Dark Blood (Dark #26)(76)
Author: Christine Feehan

“I see you are having a party practically on my front step, but I don’t believe I was invited, so I’m crashing.” Mikhail announced his presence.

He swung Raven around and the two of them came together, moving with a flowing grace to the music. Alexandru ran over to Jennifer and Andor. Jennifer took both boys’ hands and they began to dance together in a circle.

Zev laughed. “Look what you started, Branka.”

“And I got us in trouble with the prince. Who knew he liked to dance?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” Zev nudged her and indicated the couple coming into the clearing.

Gregori and Savannah joined them, which wasn’t a surprise since Gregori tended to be wherever the prince was. Their two little girls, Anya and Anastasia, ran to join the other children while their parents danced.

The small area seemed to be transformed, growing larger even, with the brush and shrubbery cleared away, giving the couples a dance floor. The moon looked down on them, adding light while the band played. Stars scattered across the night sky, sparkling like diamonds, giving them a ceiling of beauty.

Branislava turned her face up to Zev’s. “This is all you, Wolfie; you’re such a miracle.” She kissed her way up his neck, her fingers laced around his nape, beneath the long, thick pelt of hair. “I don’t know how you make everything so wonderful.”

Fen and Tatijana just happened to be dancing close. Fen gave a little snort of derision. “Wolfie? Did I just hear you call that man Wolfie?”

“No, you didn’t,” Zev denied, giving him a fierce scowl. “Go away, Fen.”

“Dimitri.” Fen continued to hold Tatijana close to her sister and Zev while they danced. He waited until Dimitri was very close to him and leaned over. “She calls him Wolfie.”

Dimitri glanced over at Zev with a wide grin on his face. He opened his mouth to tease him, but caught a glimpse of Branislava’s mortified expression. Tiny little flames were beginning to flicker in her eyes.

He closed his mouth and raised his eyebrow at his brother. “Really, Fen, you shouldn’t be eavesdropping on private conversations.” It was all he could do not to laugh, but he kept a straight face as he fanned Branislava’s rising wrath.

“But Wolfie? Come on, bro, that just suits our little brother to a tee. He’s kind of like a big teddy bear, don’t you think?”

As Fen whirled Tatijana out away from him, he stepped back, his left foot sinking just a little into the forest floor. Myrmica rubra, the fire ant of Romania, swarmed up his leg, biting and stinging.

Fen waved his hand and the ants calmed instantly, rushing back to the ground and disappearing. He glared at Branislava, who was looking far too innocent. “O jelä peje terád, emni—sun scorch you, woman!” Tatijana didn’t help his cause, covering her mouth and clearly laughing at her sister’s antics.

“Having trouble there, Fen?” Mikhail asked. His features appeared relaxed, much younger. Laughter welled up and spilled into his usually somber eyes.

“Blasted Dragonseeker women have this penchant for revenge, Mikhail,” Fen said. “You need to talk to them about it.”

“Not me,” Mikhail hastily denied. “I’m not getting on their bad side.” He danced away laughing.

Fen laughed, too, bringing Tatijana close to him. “Your sister is a fiery little thing. Imagine taking offense just because I overheard her calling Zev that ridiculous nickname.”

“Imagine,” Tatijana echoed, snuggling closer. “At least she didn’t set your hair on fire.” She smoothed her hand over his long, very thick and distinctly silver hair with black strands woven into the waves falling down his back. It was secured at his nape with a leather cord, but hung nearly to his waist. “I’d hate to have you bald and scorched.”

Fen caught her closer as if for protection. “She wouldn’t dare.”

I would dare, Branislava assured him.

Fen couldn’t help the laughter welling up. He and Branislava burst out laughing at the same time. Zev and Tatijana, then Dimitri and Skyler joined in.

Branislava felt as if she were at a family celebration. It felt right. Normal. Beautiful. Perfect. She had never once imagined she could have such fun and happiness, not when she was freezing and frightened, there behind that wall of ice.

More dancers showed up. To her surprise Zacarias De La Cruz led Marguarita onto the forest floor with the others dancing. She should have known he would be a graceful dancer. He held his lifemate close, very lovingly, not at all appearing to be the dangerous, dark predator she knew him to be.

Nicolas, Zacarias’s brother, came behind him, leading Lara, his lifemate. Branislava’s heart leapt with joy. Lara, her great-niece, looked beautiful and happy, glowing even, obviously happy with her lifemate. Lara had been the one to return to the ice caves, searching for her aunts, but she’d been a little girl, a child when they’d helped her to escape, and she hadn’t even been certain her childhood had been real. Still, she had come to free them from their horrible prison. It was good to see her so happy.

Rafael and Colby, another De La Cruz brother and his lifemate, came into the clearing with Juliette and Riordan, the youngest brother. Laughing, the men whirled the women into the flow of dancers. Last came Manolito De La Cruz, with MaryAnn. They were of mixed blood like Dimitri, Fen and Zev, carrying both Lycan and Carpathian blood. They were considered Sange rau by the Lycans and under a death sentence, while Carpathians believed them to be Hän ku pesäk kaikak—guardian of all. MaryAnn laughed softly as Manolito spun her around and drew her in close to him again.

“This is so wonderful,” Branislava said. “Look at the children. Listen to them laughing.”

In her world, deep beneath the ice, neither she nor Tatijana had ever had the chance to be a laughing child. Little Lara had also been used by Xavier for food. Even Razvan, taken control of by Xavier, had fed on her. No doubt that, like Branislava’s and Tatijana’s, Lara’s arms and wrists were covered in scars.

Branislava wanted to replace every ugly moment of her own childhood with special moments such as this one. Shea and Jacques’s son Stefan had joined the circle of laughing children. She looked around for Falcon and Sara’s children. Usually, where one child was, the others always followed.

“Sara is about to give birth and the children wanted to stay close to her,” Zev said. “Gregori just gave me the news that she’s in labor. She was human before Carpathian and she’s much more comfortable using a human delivery. Shea’s a doctor and she’s with her, that’s why Jacques is here alone with his son.”