Dark Legend (19 page)

"Only Gabriel was with us, sweetheart. Maybe you were dreaming."

"I felt all three of you distinctly. He was very strong. There was no anger or rage, only a quiet acceptance. He examined my memories. I know he was learning about you through me, I felt it." Skyler sighed in resignation. "You don't believe me. You think I'm making it up."

"No, I don't think that at all, Skyler," Francesca said.
He was learning about you through me.
"I simply do not know who it was. I only felt you. Later I realized Gabriel had shared your ordeal with me, but I was so caught up in it at the time I was focused solely on you. I believe you have this gift. How could I do otherwise? You cannot lie to me. Even though I cannot 'see' this man in your mind, that does not mean he was not with you. You knew I shared your memories when few others would have known. You are aware I am different from others. Stay with us, Skyler, with Gabriel and me. We are different. I'm not going to pretend otherwise, but our feelings for you are genuine." She sent a quick mental report of the conversation to Gabriel. It alarmed her that Skyler remembered so vividly the feeling of another sharing their mind merge.

"How can I ever face myself, look in the mirror again?" For the first time the thin, small voice held emotion, a sob of burning pain, quickly beaten back. Skyler's torment immediately claimed Francesca's full attention.

She tightened her hold on Skyler. "Look at me, sweetheart. Look at me." It was a soft command.

Skyler turned her head once more and lifted her impossibly long lashes. She could see her face reflected in Francesca's black eyes. Like a mirror. Skyler looked beautiful. "That's not me."

"Yes, it is. That's how I see you. That's how your mother saw you. That's how Gabriel sees you. Who else matters? That man who claimed he was your father? A drunken shell of a human being who wanted only to use drugs to escape what he had become? His opinion cannot possibly matter to you, Skyler."

"I didn't want to come back. I was safe where I was." There was a plea in the young voice, a heartbreaking plea. "I can't face it all over again."

Francesca stroked back the fringe of hair tumbling over the girl's forehead, her touch soothing and healing at the same time. "Yes, you can. You're strong, Skyler, and you're no longer alone. You know I am different, I have certain abilities. I can dull your memories, give you time to heal properly. You will still feel the pain, but it will be bearable. You are surrounded by those who love you and you see yourself the way you really are inside, not the way that man tried to teach you. He was dead inside, a monster made of drugs and alcohol."

"He is not the only monster in the world."

"No, sweetheart, he is not. The world is filled with such creatures and they come in all forms and sizes. We can only do what we can to stop them and rescue the innocents from their hands. Gabriel has dedicated his life to doing so and so have I in my own way. Give us the chance to love and care for you as you should have been."

"I'm afraid," Skyler said. "I don't know if I can ever be whole again. I can't bear the sight of men. Everything frightens me."

"Deep within your heart and soul, Skyler, you know all men cannot be condemned for the despicable things your father did. All men are not alike. Most are fair and loving."

"I'm still afraid, Francesca. It doesn't matter that I know what you're saying might be the truth. I can't take the chance, I don't want to take a chance."

Francesca shook her head gently. "You retreated so that you would not become like them. You wanted to be like your mother, seeing the good in people and having compassion. I read that in you easily."

Her eyelids fluttered, then bravely remained open. "I wanted him dead."

"Of course you did. I wanted him dead, too. That does not mean we are monsters, sweetheart, only that we are not angels. Join with us. I want you with me, I have been inside your head and know you as your own mother did. Better perhaps. I would count myself blessed to share my life with yours. If that is not what you wish, I will provide the money for your education and upbringing. Either way, it is your choice. I will not abandon you."

Skyler twisted her fingers tightly around Francesca's. "You know what you're asking of me. I know you do. I'll have to go out into the world, be with others. I'll never be the same as they are. I'll never fit in."

"You'll fit in with me," Francesca insisted. "With Gabriel and me. We appreciate talent such as you have, we really do. We can help you develop it. There are ways to tone it down or expand it if it is necessary to do so. And you will have plenty of time to heal before you need to face the world. Try to sit up, Skyler. You're strong enough."

"I don't think I want my ability developed any more than it already is. When I touch people, I know things about them I shouldn't. Sometimes I see terrible things. No one believes me when I tell them." There was no trace of self-pity in Skyler's voice or in her mind. The teenager was simply stating facts as she saw them. Skyler reluctantly withdrew her hand and with Francesca's aid managed to sit up.

"I brought you a few things, some underwear and T-shirts and a robe." She held up the stuffed wolf. "And this. Gabriel thought you might like a friend."

The girl stared at the stuffed animal for a moment, her eyes widening. "For me? Really?" She reached for it, pulled the animal into her arms. At once peace seemed to steal into her heart, a little at a time. "No one but my mother ever gave me anything before. Thank you, and please thank Gabriel," she said in a tearful voice. She pressed her face against the wolf's face and stared for a moment, entranced by the blue eyes. She had awakened from a long nightmare and the world seemed more fantasy than real. She struggled to stay in it, not to slip back inside her own head.

Francesca studied the teenager. Skyler was so thin, Francesca could see every bone in her body. She seemed so fragile, Francesca was afraid she might break. Francesca placed pillows all around Skyler, tucked the blankets up high. Skyler's face still held traces of bruising, but she was remarkably healed from her single session with Francesca. She was all eyes, and she had beautiful eyes of soft dove gray. They were haunting eyes, eyes that had seen far too much for such a young girl.

"Well, how bad do I look?" Skyler asked it indifferently, her voice more tired than interested. She didn't let go of the stuffed animal.

"I think Gabriel is right, we will have to invest a great deal in food for you. Were you starving yourself?"

"I considered it. I thought even if I didn't actually die, his friends wouldn't want me if I was really skinny." The comforter bunched in Skyler's fist as she curled her fingers tightly around it. "There was one who didn't care. He called me ugly all the time, but he came around just the same. I think he was worse than my father."

Francesca sent her waves of reassurance but remained silent, wanting Skyler to continue talking, wanting her to get it all out. She knew the man, the one the girl was referring to. She had shared memories of him, of his brutality to a small innocent child he held completely in his power. Paul Lafitte. Skyler would never forget him, never forget the three others who had used and battered her. Their faces were burned into her mind, the sound of their voices recorded forever in her memory. They would be etched into Francesca's memory for all time also.

"He was here again," Skyler said suddenly. "He was just here with me."

Francesca's head went up. She scanned the area quickly but found no one who could be considered an enemy. There was no taint of power, no voids to indicate an evil one was near. Whoever or whatever was reaching out to Skyler was powerful enough to elude Francesca's search. "What do you mean he was here? Lafitte? One of the others? Tell me, Skyler."

Skyler shook her head. "The one like you. The one that was here before and stayed quiet while you healed me. He touches my mind when my memories are overwhelming. He makes me feel safe."

"Gabriel?" Francesca had thought he'd gone into the city looking for evidence of Lucian. He had read the newspaper, given a quick exclamation, and was gone before she could ask. When she picked up the paper there was an article about an unidentified man found in an alley with his throat slashed. He had been found in a part of town where few decent people ever went. Francesca was certain she would have recognized Gabriel's touch in Skyler's mind. She reached for Gabriel and found him at once.

"You are safe?"
She asked it softly, a little hesitantly, knowing from his deep concentration he was in the middle of something important.

"He was here. Lucian. This was his kill. He is still in the city. I do not know why he was not waiting for me as he should have been."

"Were you here with us just a moment ago? Skyler says she felt the presence of another while we were talking."

There was a moment of silence. Gabriel examined Francesca's memories of the conversation she had had with the teenager.
"It was not me, sweetheart. This worries me. Lucian is extremely cunning and he likes games. If he is aware of Skyler, he would be aware of you. He would not pass up the opportunity to use either of you to get to me. You must be very careful. He is killing now, leaving his prey for me to find."

"Why would he comfort Skyler?"

"I cannot say. Perhaps to use her against you. I do not know, Francesca, but we cannot underestimate Lucian. We must assume he has found Skyler and is aware she is linked to me through you. He is extremely powerful and sensitive to the smallest hint of power. We both were vulnerable to his detection last rising. I should have been more careful."

"Would you feel him if he had linked with us while we were with Skyler? She says she felt a third presence. She definitely felt another male, not you, and he held her, yet was not present physically."

Again there was a long silence.
"I do not like this, Francesca. It had to be Lucian. Only he is capable of slipping in and out of my mind without my knowledge. You are in great danger, you and Skyler. He is up to something. This kill was deliberate. A message to me that he has opened the game and it is my move."

"How do you know?"

"His victim is one of the men from Skyler's memory."

Francesca bit her lower lip hard enough to bring a dot of ruby-red blood welling up. She let her breath out slowly. Now it was Skyler who reached out to comfort her. "What is it? Why are you upset?"

"I don't know who this man is, the one who came to you this morning. It was not Gabriel as I had hoped. There is one in this city like us, with the ability to connect without his physical presence, yet he is not like us. He is dangerous." Francesca tried to keep the fear out of her voice. She knew what the vampire was capable of. He was a ruthless, merciless killer who played with people and their emotions for his own amusement. The undead could appear to be handsome and courteous, friendly and gentle, when in fact they had only dark, demonic thoughts. Lucian was the most powerful Carpathian alive other than his twin. Now that he had chosen to lose his soul he was doubly dangerous. He had been feared before; now he was considered the most menacing enemy of all time. It was a frightening thought that Lucian might be stalking them for his own deadly purpose.

"He didn't
feel
evil," Skyler said softly. "I'm always afraid of men. Even the doctor makes me nervous, but for some reason this man's different. He almost feels like Gabriel, sort of safe. I've never had a safe feeling before so I'm not certain."

Francesca nodded. "I hope you're right, sweetheart, but I want you to be cautious with this man. Very cautious. Now tell me about your talent."

Skyler's eyelids were drooping. "I'm already tired, Francesca. It isn't exactly a talent, it's just knowing things. And I can sometimes read people's thoughts, just like you can. Like Gabriel and the other. I prefer animals to people. I couldn't keep any pets, but I knew all the neighborhood animals and they were my friends, even the dogs that were supposed to be mean. I connected with them, you know."

"How do you see Gabriel and me? What can you tell about us?" Francesca asked curiously. How much could Skyler actually see?

Skyler slid once more down between the sheets. Trying to be civil after living in silence so long was a difficult task and very exhausting. "Do you really want me to answer that question, Francesca? I see far more than you think."

"I believe if we are to live together and become a family, there should be truth between us, don't you?" Francesca asked gently.

"You are not like me and not like the others. I don't know what you are, Francesca, but you can heal the sick and comfort those in need. There is only good in you. Only that. I wish I was like you. I wish I really was your family." Skyler added the last sadly, her lashes fanning her cheek as sleep overcame her.

Francesca brought the limp little scarred hand to her mouth. She kissed the scars on the back of Skyler's hand and turned her arm over to inspect the palm. The child had fought off someone who'd slashed at her with a sharp piece of glass. Had it been her father? Gabriel had dealt him swift, merciful justice. Francesca examined the teen's memories once more. Not her father that time. It had been a tall, thin man with coarse, dark hair and large hands. He was furious because Skyler refused to voluntarily kiss or fondle him. She couldn't have been more than eight or nine at the time.

Sickened, Francesca dropped the girl's hand, afraid she would awaken her with her violent reaction to the child's ordeal. She pushed her hand against her throbbing temples and her palm came away smeared with blood.

"Breathe, Francesca, you can do her no good reliving these memories. Lucian may have sought to throw down the gauntlet but he is inadvertently aiding me in bringing about justice for this child. Our child. We will love her."
Gabriel flooded her with warmth and solace. She could feel the sensation of his arms around her, the strength of his body as if he were holding her close even though they were miles apart.