We are trying.
Gregori left Francesca to work on broken ribs and the lacerations and burns while he attacked the parasites, driving them away from their prize. It was daunting to see the damage they left in their wake. He could tell Rafael's blood made a difference, giving her starving cells a chance, flooding tissue and organs with strength to help combat the vampire's poison. He worked fast, destroying the parasites where he found them, chasing them when they fled.
When Gregori was certain he had killed the last one, he began to work on the damage, first repairing the ovaries, ensuring no egg had been penetrated. The parasite would attach itself, replicate and feed off the internal organs. They had voracious appetites. It seemed hours, when in reality it was far less with both healers working together, before Gregori was able to regain his own body. Francesca swayed beside him, pale and exhausted. They had worked a miracle in record time.
«She needs more blood and good rich soil,» Gregori said, «but she'll be fine.» He inspected Riordan. «You, however, need a little help.»
«The soil will aid me,» Riordan said. «I can't thank you enough for saving her life. She was far gone from us.»
Mikhail held up his hand for silence. «There is one among you able to heal the earth. Would you step forward?»
The Carpathians looked at one another. Over in the corner where the Dark Troubadours had gathered, Barack took Syndil's hand and led her to the front. «Syndil is capable of healing the earth.»
Mikhail let his breath out slowly. The woman was one of the children Darius had saved, her Carpathian lineage strong and true. She looked nervous, but stood quietly waiting. He smiled at her. «So you are our miracle worker. I saw the land after you worked on it.»
She spread her hands out in front of her. «It is my calling. A small talent, but strong.»
The prince shook his head. «I do not believe it is a small talent. We would give this couple to Mother Earth to heal. If you could choose, where would you put them?»
«Here,» Syndil pointed to a spot without hesitation.
«The soil is rich there, no toxins?»
She frowned, holding her hands over the spot. «It is the best in the caverns, but I can make it better.» She glanced at Riordan. «If you don't mind waiting.»
«Not at all,» Riordan replied. Gregori was healing him even as Mikhail was watching the woman prepare the soil. «I am grateful to you.»
Syndil knelt and closed her eyes, palms down toward the earth. She sang softly, calling to the soil, encouraging the wealth of minerals to double.
Mikhail tightened his fingers around Raven's. My God, Raven. She's the real thing. She can do this, enrich our soil for us.
It takes its toll on her. Look at her.
Syndil swayed, pale, much like Francesca and Gregori, when she stood. Barack reached for her, circling her waist to steady her. Mikhail nodded. We will all aid her as best we can.
Syndil stepped back and smiled at Mikhail. «There. The soil should really help both of them.»
Riordan, holding Juliette to him, floated down into the bed of rich loam. Around them,
the dirt filled in to cover them. Rafael stepped forward and began to weave safeguards while the Carpathians drifted back to their homes.
Mikhail bowed to Syndil. «If I asked you, would you consider choosing the birthing place for Shea? I could take you around and have you look at various sites we're considering. I would greatly value your opinion.»
«I know nothing of birthing.»
«But you know much about soil.»
Syndil glanced at Barack, who nodded. «Of course, although I doubt I'll have time to make anything for the dinner tonight.»
«Believe me, this is far more important,» Mikhail assured.
Raven agreed. «I have the dinner well in hand. Shea's birth is the most important thing we have going and our biggest reason to celebrate.»
I think this very humble woman is our greatest reason to celebrate, Mikhail declared.
Chapter 12
«We're in for it now, Ginny,» Colby De La Cruz said with a small sigh as she braided her younger sister's hair. «Rafael is going to be crazy now. He hardly lets me out of his sight as it is. And I was just making progress too.» She cast a quick glance at Rafael, her lifemate, pacing furiously the length of the room, every now and then casting her a smoldering, warning look.
«Why is he so upset?» Ginny asked.
«Your Aunt Juliette was injured.»
Rafael spun around, his dark eyes flashing with anger. «Your Aunt Juliette disobeyed a direct order from her lifemate. She ignored her own safety and nearly got both of them killed.»
Ginny gasped, one hand flying to her mouth. «Are they all right, Rafael?»
«They're both fine,» Colby answered, glaring at her lifemate. «There's no need to try to scare her to death.»
«There's every need,» Rafael declared, reaching out a hand to tangle it in the mass of red-gold hair surrounding Colby's face. «And just who are these kids-that boy over here? What do we know about him?»
«You mean Josef?» Ginny asked. «He's nice.»
Rafael's scowl deepened. She does not need to be thinking that boy is nice. I do not want her around boys at all.
Colby sighed. Ginny is not yet in her teens and she's human. I hardly think Josef is going to look at her that way.
I looked at you that way.
I'm a grown woman and in any case, Paul is with Josef. You know her brother would never allow anything improper.
I'm going to go show my teeth to that young man. If he knows what's good for him, he'll go home. Rafael stalked from the room, his face set in harsh lines, his jaw stubborn. «And wear your hair down tonight for this thing. I like it that way.»
Colby rolled her eyes at Ginny. «That man has way too much testosterone. He's going to scare Josef.»
«Why?»
«Because Josef might look at you wrong. Lord help you when you get old enough to date, Ginny. I think he'll have ten bodyguards-all female-surrounding you.»
«All my friends are afraid of him,» Ginny conceded, «but he's always sweet to me. And Paul spends most of his time with Rafael.»
«I know, baby, he's really great, but he does love to order us all around.»
«Not like his brothers. Well, except for Uncle Riordan. He's nice, but the rest of them are scary.»
The half smile faded from Colby's face. «Scary how? None of them are mean to you, are they? They are sworn to protect you and Paul. Rafael promised me.» It was difficult to integrate her human family with her Carpathian one, but Colby thought they were working things out fairly well. Unfortunately, Rafael had four brothers and only Riordan had found his lifemate. And that meant the other three brothers were extremely dangerous. Manolito was close by. Zacharias and Nicholas were in Brazil overseeing the ranch near the rainforest. Colby was certain neither trusted themselves around so many others. They were too close to turning.
«They aren't mean to me,» Ginny denied hastily. «I just don't like to be around them very much. They're just scary. It was kind of nice coming here because they didn't come with us. They're always watching me.»
Colby sank into a chair at the kitchen table. «Baby, you know if you're unhappy, all you have to do is say the word and we go home to our ranch in the United States.»
«No! I love living in Brazil. I can even speak the language-a little. Paul's helping me and so are my uncles. I love the ranch and the rainforest and all the animals. I don't want to go back-really.»
«Hey chick-a-dee.» Paul strode in and pulled his sister's braid. «Why are you hiding in here with Colby? Everyone came over so we could all get to know each other.»
«Are they having a good time?» Colby asked.
Paul grinned at her. «Well, we are now that Rafael came in to scare the heck out of Josef. He's sharpening a knife, but Josef isn't paying attention and all the kids think it's funny.»
«Oh, dear.»
«I'm going to go see,» Ginny
said cheerfully, and skipped out of the room.
Paul sat opposite Colby. She studied his face. Some of the lines that shouldn't have been there were smooth again, but he still looked too old for his seventeen years. «What is it, hon?»
«You know how Mom was always so smart? I mean really smart. Not ranch smart, but book smart? Chemistry, physics, that kind of smart?»
«Which you have clearly inherited.»
«What do you know about her family? There's a man here with the same last name as our mother and he looks like her. Well, she's prettier, but they really do look alike and they say he's really smart. He's human, Colby, like me.»
«Does it bother you that I'm Carpathian and you're not? Rafael allowed you to keep all your memories because that's what you wanted, but if it makes you feel too different…» She trailed off. There was no way for Paul to become Carpathian. As far as she knew, he had no psychic ability whatsoever. Ginny hadn't displayed any either. Colby had a different father and one who had come from a direct line to the Carpathians.
Razvan. She didn't want to think about him, didn't want to ever admit that he had been her birth father. Razvan was grandson of the dark mage Xavier, mortal enemy to all Carpathians. Long ago, Xavier, the most powerful mage, had taken on a gifted Carpathian student, Rhiannon. He murdered her lifemate, kidnapped and impregnated her, igniting a terrible war. Triplets were born, Soren, and his two sisters now lost. Razvan and Natalya were Soren's children. Razvan had betrayed his Carpathian blood, blood of the famed Dragonseekers no less, betrayed his twin sister, succumbed to the lure of black magic, joined with the vampires and led them in a plot to assassinate the prince. It shamed her to think she carried Razvan's genetics, especially now that she had come to the Carpathian mountains and met so many of Rafael's people.
«No, I like that you re Carpathian, Colby, it's kind of cool.» Paul raked a hand through
his hair. «And I love where we live and Dad's brothers, but if this man, Gary Jansen, is related in any way to mom, I want to know him. And I want to know why we were never in his life.»
«Have you asked around about him?»
Paul nodded. «Rafael told me his name and said that he's friends with Gregori. Apparently, he does a lot of research. You're older than me. Do you remember Mom ever talking about her family? Did you meet any of them?»
Colby shoved both hands through her thick mass of hair in agitation. «I remember a little bit, Paul, and none of it was good.» It was painful to remember the past, and even though Colby had thought those days of feeling inadequate were gone forever, finding out that Razvan was her father had made them all come back.
«In what way?» Paul persisted.
Rafael appeared beside Colby, tall and strong; his face could have been carved from a statue, finely chiseled with great care around his sensual mouth. Every evening when she woke, when she saw him like this-a warrior, her lover-she always felt such a rush of emotion, almost overwhelming. Rafael looked at the world with ice-cold eyes and at her with hunger and love. For a woman who never quite fit in anywhere, it seemed a miracle. His arms now circled her, pulling her right up out of the chair, his larger frame nearly completely engulfing hers as he tucked her into the shelter of his body.
I do not like these thoughts. You did nothing wrong as a child. It is best not to think of these things when it brings you so much pain.
Paul has a right to know certain things.
About her. About her father. About their mother. She laid her head against Rafael's chest. It was all so complicated, and her background was rather humiliating. She didn't want Paul to be ashamed.
She had been the one to insist on coming to the Carpathian Mountains for the big celebration. She thought it was important to get to know other Carpathians and be just a little more social. The ranch in South America was isolated, enormous, and the De La Cruz brothers were treated like royalty-feared, but still given far too much deference. Colby thought it would be good to remind them they weren't the only ones in the world with gifts and duties. Now old wounds were being torn open on the very night when she had hoped to solidify their place in a community. She had to delve into the past and tell Paul the truth about their mother's family.
Rafael hissed his displeasure in her ear. «You do not need to prove to anyone that you are worthy of belonging. You belong with me.»
«I know.» She rubbed her face against his chest. «I just want Paul and Ginny to feel they
belong.»
Rafael caught her chin and lifted her face to his. «They have always had a sense of belonging. With you. You provided for them when no one else would, gave them a home and love and security. Few could have done what you did at such a young age.»
Paul came around the table and put his arms around both of them. «Colby, did I upset you with my questions? I'm not looking for another family. I love the one I have. I don't understand what's wrong with you, but you've been acting upset and restless for the last hour. I've been afraid to leave you alone for too long.» He looked at Rafael for confirmation.
Colby took a deep breath and pressed her hands against her churning stomach. «Everyone has secrets, Paul. I never wanted you to feel different. I've watched you and Ginny for any signs of being unusual-especially you-but you both seem to be very normal, without psychic gifts and without any ability to shapeshift.» Her fingers clung to Rafael's shirt.
He brought up one hand to the nape of her neck, strong fingers easing the tension out of her. «I always thought shapeshifting was normal,» he said.
«Well, it's not for us,» Colby said. She was near tears. Paul had so much to contend with. He was a young teenage boy, yet he had worked a ranch nearly all of his life, hard, backbreaking work. They'd lost their mother and eventually Paul and Ginny's father to an accident, and the three alone had kept the ranch going.
«I started showing signs of psychic ability very early. I could sense dangerous things, especially if I was upset,» Colby confessed in a little rush. «Mom admitted to me that my father was 'different.' That's all she said at first. But then later, when I was about thirteen, she told me she was 'different' too. And that we had to be very careful. We could never let anyone see the things we could do and that I always had to watch you, Paul, to make certain that you didn't behave irresponsibly.»
«What does that mean?» Paul demanded with a small frown.
Colby took a deep breath. «It means we carry jaguar blood. Our family, hundreds of years ago, were shapeshifters. The men didn't stay with the women and eventually the species began to die out. There are very few who can actually shift into their cat form now, but many people carry the genetics. Some of the men still able to shift have been hunting for women to keep the line as pure as possible. They aren't very nice men.»
«And Mom thought I might be one of these guys?» Paul was clearly offended. «I respect women. I'm always respectful.»
«I didn't mean it like that. I'm not saying this very well. Mom wasn't married to my father when she had me. Your father's family didn't want anything to do with her-or me– because of that.» She broke off abruptly.
Rafael took over. «Colby has never felt accepted in any world, Paul, and she didn't want that for you. Neither did your mother. Your mother hid her differences, and Colby did the same.» He gestured around him. «Here, being atypical is normal.»
«Do you really think anyone feels normal?» Paul asked. «I didn't know all this-that I have jaguar blood-although that could be cool especially now, but look at Josef. He's a Carpathian, can shapeshift and do all sorts of neat things. He's brilliant. You should see the things he can do on a computer, and he's a math whiz. He just is kind of nerdy around people. He doesn't feel good about himself at all. He knows the adults don't like him and he feels uncomfortable around all of us teenagers. Skyler is beautiful, but she's uncomfortable too. Ginny and I are the only 'normal' ones and we should be the outsiders.»
«Sometimes you're brilliant, Paul,» Colby exclaimed.
«I think it doe
sn't matter much about what we are or where we came from, Colby,» Paul replied. «I think we all feel uncomfortable when we're young.»
«I didn't,» Rafael said.
Colby smacked his chest. «You're so arrogant.»
«I don't think he was actually ever young,» Paul said. «I'm not even sure anyone gave birth to him. They found him under a rock.»
Rafael caught Paul around the neck and pretended to strangle him. Colby watched the two of them laughing together and found the tension ebbing away.
You did a great job raising this boy, Rafael told her.
She nodded. He's wonderful.
«So do you think most of the psychics are descendents of shapeshifters?» Paul asked. «I could do some research on that. I'll bet Josef would help me.»