Her long lashes fluttered, veiled her large eyes. "Will I be able to read yours?" There was a hesitation in her voice, as if she feared angering him.

"Would you like to?"

"I usually can." When he continued to look at her, Skyler twisted the sheet between her fingers.

"I've always been able to read people if I touch them." She glanced at him, a quick surrept.i.tious look. "I don't think it's the same way you and Francesca read minds though. I just seem to know things. I can hear and feel her talking to me. I know she's there with me." Her fingers continued to pluck nervously at the sheet. "Just like the other one is there when I'm afraid."

"Skyler," Gabriel said very gently, "if you do not wish to read my emotions or my thoughts, then you will be shielded from them. If it would rea.s.sure you to do so, then, by all means, let us begin."

Her large dove-gray eyes were very expressive as they moved over his face. He waited quietly, allowing her to make up her own mind. Eventually she nodded. Gabriel took her hand with extraordinary gentleness, leaned close so that his black eyes could trap Skyler's gaze in the dark depths of his. She didn't even blink. When the young woman made up her mind to do something, she threw her heart and soul into it and did it 100 percent. He would have to keep that in mind when he was trying out his nonexistent parenting skills.

She startled him with her laughter, not aloud, but in her mind. "I'm reading your mind, too," she reminded him.

"Great, you are going to be a pain in the neck, just like Francesca," he groused, teasing her gently while flooding his mind with the extent of his love for Francesca, with his warmth and feelings of protectiveness toward Skyler. She felt his presence in her mind occasionally, but she didn't realize he had already shared her memories of her childhood. That would have humiliated her. He knew it instinctively and had no intention of allowing her to be embarra.s.sed. She read what he wanted her to read. His desire to welcome Skyler into his family, his hope he would be a good parent, someone who would protect her and guide her and always make her feel safe. He shared his feelings of inadequacy as a husband, his fears he would somehow let Francesca down. He loved Francesca more than life itself and he allowed Skyler to know he would grow to love her the same way.

All the time, he was delving deeper into her mind in an attempt to find a trace of power, a hint that his twin intended to use her to strike against Francesca. He saw Francesca's work and it was flawless. He saw their combined safeguards, the strong protection they had wrought together, yet he could find no trace of Lucian, no hint of tainted power, no dark hidden agenda. Gabriel was careful, searching everywhere for the slightest anomaly, finding many, examining them all meticulously. She seemed to be free of all outside forces.He sighed softly, releasing her before his sudden, unexpected surge of anger transmitted itself to Skyler. She had been hideously abused and the raw wounds in her mind would forever leave scars.

She was an extraordinary young woman with rare insight and gifts beyond measure. But the man who should have loved and protected her had been the very one to initiate and perpetuate the abuse.

Gabriel was careful to breathe deeply, wanting to appear completely calm and in control. He knew that Skyler would be terrified by any masculine displays of temper. Lucian had already destroyed Skyler's abusers one by one. He had taken the girl's enemies as part of his little chess game with Gabriel, to show he knew what Gabriel knew.

"Did you see anything in there that changes your mind about wanting to take me home with you and Francesca?" There was a challenge in Skyler's soft voice but her gaze had slid away from his the instant he released her.

Gabriel caught her chin in two fingers and tipped it up so she had to look at him. "You have an astonishing mind. I stand in awe of you and the things you have accomplished and the things you are capable of doing. I am honored you would want me to serve as your guardian along with Francesca. Did you not see yourself through my eyes?" He asked it very gently.

A faint flush of color crept up her face. "I'm not like that. Not like you think of me-courageous and brave and beautiful. No one else thinks that." When he continued to look at her the color deepened. "Well, only Francesca, but she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She would find something nice to say about a monster."

A small smile tugged at Gabriel's mouth. "You are very likely correct, Skyler, in your a.s.sessment of Francesca. She would think the best of a monster, but she also is very astute. In you she sees what I see. You need to begin to see yourself as we do. We are your guardians, and you must learn to trust and rely on us. If ever you wish, you may examine my mind and I will share my thoughts with you openly."

"I wish to get out of this horrible place and go home with you and Francesca."

"She was securing the doctor's permission when we were interrupted."

Skyler bit her lip, started to speak, and then dragged the stuffed animal to her face.

"Tell me, little one," he encouraged softly. "In our home I will expect truth and respect to be given on both sides. If you wish to say something, I will listen and value what you have to say."

"You won't believe me, but I know I'm right." She dug her fingers into the plush wolf in her nervousness.

Gabriel gently placed his hand over hers and sent her a small wave of warmth and rea.s.surance. "If you know you are right, Skyler, I will believe you."

She loved the sound of his voice, the accent she couldn't place, the funny way he twisted his words.

Mostly she loved the conviction in him, the way he made her believe him. "I don't think the doctor is really good. Something's wrong with him."

Gabriel nodded. "He was very much in love with Francesca and he was not happy when I returned.

You see, Francesca thought I was dead. I think the doctor is having difficulty overcoming his jealousy."

Skyler stared at him a long while, then shook her head. "It is more than that. I feel it when he touches me."

For a moment, the red flame of the monster danced in Gabriel's eyes and inside him, claws unsheathed. He took a moment to breathe before he responded. "What do you mean, little one?" His voice was quieter and more beautiful than ever.

Skyler felt the air in the room grow still, as if the earth itself were waiting for her answer. Her long lashes swept down, concealing her expressive eyes. "When he comes in to examine me, he tries to hide it, but I know something's wrong with him. He's twisted. It's more than jealousy, Gabriel."

"I am going to secure your release for tomorrow evening. Francesca and I will need to set things up at home so we can give you adequate care while you recover. In the meantime, Francesca has hired a bodyguard for you. He is your guard, not a hospital employee, and he will ensure you are safe in our absence. If you feel threatened, you tell him to get you out of this place and take you to our home." He pulled the key to the front door of Francesca's house from his pocket. Taking a thin chain of gold from around his neck, he secured it. "This is the house key, little one." He placed the chain around her neck. "If you need to come home, you have the key."

He felt her relief. She was lifting the key, turning it over, and holding it to her as if he had given her something precious. Gabriel stood up, towering over her. "Your room is ready and Francesca has outdone herself." He wrote the address on a slip of paper and tucked that into her hand also.

A small smile shaped Skyler's soft mouth. "I knew she would go crazy." The smile faded from her face, leaving her wan and pale. "Do you believe me about the doctor?"

There was an anxious note in her voice she couldn't conceal.

Gabriel regarded her gravely, his black eyes serious. "I believe you, Skyler. I have felt the same uneasiness around him. Do not fear for Francesca. I will do all within my very considerable power to keep her safe."

Skyler searched his face for a long while before her lashes drifted down and she subsided quietly in her bed, obviously satisfied with his rea.s.surance.

Gabriel automatically scanned during his waking hours, and now he felt Brice entering the hospital. He glided away from the bed toward the door. A small gasp of alarm spun him around.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

Skyler was staring at him as if he were a ghost. Self consciously she forced a laugh. "Just now you reminded me of..." She trailed off.

He deliberately grinned, a boyish, mischievous grin. "A rock star?" he asked hopefully. Skyler's astuteness was far more than he had given her credit for.

She managed a nervous laugh. "Not hardly, Gabriel. A wolf. A big bad wolf." She held up the stuffed animal, "Just like him."

He laughed with her but took great care to appear more human as he left the room with a rea.s.suring wave.

Chapter Fourteen

"The couple will arrive today, Gabriel," Francesca said. She was sitting at her desk, rather absently weaving together abstract designs. They looked a jumble of materials to Gabriel, but he could see how her fingers traced each swatch lovingly, even though her mind didn't seem to be on what she was doing.

Gabriel crossed the room to stand behind her, wanting the closeness of her slender body. "I am well aware of their arrival, Francesca. What is it you are trying not to say to me?" There was a hint of laughter in the richness of his voice. He was her lifemate, he had only to share her mind to uncover her worry.

Francesca took a deep breath. Her fingers sought a piece of cloth and unconsciously began to rub her thumb over it. "Aidan has requested we do not take their blood."

There was a small telling silence. The air was heavy with the weight of his disapproval. Francesca understood completely. There were only a handful of humans who knew of the existence of the Carpathian people. Gabriel was an ancient, a hunter unsurpa.s.sed by any, other than his twin. He had remained alive by concealing his sleeping chambers, by blending in among the human race.

Carpathians could easily control the behavior of humans they took blood from, yet Aidan had asked that they not do such a thing. If the human had knowledge of their race and lived in their home, he held power in his hands. To Gabriel it was putting the lives of his family at risk, trusting two people he did not know.

"What do you say to this strange request?"

Francesca felt her heart leap. "Gabriel." She breathed his name silently, held it to her. She had been her own person for so long, making her own decisions just as Gabriel had, yet he remembered it was important to consider her opinion as if she was his partner.

Gabriel found a smile curving his mouth. Francesca was his partner, his other half. Her opinion counted where no other ever could. He was extraordinarily proud of her achievements. She didn't seem to realize just how much she meant to him. That astonished him. She needed to see herself through his eyes. In his opinion she was without equal in the world. "Of course I value your opinion. You may not have mixed with our people all these centuries, but you have kept up with the news. You managed to hide your ident.i.ty from those in power and from the evil ones continuously searching for females of our race. I believe you are better equipped to judge this strange request than I, who have been buried in the earth for nearly two centuries."

"I have heard it said that Aidan does not control this family, has never used them to feed, that he respects them greatly. They have helped out other members of our race in times of need. Not all of them are privy to our secrets, but those who know have never betrayed us. If Aidan has recommended two of his human family to aid us, then I believe he must trust them implicitly. He has said this is the son of his housekeeper. This man has known of our people for some time. I believe his wife was told only recently, but she has proved to be loyal. Her husband has a.s.sured Aidan that she is trustworthy."

"I do not like the idea of the wife not being under our control," Gabriel admitted. "Obviously the husband has known for many years and has proved his loyalty, but this woman is a huge danger when we are under siege. She could turn into a liability."

Francesca nodded. "What you say is very true, especially now, when Lucian is here and hunting us, but I think we can monitor her thoughts well enough to control the situation. If we believe there is danger, we will have time to contact Aidan."

Gabriel's eyebrow shot up and Francesca turned away from him to hide her sudden amus.e.m.e.nt.

Gabriel did not like her idea of consulting Aidan Savage over any matter, let alone one within his own household. It was all she could do to keep her face straight.

Gabriel reached out lazily and held her shoulder. "Are you laughing at me?" he inquired very softly. His voice purred with menace.

"Would I do that?" Her eyes were so dark they were black, and they glinted with laughter.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her right into the shelter of his body. "Yes, you would do that," he whispered, bending his dark head to the invitation of her neck. His mouth skimmed over her satin-soft skin. "Are you so busy with these people, you have no time at all to discuss my ailments? I need healing."

She reached up behind herself and circled his neck with her arm, leaning into him so that his every muscle was imprinted on her slender body. She found his mouth with hers. The earth seemed to stand still beneath her feet. For one heart-stopping moment breath ceased to be important. Their hearts had a single beat, their minds were fully merged, their souls one.

Francesca melted into him, her body soft and pliant. He could do that with his kiss. Send molten lava coursing through her blood and raise her temperature several degrees in seconds.

"We have a child," she murmured softly against his throat. "She's moving toward us right at this moment."

Gabriel groaned softly. He had heard the soft pad of Skyler's small feet as she explored their home.

At the first rising, Gabriel had hunted prey, feeding well for himself and for Francesca. They had much to do, seeing that Skyler was settled in her new home. Gabriel approved of the bodyguard Francesca had summoned. Jarrod Silva was a man of almost thirty who looked very capable. He wasn't the least bit intrusive and Gabriel easily read his desire to do a good job. Gabriel reinforced Jarrod's determination with a subtle compulsion and was satisfied the man would protect Skyler should the need arise.

Francesca turned all the way around in his arms, to press her slender body along the length of his.

He laughed softly, holding her close. "I look at you, Francesca," he whispered softly as he framed her face with his hands, "and I cannot believe my good fortune. You are my life, my very breath. I hope that you always know that and carry the knowledge in your heart. You make the torment I endured all those centuries worthwhile."

Francesca felt tears gathering behind her eyes. She sensed his utter sincerity, the intensity of his emotion. Certainly he wanted her body, she could feel the heat and need in him rising like the inevitable tide, but even stronger and more intense was the love he felt for her. She told herself to breathe, just to take a breath and inhale his scent.

A soft sound had both of them turning their heads. "I love that about the two of you," Skyler announced. She was moving slowly, carefully, her small body still battered physically. "The way you look at each other. I've never seen anyone else do that. You look at each other with such love. It shines between you."

Francesca immediately held out her hand to the girl. "And you wonder if there's any room for you."

Skyler looked very fragile. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, her eyes enormous in her delicate face. She looked far younger than her fourteen years until one looked at her too-old eyes.

Skyler ducked her head, her long lashes veiling the expression in her eyes, but she moved forward and took the outstretched hand. Francesca drew her gently to them. Gabriel covered their hands with his. "We have enough love to go around, Skyler," he replied gently. "More than enough. We are family, the three of us, and we always will be, no matter what the future brings. It starts here, with us. Francesca has lived her life alone, as I have. You also. We do this together, helping one another." His voice was beautiful and compelling. He could command the heavens and make the very earth rise up beneath their feet. He made Skyler a believer without any hidden compulsion.Francesca smoothed back the ragged ends of Skyler's hair. "Our housekeepers arrive today. They will be living with us on a permanent basis, we hope. Gabriel and I have many duties to perform and for a brief time during the daylight hours we will not be home and it will be difficult to reach us. I want someone I trust with you at all times so you feel safe. But you remember this is your home. If something is done or said that you do not like, I expect you to convey it to me so we can deal with it together. If you have fears or wish to change something in the household, please say so. Your happiness and comfort matter to us. It is no bother. We want to do things for you."

"My room is beautiful, Francesca," Skyler said, her voice still so soft and thin it made Francesca want to gather the girl into her arms. "Thank you for going to so much trouble for me."

"It was fun. Shopping together will be fun." Francesca laughed softly. "You turned pale at the thought of shopping. Most girls would be thrilled. I finally get my daughter, or younger sister, whichever label you prefer, and you do not want to shop for clothes."

Skyler brought a trembling hand to the thin scar on her face and rubbed it self-consciously. "I haven't been out in public in a long time," she confessed.

Gabriel took her hand gently and brought the worst scar to his cheek. "When you decide you are up to it, we will all go and look at the strange people out there together. It will be much more fun that way."

Skyler stared up at him for a long time, her eyes moving over his harsh, sensual features, studying every inch of his face. Her smile was very slow in coming, but when it did, it lit up her eyes. "I think you are almost as afraid of all those people as I am, just not in the same way."

Francesca laughed at Gabriel's wry expression, the joyful sound filling their home with love. She could do that, Gabriel thought. Francesca could fill up every inch of that huge house with love.

Each moment spent in her company only deepened his feelings for her. There was so much light spilling out of her it fascinated him. Gabriel had lived in a world of darkness, of violence, for so long, he could only stare in awe at Francesca. His black eyes met Skyler's dove-gray gaze and they shared a small smile of mutual understanding. She felt the same way. Both of them wanted to bask in Francesca's healing light for all eternity.

Francesca slipped her arm around Skyler's waist, a gesture so natural to her, Skyler didn't think to pull away. "We won't have to worry about going out in public until you're ready, honey. I just want you to feel comfortable and safe here at home. I think you'll like our new housekeepers."

Skyler made a face and exchanged another quick look with Gabriel. He was making the same face.

Francesca laughed at them. "I can see how it's going to be. You two are a couple of hermits. There will be no ganging up against Francesca, you two. Skyler, you like your bodyguard, don't you?"

Skyler shrugged. "I try never to look at him."

"Well, you should. He's quite nice-looking," Francesca replied.

"That will be enough of that," Gabriel interrupted. "You do not need to find any man good-looking other than me."

Francesca smiled very sweetly. "But then, I don't remember ever saying you were good-looking."

Skyler found herself laughing. For one moment in time, she forgot. She forgot the scars on her body. She forgot the scars on her mind and soul. She was a young girl enjoying a moment of happiness with two people she was growing fond of. It was nearly impossible to believe she could trust them so quickly, but she did. "Are you going to let her get away with that?" she asked Gabriel, her eyes sparkling. "You are good-looking and she's noticed. I know she has."

He shackled Francesca's wrist when she would have run, and dragged her close. "I am going to hypnotize her and plant all kinds of suggestions. You can help me, Skyler. I think she should revere me."

"While you're making suggestions, you can tell her no one else needs to take care of me, I only want her," Skyler said softly, more than half serious.

"No one else has authority over you, Skyler. These people are coming to help you during the hours I'm away," Francesca replied gently. "They are doing us a tremendous favor so that you will not be alone." Her voice was musical and seeped into Skyler's mind with a healing compulsion.

Gabriel made a rude noise, drawing Skyler's attention to him. "I noticed she used the words 'no one else.' Did you catch that, Skyler? Is she excluding me? I think I'm the authority in this house."

"You're not even good-looking," Skyler pointed out, laughing despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Oh, so now you need to be hypnotized, too," he threatened. "I should have known you women would stick together. Just remember this when you find yourself barking like a dog in your room and wondering how you got there."

"I'd be wondering why I was barking," Francesca contradicted. "The barking would be a bit much."

"I don't know," Skyler mused. "If the housekeeper came in and found us all barking like dogs, she'd hightail it out of here and I'd be very happy."

"You will give them a chance, won't you, Skyler?" Francesca asked gently.

Skyler sighed softly. "I guess I don't have much choice. But I know I could stay by myself. I'm not a baby and I've spent most of my life alone."

"You have a point," Gabriel acknowledged. "Please do not misunderstand, Skyler. Francesca and I want you to have a housekeeper because we want to ensure your comfort and safety, not because we don't trust you. We are wealthy, little one, and you may become a target because of that.

Francesca would spend an inordinate amount of time worrying if we did not adequately protect you."

Skyler's eyes were fixed on his face while she determined whether he was telling her the truth.