed having children?"

Aidan shook his head. "Not yet. She is well aware of the mortality rate of our infants and she lost so much so young."

Mikhail nodded. "Gary has mentioned that it is possible that the closer the birth of the baby is to conversion, the less likely it is that we will lose it. He thinks the longer the women are Carpathian, the more likely miscarriages will occur and the less likely there will be female children, but why that would be we have no answers, especially as Francesca had a daughter."

"At least we have Joshua, who is more of a son than a sibling to Alexandria. So far she has been unable to conceive, so there has been no choice for us one way or the other."

Mikhail continued to look at him, straight in the eye, a relentless, driving command. Aidan sighed. "I will discuss it with her."

"You do that. Our people need every child, every female we can possibly get at this point. Our hunters are desperate, Aidan."

"I was one of the desperate hunters, Mikhail," Aidan said quietly. "I know my duty to our people."

"Aidan!" Joshua come up behind him and tugged at his arm. "Aren't you going to play with us? Josef put the game on pause so we could wait for you."

Aidan affectionately ruffled the boy's hair. "In a minute, Josh. Alexandria hasn't met Mikhail yet. He is the leader of our people, a very important man."

Josh's eyes widened and he stared up at the prince.

Mikhail looked down at the boy with his slight build and head of curls, at Aidan's hand tugging at a curl, and he felt a sudden ache in his chest. He wanted another child. One that looked at him the way the boy was looking at Aidan. He wanted a village filled with children, with their laughter and their bright eyes and hope shining on their faces.

His gaze rested on Josef who had followed Joshua, and for the first time he felt kindly toward the boy. Josef had gained a few inches in height, taking on more of the look of the Carpathian male with broad shoulders, but he was still gangly, as thin as a rail, and with his black hair cut into spiky sticks with the tips dyed blue, he looked like a bizarre scarecrow. "Hello, Josef. It is good to see you again."

The boy looked scared for a moment, and then he flashed a cocky grin. "You too, Your Royal Highness. Are we supposed to bow?"

Aidan smacked him on the back of his head with a low warning growl, and Mikhail scowled, his black eyes glittering with sudden menace. The house pulsed with sudden energy and the walls undulated.

Josh pushed open the kitchen door and ran. "Alex! There's someone here."

At the fear in her younger brother's voice and the danger shimmering in the room, Alexandria whirled around with preternatural speed, her body a blur. The high-speed, souped-up mixer was in her hands, still on. Garlic-cheese mashed potatoes splattered onto the walls and ceiling. One glob hit Mikhail squarely on his left cheekbone. Alexandria gasped aloud and stood frozen, holding the mixer upright—sending more potatoes flying around the room. Her horrified gaze remained fixed on the prince.

For a long moment there was only the sound of the mixer and the potatoes striking surfaces all over the room—and the prince's wide chest. Josh giggled. Josef let out a strangled cough, and both boys grabbed their midsections and doubled over laughing. The sound galvanized Aidan into action. He waved to knock the power out of the mixer, and moved across the room with dizzying speed to remove the appliance from Alexandria's hands, placing himself between his lifemate and his prince.

For a moment there was only the sound of the boys' laughter. Alexandria twisted her fingers in the back pocket of Aidan's jeans.
I cannot believe I did that. Whatever is he going to think of me
?

It was obvious she was trying to hold back her own laughter even though she was mortified.

Aidan turned slightly to brush his knuckles down the side of her face gently, all the while keeping a wary eye on the prince.
It was a small accident, nothing more
, he assured her. He could feel his own laughter bubbling up. It was difficult to stand still and keep a straight face with gobs of cheesy garlic potatoes speckling the prince's clothes and his left cheek.

Mikhail's mouth twitched and he covered his lips with his hand. "It is unnecessary to stand in front of your lifemate as if I might incinerate her on the spot for decorating my clothing, Aidan."

"Is that how I look?" Aidan's eyebrow quirked upward.

Josh nodded, still laughing. "Like you're going to hit someone."

Aidan held up the mixer, aiming it toward Josh. "I am thinking about it."

"Point it more toward Josef," Mikhail suggested.

Alexandria cleared her throat, trying to sound sincere when she really wanted to laugh. "I'm terribly sorry," she said aloud to Mikhail. "The mixer got away from me."

"You look a great deal like your brother," Mikhail pointed out as he calmly brushed the potatoes from his face and chest. "Fortunately, I am Carpathian and these things are of little consequence—other than to provide amusement for our younger children." His black eyes narrowed, turned dangerously green-yellow—a wolf's eyes—glowing as his gaze settled on Josef. A low growl rumbled through the room, impossible to tell where it came from—but distinctive all the same.

Josef swallowed his laughter and straightened up, moving away from Mikhail. The prince kept his face like stone, although amusement welled up, threatening to spill over. How long since he'd heard the sound of young children laughing? He needed to spend more time with Falcon and Sara's adopted children. The young always brought hope and the ability to see with fresh excitement the world around them. He needed another child in his home, clinging to his leg and looking up at him the way Joshua was looking up at Alexandria.

Mikhail. Skyler wishes to go home. Do you come back to escort her, or should I?
Raven's voice interrupted his thoughts. He had much to do, but so did Raven. "I had hoped to speak with you some more, Aidan, but Skyler is in our home and needs escorting back to her home. I will return as soon as I am assured she is safe."

"I was about to go over to see Desari," Alexandria said quickly. "I can get Skyler safely home. I'd like to walk in the fresh air anyway. I'm a poor cook…"

Joshua snickered. "She's always been bad. Burns everything."

Alexandria tugged on one of his curls in retaliation, laughing softly. "Sadly, it's true. I'm a terrible cook, but perhaps you and Aidan can rescue the potatoes."

Mikhail's hand stopped in the act of brushing the last of the white globs away. "Me? Cook?"

"I can do it," Josef said. "I've wanted to try out the mixer. Watch this, Josh." He waved his hand and the bowl of mashed potatoes rose in the air. The bowl jerked awkwardly as it made its way past Aidan toward Josef and Mikhail, almost head level with the prince.

Aidan caught it before it could get more than halfway across the room. "Alexandria worked hard on this—ah—stuff."

"Stuff?" Alexandria echoed. "And it was Josh and Aidan who were supposed to rescue the potatoes."

Mikhail stepped back and turned to glare at Josef. "I hope you were not thinking to drop that on my head."

Joshua erupted into another fit of giggles. "If Alex made it, stuff is a good word to use, Aidan."

"Hey now!" Alexandria produced a mock glare. "Pipe down or you'll be doing the cooking."

I can escort young Skyler back
, Aidan offered.

I need some peace
, Alexandria told him.
I love Josh, but the video games, mashed potatoes and Josef are a little much right now
. Her mind brushed up against his with love and warmth.
I'm perfectly fine
. It wasn't altogether true. It was impossible to hide anything from her lifemate, and Aidan was well aware she had faced coming to the Carpathian Mountains with trepidation.

My only love. I will come with you.

You will stay and entertain the prince. I really need some alone time
. She loved Aidan with all of her heart, every cell in her body—her very soul, but it was sometimes difficult for her to accept that he could know her every thought. It was bad enough that she felt inadequate at times, and very leery of the other Carpathians—it shamed her. She hated that Aidan knew her smallness.

Not smallness. You have every right to fear for Joshua's safety. Few have been captured by a vampire and survive
. Aidan leaned down to press a kiss against the back of her neck.
You are my world
.

As you are mine.

Alexandria flashed a small smile toward the prince. "It's an honor to meet you—even covered with mashed potatoes. Please stay and talk with Aidan. He's been looking forward to some time with you. I'll see that Skyler gets back safely." Before either man could protest, she smiled brightly at Josh. "Would you like to come with me?" She resisted the urge to send a compulsion against walking with her. She really needed the quiet of the night.

"Josef and I are playing the new game, Alex," Josh said. "It's really cool."

"I'm so glad you like it! I thought you would."

"Alexandria…" Aidan's voice trailed off. He didn't want to further embarrass her by protesting her going alone. It was a short walk to Mikhail's home, and since quite a few Carpathians had returned and were scanning continually for enemies, she should be safe—
but
… Aidan sighed. He didn't like her out of his sight. "I do not mind walking with you."

I just need a little air. I don't know why I'm so nervous around everyone, but I am. I need to work things out on my own this time
—
please, Aidan
—
understand
. Alexandria sent him a flood of reassuring warmth.

She loved Aidan with all of her heart, but she had always been so independent. In San Francisco, he had seemed more relaxed and easygoing, but since making the trip to his homeland, he'd been on edge. Joshua and Alexandria both were having nightmares, Josh in his sleep, Alexandria just as she was waking. The terrifying dreams were heightening her own fears and that was rousing Aidan's protective instincts, making him try to hold them even closer. She nodded to the prince, blew Aidan a kiss and skirted around the boys, donning her jacket and gloves as she hurried out the door before Aidan could change his mind.

Alexandria dragged in a lungful of cold, crisp air and turned her face up to the sky. Small snowflakes fluttered down, floating with lazy whirls, turning the sky white and muffling the sounds around them. She held out her hands and opened her mouth to let the flakes drop on her tongue. Life with Aidan was unbelievable. He treated Josh like his own son, and her like a queen. She had no idea why, since coming here, she felt sad and inadequate.

Even worse than that was her growing fear. It was silly and very unlike her, but sometimes she found herself looking into shadows, her heart lurching with dread. It had to be the nightmares, the revulsion she felt whenever she remembered the feel of the vampire's touch, the way his tongue felt rasping on her skin and the pain of his teeth as he tore at her neck. She pressed her hand to the spot burning in her throat. He was dead. Aidan had killed him and he would never be coming back. Not for Josh—and not for her. So why was her throat throbbing in the exact spot the vampire had torn open?

Alexandria shook her head to clear her mind. This was Christmas and they were going to have a beautiful one. She didn't get snow in San Francisco and Joshua was thrilled with being in the Carpathian Mountains. He'd met so many of the men online and couldn't wait to see them in person. She wasn't going to ruin it for everyone because of silly nightmares.