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i'm supposed to be the light to his darkness? do you have any idea what you're saying? nicolae is my light. my only light."
"destiny." vikirnoff's voice never changed. it was soft. calm. reasonable. "you have dedicated your entire existence to the protection of others. you think first of nicolae even as you lie broken. those are not the acts of someone who lives in darkness."
"nicolae lives for the protection of others."
"he was bred to do so. it is his right and his honor. it is his way of life. it was not so with you."
"you can't see what's inside me." she turned her face away from him, only to find nicolae. always nicolae. he was there in her mind. there in her heart. he held her safely in his arms.
"nicolae sees what is inside you. nicolae is no easy man to be twisted around a woman's finger. he is an ancient hunter of the undead. a dangerous predator who is capable of destroying more than you could ever comprehend. you could never fool him. never, destiny. you are exactly as he sees you. his light."
"have you forgotten that you had to warn us i was tainted?"
"your blood is not who or what you are. it merely runs in your veins. if a human has cancer growing in his body, does that make him a tainted being? do not allow this vampire to run your life any longer. he does not own you. he is long gone from this world. let him stay dead."
destiny let her breath out slowly. her gaze met nicolae's, and she felt instantly lost. he had to stop looking at her like that. he just had to. before she could stop herself, her fingertips were rubbing away his frown. she could bear pain better than she could bear his frown.
"you know he is right," nicolae said gently.
she rolled her eyes. "you just had to point it out, didn't you? couldn't stay quiet. totally annoying." if she didn't joke she would cry, and that would be too humiliating to be borne. this man had already seen her at her worst. she didn't need to have tears running down her face and her nose all red.
for the first time, something made sense. vikirnoff actually had given her something to hold on to. her blood didn't dictate who she was. or what she was.
she looked across the cave at nicolae's brother. "thank you for what you did, vikirnoff, battling the vampires with us. i know it is hard for you to kill. had you not been with us, they would have destroyed many people. you look a bit on the pale side, too. did you give me blood?"
vikirnoff nodded toward his brother. "in a way. i gave to my brother." it was easy to see that destiny was holding on by a thread.
"pater seems to be losing all his little children. they're dropping like flies. i doubt if he can father enough to come looking for us. both of you go hunt and regain your full strength. i'll be fine while you're gone." destiny attempted to shift herself out of nicolae's arms. the movement wrenched a groan from between her teeth. "ignore that. it slipped out without permission." she hadn't managed to move more than an inch; she felt like a wet dishrag held up only by strong arms.
above her head, nicolae glanced at his brother. some communication clearly passed between them, but destiny was far too tired to read nicolae. the pain was almost more than she could take. her injuries were severe this time, and the wounds burned, as always when inflicted by a vampire.
vikirnoff bowed from the waist toward her in the elegant way of the ancients. "i will leave you so that i may hunt." he vanished into a stream of mist, already on the move, streaking upward toward the narrow chimney leading out of the cave.
destiny looked up at nicolae's set features and managed a hesitant smile. "you're just spoiling for a fight, aren't you? i don't have the energy. i'm not going to complain if you want to stay. well, not too much. i won't mention how pale you look. or that i can feel your hunger. or that you're being silly."
he stopped her easily, stealing the air from her lungs. robbing her of speech. of thought. of reason. leaning forward, he locked his gaze with hers. she read the desire there. the absolute need. he took his time, slowly lowering his head to hers. watching her. drinking her in. his long hair, wild from the battle, tumbled around his shoulders and skimmed her bare shoulder.
her heart flipped; her insides turned to mush. liquid heat rushed through her bloodstream, pooled low and throbbed for recognition. none of it mattered. there was only nicolae in her world. in her mind. his arms tightened, nearly crushing her to him, yet all the while he was careful of her injuries.
and then his mouth fastened to hers and her world turned upside down for all time.