Chapter Nine

"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose."

- Tom Krause

___

Falcon walked forward and clasped forearms with Gregori. "Én jutta félet és ekämet." It was a traditional Carpathian greeting, friend to friend.

Gregori acknowledged him with a nod and they released each other. "How is Travis doing?"

"He's still very cheerful and a natural leader to the other children," Falcon said, his tone a mixture of pride…and apprehension. "I don't think he remembers what had happened."

Marach knew they were referring to the incident when the evil mage Xavier had planted one of his soul shards in the young boy and possessed him, forcing the child to do an assassination attempt on Mikhail right in the warriors cave. Marach was wave of the trauma such an ordeal would have on the child, but up to that point he gave no inclinations of trauma, either visibly and mentally, and he knew Falcon and Sara checked him often.

Gregori turned his silver gaze upon Marach. "So, you must be Marach."

Marach nodded and stepped forward. He was a proud warrior in his own right, but being face to face with the Dark One was still a little out of his element. "I am."

Gregori walked over to him and held his arm out. "Eläsz jeläbam ainaak." It was another traditional Carpathian greeting, a noble plea for the recipient to stay on the right back in the light.

Marach managed a small smile and locked forearms with Gregori. The sheer brute strength of the Dark One was nearly overwhelming. "Eläsz jeläbam ainaak," he returned the greeting.

Gregori released him, getting right down to business. "I want you to tell me about these two women you have brought with you."

Marach looked at the surrounding woods warily. "We shall discuss it at your house?"

"Absolutely," Gregori said. "I live not too far from here, but I would prefer not to give suspecting eyes a roadmap to my house. So I am here to greet you."

Marach motioned to the car. "Would you like to meet them now?"

Gregori looked to the car. "I would."

"My love, Gregori wants to meet Izzy and Serenity."

Sara heard Falcon's soft request to her and she turned to Izzy. "Come, let's go. He wants to meet you."

"H-He does?!" Izzy sputtered, staring at Gregori through the windshield. He stared back at her with those silver eyes, eyes that saw and knew too much. She could help but look away. "Can I trust him?"

"Absolutely," Sara said firmly. "He's the greatest healer of our people. And the Daratrazanoffs are a noble and ancient bloodline always so loyal to the Prince and to all Carpathians. If you can't trust Gregori, then it's basically the same as not trusting any Carpathian."

Izzy looked at Serenity and looked back at Gregori. Even with Sara's encouraging words she still felt uneasy. "He looks…dangerous, Sara."

"And don't you forget it. While he's a master healer, he can also be a very brutal hunter when necessary. He is the kin of identical twins who've fought for us for over two thousand years. But there's nobody you can trust more to either watch your back or heal your wounds."

"When they have nothing and nobody but that darkness to coax them, it can be quite unbearable. Many Carpathians can resist it, and I know of two who resisted it for two thousand years. This in turn has given me strength to resist it, but a lot of Carpathian men cannot."

So this Gregori was related to those twins Marach had mentioned. It still seemed to surreal to Izzy that anybody could live for two thousand years. She looked to Marach and saw that he was staring at her. She could read his feelings on his face. He trusted his stranger, even as he seemed a little unsure of himself around him, but he'd deliberately sought Gregori out to save Serenity. And Marach had helped her so much up to this point…he wouldn't blindly lead her into danger.

Izzy reached across Serenity to open the car door. "Let's go greet them, then."

The three hunters watched the women get out of the car. Izzy climbed over Serenity to get out first, and then she helped her sister from the car. Sara got out on the other side and ran over to help support Serenity as they brought her over to the men.

Gregori looked at each of them briefly, but his eyes settled on Serenity firmly. A strange flicker crossed his face for a brief moment, but then it was quickly gone. Marach still saw it though, and upon glancing at Falcon saw that the other hunter saw it too.

"This must be Serenity," Gregori said, looking at the blonde-haired woman sandwiched between Izzy and Sara.

"Yes, she is," Izzy said. Her voice was no longer shaky but the tone was strained. "I'm Izzy, her sister."

"Gregori," Marach said, walking over to stand beside Izzy. "This is Isabel Crane, my lifemate." His tone was full of so much pride that Izzy felt heat on her cheeks

Gregori turned his eyes to her. Izzy tried not to flinch. "Then it is a pleasure to meet you, Isabel. And thank you for venturing all the way here."

"C-Call me Izzy." The stammer was back and she looked away.

Gregori turned back to Serenity. She had responded very little to the activities going on around them, just reacting to everything as though she were in a vegetative state. "Is she always like this?"

"This only started a few hours ago," Marach said. "Her lifemate broke through our safeguards and forced his will upon her, and drink his blood."

"Did he take hers?" Gregori asked, his tone suddenly dangerous.

"We…sensed no blood loss from her," Falcon said. "It appears he just came there to give her his blood."

Gregori's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And did you check here for those parasites before bringing her to my family's home?!"

Rage erupted out of him like a rumble of thunder. Izzy whimpered and jumped back a little, clinging to Serenity tightly.

Marach shifted his position, standing in front of Izzy. "Gregori," he said sharply. "I acknowledge that you are the Dark One and you are our greatest healer. But do not instill fear onto my lifemate."

"She is clean," Falcon cut in. "She vomited all the blood up."

Gregori glanced at him. "What?"

"Well, she vomited some sort of blood, maybe her own. But her body had a rejection reaction to the blood and she wouldn't stop vomiting until some sort of blood was out of her, perhaps the blood already tainted by the vampire's blood. I would think the parasites wouldn't have time to settle during that mess."

"And we checked her," Sara said. "Unless the parasites are invisible, there was none in the vampire's blood or in Serenity's body."

There was a slight shift in Gregori's shoulders, as though he were calming down. Somewhat. "So then the vampire acted upon his own to establish a blood connection. I can't imagine they would send him out for this task without taking a little "surprise"."

"Do you think he can help you?"

Izzy froze. Who was that? She looked to Marach, but his eyes and concentration were on Gregori. We wouldn't ask such a question, especially since he was the one who brought them all the way out here.

Izzy turned to look at Serenity. She still looked dazed, but there was something…something strange about her behavior. Izzy saw that were lips were moving soundlessly, but she…she was talking…

Fear shot through Izzy and she grabbed Serenity's shoulders. "Serenity!" "MARACH!" she shouted in her head.

Marach spun around. When he saw Serenity his eyes flew wide. But before he could act, Gregori rushed forward, pushing Izzy aside and grabbing Serenity firmly.

"Vampire! I am the Dark One and I will only tell you this ONCE!" Izzy covered her eyes, but Gregori's voice rattled violently in her head. "You will leave this woman you victimize in peace and you will accept death with the honor that you lack! You have betrayed your kind and the sentence is death! And if it must be ME who carries out your sentence, know that I WILL do it! Now GET OUT!"

Izzy reached for Serenity through Marach's mind. She heard no sarcastic quips from Parn as he fled Serenity's mind. Gregori's authority and power really must be well-renowned.

But…even without the mockery, Parn still got the last word.

"Sívamet."

Izzy didn't know what that meant, and she looked to Marach. But he was deliberately ignoring her as he focused on Serenity. "He was speaking to her this whole time?! I-I thought this was all trauma from her ordeal!"

"You cannot hear lifemates communicate and so it's only natural you didn't suspect anything," Gregori said. He loosened his hold on Serenity and looked straight into her eyes. "Why do you speak with him, Serenity? Are you not aware of what he truly is?!" His voice didn't sound so menacing now. It sounded lyrical…almost beautiful.

Serenity blinked several times, as though she were confused. She stared up at Gregori fearfully. "Who are you?"

"I'm the one who's going to help you, but in order for me to help you, you need to help yourself." Gregori gave her a slight shake. "Stop talking to him. And if he contacts you, let us know. He's evil and he will use you against us."

Izzy wondered if he was trying to influence her. Serenity suddenly started shaking her head. "No, it's not like that! He's not trying to hurt you! He—"

"Stop talking to him!" Gregori repeated himself, this time more firmly. "He is a vampire and he's evil! I cannot help you if you refuse to cooperate!"

Tears filled Serenity's eyes. "But—he—"

"Sleep," Gregori commanded impatiently. This Serenity did without a fight, slumping in his arms. Gregori sighed and lifted her up into his arms. "This will be more difficult than I imagined it would be."

"So it is the lifemate connection," Marach murmured quietly. He looked for Izzy and reached for her, but Izzy shook her head.

"I'm fine," she said. She looked at Gregori. "If you can save my sister, I won't interfere."

Gregori nodded. "Then that will work better for me. She's already resisting my will enough as it is. Unlike other women with vampires for lifemates, she doesn't seem to want to accept his fate. In the long run it will only be harder for her to deal with." He paused before he continued. "But I will do what I can to soften the blow."

___

"…Marach?"

"What is it, iubita mea?"

"How long are we going to have to keep Serenity like this?"

Izzy sat cross-legged on the massive bed she shared with Serenity. Gregori had a fortress for a house to share with his wife—or lifemate—Savannah, and their two daughters. The three of them had been sent away by Gregori while he dealt with the impending problem involving Serenity and the vampires who pursued them.

Serenity lay sprawled on the bed beside Izzy, completely dead to the world. It reminded Izzy of the sleep Marach had put her under, but this seemed so powerful. Serenity didn't even seem to be breathing.

"It won't be for long, Isabel. Just long enough for Gregori to examine her and determine what he will do with her."

"What does he generally do with people living half-lives?"

"Well…it's generally women that he deals with. They—"

"Why only women?" Izzy asked suddenly, feeling uneasy for some reason.

"Because it is more often than naught a woman who suffers the fate of a half-life. Women cannot become vampires, you see, only the men do. If it is a man who suffers the half-life, he will either take his own life or choose the dawn."

"But why not give aid to the men? Why just let them die?"

"Because they lose their whole purpose in life when they lose their lifemate. Nothing good awaits them in the end, even if he has children to take care of. The loss is far too traumatizing for the spirit to handle and they cannot be saved."

"But why not try to save them? Why is it that the women only get help and get to go on with their lives? What about a human male? What if he's lifemated to a Carpathian female, what happens then? Will you save him like you do Serenity?"

"Dragă, Carpathian females are not lifemated to human men. They can only be tied with another Carpathian male."

"But I'm your lifemate, aren't I? And I'm human. So why is it so impossible?"

Marach realized he didn't have an answer for her and it gave him more questions than he needed to mull over. "Let's focus on your sister, Isabel. What Gregori will do is erase Serenity's awareness of the pain as much as possible, sort of putting up a permanent buffer over it. How much of the pain that will be shielded however, really depends. From my understanding it can vary between getting rid of it entirely and the pain always being there subtly. And, if necessary, he will erase Serenity's memories of Parn. Since Serenity is aware of Parn and feels sorry for him, this might be what Gregori ends up doing."

Izzy's throat tightened. She reached out and gently stroked Serenity's arm. "Marach, I don't want her memories tampered with."

"Isabel, we might not have a choice. Or would you rather she remembers everything that she's going through for the rest of her life?"

Izzy didn't respond. She lay down next to her sister, curling up at her side. "I don't know. I don't know, Marach. I want her to have the best possible help, but…"

"And we will help her, iubita mea." All at once she felt his warmth once again, flooding her mind. "Trust in Gregori. He will not harm her. I will make sure she is well taken care of…and I will take care of you."

Izzy opened her eyes, and saw Serenity's peaceful face. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "Is it really that easy? To make these promises to me and not expect anything in return?"

"It IS that easy, Isabel, because I mean it. I will never ask anything of you because just by being by your side…just by knowing you exist is enough reward for me."

Knowing he wasn't asking for anything in return—and that he wouldn't ask for anything in return—made her feel guilty. She couldn't just leave it at that. He was helping her so much, and…

She felt warmth in her chest. Her heart began speeding up unexpectedly. Izzy raised a hand to her chest in confusion. Marach couldn't have caused it, could he? He only sent her warmth through her mind. Then what…? No. Izzy snapped her eyes closed. She didn't want to think about it. God, she was tired. She was up all day and night! That definitely wasn't healthy.

"No it isn't, dragă, and I recommend you get some sleep. If you have trouble, I can put a compulsion on you if you wish."

"No, that's quite all right." Izzy forced herself to calm down, and focus on nothing. "See, I'm getting right to sleep."

"Hmm, I see." His soft hum caused butterflies to form in her stomach. "Then sweet dreams, iubita mea, and I shall see you later."

___

Even without the sleep compulsion, Izzy slept the entire day away. Curled up next to Serenity, both sisters looked like they were in comas.

It was a much easier sleep for Izzy. She didn't dream, and she wasn't aware of anything. She didn't need to look after Serenity so closely with so much scrutiny around the other woman. Maybe this is what helped Izzy to sleep better.

When she did awaken though, she knew she was starving. She hadn't eaten adequately in such a long time, and now that she finally got a proper amount of sleep, the rest of her body wanted to catch up. She reached for Marach with her mind, but she could sense he was still in a very deep sleep beneath the earth, no doubt along with Falcon, Sara, and Gregori.

She looked to Serenity, only to find her sister still in a deep sleep. It disheartened Izzy that putting Serenity to sleep constantly was their last resort, but she also knew the others were worried that Parn would use her against them.

How can I make this better for her? Izzy leaned down to kiss her forehead. I want her to have her life back, but would they go to such means? Erasing her memories?

But Izzy also knew the alternative wasn't any better. Serenity had very little desire to live, even though she was fighting tooth and nail to keep her going. And there weren't any 'ifs' and 'buts' with Parn; they were going to kill him. Even if it upset Izzy, she had a terrible feeling that Serenity wouldn't stop trying to kill herself no matter what, especially after Parn died.

Izzy shook her head, wanting an escape from this. "I'll be right back," she murmured to Serenity quietly. She got changed into some loose, comfortable clothing before leaving Serenity alone to travel downstairs.

It was a beautiful house, albeit larger than life. It was quiet, too; the sun had set but the sky was still pink. She was probably the only one still awake.

When Izzy reached the bottom step though, she heard voices. She yelped and pressed her back against the wall. Then she listened more closely. It was…there were two people talking, as though they were welcome there. One of them had a feminine voice…no, wait, both of them did. It was two women talking from a room deeper into the house.

Izzy moved away from the wall. "Hello?" she called. It was risky, but she was also a guest there. It shouldn't be too bad if she went to introduce herself to other people.

If the pairs of voices heard her, they gave no inclination. Izzy heard laughter, and the voices picked up in volume. She left the entryway to find these people. She crossed through the very tidy kitchen and then through and even tidier dining room. The voices became louder and closer and Izzy picked up the pace.

Then, abruptly, the voices vanished. Izzy stopped in confusion and tried to listen for them again. She didn't hear anything. "Is anyone there?" she called out again. But maybe they didn't speak English? "Alo? Elas-Ilas—" she tried to remember the greeting Marach gave to Gregori, but she was still unused to the Carpathian language. But why hadn't they answered her? Unless they couldn't hear her? Or maybe they thought she was an intruder? "I'm G-Gregori's guest!" she stammered out. "He's going to help me!"

Finally, she heard something coming from one of the rooms. It was a giggle. But it wasn't a girly giggle…or even an adult giggle at all.

Izzy pushed open the door. It was a parlor of sorts, completely windowless and yet intimately decorated with Bohemian styles. She couldn't help but gape as she stood there on the threshold. The room itself was a kaleidoscope of color, although the walls were white and the carpet was black. But the furniture was colorful and mismatched; three couches were a drab brown, but over the front side of them they had bright yellow racecar stripes, and none of the three pillows on each couch matched the couch or each other. The bookshelf on the far side was a pale pink and white, like camouflage, and various chairs and sitting tables all were equally mismatched, hardly in furnishing style but definitely in color.

Izzy was stunned. This is still Gregori's house, isn't it? She thought of that very intimidating man. Just picturing him in blue was difficult, but a pink bookshelf? Did such a man have such outrageous tastes?!

She started as she heard the giggling again. She turned her head to see a lone piece of furniture she hadn't noticed before, alongside the opposite wall. It was a crib, stark white but with a beautiful hanging fixture above it. Unable to help herself, Izzy walked over to the crib to look inside. She sucked in a breath. Two beautiful babies lay in there. They were curled up on their sides facing each other, each of them holding a hand. They didn't seem to notice Izzy's approach, because their eyes were only on each other. One of them was smaller than the other, but she had inkling that they were twins. They seemed to be communicating with each other silently. The bigger one would make a small movement, or do something unknown, and the smaller one would let loose a torrent of giggles. And then the bigger one would follow up with more giggles.

Izzy couldn't help but laugh as she watched them. Oftentimes she wondered about having a baby of her own, even though she wasn't in a relationship with anyone. Her parents would be disappointed if she ever had a baby right out of the blue without a daddy to go with it, but Izzy had never really been sure she would find anyone to share such a thing with.

Then, there's Marach…and he'd probably be THRILLED to knock you up.

Despite this lingering thought, Izzy was enjoying herself watching these two little ones. She couldn't have been there for more than two minutes. But her mind was on the babies.

She didn't hear someone enter the room. She didn't feel someone come up behind her. She didn't even feel the hand on her back. She was only aware of these two babies, and then all of a sudden she was flying across the room. She slammed into the wall with such violent force that it knocked the breath out of her. She didn't even have time to scream…at least outwardly, anyways.

"MARACH!" she barely got the mental plea out before a powerful hand snapped around her throat and pinned her to the wall. Her toes barely touched the floor and her vision began to swim.

"What are you doing?! Why are you with my daughters?! Why are they here?!"

"G-Guh…" More than suffocation, Izzy felt a violent fear as she stared up at those silvers eyes, pinning her to the wall as effortlessly as his hand did. "U…Ugh…"

"You will tell me why you brought them here." Gregori was in her head now, trying to fish out details. Oh…Izzy could sense his suspicion, his rage, and his fear. Gregori had after all sent his wife and children away, and yet his daughters were right there and his wife wasn't. And she was human, and awake…who else could have brought the babies here? His daughters were so weak, and he was so fearful for them…maybe he was overreacting, but he loved those babies more than anything in the world. And just the thought of both them and their mother being threatened…

Izzy heard a rattle from the other side of the room, but she couldn't see what it was. Not until it smashed into Gregori's unyielding back and fell to pieces to the floor did she realize it was one of those outlandish chairs scattered about the room.

With a roar of fury, Marach launched himself at Gregori. He didn't dare think he would stand a chance against the Dark One, but he threatened his lifemate, put his hands on her…that was something easily unforgiveable.

Gregori let Izzy go, and she dropped to the floor like a rock. He turned to fend off Marach, but he was unprepared for the fury behind the assault. He jumped back, away from Marach and moved towards his daughters' crib, ready to defend them with his life. They were worth more than anything else in this world, especially this villainous human.

"Gregori! What in the hell are you doing?!"

Both Gregori and Marach stiffened. The room suddenly became silent, except for Izzy's coughing and ragged breathing, and the awareness that both babies were crying from all the commotion.

Savannah rushed over to look in on her daughters. Yes, they were both crying and their faces were full of fright. She glared at her lifemate. "I leave them alone for no more than five minutes and you go crazy!"

Gregori relaxed enough to glare back at her. "Why are you here? As I recall, I sent all of you to your father's house." Even as he said this, he crossed the room to his daughters. He picked Anya up into his arms and hushed her soothingly.

"Dad wanted to meet with you, and so I decided to tag along with him." Savannah lifted Anastasia into her arms, wiping away her tears. "There, there, Emä's here…"

"Tag along…" Gregori shook his head in disbelief. "And so our fool for a Prince leaves his own lifemate and child alone?!"

"Relax, Gregori! The most powerful safeguards in existence are in place, and the Belandrakes are visiting! My mom and baby brother are fine!"

Gregori didn't bother arguing. He hugged Anya close to him, not even caring that she was chewing on strands of his hair. He'd fought so hard for these children, and their conditions at birth still haunted him. He couldn't easily forget holding his tiny daughter in his hands, forcing her to breathe because she couldn't breathe on her own…

"Gregori." Even with her annoyance at him, Savannah washed away his grief and guilt with her love. "I'm fine. Our daughters are fine. Everything will be all right."

He wanted to believe it, especially since it was coming from his lifemate. But it was difficult to forget the losses by their race…the children he helped deliver into the world, only to be unable to save them. And to have to tell the parents their baby died…

"Gregori." Savannah was speaking aloud now. She gently took Anya from him and shouldered both babies in her arms. "They're going to be fine. Look at how healthy they are now."

Gregori forced himself under control and nodded stiffly. "I cannot imagine how I would get through any of this without you."

Savannah smiled softly, before looking across the room. "Then there's THAT matter to settle."

Gregori looked, too. Isabel was still seated on the floor, her hand nursing her very bruised neck. Marach was looking at the bruises, not saying anything aloud but no doubt speaking to her quietly. "She meant no harm, Gregori. I heard her calling for us but I didn't answer; I was talking to Sara. I know that she only looked in on our girls out of curiosity, not malice."

Gregori sighed heavily. "Then I must diffuse this situation before Marach tries to attack me again."

"You deserved it."

He gave Savannah a hard stare before crossing the room back to the couple. Marach was immediately on alert, but Gregori held up a hand. "I feel I must apologize for my behavior. I welcomed you into my home, but I didn't leave you any necessities before I went to ground. I know you didn't bring my daughters here, and that overreacted. I'm very protective of them you see, and they are my firstborn children. It…" he faltered before he continued. "I'm sorry I put my hands on you like that. I should've read the situation better."

Marach said nothing, but Izzy reached out to touch his arm. "It's f-fine," she said quietly. Her throat hurt so terribly, and it was difficult to speak. So much force, and with one hand…she was glad she wasn't an enemy. At least presently. "This isn't my house and I shouldn't have been wandering around."

"You are my guest and you aren't regulated to one room." Gregori held out his hand. "As an apology, let me see your neck. I can heal it for you." although, he couldn't help but note that the flesh was already turning yellow and green. Just a couple of minutes earlier her neck was red, purple, and swelling.

"Thank you, Gregori, but I'll handle her healing," Marach said tersely. He rose up to his feet, pulling Izzy with him. "Do you have a room we can use?" even with his anger he still spoke respectfully.

"The next room over," Gregori offered.

"Thanks."

Before Izzy could say another word, Marach had pulled her to the door. They were back out in the hall but just as quickly they were in the room Gregori indicated to them. It didn't look as out of place as the other room did, but there was still a scatter of Bohemian furniture around. "Marach—"

He directed her to the couch. She sat down, but she yelped when she shoved her down, forcing her to lie on her back. "Marach!"

"Shh." Marach sat down on the couch, leaning above her. "I need to heal your bruises."

He ran his fingers over her throat and her skin began to tingle. "They'll heal on their own." It was with great difficulty that she spoke in a steady tone.

"I know. But I want to tend to my lifemate." Then he swept down. Izzy flinched inwardly, not sure if he was about to bite her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his tongue moving over skin, lapping at the bruises like a kitten lapping at milk. He was healing her, yes. But the way he was doing it…it felt like a seduction. His movements, his tongue seemed to hold a lot of promises. He licked her skin as though he couldn't get enough of the taste. Very rarely did it leave her neck, and when it did it was only briefly.

Without realizing it, Izzy raised a hand to smooth over his back. Her skin was tingling and became so warm, and her insides were churning with anticipation. What did he want with her? He said he could wait to have sex with her, and yet he would do this? Drive her crazy by tantalizing her senses? Be so nice to her so unconditionally?

Marach raised his head, but not very far back. His face hovered inches over her own. "All better now?"

She was. Her throat and neck no longer ached, but she hadn't noticed that the pain had disappeared. She'd been…preoccupied. "Yeah. Thank you."

He smiled a little and ran a hand down her cheek. "Anything for you, iubita mea."

"Marach?" Gregori's voice came to him suddenly. "I wish to wake Serenity up shortly. Are you…ready?" his tone was dry.

Marach sat up, pushing down on his disappointment. "Of course. And I wish to introduce Isabel to the Prince."

"He is here." Gregori's tone was short, and angry, but he said nothing more.

"Marach?" Izzy sat up, looking confused. Marach tried not to sigh. He really wished these interruptions would occur at other times.

"Everything is fine," he assured her. "Gregori is going to wake Serenity up. And, Mikhail Dubrinsky is here and I wish to introduce you to him."

"Who's Mikhail?"

"He's our Prince."

___

Izzy had been expecting a bigger, meaner version of Gregori to be the Prince of the Carpathian people. But Mikhail Dubrinsky wasn't anything like that. He had a very serious nature to him, regality that he never outwardly showed but exuded from him like an aura. When he looked at her, she saw that his eyes were kind and it helped to put her at ease.

"Mikhail." Marach clasped forearms with Mikhail before he bowed deeply. "It's been a long time."

"It has, Marach," Mikhail said. His tone was deep, but very rich. "And I'm pleased to see you have found your lifemate."

"Isabel Crane." Marach motioned her forward. "She's an American, here with her sister."

Mikhail nodded to her, and smiled. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Y-You too," Izzy stammered. What was she supposed to say to a Prince? He didn't seem like royalty, despite his presence. She was use to seeing people of wealth flaunting it like a second skin, yet Mikhail seemed…normal.

"We can be more acquainted later," Mikhail said. "I'm interested in your sister. It is to my understanding that her lifemate has turned."

"…He has." It was the first time she was acknowledging it out loud. But it didn't make the pain any less.

"I see." His tone was sympathetic. "Let's go see her, then. And perhaps get you something to eat."

"I'll see to it," Marach volunteered.

They ventured into the room Izzy shared with Serenity. Gregori was in there, as was Falcon. Sara and Savannah were elsewhere in the house watching over Anya and Anastasia. Izzy smelled cooked food the moment she entered and looked to the table set up along the wall opposite of the bed. Two plates of food awaited her. She looked to Serenity to make sure she was all right, before going over to sit down. She couldn't help but notice that Marach had made a compromise with her and gave her some meat…in the form of a cheese omelet. "So eggs don't count as meat?"

"Don't be smart, dragă." Marach walked over to the foot of the bed. "So, you will wake her up now?"

"Yes," Gregori said. He reached out and waved a hand over Serenity's face. "Kidü."

Serenity's eyes flew open and she was awake in an instant. She quickly sat up, looking confused by the people around her. "W-What?"

"Serenity, it's okay," Izzy assured her, getting up to walk over to Marach. "They're here to help you."

"I…" Serenity raised a hand to her face. "Help me?"

"Yes," Gregori said. "I am Gregori and I'm going to help you." He sat down on the bed in front of her. "Do you remember anything, Serenity?"

Serenity shook her head. "My head feels…weird."

"Do you remember communicating with the vampire?"

Serenity stared at Gregori. "Do you mean Parn?"

"Yes, Parn. He got in contact with you, do you remember that?"

"Yes. I remember that." Serenity shook his head. "But he didn't do anything bad to me."

"What did he talk to you about?"

"He talked about himself, and what happened to him." Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. "He also talked about all of you, too. Is it true your blood is decaying?"

Gregori twitched. Izzy rushed forward in alarm. "Serenity, that's not nice!"

"Did you respond to his inquiries?" Mikhail interjected. "Did you tell him where you are?"

"H-He knows I'm getting help from the Dark One."

Izzy remembered the voice she'd heard the previous night. "Do you think he can help you?" That had to have been Parn. Was he deliberately placing doubt in Serenity?

"Serenity." Gregori carefully put his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me carefully. You mustn't come in contact with him again."

Serenity's brow furrowed. "What? Why?"

"Because he's evil and he will use you to cause problems."

Serenity shook her head again. "No, you're wrong! He doesn't want to hurt you!"

"He has aligned himself with a group of vampires seeking to destroy us. He was allied with the vampire who tried to hurt your sister and yourself. He's not someone you can trust."

"You're wrong!" Now Serenity was shouting. She pulled herself out of Gregori's arm. "You don't know what you're talking about! You're just trigger-happy, ready to kill him without understanding him or his pain!"

"He is not the only one who has suffered through the centuries," Gregori said calmly. "We Carpathian males are doomed to suffer for great portions of our lives before we find our lifemates. I have found my lifemate, as have Marach, Falcon, and Mikhail, and we are not vampires. He gave into his dark side and became evil. I am sorry he found you too late, child, but he cannot be saved. His soul is gone—"

"You don't know that! You don't know him! No, you just judge him because you think you know everything about everyone and that he's like everyone else! But he's not!"

Mikhail exchanged looks with Gregori. Izzy could sense this was a practice in patience with both men, but her heart still ached. Serenity wasn't listening to reason.

"Serenity—" Falcon began.

"Tell them!" Serenity shrieked. "Tell them what he suffered!"

"His suffering is no less than mine—"

"Oh, just shut up!" Serenity was breathing raggedly, tears spilling down her face. Izzy was unused to seeing her like this. It was a whole different Serenity, even from her forlorn suicidal attitude. "You don't know! He didn't want to become a vampire!"

"What?" Izzy asked, a cold chill overcoming her.

"He told you this?" Gregori asked, his voice still calm.

Serenity jerked out a nod. "It wasn't by choice! Cassander made him do it! He would've hung on longer, but…" She shook her head and began crying uncontrollably.

Izzy looked at Marach. "What does that mean?"

"It's a lie, Isabel." Marach sounded very sad as he said this. "A soul is not something that can be just simply lost. True, there are cases where they are forced out of the body, as Xavier did with Razvan. But I do not believe such a thing happened with Parn. He is using her, dragă, and he's using their bond to manipulate her. Once her usefulness runs out, he will kill her."

"Oh, God…" Tears burned at Izzy's own eyes as she turned back to Serenity. Surprisingly, her sister was much calmer than moments earlier. Gregori seemed to be in deep concentration, and Izzy knew he was tampering her feelings.

But, Serenity was looking at Izzy with determination. "You believe me, don't you Izzy? You're my sister, and I don't lie to you! Parn has been hurt so terribly and he needs help! None of these people want to help him, but I need your help! I can't help him alone! Please…" Serenity ducked her head in exhaustion. "Please help me…"

Izzy choked, covering her mouth with a hand. "Serenity…" she didn't know what to say. How could she encourage or help her sister when her lifemate had no chance?

"…You don't believe me, either," Serenity mumbled dejectedly. "Oh, Izzy…I can't let things go on like this! I have to save him! Even if I have to do it alone, I'll do anything I can to save to save him! I swear—"

"Sleep," Gregori interrupted, placing a hand in front of her face. Serenity was out again, falling back onto the bed. "There's no simple reasoning with her. Even as I try to shield her, she can feel Parn through the bond and I can't interfere with that. The only possible way we can help her is to kill Parn immediately. That way nothing will stand in my way."

Izzy dug her fingers into the footboard hard, tear-filled eyes on Serenity. "Marach."

"Yes, iubita mea?" Marach buried his nose in Izzy's hair, trying to give her his love and comfort.

"I want to talk to you. Alone."