"Dima."
Dimitri turned in the darkness, opening his arms before he was even aware of it, and a small figure went into them and pressed close. He shut his eyes as colors and emotions swirled bright for the first time in a long while and he savored the realization that he was not alone. He had just been wondering how much longer he could bear being alone.
He didn't know how long they had been standing there holding each other when at last the dark head on his shoulder tilted back. Dimitri found himself gazing into his own eyes.
"Hello, big brother."
"Shura," he murmured, using her childhood nickname. He lifted a hand, pushed the dark hair from the girl's face. "What are you doing here? It's not safe."
The girl drew back a bit, but not enough to leave the circle of his arms. Her blue eyes, identical to his own, bored into him. "Where is 'safe' nowadays? And do you really need to ask what I'm doing here? "
He sighed. "I wasn't aware I was projecting my misery so far. If anything I was trying to keep it in."
"You think I don't know that? Give me some credit, Dima." Her eyes searched his, taking in more than his physical appearance. Much more. "And for you to admit you're miserable --- " her voice trailed off a moment. "Sit. " she said to him.
Dimitri did, keeping his arm around her as they settled onto a the gnarled remains of a tree trunk. Aleksandra stayed close, slipped her small hand into his. She had ever been able to read him. Even as a wee little bit, all eyes and unruly dark hair, she had been able to sense him near or far. As she got older he began to get the feeling his sister knew him better than he knew himself. That she had come precisely at this moment was proof positive.
"How bad?" she asked softly, though she didn't need to. She could feel the darkness in him, the chaos of spirit, the unnamable thing hovering too close. It made her want to scream.
She watched as her brother swallowed hard, made an enormous effort at getting his breathing under control. "You shouldn't be here, Shura," he gritted through clenched teeth, at the same time gripping her hand like he would never let go. "If I end up hurting you…"
Aleksandra frowned, truly concerned now. Her brother looked frightful, his inner hurt now manifesting physically, which was rare for Carpathians. Only the ones who had been through the absolute worst wore their damage on the outside. She put her arm around him now as he doubled over in what seemed to be physical pain.
"What the hell, Dima?" Aleksandra's voice took on an alarmed tone. "What is this all about? How can you be this close to turning when you have a lifemate?"
He shook his head. "Too young. Can't claim her."
"Skyler is older than me! Eighteen now for sure."
"She needs more time. She's been hurt." His face wrenched as more pain tore through him. Shura felt an echo of it ripple through her and recoiled, gasping. When she straightened anger took over.
"We all have our sob stories, Dimitri. She's had two years to get used to the idea."
It was a valid argument. It had been two years since Skyler had fully restored colors and emotions to him. She had been too young then and he had chosen to wait before he bonded her to him. He had not told his sister that over the past year the colors had begun to fade again but he suspected she knew. Aleksandra almost always seemed to know and that was why she was here now, at the precise moment when it felt he would lose them for good. Shura's presence had always had the power to drive the darkness back, at least temporarily. This time, however, the relief had been short-lived --- almost like she were a drug he had developed a resistance to. Skyler would bring real relief, could bring real relief. But she had a past. Well… as Aleksandra said, they all had a past, but Skyler was his lifemate and she came first.
He shook his head. "I won't force this on her."
"If you won't then I will !"
"No !," Dimitri turned to her, his grip turning painful. "You can't force this on her. It would kill her."
"I seriously doubt that."
"Promise me, Shura!"
"No! I won't promise !" His sister's eyes shone with tears but her expression and voice were adamant. She literally ground her teeth as she spoke. "I'm not sitting idly by as you turn!"
"It has to be her choice --- it has to be ---- her choice…"
Aleksandra watched in horror as her brother's eyes rolled back in their sockets and he toppled over onto the ground, his long body beginning to convulse, his skin rippling.
"Dima! Dima!"