Mrs. Sanders's hands fluttered helplessly to her throat. «Who provides for her?»
«The man who saved her is named Vikirnoff Von Shrieder. He and his lifemate, Natalya,
have been with Gabrielle often, talking to her and working with her to accept her new life. She won't take blood from Traian or me, but she has from both of them. They're good with her, Mom. And she's trying.»
«I want to see her.»
«We both do,» Mr. Sanders said firmly.
Joie hesitated. «Mom, she's very emotional. Her entire life has changed. Fortunately, there is a woman visiting here with us. Her name is MaryAnn Delaney. She's a counselor for battered and abused women, and she's dealt a lot with trauma victims as well. Gary has her with him and they're talking to Gabrielle right now. I really think it best to let them work with her. You know Gabby, she's a fighter. It's just the initial shock of waking up so different.»
«I'm her mother. I should be with her.»
«She's promised to come here as soon as possible.» Joie looked up at Traian and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. The trauma of her sister nearly dying had taken its toll on Joie. She adored Gabrielle, and had brought her into this life, exposing her to vampires and Carpathians, and it weighed heavily on her that Gabrielle had been converted.
«This man, Gary, is he the one she's so crazy about? The one she stayed here in the mountains to be close to?» Mr. Sanders asked.
Joie nodded. «She doesn't talk much about their relationship, but they're obviously drawn to one another. Gary has been beside himself over this and has gone to her rest… Gone to be close to her daily since this happened.»
Mikhail reached for the comfort of his lifemate. Tied to Gabrielle the way he was, he could feel her unrelenting sorrow. None of them had considered the larger picture. Gabrielle was now fully a Carpathian female. The other males would be desperate for her to be a lifemate to one of them.
Gary's attentions to her would not be welcomed by any of them. It was possible for Gabrielle to be a lifemate to one of the men without being in love with him. Affection often came later, after the raw sexual need and the intimacy of being lifemates. Conceivably, Gabrielle could love Gary and still be a lifemate to a Carpathian male. The potential for explosive trouble was building inside the already complicated world of Carpathians.
She is in love with him. Raven's voice was gentle. He deserves happiness after all he has done for us. You know he has earned his place in our world.
Mikhail sighed heavily. I know this, but logic does not dictate to a male near the end of his time. If she is a lifemate, she must give up whatever affection she feels for Gary and embrace her new life fully.
There was a small silence. You would force her to choose a man she does not love? That is wrong.
There is only one lifemate. Her love for Gary will fade with time and if she truly gives her new life a chance, she will find happiness with her true mate.
Raven sniffed in exasperation. You have no idea what you re going to do about this situation, do you?
Mikhail raked a hand through his hair. He loves her so much. Whenever I am with him I feel it. And he has spoken to Gregori often of his feelings for her. Since her near death, he has rarely left her side, holding vigil until she awakened. None of us could get him to eat. This is going to be bad, Raven.
Raven sent him comfort, camaraderie, a soothing touch of her fingers trailing down his face. He wanted to leave this house with all its complications and go to where there was joy. In the midst of all the problems, with the enemies coming at them from every side, there was Raven and her ready smile, her warmth and ability to bring happiness and laughter to those around her.
«They're here!» Joie announced. «Mom, be gentle with her,» she added, clinging tightly to Traian's hand.
«You don't have to tell me that,» Mrs. Sanders said with a small frown.
Mikhail rose intending to excuse himself. Jubal came in, flicking a warning glance at his mother and father, then stepped aside to allow Gabrielle into the room. She looked beautiful, tall and dark-haired with gray eyes and a full mouth. Her skin was pale and she trembled visibly, but the man at her side slipped his arm around her for support.
«Mom. Dad. It's wonderful to see you.» Tears swam in Gabrielle's large eyes, turning them charcoal.
Her parents rose, taking several steps toward their daughter. Mrs. Sanders stopped abruptly, the color draining from her face. She lifted her face and sniffed several times, testing the air. One hand went up defensively and she screamed, backing away from the couple.
Gabrielle's skin went dead white and she turned her face into Gary's shoulder at her mother's rejection. Joie and Jubal sprang in front of their sister, blocking her from her parents' view. Mikhail moved with blurring speed, putting his body between the hysterical mother and her daughter. Gary swept Gabrielle into his arms, holding her close, and Traian stepped between Joie's parents and his sister-in-law, shielding them with his larger frame.
Mrs. Sanders dropped to her knees, her keening wail rising, filling the house. Mr. Sanders tried to bring her to her feet, but she struggled against him, shaking her head from side to side, wailing the entire time. «Mom! Get control,» Jubal snapped. «It's Gabrielle and
she needs you to be strong, not turn away from her.»
Traian and Mikhail exchanged an apprehensive glance.
Joie raised her chin. «She is what I am. If you can't deal with Gabrielle as a Carpathian, you'd better know that I'm one and so is Traian. We stand with Gabrielle.»
Mrs. Sander's entire demeanor changed. She rose slowly to her feet, her eyes going opaque, her body suddenly fluid and catlike. Her head went down in a classic stalking manner. «Get away from my daughter.» She enunciated each word.
«Marissa,» Mr. Sanders reprimanded sharply.
She growled at him, a deadly hiss accompanying the warning. Her fingers began to curl and her body stretched, muzzle elongating. Bones cracked and her spine bent.
«Mom!» Joie sounded horrified. «Mom, stop!»
Traian stepped in front of his lifemate, his heavier body shoving her back. At the same time he swept her brother behind him with one powerful arm.
«Mom.» Jubal added his plea. «What are you doing?»
Mikhail stepped up to Traian's side. The two Carpathians stood shoulder to shoulder facing the threat. «Mrs. Sanders.» Mikhail was calm, trying to reach the mind of Gabrielle's mother.
He found a red haze of anger, a cauldron of fear. Seams burst. Material ripped. Fur burst across skin and she was on the floor, teeth filling her muzzle. Mr. Sanders tried to put a calming hand on her, but she ripped at him with razor-sharp claws.
Traian sprang forward, using preternatural speed, a blur of motion, scooping up Joie's father and shoving him toward his daughter. Mr. Sander's arm bled from the long, deep scratches, and Joie sobbed as she hastily reached for her father.
«Dad, what's wrong with her? You obviously know. Tell us.»
«What is she?» Jubal demanded.
«Jaguar,» Traian supplied. «She is from a pure jaguar bloodline.»
The cat crouched, tail switching in agitation, eyes on the two Carpathian males blocking her path to her goal.
Mikhail, step back, Traian warned. She is about to attack.
She is Joie's mother, Mikhail reminded him. We cannot hurt her.
There is no we. Get back. Traian edged forward in an effort to protect Mikhail as well as his lifemate and the others.
«She never did that when we were in school and she was really upset with our teachers,» Jubal said. «What the hell, Dad? Did you know?»
«Shut up, Jubal,» Mr. Sanders snapped. «Now is not the time for levity. She is very dangerous.»
«You think? You've got blood dripping all over the floor.»
«What triggered this?» Mikhail asked calmly.
Mr. Sanders shook his head. «I have no idea. She seemed to accept everything you told her.»
«All of you back out o
f the room. Let Traian, Mr. Sanders and me handle this,» Mikhail ordered.
I am on my way, Mikhail. Wait for me. Gregori, as always, was perfectly calm.
Oh, now you want to help. I think I can take care of one jungle cat.
If you got so much as a scratch on you, your daughter would have my head on a platter. Besides-you are getting old and slow.
As Joie, Jubal, Gabrielle and Gary began to slowly inch their way out of the room, the cat became more agitated, leaping to its feet, running at the two Carpathian males, a roar of rage shaking the house. Her children stopped.
The jaguar exploded into action, leaping over furniture to hit Traian squarely in the chest. Her weight and the suddenness of the attack pushed him over backward. She went for his throat, trying to sink her teeth deep. He caught her between strong hands, holding the snarling cat off.
Gabrielle screamed. «Don't hurt her!»
That's my mother! Joie cried.
Traian hesitated, and the cat raked his chest with her hind legs, tearing great lacerations, all the while driving its teeth toward his throat. It suddenly switched tactics, claws raking his chest, digging in for traction as she gathered power, pushing off with her hind legs to leap at Gary. She struck hard and fast, going in for the kill.
Powerful hands wrapped around her neck, holding her off, and she stared into the black eyes of the prince. He had moved with blurring speed, inserting his body between the jaguar and its prey.
«Mom! Stop!» There was panic in Joie's voice. «What are you doing?»
Traian had no choice. He was sworn, as all Carpathians, to protect their prince. He circled the strong neck in a half nelson, prepared to break the neck should she persist in her attack on Mikhail.
The jaguar fought, using its flexible spine, but neither male yielded.
«Please, Traian, don't. You can't kill her,» Joie pleaded, rushing forward to grab his arm.
It was enough distraction that the jaguar twisted, nearly getting away from Traian, the claws tearing at Mikhail.
«Enough!» The command thundered through the room as a tall, broad-shouldered man strode in. His silver eyes gleamed with lethal intent. Ignoring Joie and Jubal's pleas, Gregori reached past Traian and yanked the jaguar's head around to stare into its eyes. «I said enough. If you persist in this action I will slay you immediately. You are human enough to understand me. Go into the other room and regain control now.» There was no give, no compassion. He didn't even glance at the others in the room. He simply picked up the jaguar and flung it toward the door.
The cat landed hard against the wall, slid down and lay for a moment, sides heaving. There was a small silence broken only by the jaguar's heavy breathing. Then it turned its head and snarled.
Gregori let out a long slow hiss, eyes glittering. He took one threatening step toward the cat. «I will not tell you again. You attacked my prince and the penalty is death. There are three Carpathians in this room and by all rights you should be dead. Go before I lose what little patience I have.»
The jaguar slunk off, and Gregori reached down and helped Mikhail to his feet. «Next time, if you do not protect your prince, you will answer to me. I do not care who attacks him, or for what reason. It is your duty to see to his safety whether he likes it or not.» His eyes touched on first Traian, then Joie and Gabrielle. «Do I make myself perfectly clear? Because if I do not, I will go in there and break her neck and show you what one does to keep their prince from harm.»
Traian nodded and reached for Joie. Gabrielle kept her face buried against Gary's shoulder. Mr. Sanders rushed into the other room to attend to his wife.
«I was safe, Gregori,» Mikhail said quietly.
Gregori whipped around to glare at the prince. «Do not tell me you were safe. She was going straight for your throat. Do you think I couldn't read her mind? She intended to rip it out.»
This is fine way to begin our first Christmas celebration. Raven is not going to be
pleased.
Raven would not be pleased if that woman had ripped out your throat. This is not finished, Mikhail, and do not make light of it. Traian and Joie have a lot to answer for. I can excuse Gabrielle, but not the others.
«Traian was watching out for me, Gregori,» Joie said. «She's my mother.»
«Traian does not need to hide behind your skirts, Joie. He is an ancient. Born and bred Carpathian and as such subject to the laws of our people. Above all else, we protect our prince. Without him, our species dies. We are extinct. Our first duty always-always-is to protect the living vessel of our people. Mikhail would not have killed your mother to save himself because he is bound to hold our people together. He would have tried diplomacy and she would have ripped out his throat. It was the duty of the three Carpathians in this room to protect him-even from himself.» Gregori turned his head, pinning Traian with his cold, peculiar-colored eyes. «Is that not so?»
«That is so. It was bad judgment on my part and I will not fail our prince again.»
«And you will not fail our people again,» Gregori persisted. He looked to the women. «You must make up your mind whether or not you live as Carpathian. If you do not, I will see to it that you do not live at all.»
Gregori. Mikhail's intervention was calm in the eye of the storm. Enough.
It is not enough. They will protect you or they will answer to me.
«Why did she do it?» Gary asked, pushing his glasses up and rubbing the bridge of his nose. «I swear she was coming for me, not Mikhail. Gregori, I'm certain she tried to kill me. Mikhail moved so fast I didn't see him, and I don't think she did either.»
«Traian needs attention,» Gregori ordered Joie. «See to your lifemate's wounds.»
Traian's snarl rumbled through the room. «I deserve your reprimand, Gregori, but do not extend your orders to my lifemate. I will not allow it.»
Mikhail held up his hand to forestall any further confrontation. «We all forget what is at stake here. Mrs. Sanders is here to celebrate with us and she had accepted Gabrielle and Joie as Carpathians. What we need to find out is what triggered the jaguar into attacking.» He gave his second in command a hard look. «And then we're all going to make peace because nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to ruin this night for Raven.»
Gregori bowed slightly. «Of course.» He exchanged a ghost of a grin with Traian. He is afraid of her.
She has him wrapped around her finger.
And both of you can go to hell.
Gabrielle sank down onto the couch with Gary on one side of her and Jubal on the other. Joie and Traian shared a chair. Mikhail stood in the corner nearest the door and Gregori stood, arms folded across his broad chest, his body between Mikhail's and the rest of the room.
Mr. and Mrs. Sanders came out together holding hands. She had been crying and was obviously reluctant to face them all. When she saw the marks on Traian's chest, a fresh flood of tears began.
«Mom, it's okay,» Joie said. «Please don't cry anymore. Let's just figure out what's wrong and fix it.»
«Is it me?» Gabrielle asked. «I don't want to upset you anymore. This is Christmas night and we're supposed to be together as a family. I don't want you upset by what happened to me.»
Mrs. Sanders shook her head. «Not you. Never you, baby.» Her gaze touched on Gary, and slid away. She gripped her husband's hand tighter. «It's him.» She nodded toward Gary. «He's not what you think he is.»
«Gary?» Gabrielle looked shocked. Everyone stared at Gary.
«What do you mean, Mrs. Sanders?» Mikhail asked.
«He's jaguar. I can smell his blood. The stench is all over him. He is a jaguar male. They are deceptive and capable of great cruelty. I don't want him anywhere near my daughters. Either of them.» She raised her chin, suddenly looking regal. «What I did was wrong, I should have controlled the cat better, but it was such a shock. I haven't encountered a jaguar male in years. I thought that door was long closed. It took me by surprise and brought back painful memories, but I'm under control now. He c
annot stay anywhere near them.»
Gabrielle gripped Gary's shirt hard. «You're mistaken, Mom. Gary is the sweetest man I know. Kind and good and brilliant. He isn't a shape-shifter. He's human.»
«He is jaguar,» Mrs. Sanders said harshly. «And he is deceiving you if he has said differently. I am pure jaguar and none can escape my detection.»
«Gary?» Mikhail asked, already probing the man's mind.
Gregori had exchanged blood with Gary and could read his thoughts, and did so often. He had never found any evidence of shapeshifting. He looked at Mikhail and shook his head.