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kept the home clean and in good shape. The moment he had returned he had modernized it, and was proud to show off the changes.

They sat near the fireplace, the one Destiny especially loved, and Mikhail imparted to them all the news he could think of, including his most important find, Syndil. "Do you remember anything of the ancient practices, Nicolae? A woman who could heal the earth?"

"Of course. They were very rare and most honored. She attended all births and healings. The line was old and only the women from that line had the gift. Syndil must be a descendant."

"And the only one we have."

"There were several earth healers I ran across when I was a young man. There could be more. Rhiannon was such a healer. The gift was passed through her mother. Her father was

Dragonseeker. She was an incredible talent even as a child. It was a great loss to our people when she was killed."

"Syndil is not Dragonseeker; at least I have not heard she bears the mark of the dragon. She is one of the Dark Troubadours, the lost children Darius managed to save. But we do have Rhiannon's granddaughter, Natalya, whom your brother claimed as a lifemate."

Nicolae smiled. "And Vikirnoff certainly has his hands full with her."

"The two of you have found extraordinary women." A brief smile flirted with Mikhail's mouth. "Although Natalya did not inherit her mother's gift for healing the earth, she is a talented warrior. I believe you will enjoy her company very much, Destiny. Have you met her yet? She taught herself to be a warrior."

Destiny's tongue touched her lips as if they were dry. Once more her gaze flicked to her lifemate before she spoke. "She's a lot of fun. I find myself laughing around her all the time."

Mikhail had the feeling Destiny didn't laugh all that much. He glanced at Nicolae. The ancient's fingers were massaging the nape of her neck, a subtle show of support Mikhail often employed when Raven was in an unfamiliar situation and feeling apprehensive. He flashed another open smile at the woman. "She does love to quote old movies. I told Raven we were going to have to start watching them so I can keep up."

Destiny managed a small, nervous smile. "She loves old movies. Poor Vikirnoff doesn't know what she's saying half the time, but it's good for him." She let out her breath slowly. "I've never been around a prince before. I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do."

"Most of the time, I'm just an ordinary man, Destiny," Mikhail confided. He looked around and leaned forward, lowering his voice in a conspiratorial manner, although he sent his comments along to his second in command. "Unless Gregori's around, and then I suppose everyone should genuflect to make him happy."

Gregori's retaliation was swift. A clap of thunder shook the house, rattling the windows, and the chair Mikhail was sitting in shifted and bucked, nearly throwing him to the floor.

Nicolae roared with laughter. "That was definitely a Daratrazanoff growling."

"It is not any way for a son-in-law to treat his father-in-law," Mikhail said. A slow grin lit his eyes. "But he will find I have the last word this night."

"You have planned something," Nicolae guessed.

"We need a Santa Claus and I think Gregori Daratrazanoff will fill that role nicely."

Destiny looked from one laughing man to the other. "Gregori is not going to be happy. In all the time he spent trying to heal me, I only saw him smile at Savannah. Well, once he

tried to smile at me and it was more a baring of his teeth. The thought of him entertaining a roomful of children is beyond my imagination."

"And everyone else's as well it seems," Mikhail said with evident satisfaction. "How are you feeling? I know you experienced great pain on rising each day with vampire blood in your veins. Was Gregori able to fully heal you both?"

Destiny nodded. "It seems a miracle every rising, to open my eyes and not feel as if razor blades are cutting through my skin. Gregori kept the blood, and mentioned it might be used to infect a warrior to infiltrate the ranks of the undead." Her gaze met Mikhail's. "Don't let them do that. It's the worst thing you can imagine to have that blood in your veins every moment of your existence. It's agony, both physically and mentally. I cannot imagine what it would do to a warrior already close to the edge of madness."

"Nothing