11/7/2021: Welcome back to Standard Time, American readers. I finished this at about four am, and I'm way happier with with it than I am with Chapter Two. Also, happy birthday to me.

In this chapter, we begin to tackle the looming specter that is Belle Dubrinsky's tragic backstory and its complicated relationship with the Belendrake family dynamics. It's a delicate balance to give you guys enough information so you understand, but not give you everything so there's something to tell once Belle meets her lifemate.

A quick warning: Belle has a PTSD flashback involving someone getting shot, a house fire, and because of her age at the time, violence against children. It's only one paragraph, so fairly easy to skip, just stop reading when Skyler steps in the second ice puddle, and pick up again with the next set of italics.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dark Series, or the characters, plots, and locations which belong to it.


Skyler was sitting on the porch when Belle and Alexandria arrived, arms crossed and scowling. "This is ridiculous," she snapped. "I got over here all by myself, and nothing bad happened."

Belle paused. If she'd ever had a rebellious phase like the one Skyler was displaying, she couldn't remember it. Did I talk to you like this when I was sixteen? She asked Raven telepathically.

Sweetheart, with everything you were going through at the age of sixteen, we were glad you were talking at all, Raven responded. What she wants is validation.

Even if she's wrong?

Telling her so won't endear you to her, Raven advised.

"Josef doesn't have to wait for an escort," Skyler muttered.

"Josef?" Belle turned her attention back to Skyler. "Is he teasing you?"

Skyler nodded, eyes shiny. "He called me a baby."

"He can be annoying, can't he?" Alexandria said diplomatically.

Belle rolled her eyes. Annoying didn't even begin to cover Josef at his worst. "Ask him to show you how he turns into an owl," Belle said. To Ben, she added, tell your brother to knock it off. It's not funny.

Belle had difficulty understanding Josef. Carpathian men who were mean as children, Papa had often told her brother, were especially prone to turning vampire. Vlad Belendrake had been strict with Ben about this rule, and the boys plus Belle had learned the difference between friendly teasing and cruelty early. Why Josef had not been held to that same standard was a mystery to her.

"You think I'd enjoy it?" Skyler asked.

"It's the funniest thing Ben and I have seen in years," Belle said.

Skyler's brow furrowed. "Ben, his older brother? I didn't think they were on good terms."

"They're very different people," Belle said, shrugging. "I've been trying to help them bridge that gap, but I don't have the same influence over Josef that I do with Ben."

Alexandria frowned, rubbing at her neck. "I thought Aidan said you were adopted by Vlad's sister?" It was unclear if she meant it as a statement or a question.

Belle looked down. Vlad Belendrake hadn't been her uncle since she was fifteen and hadn't stopped his lifemate from refusing to care for her after her parents' death. Aidan Savage had already been in the States when the scandal happened. The gossip must not have made it that far, she supposed, but he couldn't miss it now that he was back.

A shoe entered her field of vision. Belle glanced up at Skyler. A small, understanding smile graced the red haired girl's face. "Families are supposed to love and care for you, but sometimes they just suck," she said. Belle nodded, a small smile of her own tugging at her lips. "Maybe I can help with Josef," Skyler offered. "I know Josef's really good with programming and gaming, what does Ben like to do?"

"He's a gem caller," Belle said. Skyler cocked her head. "I don't totally understand it either, but he understands gems the way I understand safeguards, or Alexandria understands video games, probably." She didn't know much about Alexandria's gift, except that the blonde woman applied it to video games.

"Or the way I can hear the earth," Skyler added.

It was Belle's turn to cock her head. "The earth?"

Skyler nodded. "I can hear it screaming."

Belle met Alexandria's eyes, relieved to see the same concern echoed back at her. The earth screaming? That didn't sound good. "Have you told Francesca about it?" Alexandria asked.

This time, Skyler shook her head. "It's not all the time, so it seems silly to bother her with it."

A gust of wind blew across the path, and all three of them shivered. Something moved in the shadows behind Skyler. When Belle looked closer, there was nothing there. The back of her neck itched.

"We should keep moving," Alexandria said, walking faster. "Your parents will be wondering what's taking us so long."

Skyler and Belle matched her new pace easily. "I played your new video game," Skyler told Alexandria. "Josh and Josef and I play it late at night, online. Have you played it yet, Belle?"

"No," Belle said. "I've been helping Aunt Shea and Uncle Jacques prepare for their baby. There's a lot of cer-" The shadows between the trees shifted again. Belle almost thought they looked like people. She fought back the urge to take to the air.

Uncle, I think someone's following us.

Where are you? Mikhail asked immediately.

We just turned onto the path to Gabriel and Francesca's.

Skyler splashed through a frozen puddle, scattering ice shards and mud everywhere. Belle backed away, unable to look anywhere else. Spattered across the snow, the mud could be mistaken for blood. "What is it?" Skyler asked.

"I saw a wolf," Alexandria said. "Did you see a wolf?"

Belle shook her head, finally tearing her eyes away from the ground. "All I can see are the shadows," she said. She hoped she didn't sound as hysterical as she felt. Uncle.

Gabriel is coming to meet you, Mikhail said.

"I don't see anything," Skyler said.

"Gabriel's on his way," Belle reported to her companions.

Alexandria nodded. "Stay close, both of you. I want to be able to get into the air fast if we need to. Skyler, have you flown before?"

They took a few steps forward, huddled together but not quite touching. Belle made sure Skyler stayed sandwiched between her and Alexandria. Overhead, the snow laden branches rustled. A twig snapped. With every sound the forest made, the shadows multiplied.

"Sometimes, I can feel things nearby," Skylar said. "Maybe I can-"

"No!" Alexandria and Belle snapped simultaneously.

"We have no way of knowing if it is friend or foe out there," Alexandria continued. "If you open your mind to them, you'll lead them right back to us." As she finished, Skyler stepped into another ice-covered puddle. The crack echoed through the clearing like gunfire.

Belle covered her ears. Her side burned in remembered pain. The wooden bullet had gone through Papa and hit her as she'd fled to get help. "Look out!" a woman shouted. It wasn't Mama. Who was it? Where was Mama? Smoke from the burning house clogged her lungs, making her cough.

Belle! Belle!

Belle, sweetheart, answer us, please!

Aunt Raven? Twigs dug into her skin when she attempted to sit up. When had she laid down? She blinked, and found herself staring at the interior branches of a tree. What happened?

Her relatives' collective relief swept through her. Belle tried to roll over, to start to free herself, but the branches kept her pinned. Stay still, sweetheart, Raven said soothingly. Your uncles will get you out.

Belle couldn't stay still. The branches caught like fingers on her clothes, pulled painfully at her hair. She gasped for air. Csitri, Mikhail called to her. His voice demanded her focus, and she stopped struggling. We felt your pain. Are you injured?

I don't know. Her side ached, and her chest felt like it was wrapped in rubber bands.

Ben brushed against her mind. Breathe in, count to ten, he instructed. Belle shakily complied. Her lungs throbbed angrily, and she released the air with a cough before she'd reached seven. Try again. The second breath cycle was easier.

Tiny pieces of bark rained down as the branches above her broke apart. The ones closer to her body floated away undamaged. Belle resumed squirming. The smaller branches shifted with her, and she dislodged them easily. Looking up, she met Jacques' and Mikhail's eyes as they reached out and pulled her into the safety of their arms.

Belle closed her eyes and sobbed. Mikhail pet her hair, murmuring softly to her. Jacques' hands ran over her neck, her shoulders, down her arms and across her ribs. "You are not bleeding. Nothing feels broken," he concluded.

"I think it was phantom pain," Belle said, pulling away only far enough to swipe her tears from her cheeks. Then she asked, "Shouldn't you be with Aunt Shea?" Jacques had hovered over Shea from the moment she came into his life, and had only gotten worse as her pregnancy progressed. Yet here he was, standing in the middle of a forest path checking on her when Mikhail and two hunters had already been on their way.

"Byron and Antonietta stopped by. They stayed with her," Jacques said. He stepped closer and gently cupped the side of her head. "We were worried about you, little one." He kissed her forehead.

Mikhail wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Belle, do you remember what happened? You said someone was following you."

Belle nodded. "They were inside the tree line. I couldn't see them very well. I think there were five or six." She gasped. Where were Skyler and Alexandria? They'd been standing right next to her.

Mikhail tightened his grip when she tried to twist around to look at the tree. Jacques grabbed her arm at the same time. "Belle?" Neither of her uncles attempted to hide their concern.

"Skyler? And Alexandria?" she asked.

Mikhail relaxed. "They are both on the other side of the tree," he said. "Alexandria was trapped under the branches as you were. I expect Aidan has gotten her out by now. Skyler is being-" here he and Jacques shared a look "-attended to by Dimitri and her parents."

Belle's gaze bounced between the two of them. "Who is Dimitri?"

"Skyler's lifemate," Mikhail said grimly.

Jacques' face matched Mikhail's tone. Belle frowned. Mikhail had told her that Skyler didn't want a lifemate, but her uncles wouldn't be this concerned if that was the only problem.

Mikhail floated them both up and over the fallen tree. Belle immediately noticed a difference. The air on this side of the tree moved like sludge, so thick and sticky she almost expected it to leave behind a residue. She watched Mikhail as he joined Aidan where he knelt among shattered tree branches, Alexandria held across his lap. Was he glowing?

The ground rolled. Belle stumbled sideways into Jacques. "Gabriel!" Her uncle snapped, gently steadying her.

Belle focused on the remaining three figures on the path. Gabriel had not responded to Jacques. He stood toe-to-toe with another hunter - Dimitri, she assumed - while Francesca attempted to insert herself between them. The air around the group glowed violently red.

"Stop it!" Skyler's voice came from inside the little knot of people. "What is wrong with all of you?" She squirmed free of Gabriel and Dimitri, expertly avoiding her mother's grasping arms as she rounded on Belle. "You can feel it, can't you?"

Belle nodded. "I think so."

"Feel what?" Mikhail demanded.

The girls ignored him.

"It's coming from the inn, isn't it?" Skyler asked.

Belle focused her gaze. Already, the energy had dissipated around them. Whomever had caused this knew Skyler was onto them and had retreated. It didn't matter, though. The touch may have seemed subtle to everyone else, but to Belle? A piano falling from the sky onto all of their heads would have been less obvious.

Perhaps she should convince Sara and Falcon's children to watch less cartoons.

She examined the fading patterns carefully. "Two people," she eventually decided. "Coming from the inn, like Skyler said. I can't tell if they were men or women."

"You must cancel the celebration," Dimitri said. "Our women and children would be in danger the second they stepped through the door."

"You can't cancel!" Alexandria protested. She was standing now, though she was unnaturally pale. Aidan hovered behind her, his hands at her waist. "We live under threat every single day of our lives. If we cancel the celebration, we'll be letting ohr fear rule us."

Mikhail held up a hand as Dimitri opened his mouth to respond. "We cannot cancel the Christmas party. If we do, our enemies may begin to guess who is Carpathian and who is not. Now that we know there is a threat at hand, we will be on our guard."

"Skyler has suffered enough at the hands of human men," Dimitri snarled.

"This wasn't human men!" Belle snapped. The adrenaline from the attack was starting to wear off. She leaned into Jacques to hide her shakiness and pulled what remained of her energy into glaring at Dimitri. What did he know of attacks by humans, anyway? Hunters stayed well away from humans except to feed. "Human men come at dawn with wood and fire. This," she gestured around them. "This is mage, or vampire, or both. We can deal with this."

Dimitri seemed to consider her words as he turned to Skyler. Belle tuned them out. At some point, Jacques' arm had come around her shoulders. He was taking most of her weight, now. Are you all right? He asked.

I want to go home, Belle said, trying not to sound whiny. She doubted she succeeded.

I'll take you to Raven before I return to Shea, Jacques agreed.

"I was on my way to see Julian," Mikhail announced, abruptly. "He loves a good time, and I wish to alert him to tonight's main surprise."

Belle groaned and dropped her head into her hand. Mikhail was getting far too much enjoyment out of this.

"There's a surprise?" Gabriel asked warily.

"Raven wants St. Nick to show up," Jacques said, making no attempt to hide his grin.

"Dressed in red," Mikhail added, wearing a matching grin of his own.

"The children will be expecting it."

They're both getting far too much enjoyment out of this, Shea said. Raven sent her agreement.

They may be onto something, Belle acknowledged grudgingly, and sent her aunts the image of Gabriel's valiant effort at hiding behind his wife and daughter.

Who does he want to be Santa Claus? Ben asked.

Francesca started to laugh. "Santa Claus does not wear red tights," she said, hitting Gabriel's shoulder.

"Do you think Gregori knows that?" Mikhail asked gleefully.

"Gregori?" Alexandria questioned.

Oh, I have to see that, Ben said.

He would kill everyone who saw him in it.

It would be worth it.

"You aren't really going to ask him to be Santa Claus, are you?" Francesca objected.

"I want to be there," Gabriel demanded. "Let me know when you are going to his house so Lucian and I can stop by."

"That's mean," Francesca scolded him. "And don't you dare tell him Santa Claus wears red tights."

Skyler cleared her throat. "This is a joke - right?" She turned to Belle. "Belle? He's joking? Because Tristan and Tamara still scream their heads off when Gregori gets too close to them."

Belle wished she could tell Skyler her uncle was joking. She really did.

"A fine joke on Gregori," Mikhail told the red-head. "We had better go. I have already alerted the others to guard our women and children more closely."

As Aidan and Alexandria shifted form and flew off, Mikhail rejoined Jacques and Belle. "Raven says she wants you home, csitri," he said quietly.

Belle nodded. "I want to go home, too," she said.

"I'll drop her off on my way back," Jacques said. "You should follow Dimitri. Gabriel's going to tell Lucian his version of events."

Mikhail nodded. "Thankfully, Lucian is the more reasonable of the two. I'll visit him after I visit Julian."

"You'll come back after that, right?" Belle asked. She wanted her family where she could see them, though she knew it couldn't happen right then.

"I'll be back before mass," Mikhail said. He kissed her forehead. "Stay inside until I get there." Belle nodded.

As one, the three Dubrinskys changed form, becoming owls instead of people, and leapt into the sky. Two immediately took off, the larger shielding the smaller one beneath his wing. The remaining owl circled once, twice, then turned a different direction, following the path of a running wolf far below.


Chapter Four: Mikhail brings up memories for Lucian, Sophie and Tristan are introduced, and future plot threads start a new bobbin.