Dark Curse Page 0,25

them off of the body. His hands were bloody from pounding the ice. He looked up abruptly and Nicolas followed his tortured gaze to the tow-headed child with streaks of red in her hair huddled in the corner, her fist shoved in her mouth to keep from screaming. He was no judge of the ages of children, but to him the little girl appeared to be no more than three or four. The child's eyes were on the woman's face and she sobbed softly.

Momma.

Everything in Nicolas stilled. Deep down rage began and fought its way to the surface. He wanted to grab that child and rush her to safety, but all he could do was save the woman he was holding in real time. He caught Lara's face firmly in his. No child should ever have been subjected to such a thing.

"Avio siel, my soul, come back to me." He whispered the command to her, burying a strong compulsion along with the order itself. "You are safe, Lara. I am your lifemate and I will always protect you to my last breath."

Her cloudy, almost opaque gaze shifted to his face.

"Yes. Look at me. Focus on me. Let me lead you back."

In the ice cave of her memories, he didn't wait for the child to respond to him. With exquisite tenderness he lifted her, covering her eyes, burying her little face against his chest, soothing her with his voice as he turned his back on that horrific scene and walked out.

Lara's long lashes fluttered. The wild, pale blue of her eyes darkened as she looked at him. She drew a breath. Nicolas eased back, pulling her into a sitting position. She looked around her, alarm creeping into her expression.

"Did I hurt anyone?" She ducked her head, refusing to meet his eyes.

"No one was hurt." He kept his voice low and soft, reassuring even as he caught her chin with firm fingers and forced him to maintain eye contact. "No one here would ever harm you."

Her heart beat too fast. He laid his palm over her breast, sending warmth into the glacier cold of her body and slowing her heart to match the even, steady beat of his. She struggled to draw breath into her lungs and he bent his dark head so their breath mingled until hers slowed to a more relaxed, effortless flow of air. Her gaze remained locked with his and he had the impression of tears, but none formed in her eyes.

"I will block the smell for you."Gregori, do not look directly at her, there is something about your eyes triggering a childhood memory . "You should have told me it was bothering you. As your lifemate, it is my duty to protect you from such things."

"I'm a big girl, all grown up."

She had felt him then, in her memories, carrying the child that was her from the ice cave. She had felt his comfort and now, even with her lower lip trembling slightly from fear, she didn't move away from his touch. He leaned forward and very gently brushed her mouth with his. He held her gaze for another long moment, his mind moving in hers, making certain the nightmare world of her childhood had receded enough to allow her some peace.

"Are you all right, Lara?" Mikhail asked.

His voice was as gentle as Nicolas's, she decided. He must think she was on the verge of a breakdown. And maybe she was. But Nicolas had blocked the smell of decayed blood and flesh, replacing it with the fresh scent of the forest. She even could feel a slight breeze on her face. Aside from total humiliation, she was fine. She steadfastly tried to avoid looking at the healer, but she knew, like the proverbial moth, she would be unable to help herself.

Lara took Nicolas's outstretched hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. "I'm fine, thank you. I hope no one was hurt."

"If I were hurt, I'd get a new second." Mikhail grinned at her. "Don't let him intimidate you. He practices that look every evening down by the lake."

Before she could stop herself, her gaze traveled to Gregori. His silver eyes made her queasy, but she forced herself to look at him. "I'm not intimidated, but I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"No one was hurt, little sister," Gregori said, keeping his gaze on Terry. "If we are going to help your friend, we have to hurry."

Lara's heart leapt. She had all but