Chapter 17

Carissa stared at Pierce. "What?"

Samuel came closer. "We are both your lifemate."

She shook her head in denial. "No…that…wait, what?"

Pierce squeezed her hand. "It's true, Carissa. At first, we didn't understand either. I thought I was ill. I wanted you just as much as my twin. And yet, I wasn't jealous of him. It just didn't make any sense."

Carissa pulled her hand away from him. "That's impossible. How could you not be jealous of your twin if you…I mean, if both of you want me?"

"Because we share a soul," said Samuel.

"A soul," she repeated. "So, you feel everything he does?"

Pierce nodded. "For the most part. All twins or siblings have a strong connection. But we physically feel when the other is extremely weak or in great pain."

"Or pleasure," murmured Samuel.

Carissa swallowed hard and looked at him. "You…it was you who I first met in the parking garage."

"Yes."

"But you said you were Pierce!"

He sighed. "I know. We think it was because both of us wanted to be there with you in that first meeting. I didn't understand. We can't lie to our lifemates. I think unconsciously we knew that you belonged to both of us."

She stood and backed away from both of them. "But you said there could only be one lifemate!"

"Because we share part of a soul, my brother and I are one," said Pierce in a soft voice. "And you complete both of us."

"So, that first time I was with Samuel." She was beginning to breathe heavy, the shock of this revelation beginning to wear on her. "You took me on the motorcycle and the plane." When Samuel nodded, she trembled and looked at Pierce. "And you took me to the concert. You…kissed me."

"Carissa," said Samuel. He reached out for her.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped. She flattened her back up against the kitchen wall. Her mind was going in circles. What was this? Was this really happening? "And what else haven't you told me?"

"What do you mean?" asked Pierce.

"What do I mean? You didn't tell me about two blood exchanges! Was one with each of you?"

"Yes," admitted Samuel with regret in his voice. "We needed to strengthen our bond with you."

"And then what? Tyrell said to complete the ritual, not only is there a final blood exchange, but also…" Carissa looked away, her cheeks burning.

"We mate," said Samuel softly.

She glared at him. "Yes, and then there's pain! Right? The conversion. When I change to Carpathian, I'll be in a lot of pain."

"Carissa," pleaded Pierce, "we hoped to give you more time to learn about everything. One thing at a time. Just the shock of realizing that Carpathians exist and that you are destined to be one of us was more than enough. We wanted you to have more time before learning the rest."

"Including the fact that I have not one, but two lifemates!"

"This has never happened before within our race," said Samuel. "The revelation may mean that we are not accepted."

"Or there will still be some doubt to if it is even true," said Pierce. When his twin narrowed his eyes, Pierce held up his hand in a peaceful gesture. "I cannot deny that what we feel is real. But only the SongMaker can declare this to be true in front of the Prince."

"The SongMaker?" asked Carissa.

"He is the oldest Carpathian still alive within our race. He is not only the designated teacher to our children, he has other powers that reveal the lineage of every Carpathian. He recognizes all lifemates."

"And so he would recognize you as our lifemate, Carissa," insisted Samuel.

She shook her head. "This can't be real. It just can't be."

"When you look upon us," said Samuel in a low voice, "can you deny what you feel? For both of us?"

Carissa bit her lip. What he said was true. She was attracted to both of them. She liked how Samuel was more casual and outgoing. Pierce was more sophisticated and conservative. They both had opposite personalities, that drew her to each of them. Some of it was compatibility while another part of her felt the call of the old saying that opposites attract.

When she thought about the fact that only one of them might be her lifemate, it made her feel…like something was wrong or missing. She suddenly couldn't imagine only having one of them with her.

And the logical side of her brain was horrified by the entire idea!

She turned and ran out of the room, wanting to be alone. Running into her bedroom, she slammed the door behind her and sat down on her bed. Cujo whined at her feet.

"Carissa," said Pierce. His voice was muffled behind the door. "We need to talk more about this."

"I-I just need to be alone for a little while."

"I think you might feel better if we discuss what you're feeling."

"No. Go away."

Samuel's voice called out to her next. "Carissa, this isn't helping. Do you really think a bedroom door would keep us awayfrom you?"

"That's not helping either," she heard Pierce snap at his brother in a lowered voice.

"Well, this is stupid. Let's just turn to mist and stream under the door."

Carissa grew tense at Samuel's words but Pierce stopped his twin. "We are supposed to provide for her happiness. Invading her privacy by force doesn't exactly work."

"And how are we to give her any happiness if she won't even let us talk to her?" grumbled Samuel.

Carissa scooted back further on the bed. "I can hear everything you're saying!"

There was silence for a moment. "Her hearing is becoming more acute."

"You think?"

"Will you stop bickering?" said Carissa in irritation. "I just want some time alone. My friend Kylie died, I was almost raped, and I escaped from a horrible place I never even knew existed! Now you tell me that I belong to both of you? What do you expect? I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown!" She could feel the tears stinging her eyes.

"Carissa…we're sorry." There was a pause. "Will you allow us to see you tomorrow evening?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Yes."

Samuel looked at Pierce. Ask if we can heal her.

I'm not pushing it. Her injuries are not life threatening and she confirmed she wasn't violated.

Samuel grimaced. I can't believe a damn vampire saved her.

Whatever he is, Tyrell could be a problem in the future if those minerals wear off on whatever effect they're having on his emotion. When we go to the Carpathian Mountains, we'll inform the prince.

Why not now?

Do you want to answer untruthfully if we have to go into details about Carissa? And I've had enough of not volunteering information. It's the same as lying to me. We'll accelerate the trip and leave in a few days.

With Carissa.

We won't leave her behind, Pierce assured him.

Even though she hates us.

One way or another, we will find a way to make sure she comes with us to see the SongMaker. We need to give her a little time to absorb all of this. And we need to get back to our businesses to start figuring out what our next steps need to be with this mess Morrison created.

Carissa could sense when the twins left. For a while she just buried her face within the pillows on her bed, trying desperately to just forget everything. She cried for a while, feeling like she had no one to talk with, especially now that Kylie was gone.

This of course stirred the twins, both of them reaching out to her. At first, she was worried they were going to try and talk to her again. But instead, she felt love and warmth, waves of reassurance from both of them. Part of her felt a sense of relief that she felt anything but tears. Another part of her was angry at them for trying to deny her what she felt. Sometimes a person had every right to want to feel miserable.

Cujo barked, wanting to be let outside. Slowly, she got up from the bed and walked out of her bedroom and down the hall. The husky barked again, excited that he was being let out and then it dawned on her that he was probably starving at the same time. She quickly filled his dish with food and the dog practically inhaled it, before gulping down an enormous amount of water. Carissa let him out and watched as Cujo bounded out into the little fenced yard. The darkness of the night made it hard to see him, so she flicked on the back porch light.

As the wind picked up, Carissa held herself when the breeze made her feel cold. Her mind was still going in complete circles. It was impossible to have two lifemates. It just couldn't be true. And even if it was, what now? God, here she'd been worried about pleasing just one of them! How could she possibly meet the expectations of two?

And what about the rest of the ritual? Her cheeks felt hot as she realized both of them would want to be with her in bed. How would that work? Would they just be interested in her or…each other too? The thought of incest made her stomach turn. It was too embarrassing to even ask such a question to them. Oddly, she sensed them being interested in each other wouldn't be the case. But even if that was true, would they both be with her at the same time? Take turns?

God, this was sick.

A soft voice startled her. "I thought by now he would have had the intelligence to take you far away from here."

Carissa inhaled sharply as Tyrell stood just a few feet away. He was no longer looking at all like a vampire. He was tall with a beautiful face, his eyes a warm brown. "You scared me."

He frowned. "You should not be here unprotected." Cujo was there in an instant, growling.

Carissa tilted her head. "Am I? Cujo, it's okay, go on."

"One dog does not count as protection."

"I needed some time to myself."

"Amazing how quickly a bond with a lifemate turns a perfectly intelligent Carpathian male into a lost child who forgets everything he was ever taught.. Hopefully that will not happen to me when I find her."

She smiled a little. "So I guess that means you have hope again to find her."

"I feel like I did years ago," he admitted. "But there is also still much darkness in me. It is…hard to sort out what I feel or what is happening to me."

"But you don't have a desire to kill everyone now?"

"Hmmm, it depends. When I think of humans such as with Morrison, I cannot deny the urge is still there."

"But not all humans are like that," she protested.

"Not the special ones like you, my dear. But if the don't have that ability which turns them into one of us, what use are they?"

She was silent for a moment. Tyrell was right in the fact he still had a dark edge. "And the prince?"

He turned away. "He would never accept me for what I have done. So what does it matter?"

"But do you still hate him?"

Tyrell glanced back at her. "Hate is a very strong word."

"Well, do you?"

He sighed. "I don't know. When I look upon you, Carissa, you give me hope once more. You are pure in goodness. I cannot see how anyone would ever force or even be able to manipulate you on purpose to be with whom the Prince chooses. So I admit that I now have some doubt as to my thought that the Prince selects unions himself."

"That's an understatement," muttered Carissa as she thought about the twins.

Tyrell raised an eyebrow. "Not getting along with your new found love?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you saying when all lifemates find each other that they instantly fall in love?"

"I have heard it is difficult at first sometimes. But give it time."

"Time," she repeated in a mutter under her breath. "I don't know if that will help."

"What other reason could you have for not wanting to work things out?"

Carissa sighed and before she could stop herself, she blurted, "I could give you two reasons instead of one!"

"Excuse me?"

Carissa shook her head. "Never mind."

Tyrell looked at her in astonishment. "What are you trying to say? That his twin is creating a problem in some way?"

"Cujo!" she called, "let's go inside."

"You will answer me," he said with a warning note in his tone.

"I need to be alone." She turned to go back inside but gasped as he grabbed her arm.

"What is going on?" he demanded. "You must tell me."

"Let me go," she said on the brink of tears again. Cujo growled but Tyrell instantly waved a hand and the dog was quiet.

"Not until you tell me what you just meant."

"If you hurt me, both of them will be here in an instant." In fact, the only reason they weren't here know was because she was concentrating very hard to keep her mind blocked so they didn't know Tyrell was here.

"Both of them," he repeated. "Carissa, there can only be one lifemate."

"Brothers always help each other," she said, desperately trying to divert the conversation. What if Tyrell found out? She had no right to tell others about both of them being her lifemate. The three of them had to sort things out first.

Tyrell's eyes narrowed. "It seems you are afraid, but not of me." He laughed a little, his voice low. "I find that very interesting, considering I was a vampire."

"And so you're not now?"

"I already told you. I don't know what I am. And stop trying to change the subject. What is it that you are afraid to say?"

"Let go of me," she choked. She was beginning to panic, and keeping her mind closed from the twins while she began to lose control of her emotions was hard. She worried about the twins hurting Tyrell. And she didn't want them angry at her either.

His eyes softened. "Not until you promise to talk with me about this."

She desperately wanted to talk with someone. Even when Kylie was alive, she couldn't talk about what was happening with in this new found world. "I…can't."

To her surprise, Tyrell slowly released her. "I cannot force you, little one. But if either of them hurt you, they will answer to me."

"They can't hurt their lifemate." Carissa's eyes widened at the mistake. She'd just said 'they' which was stupid of her. She quickly tried to correct herself. "I mean, 'they' as in any Carpathian male."

His eyes were watching her far too closely. "It almost sounded as if you meant that both of the twins are your lifemate."

"No, of course not. That would be impossible. I need to go inside, it's late."

"It is impossible, Carissa. If both are saying they are your lifemate, there is something wrong."

"I didn't say that," she protested.

Tyrell frowned. "I am no fool. When you first saw both of them, you did not even know the brothers were twins. I also felt your confusion as to which was your lifemate."

Her heart was beating too fast and she tried to calm herself. "Everything is fine."

"You are lying," he said in a gentle voice. "Tell me the truth."

Carissa began to cry again. She immediately felt the twins and their alarm, but she couldn't hold back anymore. "I don't know what to believe! They say they share a soul!"

The former vampire looked taken aback. "In all my time, I have never heard of such a thing, except between lifemates. One of them could be lying."

"But they feel everything! Even physical pain."

Tyrell remembered the burns that had appeared in the exact same place on their arms from the fire in the lab. "Now that I think about it, that does appear to be the case. And yet vampires can create their own wounds on others."

"What do you mean?"

"In my darkened state, I recall that would be, shall we say, an appealing tactic. If an enemy was attached to a loved one, such as a lifemate, I could ensure that every blow I received from the hunter, would show up on her."

"That's horrible!" she gasped. "Are you saying one of the twins is causing the pain on the other?"

"It's a possibility," replied Tyrell who was thinking about the situation. "However, I don't see the purpose in doing so to a twin brother. If it were me, I'd just get him out of the way to claim you for myself. I'd never share you."

"They also say they don't get jealous of each other with me. Only other males that are around me."

Tyrell looked even more surprised. "That is very odd, indeed. Males have a hard time tolerating any male around their lifemate, even when harmless. For them to not feel any jealousy toward each other is very strange." He shook his head. "I cannot even imagine how the twins could tolerate the situation. How could one brother even allow the other to touch you?"

"I don't know," said Carissa with tears streaming down her face. "Promise me you won't say anything to the Prince. They want me to go before some older Carpathian who can tell us the truth."

Tyrell reached out and wiped a tear away from her cheek. "The Songmaker," he confirmed. "I have heard the stories that he can identify lifemates. Even I must admit, that if the twins are willing to go before him, there is more of a possibility that what they say may be true. No vampire would place themselves in such a precarious situation. However, should the SongMaker name only one of them, the other will be struck down without hesitation."

"Much to your delight, I'm sure," said Pierce as he suddenly appeared in front of Carissa. She backed up in surprise, only to find Samuel right behind her.

Tyrell stood his ground. "It will make an interesting tale when you face the Prince."

"Almost as interesting as a vampire who believes himself to no longer be one," retorted Samuel.

"And I'll say it again, I have no idea what I am. But I suggest you stay out of my way."

Pierce ignored the warning. "As long as you keep your vow to us, we have no quarrel with you."

Tyrell raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Is that what the Prince will say when you tell him about me? Perhaps I should pay a visit to him first, just to give him a heads up about this little love triangle. Then when you show up to confirm the story, perhaps he won't hunt me down."

Samuel hissed. "You breathe one word to the Prince before we do and I'll-"

"You will not say a word or I can instantly communicate with the prince right now," interrupted his twin. "I have a blood connection to him and as guardian of the Carpathian fortune for the last few hundred years, I'm inclined to think he will believe me over a known traitor."

Tyrell was expressionless but then gave a mocking bow. "As you wish." His eyes marked each twin. "But I assure you, if I find out that any harm befalls her, I will hunt down both of you."

"How noble," said Samuel with sarcasm. "I'd like to see you try."

"Stop!" cried Carissa. "Enough of this! Please, just leave each other alone." She began to cry even harder. "Just leave me alone!" With that, she ran back into the house.

The twins looked so defeated, Tyrell took a bit of pity on them. "She has a good soul. If both of you speak the truth, then she will embrace each of you."

"Never thought I'd hear a vampire say that," muttered Samuel.

Pierce gave Tyrell a brief nod. "If you need assistance with Morrison, let us know. I will let the Prince know we trust you on that subject. May your path be true," he said as a farewell. They watched as Tyrell disappeared, leaving the twins once more feeling lost as they felt Carissa's sadness and confusion wash over them.

Author's note: Sorry everyone. My work schedule has been very challenging as I have to travel every other week so my workload is pretty overwhelming right now. I will still try to write when I can, I promise. I'll be finishing this story as I'm determined!