Dark Curse Page 0,81

had spent her life afraid, always looking over her shoulder, terrified that others would discover her differences and condemn her, terrified that Xavier would find her again. She wanted to be like Nicolas, facing the worst without fear.

"Not all Carpathian males were raised to be hunters. In the old days we had a community and many men were craftsmen. They did woodworking and gem-calling. They worked with herbs and candles to develop our healing powers. Some were sword-makers. They did incredible, beautiful work with weapons. My family was bred as warriors. Much of the skills of our ancestors are imprinted on us. So if you are born into a lineage of warriors, you have skills and reflexes already built in. In other words, you already have an advantage before you even begin training. Where a gem-caller or sword-maker has other skills imprinted, those skills are not at all useful for fighting."

There was a small trail of water running across the path. Without missing a stride, Nicolas caught Lara around the waist, lifted her over it and continued walking as though nothing had interrupted them.

When the small, secret thrill at the strength in his arms subsided Lara slipped her hand back into his. "And the darkness in you? How exactly does that come to be?"

His fingers tightened around hers. "Does it frighten you?"

Her gaze flicked to his face and then sought out boulders blocking the entrance to the tunnel. Excitement was building at the prospect of shapeshifting. "A little," she admitted.

He lifted an eyebrow.

Lara shrugged. "Well, maybe a lot. You're very sure of yourself."

"I have lived a long time." He brought her fingers to his lips. "But all this is new to me and I have found that I am learning as we go. Feel free to clue me in when I am making mistakes."

"Have no worries there," Lara said. She tugged at his hand, halting him before he could avoid her question by bringing down the safeguards. "I really want to understand you better and I can't if I'm worried all the time that you might become a vampire."

"That is no longer a possibility, Lara," he assured. "You are the other half of my soul, the light to my darkness. Once found, your light guides and protects me. I have no doubt I will always be a difficult man, but I will not turn vampire." He jerked his chin toward the boulders, his eyebrow raised in challenge. "Do you think you can remove the safeguards?"

A smile slowly formed. "A test. You're challenging me."

"I am also timing you."

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. She spun around toward the entrance and lifted her hands into the air. Every stroke of the pattern he had woven was recorded in her mind. The aunts had drilled it into her to observe even the tiniest movement, a flick of a finger, a small nuance that made the difference of getting it right the first time and surviving.

She could feel his eyes on her and the intensity of his gaze sent a shiver of awareness tingling down her spine. She had to really concentrate to block him out, to make the long graceful movements and the short, subtle ones accompany her soft murmured words. It was a silly chant really, one she had made up and used repeatedly as a child to help her learn how to weave and undo warding spells. Her hands moved swiftly, gracefully, following each thread of unseen light, seeking out each knot and double checking the threads in the weave of the pattern.

Spider, spider spin your web, absorbing now these unseen threads. Spider, spider, throw your line, remove all that would harm or bind. Spider, spider, clear the way, protecting now this entryway.

The boulders rocked back and forth for a moment, shimmered and disappeared. Lara spun around, grinning at him. He was there-too close-right on her in fact. She hadn't heard or felt him move, but as she turned, she turned right into his arms, her face raised toward his. Their gazes locked. A frisson of awareness-of arousal-raced from breasts to thighs.

His finger curled around the nape of her neck, his thumb sliding over her cheek as he bent his head toward hers. His other hand slid down to the small of her back, urging her body close against him. Lara didn't pull away but neither did she lean into him, nervous and unsure of herself and him.

Do not be afraid of this, Lara. It is just a kiss.