Disclaimer: I do not own the Carpathian Series, and definitely do not own the amazing characters in Christine Feehan's wonderful books. This is just a fanfic.
Alana watched in amazement as Francesca prepared soup, her every movement perfect and graceful, as if it were a choreographed dance. It made Alana hope she could become just as coordinated as she grew older. But as her elbow slipped off the counter and she fumbled wildly to keep her glass from falling to the floor, she knew it was probably a lost cause. She grinned at Josef's wink. He obviously had the same problem around these people.
"You are certain there is nothing else I can get you?" Francesca enquired, placing a bowl of soup in front of her guest.
Shaking her head, Alana started in on the vegetable soup, surprised that even that light food made her stomach a little queasy. Though she was quite hungry, Alana found she hadn't been able to bear the thought of anything heavier to eat. "No, thank you. This is really good."
Francesca broke out into a smile, the expression lighting up her entire face and causing Alana to stare for a moment in awe, spoon halfway to her mouth. "Is it something in the water?"
"Excuse me?"
Alana flushed as she realized she spoke her thoughts out loud. "I'm sorry," she responded, embarrassed. "It's just that everyone in your family is so. . . attractive." Her eyes flitted over to her friend. Even Josef, with his unorthodox appearance, was relatively handsome.
Both Skyler and Francesca laughed good-naturedly. "I suppose so," Francesca allowed. She busied herself with tidying up the already immaculate kitchen. "I simply never thought much on it."
Nodding in understanding, Alana glanced at the door, suddenly eager to get back to the rest of the group. Even as Skyler and Josef kept her engaged in lively conversation, she felt her gaze drawn over and over again to the kitchen door. She very much wanted to go and sit down with everyone else, to learn everything about these wonderful people. But she also wanted to finish her soup. Her stomach was protesting, but it was really very good.
Once the bowl was emptied, Alana practically ran over to the sink to wash it off, her body humming with energy. A seductive whisper started at the edge of her mind and she made a sound of impatience. Before the others noticed, she had already crossed the kitchen and was poised to reenter the sitting room. She was stopped only when Francesca gently laid a hand over hers.
"Perhaps you would like to join Skyler and Josef upstairs?" the woman suggested, her voice like warm honey. "I know they were eager to show you the view from Skyler's old bedroom."
The whispering in her ear increased and a sweat broke out on Alana's forehead. She shook her head once, a protest against what, she wasn't sure. And then she pushed open the door and stumbled into the sitting room.
As soon as she spotted him, the breath escaped her lungs and her brown eyes went wide in recognition. A stranger had come to call on Gabriel, it seemed, but he wasn't a stranger to Alana. Not really. Something in her called to him, yearned to reach out and stroke the harshly beautiful features she had glimpsed in her dream. Everything about the man drew her gaze, from his wide shoulders and elegant clothes to his dark gaze and firm lips. The air around him swirled with the murky colors of danger and violence, but somehow Alana felt her heart was in more danger than anything else.
Francesca came up behind her and placed a protective hand on Alana's shoulder. "I apologize for disturbing your meeting," she started, "but we were just about to go upstairs and thought it best to see what you men were up to." Though her voice held a note of apology, Francesca expertly diffused the tension slowly building in the room.
Gabriel sent a grateful smile to his lifemate, once again marveling at her abilities to soothe and calm. But his eyes were quickly drawn back to Andreas, who suddenly looked like a wolf scenting prey. The ancient's gaze was fixated on Alana, his body quiet and still.
"I'm sorry," Alana whispered genuinely. She wasn't even sure why she had entered the room. All she knew was that she had felt an overwhelming compulsion to do so.
At her words, the stranger moved, stalking across the room like a jungle cat. He paused just before her and bowed low, the gesture curiously formal and very Old World. "It is all right . . ." He ended the reassurance with a silent question, demanding with his eyes that Alana respond. Not a single other person in the room moved, rooted to the spot as if they all waited on bated breath.
"Alana," she said stiffly. "Alana Grey."
"Alana." He savored the name like a fine wine. "I am Andreas del Olmos." The man reached up to catch hold of the bright pink streak of hair curling at her cheek. "What a shocking color."
Behind him, the other men visibly relaxed, as if Andreas had passed some sort of test. Or confirmed their suspicions. None of that mattered to Alana, however, as she stared up at the man now crowding so close. She could hear him whispering in her mind, the words low and beautiful, warming her from the inside out.
Time stopped for a moment and suddenly Alana heard everything. She heard the call of the earth beneath their feet, the laughter of the wind. She saw colors swirling in a cascade of light and heard a quiet murmuring of a language she couldn't possibly understand. The sensation came on so fast she swayed under its onslaught, crushed with so much sensation. And then everything turned black.
Andreas caught her without effort, staring down at his lifemate in bemusement. Still, he acted swiftly to block out the careening colors and images rippling around her. Unconscious and without her normal precautions, Alana's mind was open for all to see and it left her far too vulnerable. It also made her a beacon for any undead, even amongst the company of so many Carpathians.
She was so beautiful in repose, her lashes long and resting gently against slightly flushed cheeks. The outfit she wore today was more revealing, hugging her curves lovingly in a way that made the beast in Andreas roar that other males had seen her. She was so diminutive, no more than five-three at the most. This tiny woman was so unlike the tall and willowy Carpathian women, but Andreas found he did not care. Though she was not what he expected, she was his.
Nearby, Mikhail turned to Dimitri. "You suspected." His tone brooked no argument, merely commanded an explanation.
The blue-eyed male nodded in the affirmative. "When we first saw her at the inn, she struggled to keep herself closed off. It was only for a moment, but it was enough to make me concerned about her safety."
Andreas interjected suddenly, voice sharp. "I will see to her safety."
The other male capitulated. "You were there last night." It was not a question. Dimitri's voice was casual, but the meaning behind them was obvious. Lifemate or no, Andreas had stalked a young woman under the protection of the Carpathian community.
Andreas chose his words carefully. "I sensed something there, but was unsure." His eyes roamed his lifemate's face, taking note of the high cheekbones and generous lips. "I thank you for watching over her," he added formally.
Mikhail held up a hand. "Whatever the events, it is clear this young woman has returned colors to you. There is no question she is your lifemate." His expression hardened. "That said, she is a human woman, and knows nothing of our people. Beyond that, she is undoubtedly quite vulnerable without the proper safeguards. Perhaps it is best she is taken back to her room at the inn, Andreas."
Mikhail was right. Alana was quite vulnerable at the moment and he needed to proceed with caution. Andreas tightened his grip on the young woman but nodded in agreement. "I will take her back and make sure she is comfortable."
Gregori stepped forward, silver eyes swirling in warning. "I will accompany you. I intended to speak with Slavica this night, about a program we are setting up in the area, and it would be wise to make certain young Alana is not ill." The message was clear. The girl was still under their protection until the claim was formally made. As second-in-command to the Prince, it was his duty to see that nothing befell her in the meantime.
"I'll come too."
A growl emanated from Andreas before he could stop himself as Josef eagerly volunteered to accompany them. Even he could sense the hurt in the young male that yet another of his friends had been claimed by a much older, domineering male, and it did nothing to alleviate Andreas's chaotic emotions.
Dimitri placed himself before Josef even as Andreas inclined his head. "I apologize. It is. . . surprising to feel so much." With that, he strode to the entrance, lifemate cradled in his arms.
He knew the fledgling did not have any deep feelings for Alana, but his boyhood affection was given freely and without reserve. That the young male could be allowed so much latitude was astonishing. What Andreas had been able to glean from the Carpathian network, Josef was fast proving his resourcefulness. Already, his proficiency with computers was a huge asset, especially in an age where the world seemed to be shrinking faster and faster with the various avenues of instant communication.
While he understood Josef's sentiments, however, the beast in him refused to accept that an unmated male would dare foster a friendship with his lifemate. After centuries of living without emotion, Andreas was finding it more than a little difficult to adjust. That he could feel such jealousy was an uncomfortable discovery. He suspected, however, that there were many other emotions he would enjoy.
A ghost of a smile touched his lips as his body came to life. It felt so amazing to simply feel. And the colors. The small woman in his arms had restored everything to him, had appeared in his life like a flame the chase away the darkness staining his soul. The night held new meaning for him; he could see the deep greens of the forest, the midnight blue staining the sky. Even the stars seemed to shine brighter, marking the difference between the bleak world that had been forever shattered by his lovely little lifemate and the beauty surrounding him.
Unconsciously, he pressed Alana even closer, desperately clinging on to the one thing he would never be able to let go.