Dark Destiny Page 0,128

violence can't keep happening. It's ruining everyone's lives."

"Velda told me of a woman, Blythe Madison, who had similar problems a while back. She was put in a hospital by her husband."

"Harry's wife. She's a wonderful woman. I go to visit her twice a month. She doesn't remember anything of what she did. She stays voluntarily in the hospital. I didn't even consider that her breakdown was anything like what happened to John Paul and Martin. How could the events possibly be connected?" Mary Ann knelt near her lamp and began to carefully pick up the pieces, tossing the slivers of glass into the wastebasket.

Destiny could see that Mary Ann's hands were trembling. Tears glistened in her eyes. Her reaction shook Destiny as nothing else could. Mary Ann cared deeply about these people, and it was painful to her when they were in trouble.

"We're much closer to finding out what is going on," Destiny assured her. "I don't know who's behind this, but John Paul was under some sort of command."

Mary Ann looked up at her, blinking back tears. "Like hypnosis?" There was sudden speculation in her voice.

"Is someone around here into hypnosis?"

"There's a doctor at the clinic. He comes in a couple of times a month. He believes in hypnotism for things like pain management and quitting smoking, that type of thing. I went to him once and couldn't quite get over his bedside manner. He's related to Harry, a cousin or something; that's why he even bothers to come to our lowly little neighborhood. He has offices uptown and also at the hospital."

Destiny frowned, trying to assimilate this new information. "I don't know what you mean by bedside manner."

Deep inside she heard Nicolae give an inelegant snort.

Well, I don't know, she insisted.

He probably came on to her. Made a pass while he was examining her.

He's a doctor!

Destiny, vampires are not the only monsters in the world. Many of them are human.

Destiny sat down abruptly beside Mary Ann. "Was the doctor inappropriate with you? Did he - "

"Touch me inappropriately? Yes. And he was a slimy little worm with a charming smile and a handsome face. Obviously, women have said yes to him and been thrilled by his advances. I was not, and made it abundantly clear. He thought hypnotism would work well on me and wanted me to let him try. What a jerk."

"But you didn't report him?"

Mary Ann ducked her head. "No one else was in the room. To make that kind of accusation against a professional with his reputation and money is risky. I didn't want to risk what I do here. I just never went back to him."

"I wonder if John Paul went to him for any reason. Or Martin. And before them, Blythe Madison."

"If Harry is the doctor's cousin, wouldn't it be natural for him to ask him to take a look at his sick wife?" Mary Ann wondered aloud.

Destiny was more inclined to think the culprit was a vampire. All along she had concentrated her energies in that direction. The legions of the undead had to be involved. To Destiny, whoever was behind these bizarre character changes was deliberately tormenting and hurting people for amusement. She couldn't conceive of a human committing such atrocities. Demons were vampire, not human.

At once Nicolae was there, sensing that her thoughts were beginning to shake the very foundations of her world view. His arms were strong, his body sheltering, his mind firmly merged with hers. Her anchor. Nicolae was always with her. She could count on him endlessly. In spite of the crouching darkness that he had fought most of his life. In spite of the tainted blood now flowing in his veins, Nicolae was unfailingly good.

Nicolae. She breathed his name in a sudden overwhelming surge of love. He was slowly handing her back her life. A little piece at a time. And all the while he was there, comforting her, reassuring her as he had always done.

"Destiny?" Mary Ann's voice shook her out of her reflection. "If the doctor is somehow involved in this... if he actually has done something to harm Helena and John Paul and Martin and Tim and Father Mulligan... and poor Blythe living in a hospital thinking she lost her mind... I could have prevented it. I could have brought charges against him. What if I could have stopped him?" She looked lost, sitting there on the floor with her large eyes and horror in her mind.

"No! Mary Ann, what are you