Dark Magic

“If people came and made up the bed and prepared the house for your arrival, then they would have removed the dust too.”

“Maybe they’re incredibly incompetent,” she suggested hopefully.

Gregori glanced at her and found the hard edge of his mouth softening. She was making him want to smile all the time, even in the most serious of situations. “I am certain any company would work overtime trying to make you happy, ma petite.I know I do.”

She blushed at the memory of how he did so. “So why all the dust?” she asked, deliberately distracting him.

“I think Julian left us a message. You have remained with humans so long, you see only with your eyes.”

Sava

The pale eyes slid over her, wrapping her in heat. “I have my own ideas of fun, chérie.I would be willing to show you if you like,” he offered wickedly.

Her chin lifted, blue eyes challenging. “If you think you’re scaring me with your big-bad-wolf routine, you’re not,” she said.

He could hear her heart beat. Smell her scent calling him. “Perhaps I will think of something to change that,” he cautioned her. Gregori turned his attention back to the room. Dust was thick on the walls, the fireplace, the tiled floor. He hunkered down, touched the minute specks lightly, and studied the layout from all angles. His eyes glowed red in the darkened interior.

Sava

She blinked to bring the room back into focus. There was a subtle change. The dust seemed to shift position under Gregori’s hand. He moved his arm gracefully, as if he was conducting an orchestra, and patterns began to emerge on the walls and on the floor. Lines shimmered into ancient letters and symbols. Once Gregori unlocked the secret, the hieroglyphics took shape rapidly, fashioned with the dust particles.

“This is beautiful. It’s in the ancient language, isn’t it?” Sava

“The way the dust had settled was all too arranged. It lay in a design waiting for us. It is an art few are aware of. I had no idea Julian knew it.” Gregori sounded pleased. “Your father is quite good at this, but I have seen few others who have mastered it.”

“Is my father good at everything?”

Gregori glanced up at the odd note in her voice. “He is the Prince of our people. The oldest of our kind. Yes, he is good at everything he does.”

Unlike her, Sava

Gregori turned the power of his silver eyes directly on her face. “Your father and I have lived over a thousand years, bébé.Why would you think you should have the knowledge of the ancients? You are a beautiful, intelligent fledgling, and you learn quickly.”

“Maybe I can never live as you want me to. Maybe I was born too late.” There was an ache in her voice, betraying her lack of confidence in herself. The silver stars in the centers of her eyes deepened the blue to a vivid violet. Her anxiety was easy to read.

He went to her immediately and framed her face with his hands. “You have a lifetime to learn the things your father and I have learned. It took us a lifetime. We had none of your responsibilities at such an early age. We were able to wander the world, to live freely. We had no overbearing, dominating lifemate we had to live with.” His thumbs caressed her delicate jaw. “Do not, chérie,ever think you ca

“You might get tired of teaching me things.”

His hand spa

Sava

Gregori released her slowly, almost reluctantly. She stood very still, looking up at him, her blue eyes studying his face. “We can do this, Sava

A small smile touched her mouth. “ Fate.Interesting word to use. You make it sound like I’ve been sentenced to prison.” She took a deep breath and made herself relax. “You’re bad, but not quite that bad,” she teased him.

His white teeth gleamed, his predator’s smile. “I am very bad, ma petite.Do not forget that if you wish to be safe.”

She shrugged casually, but her heart leapt in response. “Safety is not a concept I strictly adhere to,” she answered, her chin up.

“That is a double-edged sword for me.”

Sava

Gregori caught her arm to hold her still. “To release the pattern to our eyes is very simple. First study the pattern, then simply reverse it. Hand movements spread the molecules in the first place. Disturbing the air in reverse brings the designs back to where they were originally placed.”

“Who taught you such a thing?”

“Many arts have been lost through the ages. Buddhist monks in Tibet had this one at one time to communicate without others knowing. We are one with the earth, with the air, with space. To command and move it is not so difficult.” His hands began moving again, and Sava

“A few words only. My mother was just trying to learn it from my father when I left for America. I never had a chance to learn.”

“One more thing for me to teach you, chérie,and we both will enjoy the experience.” His silver eyes were eloquent.

“I can speak the healing chant. I think I was born knowing it. My father drilled it into my mother all the time.”

Gregori was moving carefully throughout the room. “The chant is as old as time, as old as our race, and very effective. It is imprinted on us before our birth and has saved many lives. Your mother had to learn it quickly, as every voice is needed.” His voice was a whisper, as if his very breath might disturb the ancient message shimmering in the air.

Sava

“It is from Julian,” he said. “He has brought justice to two vampires that had recently taken up residence in this town, so that you would not be in any danger.”